GLENDALE—The Armenian Bar Association, along with its Armenian Rights Watch and Armenian Genocide Reparations committees, has lent its voice to the community-wide uproar and anger over the rejection by Americana at Brand to advertise an Armenian Genocide documentary.
In letter to Americana parent company Caruso Affiliates and Glendale Mayor Vartan Gharpetian, the Armenian Bar Association has expressed its protest over the decision to reject advertisements for “Architects of Denial,” a documentary centering on the denial of the Armenian Genocide and other human rights issues.
In its letter to Caruso Affiliates, the organization argued that the message of the film is not controversial, saying, “The film is about human rights and the prevention of genocide. If the actions which are being taken here against the Architects of Denial were attempted at The Grove on a film that exposes Holocaust denial, there would most certainly be amplified rebuke and scorn by civil and Jewish rights organizations, and the equally certain demand for apology and revelation of the specter of litigation. The same situation is presented here.”
“We believe that banning the advertisement of the film Architects of Denial is arbitrary, discriminatory and capricious. Of note, is the fact that part of the Americana at Brand property is dedicated as a public park where the right to expression is particularly protected. At the very least, the suppression of speech in this context illustrates a profound insensitivity to that which is of significant importance to a majority of Glendale’s citizens,” the Armenian Bar Association letter emphasized.
The letter was signed by Saro K. Kerkonian, Chairman of the Board of Governors; Garo B. Ghazarian, two-term past chairman of the board, current board member and co-chairman of the Armenian Rights Watch Committee; Armen K. Hovannisian, three-term past chairman, current board member and chairman of the Armenian Genocide Reparations Committee; and Karnig Kerkonian, board member and co-chairman of the Armenian Rights Watch Committee.
The same signatories also sent a letter to Glendale Mayor Gharpetian asking for a meeting to discuss this issue.
It is very troubling to see Americana at Brand and Caruso Affiliates repeatedly deny the Armenian Community from expressing their first amendment rights simply because they think the cause in question is “too political”. It’s not that they are ignorant of our constitution, but because they are biased and prejudiced towards our right cause in trying to educate the public with content that is based on documented evidence and is based on a historical event that culminated in pre and post World War I when the Ottomans committed their horrific Genocide against the Armenians many of whom were conscripts in the Ottoman army.
Americana and Caruso Affiliates, shake off your prejudice and give the Armenians the platform they need to reveal the truth about their past, present and future, regardless whether it ruffles the feathers of the perpetrators of the Genocide who have been getting away with it for over a century, because the truth will be revealed and justice will prevail no matter how long it takes and how hard it becomes and the more you resist us the stronger we get with our resolve to crush all obstructions until victory.