Armenian, Assyrian and Hellenic Genocide News

Goodbye Mr. Clinton... and Good Riddance
by Harut Sassounian, January 24, 2001 - California Courier Publisher
Posted: Wednesday, January 24, 2001 07:45 am CST

Commentary

The Armenian-American community won't have President Bill Clinton to kick around anymore, after putting up with his 8 years of repeated refusals to admit the Armenian Genocide, breaking a promise he had made during his campaign for the Presidency in 1992.

Even worse, in October of 2000, he obstructed the assured passage of the Armenian Genocide Resolution by demanding that the Speaker of the House, Dennis J. Hastert, withdraw its consideration from the House floor, minutes before the scheduled vote.

Just because Mr. Clinton is no longer in office, does not mean that Armenian-Americans would either forget what he has done or forgive him. He caused such serious psychological trauma to the survivors of the Armenian Genocide that they would be justified in hounding him for the rest of his life.

Armenian-Americans are fortunate that Vice President Al Gore did not succeed Clinton in the White House. Otherwise, they would have surely suffered through another 4 or possibly 8 years of similar trauma. During his recent campaign for the Presidency, Gore adamantly refused to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide even though he desperately needed every single vote in such a tight race! He probably deserves a high mark for resisting the temptation to lie to the Armenian community, but should get a failing grade for his insensitivity to the plight of Genocide victims. If he is contemplating to run again for President in 4 years, Armenians should not even agree to meet with him, unless he first issues a statement acknowledging the Genocide.

But before worrying too much about 2004, let's see if the newly-elected President, George W. Bush, is going to keep his campaign promise of supporting the acknowledgment of the Armenian Genocide.

Armenian-American organizations have already issued statements reminding him of his promise. After all, April 24 is coming up in 3 short months. Armenians will very quickly find out if he too would deceive them on this issue, like many other U.S. Presidents have before him, including his own father, former President George Bush!

Armenian Americans can be heartened by the fact that, in recent months, the European Union, the Italian Parliament and even the Pope have acknowledged the Armenian Genocide.

Last week, the French Parliament unanimously recognized the Armenian Genocide, after long years of struggle by the French-Armenian community. The Armenians of France, just like their counterparts in the United States, had to overcome many obstacles: French politicians who made promises that they did not keep, and Turkish leaders who threatened reprisals against France.

Back on May 29, 1998, for the first time, the French Parliament recognized the Armenian Genocide, despite strong opposition from the President and Prime Minister of France. Before this motion could become law, however, the French Senate had to approve it as well.

Two and a half years later, on November 9, 2000, the French Senate followed suit. But, it was ruled that the Parliament had to vote on this Resolution once again! In a desperate last ditch attempt to prevent its passage, the Turkish government resorted to its usual tactics by sending a high-level delegation to Paris to "bring the French to their senses," and threatening to cancel a multi-billion dollar French weapons' purchase.

It did not work! On January 18, 2001, the French Parliament not only approved the motion to recognize the Armenian Genocide, it did so unanimously. Out of the 570 members of the French Parliament, the Turks could not convince a single member to vote against this bill!

Since then, all hell has broken loose in Turkey. The government has dispatched groups of street thugs to take turns in throwing eggs on the French Consulate building in Istanbul. Turkish universities canceled French classes. Turks have been asked to boycott various French products, not to go to France on vacation, not to fly on Air France, not to drink French wine, and not to eat French cheese. The Turks repeatedly fail to understand that the more loudly they complain about the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, the more attention they attract to this issue!

The most amazing thing about this berserk Turkish reaction is that nowhere in the text of the French Resolution is there any mention of Turks or Ottomans or anything remotely connected to Turks as the perpetrators of this Genocide. The Resolution makes no reference whatsoever to the identity of the killers. It simply states that "France publicly recognizes the Armenian Genocide of 1915." Isn't it ironic that anytime, anywhere in the world someone says "Armenian Genocide," the Turks automatically and hysterically respond, "we didn't do it!" In my view, there is no more damning evidence of their culpability than their own paranoid reaction.

The battle in not yet over in France. Under French law, the President or 60 members of Parliament have 15 days to challenge the constitutionality of this Resolution in court. Even though such a scenario is highly unlikely, it pays to remain vigilant.

If the Resolution is not overturned, I urge all Armenians to counter the Turkish boycotts and express their gratitude to France by engaging in the enjoyable task of going on vacation to Paris, eating all the French cheese and drinking all the French wine they can. Bon Appetit!

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