SPEAKING THE TRUTH ON GENOCIDE
Denver Post, Ohio
April 14, 2015 Tuesday
The Ottoman Turks did indeed engage in what amounts to attempted
genocide of its Armenian population between 1915 and 1923, slaughtering
an estimated 1.5 million, and Pope Francis is hardly the first to
say so. But the boldness of his declaration Sunday was refreshing
nonetheless, even if it did anger Turkey.
“Concealing or denying evil is like allowing a wound to keep bleeding
without bandaging it,” the pope said.
In recent months, Pope Francis has appeared increasingly animated by
the persecution of Christians and other minorities in the Middle East
and not without reason, given the depredations of the Islamic State.
So it is not surprising that he would be moved by a horrific tragedy
in that region from a century ago.
And if the pope isn’t qualified to speak out on behalf of beleaguered
Christians, or in memory of them, then who would be?