San Gabriel Valley Tribune, CA
June 14 2008

Armenian genocide still haunts Turkey

By Zanku Armenian and Dickran Tabakian
Article Launched: 06/13/2008 07:15:16 AM PDT

ON April 24, in cities across the United States and around the world,
people remembered the 1.5 million Armenians murdered by the government
of Turkey during the Armenian Genocide of 1915.

The commemoration in the U.S. includes gratitude for efforts by
Americans during that period to save countless Armenian lives and
opening the doors of this country as a haven from the brutality of
Turkey’s armed forces.

The U.S. ambassador to Turkey between 1913-1916, Henry Morgenthau,
wrote of this first modern example of genocide in his memoirs. "When
the Turkish authorities gave the orders for these deportations, they
were merely giving the death warrant to a whole race; they understood
this well, and, in their conversations with me, they made no
particular attempt to conceal the fact . . . I am confident that the
whole history of the human race contains no such horrible episode as
this," Morgenthau wrote.

Morgenthau did not realize what similar horrors awaited the human race
a few decades later when the German Nazis would take their turn in
race extermination.

Sadly, on April 24 the San Gabriel Valley Newspaper Group fell victim
to the Armenian genocide denial campaign perpetrated by today’s
government of Turkey when the newspapers printed an opinion piece by
Jason Epstein that attempted to cleverly cast doubt on the historical
facts surrounding the Armenian Genocide and whether it should be
commemorated.

Epstein is a former legislative director for B’nai B’rith
International, a prominent Jewish organization that, among the issues
it promotes, works to build racial tolerance and awareness of issues
having to do with genocide. It would seem logical that someone with
Jason Epstein’s background would be sensitive to Holocaust deniers and
other races who suffered genocide.

Upon closer examination, however, it becomes apparent Mr. Epstein
doesn’t follow that logic.

According to Justice Department records, he has been paid a
substantial price by the Turkish government as a lobbyist – to the
tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Since his time at B’nai
B’rith, Epstein has crossed over and joined the paid army of lobbyists
and public relations soldiers who have been hired by Turkey. These
people spend their days distorting the facts of history in a losing
battle to deny the Armenian Genocide, much like today’s Holocaust
deniers.

The Turkish government’s decades-long Armenian genocide denial
campaign, in which Epstein is a bit player, spends millions every year
attempting to wipe the blood of genocide victims off the government’s
hands. This failed policy has prevented Turkey from joining the
civilized world and will continue to be a barrier as it attempts to
join the European Union. Turkey’s government must mature and come to
terms with its history.

Instead, the government prosecutes and persecutes Turkish citizens for
speaking the truth about the Armenian Genocide.

At the same time, the Turkish government attempts to export its gag
rule on free speech about the Armenian Genocide to the U.S. by
blackmailing our Congress into not speaking the truth with threats to
cut off northern supply lines to our troops in Iraq.

The Armenian National Committee of America and other American
community, academic and political organizations and hundreds of
elected officials such as our own Congressman Adam Schiff work hard
every day to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide.

At its core, these efforts aim to align our government’s policies on
these issues with our fundamental American values of respect for human
rights.

Epstein, given his past, should find his lost integrity and
concentrate his efforts on breaking the cycle of genocide in the world
instead of protecting the perpetrators of genocide denial. This would
be a more productive use of his time instead of lecturing the Armenian
American community, which is very proud of its contributions to this
society, as well as helping the growing democracy in Armenia.

But then again, perhaps Epstein is not interested in representing that
side of the issue because there is little money to be made defending
victims of genocide or standing for justice and what is right.

Zanku Armenian is on the board of directors of the Armenian National
Committee of America, Western Region.

Dickran Tabakian is chairman of the Armenian National Committee,
Pasadena.