Oct
22
Posted on 10-22-2007 at 02:34pm
Genocide? Or Not?
Filed Under (History, Government & Politics) by Katherine Coble on 10-22-2007

Josh Tinley has some thoughts on the Armenian Genocide.

[I]f the Ottoman Turks were guilty of genocide, then they were guilty of genocide. (Several other countries and organizations have already formally declared that they were.) We can’t pretend otherwise just because we have a strategic alliance with the guilty parties’ great-great grandchildren.

I took notice of this post because my adoptive grandmother’s family came here to flee the persecution of Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Turks. As impolitic as it is to say, the Beshgetoorians were Christians and the Ottoman Turks who imprisoned them were Muslim. Although I’m not sure if the root of the genocide was religious or political in nature. I just remember hearing stories about my great-grandfather Vahan Beshgetoorian being jailed as an intellectual and “thought criminal” by the Turks. Luckily they were able to come to America before 24 April, 1915.

I had no idea until reading Josh’s post that there was even any question at all about whether or not this was Genocide.

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Comments

Glen Dean on 22 October, 2007 at 4:12 pm #

Let me ask Josh this. Who in the hell is helped by this resolution? NOBODY.


Number9 on 22 October, 2007 at 4:18 pm #

It would help the people who would like to have a War with Turkey. Apologising for things from a hundred years ago is risky business.

Why should anyone apologize for what the people of the past did?


Josh Tinley on 22 October, 2007 at 5:18 pm #

Glen,

Did you read my entire post or just the snippet included here?

Number 9,

I’m not sure that the resolution in question is an apology per se. I think it’s more of a recognition or acknowledgment.

This is what I’m trying to say: I’m not sure if formally acknowledging the Armenian is worthwhile at all. But if the Ottoman Turks were guilty of genocide, no one should get fussy about a resolution that says “the Ottoman Turks were guilty of genocide.”

Of course, some people—most notably the powers that be in Turkey—will be. So the resolution in question may be a bad idea. But we also need to be careful that history isn’t rewritten by current-day politics.

I don’t have answers, just thoughts and questions.


Lesley on 22 October, 2007 at 5:19 pm #

I learned about “the Armenian genocide” (quotes used because that is how it was presented to us) in a Modern History class in school. It’s never been a question in my mind as to whether there was a genocide or not. They were targeted for removal from their homeland and extermination.

That said, I’m not sure why this “resolution” is coming up. I think it would be a much more effective use of time for the people who care about this issue to work with educators and textbook creators to ensure that this very important event be included in all world history classes, not just elective ones at selected schools (which was the case in my experience).


Glen Dean on 22 October, 2007 at 6:49 pm #

Josh, I totally apologize. I only read the snippet.


jim voorhies on 23 October, 2007 at 8:43 am #

Growing up, one of our neighbors was of Armenian descent. He lost relatives to the Turks. There never was any question in his mind whether it was a genocide or not. The Wikipedia articles on it are well done.