Comments on: A Decent Compromise (II) http://www.theamericanconservative.com/larison/2009/04/26/a-decent-compromise-ii/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-decent-compromise-ii n. the principle of good order<br /><br /> "Observe the strange inversion of all order and sense! Dignity debased; how vilely is the function of a consul prostituted!" ~The Craftsman Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:25:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: JJM http://www.theamericanconservative.com/larison/2009/04/26/a-decent-compromise-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-31657 JJM Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:12:31 +0000 http://www.amconmag.com/larison/?p=9288#comment-31657 <i>It’s not that mysterious why he is the only modern President to call the genocide what it was.</i> You're right; it's not mysterious at all. As I stated and you agreed, it was politically expedient for Reagan. It’s not that mysterious why he is the only modern President to call the genocide what it was.

You’re right; it’s not mysterious at all. As I stated and you agreed, it was politically expedient for Reagan.

]]> By: bjololian http://www.theamericanconservative.com/larison/2009/04/26/a-decent-compromise-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-31638 bjololian Mon, 27 Apr 2009 18:16:53 +0000 http://www.amconmag.com/larison/?p=9288#comment-31638 It is astonishing to read that President Obama did not use the word "genocide" to describe the Armenian experience 1915-23, when the word “genocide” was coined by Dr. Raphael Lemkin to specifically describe the barbarity that befell the Armenians at the hands of the Turks. Raphael Lemkin, a lawyer of Polish-Jewish descent and a holocaust survivor, coined the word “genocide” to properly characterize the slaughter of the Armenians, explaining that the Turks acted with intent to annihilate. Prior to the use of the word "genocide", British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and other world leaders described the events as the "Armenian holocaust." President Obama who does not speak Armenian, used the Armenian words "Medz Yeghern" (The great catastrophe) thus shielding Turkey of any legal accountability for its crimes under UN and international laws for the prevention and punishment of the crimes of genocide. Imagine if back in the days of West Germany the US president refrained from using the word "Holocaust" not wanting to offend or sour relations with a strategic NATO ally, thus describing the events surrounding WWII as "Shoha". It is astonishing to read that President Obama did not use the word “genocide” to describe the Armenian experience 1915-23, when the word “genocide” was coined by Dr. Raphael Lemkin to specifically describe the barbarity that befell the Armenians at the hands of the Turks.

Raphael Lemkin, a lawyer of Polish-Jewish descent and a holocaust survivor, coined the word “genocide” to properly characterize the slaughter of the Armenians, explaining that the Turks acted with intent to annihilate.

Prior to the use of the word “genocide”, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and other world leaders described the events as the “Armenian holocaust.”

President Obama who does not speak Armenian, used the Armenian words “Medz Yeghern” (The great catastrophe) thus shielding Turkey of any legal
accountability for its crimes under UN and international laws for the prevention and punishment of the crimes of genocide.

Imagine if back in the days of West Germany the US president refrained from using the word “Holocaust” not wanting to offend or sour relations with a strategic NATO ally, thus describing the events surrounding WWII as “Shoha”.

]]> By: bjololian http://www.theamericanconservative.com/larison/2009/04/26/a-decent-compromise-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-31637 bjololian Mon, 27 Apr 2009 17:50:37 +0000 http://www.amconmag.com/larison/?p=9288#comment-31637 It is astonishing to read that President Obama did not use the word "genocide" to describe the Armenian experience 1915-23, when the word “genocide” was coined by Raphael Lemkin to specifically describe the barbarity that befell the Armenians at the hands of the Turks. Raphael Lemkin, a lawyer of Polish-Jewish descent and a holocaust survivor, coined the word “genocide” to properly characterize the slaughter of the Armenians, explaining that the Turks acted with intent to annihilate. Prior to the use of the word "genocide", British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and other world leaders described the events as the "Armenian holocaust." President Obama who does not speak Armenian, used the Armenian words "Medz Yeghern" (The great catastrophe) thus shielding Turkey of any legal accountability for its crimes under UN and international laws for the prevention and punishment of the crimes of genocide. Imagine if back in the days of West Germany the US president refrained from using the word "Holocaust" not wanting to offend or sour relations with a strategic NATO ally, thus describing the events of WWII as "Shoha". It is astonishing to read that President Obama did not use the word “genocide” to describe the Armenian experience 1915-23, when the word “genocide” was coined by Raphael Lemkin to specifically describe the barbarity that befell the Armenians at the hands of the Turks.

Raphael Lemkin, a lawyer of Polish-Jewish descent and a holocaust survivor, coined the word “genocide” to properly characterize the slaughter of the Armenians, explaining that the Turks acted with intent to annihilate.

Prior to the use of the word “genocide”, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and other world leaders described the events as the “Armenian holocaust.”

President Obama who does not speak Armenian, used the Armenian words “Medz Yeghern” (The great catastrophe) thus shielding Turkey of any legal accountability for its crimes under UN and international laws for the prevention and punishment of the crimes of genocide.

Imagine if back in the days of West Germany the US president refrained from using the word “Holocaust” not wanting to offend or sour relations with a strategic NATO ally, thus describing the events of WWII as “Shoha”.

]]> By: Daniel Larison http://www.theamericanconservative.com/larison/2009/04/26/a-decent-compromise-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-31636 Daniel Larison Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:20:35 +0000 http://www.amconmag.com/larison/?p=9288#comment-31636 Er, no, he was referring to the genocide in the context of remarks on Holocaust remembrance, in which he also referred to the genocide of the Cambodians. Perhaps he was also keen to win the burgeoning Buddhist vote. Seriously, the Armenians in Lebanon tried to stay neutral in the civil war, so it wouldn't make much sense to invoke the genocide in connection with a war in which Armenians were largely not involved in active fighting on either side. Reagan was from California, where a lot of Armenian-Americans lived then and still live today, and so he was undoubtedly more attuned to Armenian constituencies and more responsive to pressure from them on this question. It's not that mysterious why he is the only modern President to call the genocide what it was. Er, no, he was referring to the genocide in the context of remarks on Holocaust remembrance, in which he also referred to the genocide of the Cambodians. Perhaps he was also keen to win the burgeoning Buddhist vote. Seriously, the Armenians in Lebanon tried to stay neutral in the civil war, so it wouldn’t make much sense to invoke the genocide in connection with a war in which Armenians were largely not involved in active fighting on either side.

Reagan was from California, where a lot of Armenian-Americans lived then and still live today, and so he was undoubtedly more attuned to Armenian constituencies and more responsive to pressure from them on this question. It’s not that mysterious why he is the only modern President to call the genocide what it was.

]]> By: JJM http://www.theamericanconservative.com/larison/2009/04/26/a-decent-compromise-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-31635 JJM Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:14:34 +0000 http://www.amconmag.com/larison/?p=9288#comment-31635 It's worth noting that Reagan's comment was made in the context of ongoing fighting in Lebanon, which pitted Christians against Muslim and secular factions. I don't think I have to mention that Reagan greatly depended on the Christian vote, and moreover would later go on to make somewhat fawning comments about other foreign factions fighting "American-esque" conflicts, e.g. the Mujahideen. I certainly wouldn't have put it past Reagan to make such a comment about the Armenian genocide in order to please domestic groups or, even, simply for bluster. It's part of what Reagan was. It’s worth noting that Reagan’s comment was made in the context of ongoing fighting in Lebanon, which pitted Christians against Muslim and secular factions. I don’t think I have to mention that Reagan greatly depended on the Christian vote, and moreover would later go on to make somewhat fawning comments about other foreign factions fighting “American-esque” conflicts, e.g. the Mujahideen.

I certainly wouldn’t have put it past Reagan to make such a comment about the Armenian genocide in order to please domestic groups or, even, simply for bluster. It’s part of what Reagan was.

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