TALKING ‘TURKEY’ ABOUT GENOCIDE
by Michael Tomlin
Idaho Business Review
09/03/19/Talking-Turkey-about-genocide
March 19 2009
Government, like business, needs leaders with standards, beliefs
and values. We expect retailers to "just say no" to lead paint on
toys. And we should expect our elected leaders to call genocide what
it was and is.
At issue is President Obama, caught in the pragmatic twist of
pragmatists – people who believe only in current convenience – having
declared during his campaign the historic annihilation of 1.5 million
Armenians as "genocide" now may be backing off the term so not to
insult Turkey, which he will visit in April.
Turkey of course is that same country with laws protecting and
prohibiting itself from being insulted. Write an unflattering book or
article about Turkey and you can be arrested and jailed. That is insult
enough, done to themselves, separating them from the enlightened world.
In Michael Doyle’s story for McClatchy Newspapers (Idaho Statesman,
Mar. 18, 2009) diplomats warn of potential fallout should the
U.S. president stand and call the genocide of the Ottoman Empire
what it was. It would be "poorly received," stated one former
ambassador. What should be poorly received is Turkey, in any collection
of civilized nations until they learn to accept criticism.
What if our congressional leaders failed to question the AIG banker
bonuses because criticism might be "poorly received" in the banking
industry? OK, the questioning is a sham … but at least it’s an
open and contentious sham. Let’s cover up the peanut paste scandal,
too, and not risk being poorly received by the company allegedly
responsible for numerous food-borne illnesses and deaths.
Just as a good parent chooses carefully whom they allow their children
to play with, so should business leaders and elected leaders make
similar choices – based upon values and beliefs, behavior, actions,
and deserved reputations. This is not a call for isolationism; there
are businesses and countries aplenty for us to "play" with.
I recently cancelled an account with Bank of America, and will soon do
so with AIG. There are plenty of others I cherish – my relationship
with my State Farm Insurance agent, ditto for Mountain West Bank,
a new relationship with Les Bois Credit Union, restaurants and shoe
makers, airlines and my doctor. They re-earn my patronage with their
behavior over the years, not just with each meeting or transaction.
I expect no less from business leaders selecting their suppliers and
distributers. And I have even a higher standard for my president. Stand
for the United States and our interests, and don’t stand at all
with those not ready for prime time on the world stage. It’s not the
pragmatic view, but then values seldom are.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
