ANC OF NJ PUBLIC FORUM DRAWS THREE CONGRESSMEN ENDORSED BY THE ANCA-ANC OF NJ FOCUSES ON "GET OUT THE VOTE" ON NOVEMBER 4TH
armradio.am
31.10.2008 10:29
The Armenian National Committee of New Jersey (ANC of NJ) hosted a
free public forum for the Armenian community on Election 2008 at the
Sheraton Meadowlands in East Rutherford, N.J. Guest speakers included
three of New Jersey’s representatives in the House: Scott Garrett
(R-NJ-5), Steve Rothman (D-NJ-9), and Frank Pallone (D-NJ-6). Joe
Ariyan, an Armenian-American who ran a competitive campaign last
November for the 39th district State Senate seat in New Jersey, also
addressed those in attendance. The keynote speaker for the evening
was Aram S. Hamparian, Executive Director of the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA), in Washington, DC.
"The ANC of NJ would like to thank all those in attendance, especially
the Congressmen. Given it’s less than ten days before the election, we
were grateful that they were able to make room in their busy schedule
and speak to the Armenian American community in New Jersey," commented
James Sahagian, ANC of NJ Co-Chair. "We are also grateful for a letter
shared to us by Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ-12) who was unable to make it."
Rep. Scott Garrett shared some of his personal experiences in
traveling to Armenia and in meeting genocide survivor Mrs. Alice
Shnorhokian of his district on April 23, 2008.He reaffirmed his
support for the U.S. Congress to once again officially recognize the
Armenian Genocide. Moreover, Rep. Garrett expressed his support for
a peaceful, negotiated settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
and a stronger relationship between the United States and Armenia.
Rep. Steve Rothman, a long-time friend of the Armenian community, said
that he grew-up with Armenians as friends and neighbors, and felt as
"part of the family" when amongst Armenians. As part of the important
House Committee on Appropriations, Rep. Rothman has been instrumental
in delivering over $800 million in aid directed to Armenia throughout
his tenure on this committee.
In addition to his continued support for the Republic of Armenia,
Rep. Rothman expressed his desire to see the Armenian Genocide
properly recognized by the U.S. Congress and to see a settlement to the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Finally, he spent some time talkingabout
Senator Barack Obama, and why he felt that the Armenian community
should support him for president. As the Northeast Regional Chair of
the Obama campaign, Rep.
Rothman stated that Obama has supported key issues of interest to the
Armenian American community as a State Senator in Illinois and as a
member of the U.S. Senate, and will continue to be a good friend to
the Armenian American community as president.
Rep. Frank Pallone, co-chair on the Congressional Caucus on Armenian
Issues, and one of the strongest advocates for Armenian American
interests in the Congress, thanked the ANC of NJ for putting together
a forum to discuss the upcoming election. He noted the presence of Joe
Ariyan at the event and encouraged more Armenians to participate in
the political process. Pallone discussed the need for the U.S. and
Armenia to build closer ties, and expressed optimism that this is
more likely to occur with an Obama Administration.
Joe Ariyan, a Bergen County resident and a candidate last year for
State Senate in the 39th District of New Jersey, gave a personal
testimony of his experience growing up as an American-Armenian in
N.J. He applauded the ANC of NJ for its advocacy of Armenian issues
and was thankful for its assistance in his campaign a year ago. When
asked if he would seek office again in the future, Joe indicated that
he and his family were considering his options, and he has not ruled
out a future campaign.
Finally, Aram Hamparian,who was introduced by Armenian Youth Federation
of New Jersey President Kevork Mesrobian, discussed the initiatives of
the ANCA and its activities over the past year. He also spoke of the
2008 presidential elections and gave several reasons why the ANCA has
endorsed Barack Obama for president, both early in the Democratic
primaries and now in the general election. After a short video
presentation on the work of the ANCA, Hamparian went on to analyze
the potential consequences of the Presidential elections, i.e. how
different results might impact our issues in Washington. Hamparian
took several engaging questions from the audience.
He cited progress in the ANCA’s grassroots initiatives around the
country, and expressed optimism for improved relations with the next
administration.