WE’LL SEE

AZG Armenian Daily
01/05/2009

Armenian Genocide

Ambassador John Marshall Evans spoke at our commemoration last night
(all 5 Armenian churches participated), as well as at our "Genocide
Walk" today on the Phila. Art Museum steps. We had several hundred
people at each of the events. Al Momjian was instrumental in arranging
his visit to Philadelphia (from which both sets of his grandparents
originated, incidentally).

Having read the actual text of Pres. Obama’s statement, Evans indicated
that although it was a compromise statement, it was still more hopeful
than previous U.S. presidents have made. To him it was clear that
this statement was made by a committee, and not the heartfelt words
of Obama. Using a term that only Armenians know ("Medz Yeghern"), and
twice at that, seemed a bit out of place, even condescending, when the
purpose of the proclamation is to let those who don’t know about the
history become informed. He feels that Rahm Emanuel (AIPAC’s "Man in
the White House") probably had a strong hand in altering the language
of the statement to eliminate the word "genocide". On the hopeful side,
Obama said, as he did in Turkey, "my views have not changed". And
he talked about pushing for "acknowledgment", not the equivocating
"examination" of previous presidents.We’ll see.The Genocide Walk today
was also to raise awareness about the genocide in Darfur. Ibrahim
Hamid, a Darfurian, and the treasurer of the Philadelphia-based Darfur
Alert Coalition, also spoke at this program. I had an opportunity to
speak as well, at the end, before the Requiem ceremony.

PHOTO BY ARA SHAKARJIAN – DSCN3062L to R: Fr. Nerses Manoogian
(St. Gregory – Antelias), Amb. John Evans, Abp. Yeghishe Gizirian
(ret. – Etchmiadzin), Mrs. Donna Evans, Very Rev. Fr. Mkrtich Proshyan
(Ss. Sahag & Mesrob – Etchmiadzin), Rev. Fr. Armenag Bedrosian
(St. Mark Arm. Cath.), Rev. Nishan Bakalian (Armenian Martyrs’
Congl.). Taken at the altar of Ss. Sahag & Mesrob Armenian Apostolic
Church, Wynnewood, Pa. (April 24, 2009)