WASHINGTON—Armenian National Committee of America Executive Director Aram Hamparian issued the following statement in response to President Obama’s remarks at the U.S. Holocaust Museum, on Monday, outlining U.S. commitment to the prevention of genocide and mass atrocities.
“President Obama undermined his own commitment to ‘Never Again’ in his speech at the U.S. Holocaust Museum this morning, when, on the day before the annual commemoration marking the Armenian Genocide – the atrocities that Hitler himself referenced prior to launching the Holocaust – he cited several past genocides but remained entirely silent on the Armenian Genocide, the crime that, as a candidate for the White House, he so prominently and repeatedly promised to recognize,” stated Hamparian.
“President Obama has the chance, on April 24th, to give real meaning to his words about genocide prevention by rejecting Ankara’s gag-rule and honoring his pledge to properly condemn and commemorate the Armenian Genocide,” concluded Hamparian.
As Senator and presidential candidate, President Obama consistently and repeatedly urged former President Bush to properly characterize the Armenian Genocide, and pledged, as President, to recognize that crime. In a January, 2008, statement, then Senator Obama clearly stated, “as President, I will recognize the Armenian Genocide.”
Read then Senator Obama’s complete statement.
Review then Senator Obama’s complete record on Armenian Genocide affirmation related issues.
President Obama’s April 23rd ‘Never Again’ speech at the U.S. Holocaust Museum took place one day before Armenians and people of good conscience worldwide commemorate the murder of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Turkish Government during the years 1915-1923. Forty-two U.S. states and over 20 countries have properly recognized the Armenian Genocide. Former U.S. President Ronald Reagan acknowledged the crime as genocide in 1981. The U.S. House adopted Armenian Genocide legislation in 1975 and 1984 and included reference to the crime in House adopted amendments in 1996 and 2005. More recently, the House Foreign Affairs Committee has passed Armenian Genocide legislation in 2007 and 2010. The Republic of Turkey continues its international campaign of Armenian Genocide denial, issuing economic and political threats against countries who properly characterize the crime. Those threats have largely been hollow, with economic trade data showing a marked increase in trade with Turkey after the Genocide has been recognized.
NEVER AGAIN WILL I VOTE FOR obama OR ANY OTHER BACKSTABBING PROPAGANDIST WHOOSE SO AFRAID OF AN INSECURE PAPER TIGER LIKE turkey.
Such a coward!
President Obama! We have a dream too, that tomorrow you become the Martin Luther King’s Dream’s
Armenian version’s implementation!!! God bless America and the people ,who chose you as our President!
Failure to comply is an insult to our Founding Forefathers of this Great Nation and a Double Crime to the 1.5-
2 Million Armenians, who perished 97 years ago in the hands of the Turko/Ottoman/Young Turkic/Turanistic
brutal beasts, murderers and bloodthursty criminals of the entire Humanity!!! Had the Great Powers prevented
that from happening, the Shoah wouldn’t have taken place later on! Ignore the Armenian Genocide , more
Genocides will occur as potential criminals will feel, that they can get away with their crimes, due to
impunity!!!!!!!
Obama has to be defeated. Period. End of discussion.
Sorry to say, politics come first. Today the Turks are friends of the USA and this or any other president cannot go against the grain. Did Bush, Clinton stand by their word? You think that a Republican president will do it? wishful thinking.
Shame on all of them and more so shame on the Congress!!
Agreed.
On the eve of commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, please light a candle here: http://candle.direct.am/ for 1.5 million innocent Armenian martyrs savagely slaughtered by the Turks.
Mr President and Secretary of State are in “love “ with Turkey, therefore “If Our Friends Do It, It Is Not Genocide”!
I would not hold my breath. This is not going to happen tomorrow or within the next five years.
why every one is surprised he’s not going to say the G word he is another ignorant president and a puppet in the hands of erdogan yes a puppet i said it and i will say it loud and clear when you are the president of a super power and you don’t have the guts and b…..s then you don’t represent any thing you are weak and don;t mean any thing for human rights and he is talking about genocide in syria what a joke.. yuh he got my vote
You are right what a joke! By referring to what is happening in Syria as genocide by a bunch of terrorists backed by the government of turkey, saudi arabia and qatar, is another attempt to trivialize the Armenian Genocide, by inferring that the Armenians who perished were terrorists also. Barak, you will NEVER get my vote, neither you nor any person running for any office that give me lip service. Like a Missourian I am going to demand SHOW ME!
Enough is enough. Who is going to vote for such a lier
“Enough is enough. Who is going to vote for such a lier”? The Turks of course. They deserve each other.
Certainly not me.
In 20 0r 50 years we will know more…
Most probably Obama Administration has given Turks a kind of guaranty to not bring up the issue of Armenian genocide. The text of such a written guaranty or message could have sound like “to avoid any kind of tensions and to refer of any kind of comments regarding glorious Turkish past and history” – Still in order to help Obama being re-elected Turkey could tolerate a kind of “word games” by President Obama!
It’s bad enough that he and his progressive backers are hypocrites in policy and action; now he is picking and choosing those whom he believes are oppressed victims in a historical event.
Vote Obama out, why, so Romney can ignore the Genocide, and on-and-on…
I’m disgusted with Obama,the politicians & lobbyists give us Armenians dog & pony shows. We are not organized, I live in New York City , Armenian activist organizations are non existent.
To all of you who say that you will not vote for Obama because he turned his back on Armenians, you are a simple-minded fool. What are you going to do…vote for a different, lying politician next year who is running against Obama? As if that lying politician is going to recognize the Armenian Genocide!
The Armenian Genocide has been recognized by the US Government. STOP WAITING FOR A PRESIDENT TO UTTER THE “G” WORD. GET ON TO THE NEXT STEPS OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE WHICH IS RETURN OF LANDS, RETURN OF STOLEN PROPERTY/MONEY AND REPATRIATION!
Use your God-given brains. Thank you.
Hitler’s unforgettable quote is cut into the stone wall at the entrance to the museum. So, who remembers the Armenians? Clearly, not Obama, his staff, Elie Weisel or even those at the Holocaust museum. All those ‘smart’ people and no one saw fit to mention that April 24 was less than 24 hours away? No one, not even the speech writers, thought to mention the Armenians during Obama’s first and only trip to the museum as president? This smells very fishy to me…gefilte fishy.
I and my family use to vote for democratic party – In brief we will switch to Republicans at least their former Presidents use to mention the word of (Armenian massacre by Ottoman Empire).
He has a very close frendship with erDOGan. No expectations from this …We should never vote for any of this …. They will use any chance to bad mouth Amenians and never recognize anything our people have done for this country.
Stop being a coward and say the word Genocide, Mr Obama. Please explain to the people of the United States why you allow a foreign country like turkey (that is know for it’s human rights abuses and and a safe haven for genocidal dictators) to put a gag on the president of the most powerful country in the world. I would like to hear your answer Mr president. I voted for you in 2008 thinking you would be a man of your words, but, you proved otherwise and ended up being a coward like your predecessors. Well, I got news for you Mr president, I will be staying home this election and I know way too many people that are going to do the same. Good luck with your reelection.
When obama was on the campaign trail, I really thought he would be the President to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide (after the great Ronald Reagan of course). He turned out to be a turcophile. Armenians of all political persuasions should unite to get rid of him.
Today’s speech was a total joke. How can he talk about Geocide prevention, and not even mention the Armenians? He mentioned the Gypsies, Bosnians, Cambodians, but somehow forgot the Armenians. What happened to your “personal opinion” Mr. Oblaba? I voted for him in 2008, but my vote will go to Romney this year.
You guys still believe in him??? Any Armenian who votes for him this time is a COWARD!!!
Dear fellow democra Armenians.
I implored all my friends and family for months back in 2008 not to vote for Obama. How naive you were. Ever since I’ve been sick and tired of saying I told you so.
We have a great chance to set the record straight. Imagine if every single Armenian voted against Obama and by chance if he loses, then we will have a great trump card the next time we back any candidate. But, we must make sure we collectively vote one way and not splinter the precious few votes we garner.
Good luck and pray to God Obama is defeated.
Go ahead stay home or vote for Romney and you will have the commemoration of the Armenian Genocide banned by Romney’s next Supreme Court appointee as it being done in Javakh, by our “friendly” neighbor
of Georgia.
Dear Sam.
He is not only a puppet in the hands of Erdogan, but also he must listen to Israelis.
I, personally won’t vote for him, let him open the US history archives and educate himself. Let him and the state Dept. be just and undriven from someone else, like Turkey. As they declaire, We are the greatest nation and the human right protectors in the world. Unfortunately, we’re not,starting from our president. Anyways politics Suck….. It means if you have nothing to give, your forgotten, it’s all benefits and contracts, starting from presidancy and goes down……
The man has not got a spine, so little wonder that he can not utter the word genocide, besides, he loves the Turks and can not bring himself to admit publically that his “good” friend Turkey has got a very dirty history!
Don’t be surprised because if you read the history going back to the twenties, thirties and most recent years the US stand has not changed much when it comes to the Armenian Genocide. It’s a shame and disgust… lies after lies. WE SHOULD NOT GIVE UP. DO WE TRY ANOTHER 100
YEARS? Yessssss! I hope it will not take that long to be recognized.
P.S. I just ordered my anti-Obama bumper stickers and I suggest everyone to do the same. I will place them right over the “Obama 2008” sticker.
Poor American Citizens, 300 million Americans are convinced that America is a country of principles with Noble values.
since this year there is a presidential election and he need our votes i said to my self maybe he play on the world but in his speech he will be more tougher then the last year but this ignorant so called president of a super power president that he must be example of the other presidents around the world,he showed me how weak and liar he is,i will make sure at lest 10 of our family vote goes to satin and not to his favor.
ays eshe mart bidi chellay
It is indeed disappointing to see the President backtracking from his earlier promises. American-Armenians must not only unite but must build a titanic coalition that will force the administration to recognize the Genocide and condemn the genocide deniers and their sponsors. Politicians understand power in the electorate. Our numbers are increasing , our influence is developing yet we did not amass the critical vote. I ask that we participate in the political process , work diligently, and be ready to demand and exact truth and justice on the 100th Anniversary.
N.B. the writer of these words is the son of Dr. E. A. Shirajian who was born in Marash and witnessed the Genocide.
If US and UK (UU union) decide one day that the recognition of the Armenian genocide is a cash-generating bill, no doubts Turkey would recognize the Genocide a day before them. So, U-U union does not show any intention precisely for that reason. Turkey will become much stronger and very different from what it is today – a toy in the political maneuvers of U-U and Israel.
None of US Presidents ever manipulated the Armenian genocide with Obama’s cynicims. It was a mistake – voting for him. It should happen never again.
Aaah,my dear shamerican-`armenian` brothers and sisters,its high time you learn Obama-the godfather of the new-fangled Muslim brotherhood states-is the president of the US of A .If you want a president who recognizes the genocide,you may return to your motherland,but then again,there is no official document recognizing it even in Armenia.It is high time you wake up dreaming and talking and waiting for someone else to do your job.
and gee, asbarez wholeheartedly supported obama and all his democrat followers always. never has supported a republican unless they’re armenian. wake up people. don’t vote for any democrat to pass the armenian agenda.
I know who I’m going to vote for now.
Same old monkey nobama. so WHAT’S NEW,
Obama, hope you will not be elected again – never again!
I have issues with Obama, but being of Armenian descent (event just the 25% that I am), this speech, and his obvious “memory loss” regarding the Armenian Genocide, infuriates me. For this, and other reasons, Democrats should look to Independent candidates this coming election season. Perhaps, with a braver president, a president who values justice above politics, the great calamity of 1915 will be recognized for what it truly was–a genocide.
Why should it surprise any of us that he broke his campaign promises? Just what campaign promise he did keep? The guy’s entire campaign was a carefully orchestrated deception perpetrated upon the American people.
How long are armenians going to believe jerks like Obama and get fooled again and again
by democrats.
Open your eyes , and at least this time vote for noble and honest man like M.Romney to rescue America.
please be wise : watch and listen and compare these two men.
I will myself fight for the Armenian cause