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Newton considers severing ADL ties

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Photo by Barbara Lehmann

Andrew Tarsy, right, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League
until he was fired last week, led a training session on hate crimes and
extremist groups for members of the Wellesley Police Department last
year. By Chrissie Long, Staff Writer

GateHouse News Service
Tue Aug 21, 2007, 04:36 PM EDT

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Newton –

Newton Corner resident David Boyajian unintentionally ignited a
national controversy when he wrote a letter to a newspaper
last month.

His letter to the Watertown TAB and Press prompted officials in that
city to withdraw from an eight-year partnership with the American
Defamation League’s No Place for Hate. The effect of the letter was
exacerbated when the head of the local ADL branch was fired for
ultimately agreeing with Watertown’s position and several board members
resigned.

Now, the same discussion has entered Newton, with members of the city’s
Human Rights Commission and others debating whether the city should
break its ties to the national ADL.

"What will happen [to Newton’s No Place for Hate], I wouldn’t know until
we have our full discussion," said Marianne Ferguson, chairman of the
Human Rights Commission, who expected to begin discussion at an Aug. 21
meeting (scheduled to take place after the TAB’s deadline). "I don’t
want to speak for the commission because we haven’t had a full
discussion."

Newton adopted the No Place for Hate program in 1999 in an effort to
align itself with a national campaign for tolerance and a fight against
anti-Semitism, racism and all other forms of bigotry.

But the program came under question this summerwhen residents learned
that the national director of the parent organization – the
Anti-Defamation League – refused to recognize the Armenian genocide.

Boyajian pointed to an April 21 article in the Los Angeles Times
"Genocide resolution still far from certain" that reported that the
ADL’s national director, Abraham Foxman, opposes congressional
affirmation of the genocide.

Watertown’s Town Council voted unanimously on Aug. 14 to sever ties with
the No Place for Hate program. Two days later, Andrew H. Tarsy, the
ADL’s New England regional director who had defended the ADL’s position
just days earlier, broke ranks with the national groups and said the ADL
should acknowledge the genocide. One day after that, Tarsy was fired.

In a carefully-worded statement released Tuesday, Foxman seemed to
soften his stance on the issue, saying that the "consequences" of the
actions of the Ottoman Empire against the Armenians were "tantamount to
genocide. If the word genocide had existed then, they would have called
it genocide."

But Foxman still refused to support legislation recognizing the
genocide.

Foxman’s latest statement isn’t good enough for Boyajian.

"Genocides need to be officially recognized and put in the public sphere
to at least help prevent future genocides," said Boyajian, an
Armenian-American. "The national ADL is lobbying against Armenian
genocide legislation in Congress. They need to stop working against
congressional resolutions and start working for them."

The Armenian Genocide bill, House Bill 106, which was proposed in
January, would ensure that the United States foreign policy reflects
that the Armenian genocide did in fact exist. The bill is currently in
the House Foreign Affairs Committee. There’s a similar bill in the
Senate.

Historians have long recognized the Armenian genocide as a campaign
waged against ethnic Armenians by the Ottoman government during and
after World War I. Between 1915 and 1923, as many as 1.5 million
Armenians died.

"This is a matter of historic truth," said state Rep. Peter Koutoujian,
D-Newton. "To call it a slaughter or a massacre does not in anyway
reflect what a genocide is."

Congressman Barney Frank, D-4th, a core sponsor of the Armenian Genocide
bill, expressed his disappointment in Foxman’s comments.

"I think they made a mistake," Frank told the TAB. "I am very
disappointed with the national ADL, and I am proud of New England’s
reaction."

But whether Newton decides to sever ties with No Place for Hate is still
under question.

Boyajian, who supports No Place for Hate, would like to see communities
continue to operate such programs, but wants to see municipalities break
any relationships with the larger ADL organization.

"We are asking for local No Place for Hate programs to sever their ties
with ADL until ADL openly acknowledges the Armenian genocide and
supports congressional affirmation of this crime against humanity,"
Boyajian said, indicating that his stance is outlined by the
Web site.

Prior to the release of Foxman’s statement Tuesday, Mayor David Cohen
sent a letter to Foxman asking him to "reinstate" Tarsy and to recognize
the genocide.

"Specifically, I call on you to reverse the national ADL position and
recognize the World War I genocide perpetrated against the Armenian
people. Furthermore, I call on you to reinstate Mr. Tarsy," Cohen wrote.

At his press conference Monday, Cohen affirmed Newton’s commitment
toward a No Place for Hate-like program, even if the city were to break
ties with the ADL.

"Whether or not Newton decides to remain a No Place for Hate community
will in no way alter the hard work being done to promote tolerance and
peace in our city every day of the year," he said during his press
conference Monday. ". Advocates for peace and social justice throughout
the city will continue to plan and carry out programs and events that
will unite the people in Newton against hate."

Newton resident Steve Grossman, a former board member of the regional
ADL, suggested that communities wait before severing ties with No Place
for Hate or ADL.

"I would recommend that communities hold off in making abrupt decisions,
pending a change in national ADL policy," he said. "If the national ADL
does not change policy, some of these cities and towns will have no
choice in ending the relationship. The moral disconnect may be too much
for people to absorb."

According to Grossman, Foxman is visiting Boston Tuesday and Wednesday
to meet with regional staff. Grossman hopes that the visit will result
in a changed stance.

For many observers, accepting the title "Armenian genocide" is not good
enough. Foxman would have to support the congressional resolution,
something he declined to do Tuesday.

"We continue to firmly believe that a Congressional resolution on such
matters is a counterproductive diversion and will not foster
reconciliation between the Turks and the Armenians and may put at risk
the Turkish Jewish community and the important multilateral relationship
between Turkey, Israel and the United States," Foxman said in the
statement.

The ADL was founded in 1913 to stop any defamation of Jewish people and
"to secure justice and fair treatment to all citizens alike and it put
an end forever to unjust and unfair discrimination against and ridicule
of any sect or body of citizens."

Visit for the most recent story.
Chrissie Long can be reached at clong@cnc.com.

Letter from Mayor David Cohen to ADL’s executive director

Dear Mr. Foxman,

I write this letter on behalf of the citizens of the City of Newton,
Massachusetts – home to the largest Jewish population in the state and a
"No Place for Hate" community since the program’s inception – as we
stand with Israel, and with our Armenian brothers and sisters. There is
no uncertainty that more than 1.5 million Armenians were summarily
displaced and marched to their deaths by the Ottoman rulers in the early
20th century – a genocide.

I am in full support of the actions taken by the New England Regional
Board of the ADL, and its Executive Director, Andrew Tarsy, in
recognizing the Armenian Genocide. I am also in full support of the
legislation introduced by U.S. Representative Adam Schiff calling on the
United States to formally recognize the Armenian Genocide.

The recognition of the Armenian Genocide is an important step along the
path of peace and freedom, and crucial in combating other genocides now
and in the future. As history has shown, failure to recognize atrocities
of the past leaves open the possibility of violence in the future. In
fact it was Hitler himself who, when contemplating the Holocaust said:
"Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?" The
Armenian Genocide is a tragic fact of history, and failure to recognize
it as such does a disservice to people all over the world who have
suffered from discrimination and injustice.

Since its inception in 1913, the Anti Defamation League has been a
forceful advocate for tolerance and justice throughout the world. I am
calling on you to stay true to your mission, "To secure justice and fair
treatment to all," by providing your support of the Armenian people
around the world. Specifically, I call on you to reverse the national
ADL position and recognize the World War I genocide perpetrated against
the Armenian people. Furthermore, I call on you to reinstate Mr. Tarsy.
With these two acts, you can ensure that people around the world will
continue to look to the Anti Defamation League as a beacon of hope and
justice and as an intractable barrier to intolerance and hate.

I believe that this is a defining issue, and the manner in which ADL
resolves it will determine whether Newton continues as a "No Place for
Hate" community.