Former Vice-President and the presumptive Democratic nominee for president Joseph Biden on Friday issued a statement, which can be characterized as tone-deaf, on the occasion of the 105th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
While Biden touts his record as a senator supporting efforts for a Congressional recognition of the Armenian Genocide, he does not cite his abominable record on the issue when he was vice-president.
“If elected, I pledge to support a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide and will make universal human rights a top priority for my administration,” said Biden, who seems to have forgotten that last fall the House and the Senate overwhelmingly and unanimously adopted resolutions recognizing the Armenian Genocide.
Asbarez will address this issue in an upcoming op-ed. Below is Biden’s announcement issued Friday.
Today we remember the atrocities faced by the Armenian people in the Metz Yeghern — the Armenian Genocide. From 1915 to 1923, almost 2 million Armenians were deported en mass, and 1.5 million men, women, and children were killed. Greeks, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Syriacs, Arameans, Maronites, and other Christians were also targeted. We must never forget or remain silent about this horrific and systematic campaign of extermination. And we will forever respect the perseverance of the Armenian people in the wake of such tragedy.
It is particularly important to speak these words and commemorate this history at a moment when we are reminded daily of the power of truth, and of our shared responsibility to stand against hate — because silence is complicity. If we do not fully acknowledge, commemorate, and teach our children about genocide, the words “never again” lose their meaning. The facts must be as clear and as powerful for future generations as for those whose memories are seared by tragedy. Failing to remember or acknowledge the fact of a genocide only paves the way for future mass atrocities.
During my years in the Senate, I was proud to lead efforts to recognize the genocide against the Armenian people. Last year, I was pleased to endorse bipartisan legislation in the House and Senate that officially recognized and established an ongoing U.S. commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. If elected, I pledge to support a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide and will make universal human rights a top priority for my administration.
I stand today with all Armenians and the Armenian-American community, which has contributed so much to our nation, in remembering and honoring the victims of the Armenian Genocide.
Questions to Mr. Biden who “stand(s) with all Armenians”:
— Why don’t you tell the world WHO committed the Armenian Genocide?
— Where was it committed?
— Why do you see a need to “support a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide” when it has already been recognized –very recently?
— What steps would you take –if elected– to have today’s Turkey accept responsibility for the crimes committed by its predecessor, the Ottoman Empire, which you could not even remember in your statement?
Persecution
Had the covid19 been selective in lethality, persecuting only one religious or ethnic
Group, how much more would the suffering of that group be in comparison to what
It is now. That is how it was with Christian Armenians, Greeks and Assyrians in 1915
who were selectively persecuted by the Ottoman corona mind that killed around two
to three millions of them and continues to do so through its proxies in Syria and other
Muslim majority countries.
Don’t trust anyone in the White House. They all BS their way into the office and forget what they said during campaign.
You called the statement “tone-deaf” without actually pointing out anything wrong with it. It looks like a good statement to me. Then you call his record as VP “abominable”, again without giving any reason. Are you really not looking at Armenia’s place in US foreign relations through the generations before judging one individual’s performance? Do you not see the qualitative differences in ambassadors and policies between Obama’s years and the Republicans before and after him? In light of Trump’s horrendous predilection for (and critical personal business interests with) Turks and Azeris and total disrespect and contempt for Armenia and Artsakh, do you really want to be slamming his only opposition so severely for saying the RIGHT things?
The man is saying the right thing now. You got to give him a shot. As the alternative is crappy for sure. You need to work with people in a tough situation. If he becomes president and then changes his stance, then I will side you what’s written.
Presidential history–like history in total–repeats itself—optimism is appreciated but reality rules as Biden was a heartbeat away from a president and took a walk…..it matters not which political party….only Reagan stood up.
Nope.. hes NOT going to recognize it as genocide. Just like Barack Obama and Samantha Powers didn’t. However, neither is any Republican either..
We continue to print insulting double talk from presidential candidates when we know the outcome.
Rather than use space for continued hypocrisy, let’s read articles about the successes of Armenian youth.
When you lie once to me shame on you but when you lie twice to me shame on me.
We have been so deceived by the “political” declaration of these candidates that only the experience, the intelligence of the Party can decide, because at the time OBAHAMA we do not forget the posture of this Mr. Biden ready to do everything to win the Armenian electorat. I will be pleased with your analysis, because the confidence of our people of which I am a member, is VERY large and based on the indefectible relationship of the pentagon with Turkey since … Ataturk? we remember Sevres 1920 President Wilson traced us our frontiers … and those of the Kurds
What happens, what changes when a president says “genocide?”
Nothing.
The Armenian Genocide
Though I exist, because the massacre
Brought my orphaned parents together,
I wish we hadn’t had such a past
Of myriad sorrows that stick and last
Generations after the slaughter,
Inhibiting our joys and laughter!