Photo: Tim Berger / Glendale News-Press
Not long following the city of Glendale’s week commemorating the Armenian Genocide, the City Council moved to support a resolution asking the U.S. House of Representatives to recognize and reaffirm the atrocity, the reports.
The combined resolution and motion by the council will show support for Rep. Adam Schiff’s House Resolution 220 from March 22, the congressman’s latest bipartisan attempt toward Armenian Genocide recognition.
HR 220 asks the House to commemorate and condemn past genocides — including the one committed by Ottoman Turks against Armenians — as a way to bolster the nation’s stance on preventing modern-day genocides.
“This resolution has removed some of the language on Turkey, and references the Ottoman Empire, and includes a broader range of genocides,” said Christine Powers, a program supervisor with the city. “This is to appeal to representatives in other parts of the country who may not be attuned to the history of Armenians and the Armenian Genocide.”
This is not Schiff’s first resolution aimed at Armenian Genocide recognition and affirmation to the House, but the Glendale City Council has supported several of them in the past, including resolutions in 2005, 2007 and 2011, according to city documents.
The council will also send a letter signed by all current members to show support for HR 220. Council members will also send a five-signature letter directly to President Trump that urges him to “recognize and reaffirm” the Armenian Genocide.
The United States government has not officially acknowledged the massacre of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire as a genocide in over 30 years. The last president to describe the events as a genocide was Ronald Reagan in 1981. Turkey, an American ally in a sensitive region, strongly disputes the term “genocide,” and the U.S. has been reluctant to anger its leadership.
The Glendale move comes from a letter sent to the city by Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Hilda Solis about actions being considered by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
Barger made a motion Tuesday to the board to consider supporting HR 220.
“We’ve just been through our week of remembrance with some very important events that occurred during the week, and I think it’s time for us to stand up and speak about the genocide as well and to reinforce what the supervisors are doing,” said Councilwoman Paula Devine.
Along with the letters, the council will adopt an official city position that supports “legislation and administration action that recognizes and reaffirms the Armenian Genocide by the United States Government.”