Watertown TAB
Watertown, Massachusetts
Watertowntab.com

July 27, 2007

/x1673989602

`No Place for Counterfeit Tolerance’

By John DiMascio

In the light of recent revelations, it has become abundantly clear that
Watertown would be better off were it not ensnared in the `No Place to Hate’
quagmire.
The current controversy has done nothing but (ironically) cause division;
threaten, if not encroach upon, free speech; and in general become a
distracting nuisance. In short, it is exactly the kind of phony feel-good
twaddle that our municipal government has no business getting involved in.
But alas, the die has been cast. We find ourselves in bed with Abraham
Foxman, national director of the Anti Defamation League and Armenian
genocide denier extraordinaire.
Despite this sad truth, TAB editor Chris Helms advises us not to `throw out
the baby with the bath water’ (Editorial, July 20, `Keep `No Place for
Hate.”) He adds: `when our friends disappoint us, the solution isn’t to
stop being friends.’
Wow! I’m completely awestruck by my editor’s Solomonic wisdom. Why, his
argument is truly a Socratic wonder! Rivaled only by the `alternative logic’
recently articulated by our Council president!
First of all, ya just gotta wonder: Has Chris Helms listened to a few too
many Grateful Dead records? He sure seems to be singing their `psychedelic
hit:’ `A Friend of the Devil is a Friend of Mine.’
Secondly, any `friend’ who denies the Armenian genocide is no `friend’ of
Watertown and should be no `friend’ of yours, Mr. Helms! You might ask
yourself if overindulgence in mainstream media Kool Aid has induced this
biased absolution.
Watertown has no choice but to extricate itself from `No Place to Hate.’ How
can Watertown – of all places – remain associated with a genocide denier, no
matter how remote the connection?
The ADL’s collaboration in Turkey’s genocide denial is not simply a matter
of hypocrisy by the national organization. Local `No Place to Hate’
committees (ADL ancillaries) stand equally in contempt because they have not
withdrawn their affiliation and or demanded Foxman’s dismissal.
Foxman’s actions are a vile repudiation of the very principles the ADL
claims to advocate. They damage the ADL’s credibility, stripping it of any
moral authority. More importantly, `No Place to Hate’ now appears to be
nothing more than counterfeit tolerance based on selective indignation.
Local sponsors claim they are not participants in the ADL’s genocide denial.
OK, fair enough. Why didn’t they immediately inform us? Instead, they
allowed the Council to reaffirm `No Place to Hate’ unaware of Foxman’s
treachery! If they didn’t know beforehand, will they now publicly condemn
Foxman? Demand his immediate termination? Sever any and all ties with the
ADL until he’s removed and repudiated?
As for Watertown, our continued participation (in `No Place to Hate’) would
amount to nothing less than a tacit approval of the Armenian genocide and
its subsequent denial.
Our town has always been a welcoming community. Just look at the diversity
that occurred here naturally. We didn’t need ADL social engineers or a
federal mandate. And we don’t need a silly sign stating the obvious or
programs sponsored by organizations that have dubious agendas!
If we insist on affirming what is already clearly evident, why not craft our
own proclamation of fraternal love? We can design our own silly sign, with
our own catchy slogan. Heck, we all know `Kumbaya.’ We can certainly sing it
without the discordant virtuoso Abraham Foxman, leading his phony feel-good
orchestra.
Why should we continue to associate with an organization that, by
duplicitous leadership, denies the Armenian genocide?
Not only should Watertown withdraw from the program, we should take a page
from the activist handbook. Why not urge other communities to boycott the
`No Place to Hate’ until the ADL removes Foxman? By doing so, we could help
restore the ADL’s integrity and truly be able to say that Watertown condemns
hatred in all its forms.
Watertown’s residents did not ask to be ensnared in this quagmire. We,
rather I might say, the Town Council was hoodwinked. That’s what happens
when the council gets embroiled with inane gestures that have little if
anything to do with municipal governance.
This controversy should serve as a lesson. Watertown’s municipal government
exists to govern the town. The council should limit its activity to pressing
matters such as the budget, the town’s infrastructure, and future
development. It has limited time and resources, and can ill afford to waste
them on feel-good proclamations, social engineering, idiotic signs and
politically correct pandering.
Unfortunately, having fallen into a trap, the council has every moral
obligation to act forthwith to rectify the situation. The citizens of
Watertown should give them no rest until they do!
We owe no less to the multitude of Armenians that fled persecution to
legally settle in Watertown. We owe no less to ourselves as a loving and
welcoming community.

[Editor’s note: Andrew H. Tarsy, the regional director of the
Anti-Defamation League, said the ADL does not deny the Armenian Genocide. In
a letter to the editor, he writes: `Neither ADL nor our national director,
Abraham H. Foxman, has lobbied against the legislation. Rather, when asked
by media, we expressed an opinion that the issue was one to be resolved
between the two countries – Armenia and Turkey.’]