TANKIAN, AXIS OF JUSTICE LAUNCH GENOCIDE RECOGNITION CAMPAIGN
Business Wire
2009_1
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
BURBANK, Calif. (Business Wire)–Known as one of the most outspoken
activists in the music community, Serj Tankian, along with the help
of Tom Morello and the Axis of Justice, is launching a campaign for
the recognition of the Armenian Genocide to commemorate the annual
global day of remembrance for victims of the human rights atrocity
on April 24th.
Tankian, a solo artist and visionary frontman for multi-platinum
rock band System Of A Down, has posted a video on YouTube in which
he and other activists urge President Obama to affirm his pledge and
officially recognize the Armenian Genocide, which took place in 1915,
just after the start of World War I.
A powerful indictment of the Turkish government’s denials, the video,
which also features comments from Morello, The Coup’s Boots Riley,
and Congressman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), asks viewers to call the
White House to implore President Obama to put an end to Turkey’s
well-funded whitewash and officially recognize the Armenian Genocide.
The video, which was directed by Ara Soudjian, who also directed
Tankian’s "Money" clip, is currently available for viewing on Youtube.
"Last year, Barack Obama noted that many of the same brutal tactics
employed today in Darfur are the same as those used by the Ottoman
authorities against defenseless Armenians back in 1915," Tankian said.
"As we approach the global day of remembrance on April 24th, we look
to both the President and Congress to stand up for what’s right; to
speak against the Armenian Genocide and all genocides at the level
of American values, and to never again allow the United States to be
dragged down to the level of Turkey’s threats," he added. "President
Obama is the best-positioned American president in generations to
help bring about real change to how America and the international
community confront mass inhumanity, and our best hope to bring the
peoples of the world together to end the cycle of genocide."
Tankian has also written an accompanying editorial that outlines the
history of the Armenian Genocide and passionately explains his personal
connection to it. (All four of Tankian’s grandparents survived the
brutal massacre.) Read the editorial.
Finally, Tankian and Morello have recorded an Axis of Justice radio
show for 90.7 KPFK radio in Los Angeles, which will be broadcast
on KPFK on Friday, April 17th at 7 p.m. and Sirius Satellite
Radio. Congressman Schiff was the in-the-studio guest. For Sirius
air dates and times, please visit For more
information about Tankian, visit