SAN DIEGO—Genocide denier and co-founder of the progressive Internet talk radio show, The Young Turks, Cenk Uyger was greeted by a group of protesters during his recent appearance at the California State Democratic Party convention. The event was the Progressive Caucus’ scheduled meeting and panel discussion held at the convention in San Diego under the auspices of the California Democratic Party.
Prior to the demonstration, the Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region and the Southern California Armenian Democrats had lodged complaints with the California Democratic Party for providing a platform to known Genocide denier. Caro Avanessian of the California Armenian American Democrats also wrote a formal letter expressing the concerns of the statewide charter organizations with the speaker.
Torie Osborne, a candidate for CA State Assembly 50th district (Santa Monica), removed herself from the panel of speakers due to the efforts of Southern California Armenian Democrats (SCAD) and the ANCA-WR. Her voluntary removal increased the pressure on the Progressive Caucus to cancel Uygur’s appearance.
Issues were raised by Armenian and Greek delegates to the party with the name of Uygur’s program which referenced the Young Turks – the popular name of the Committee of Union and Progress which was the political party led by the orchestrators of the Armenian Genocide of 1915 – 1923. Concerns were also expressed about an article that Mr. Uygur wrote while a student at the University of Pennsylvania in which he made the following statement:
“The claims of an Armenian Genocide are not based on historical facts. If the history of the period is examined it becomes evident that in fact no such genocide took place.”
The chair of the Progressive Caucus reaffirmed her organization’s support of the Congressional resolutions on the Armenian Genocide but refused to cancel the speaking engagement of Cenk Uygur, which led to the collective demonstration at the Progressive Caucus meeting. Members of Southern CA Armenian Democrats (SCAD), ANCA, CA Armenian American Democrats Organization (CAAD), Armenian Council of America (ACA) and San Gabriel Valley Armenian Democrats (SGVAD) passed out literature on Uygur’s record of denial.
Uygur opened his prepared remarks with comments indicating he had no harmful intent when selecting the name of his program – the Young Turks. He further stated that he does not hate Armenians. His co-host on the program is an Armenian, Ana Kasparian.
His refusal to directly address his previous comments led to the peaceful demonstration by the Armenian-American groups with some walking out on the speaker while a large contingent turned their backs to the speaker for the duration of his comments.
Many officials expressed their support for the demonstration, including Assemblymembers Chuck Calderon (D-Montebello) and Congresswoman Janice Hahn (D-San Pedro).
The Armenian protesters are the epitome of human civilization.
Asdouadz tsezi yergar gyank dah.
The Democratic Party has lost ALL credibility. The fish is rotten from its head. When their leader, the liar Obama denies the Genocide what do you expect from the rank and file.
Vote Republican in November. Not a single vote for the Democrat liars and hypocrites.
Unfortunately many Armenians are “eternal Democrats”…….for reasons not very clear to me, and perhaps, even to them.
We have learned from the past that both the Republican and Democrat are hypocrites.
Are we sure of this? I had read he repudiated his college statement decades ago. Does anyone know? He has an Armenian co-host Ana Kasparian, and i doubt she would tolerate denial.h
100 % sure.
Download the attached document and read his statements.
http://ancawr.wordpress.com/2012/02/09/anca-wr-open-letter-to-ca-democratic-party/
Ana Kasparian is irrelevant.
Who is this hooker Anna Kasparian? It would not surprise me if she is really armenian but neither it would surprise me if she is a turk that pretends to be armenian of tactical reasons.
Ana Kasparian has no honor!
Send press releases to the newspapers about this protest! Once this gets in the news, the Democrats will be forced to drop this racist! Just like people who deny the Holocaust! They are racists!
Ana Kasparian is the biggest traitor in the history of Armenia.
Just because she calls herself Ana kasparian doesn’t make her an Armenian. There were many Azeris living in Armenia prior to independence many have emigrated and live in US in and around our communities, pretending they are Armenians, since, they speak fluent Armenian. Most Armenians from Armenia attempt to downplay their existence, however, privately they will acknowledge their existence in our communities and blame them for as agitators against RoA.
Ana Kasparian is a very nice person who says what he thinks and believes. I think we should not judge her like this.
I’m sure HE is a nicer person! IDIOT
Cenk has said plenty of lies in his day and on his show. He probably sold Ana in some amazing way. How he acted at that event says it all. I’ve seen his show and happened to stumble on one of his older shows and he’s been skeezy for yrs.
Ana Kasparian knows Cenk Uygur is a genocide denier and continues to work with him on a show called “The Young Turks”. A case of having no self-respect for her heritage and the martyrs to which she descended from. But Armenians should stop having high expectations from all Armenians. This Ana Kasparian seems like the type that will assimilate within the next generation. Another Armenian who is one considered Armenian because of her name.
Ask yourselves this question: would a Jew work with a Holocaust denier on a show called “Stormtroopers” (Stoßtruppen)?
Cenk Uygur has flip flopped on the Armenian genocide which looks to be for political reasons or for being bought off. He for I guess 3 yrs believes a slaughter-fest happened and won’t say Armenian genocide. He said the PM of Turkey denies the Armenian genocide in 2007. I’ve seen people online say Cenk said how stupid he was to not believe in the Armenian genocide, but that was on his private post game show which not many people see (it seems to have been back in 2007). Ana still stays at TYT even though they could not even mention the news worthy 100th anniversary of The Armenian genocide. she still stays loyal to TYT even though Cenk had to publicly say that what happened was a ‘slaughter-fest’ and could not say genocide. Ana must understand that her boss has had to say this due to political reasons. And how an Armenian woman works for a show called The Young Turks is odd. Some have told me it was the CUP who took over and then caused the ARmenian genocide, but even then the CUP were popularly known as The Young Turks.
Eventhough we have some wonderful progressive democratic Jewish and Mexican politicians in the democratic party, there are some right wing Jews and Mexicans that feel threatened by Armenian political power and they try to anger Armenians by these ugly acts. If they are willing to invite Uygur to the Democratic party convention, then next year they should invite the Holocaust revisionist David Irving.
David Irving=Cenk Uygur. The right wing Jews don’t like that the Armenians have made the world aware that there is nothing unique about the holocaust or about Jewish suffering. Maybe this is Jewish revenge for Armenia’s pro-Palestinian vote in the UN.
Mr. war is using Ana Kasparian to insult the Armenians. But, Mr. war needs to know, by working with a person who has no self-respect he is showing that he is just as trashy.
As a descendant of those martyred by atheistic “Young Turks” precisely like Cenk Uygur, Ana Kasparian ought to be ashamed of herself. She must have some deep issues, something she’s trying to prove. And I do not say this out out rash, shallow, nationalistic ignorance. I say this in all moderation and thoughtfulness, as an Armenian and a human being.
I saw an email back and forth with an Armenian American woman and Ana Kasparian from 2011 or 2010 I think. Ana said her boss is the best and that Cenk has talked about the massacres done to the Armenians before on the show and or with her. She then went on to say that Armenians should be proud of how much she’s accomplished instead of criticizing her. Ana said she’s tired of people demonizing her. She never talked about the deplorable name. The woman Ana was talking to was stunned by how self-centered Ana was. She said she’s an accomplished woman herself and doesn’t need someone to praise her. I’ve talked with many Armenians online and they’ve all essentially said Ana Kasparian sold her soul to get ahead in her career.
I learned about this in April on a youtube thread that Cenk was an Armenian genocide denier. One Turk on the thread said it’s a crime in Turkey to openly talk about how the Turks caused the Armenian genocide and will land one 3 yrs in prison. Someone else showed me that in 2007 Cenk on his show and on Huff po said that the Turkish leader denies the Armenian genocide as he was mentioning other leaders denying their country’s past genocides. Of course Cenk failed to mention that he was once an Armenian genocide denier. Someone told me Ana said somewhere that she’d never work for a show where the boss was an Armenian genocide denier. I have no idea who educated Cenk about the truth on this matter? Maybe it was Ana Kasparian. She did admit she did not like the name of the show at first and it didnt stop her from finding out more about the show and try to get her foot in the door. For Cenk to say it was a genocide to then call it a historical situation to the Armenians faces at this event and never admit he was wrong for what he said yet he did say what happened to their families was horrible. Then he promised them he’d like to resolve this issue and never has. Even on the 100th yr anniversary of the Armenian genocide his show did nothing and had no segment. Ana Kasparian had to go out of her own way while on vacation on her own youtube channel to talk about the 100th yr anniversary of the Armenian genocide in length. All of this tells me that Cenk got a talking to by some Turk to shut the hell up about the Armenian genocide. He’s never dared utter those words in pubic ever again. This explains so much as why he’s bowed his head ever since 2012 as in not saying Armenian genocide and using Turkish like political correctness words like ‘historical situation’ at a public event.. and then his show didnt have a segment about the 100th yr Armenian genocide anniversary. His show wont answer these questions. He doesnt answer these questions. this is all so hush hush. I think it explains everything. Cenk could have gotten out clean if he realized that naming his show the young turks was beyond disrespectful and beyond in poor taste despite the definition having more than one meaning. he seems rather annoyed or doesnt care when people criticize him for the name of his show. he also could have come clean when he talked about the turkish leader denying the armenian genocide and how he himself was an armenian genocide denier and how wrong he was back in 2007. Sigh… he really upset the Armenians and understandably so and it looks like he pissed of the Turkish govt since they dont like any country to criticize them at all. Even when the U.S congressmen were just discussing to officially recognize the Armenian genocide and the Turkish govt had a fit and threatened to kick out all U.S military bases and threatened to attack the Kurds in Iraq. So i wouldnt be surprised if Cenk who visits Turkey regularly and has family there was threatened by some Turk to never talk about the Armenian genocide ever again. It all makes sense to me. Of course he and the Young Turks show will never tell us the details.