Commentary: By Ludér Tavit Sahagian
On our recently published Article ADL: We would support U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide
ADL CEO’s Blog Post on the Armenian Genocide Has No Formal Status and Merits Widespread Condemnation: Principled Campaign Against ADL’s Longstanding Hypocrisy and Immorality Enters New Phase.
BOSTON – Since Anti-Defamation League (ADL) CEO Jonathan Greenblatt issued his recent announcement on the ongoing Armenian Genocide (http://blog.adl.org/greenblatt/adl-on-the-armenian-genocide) as a “blog post”, we can conclude that none of the four official demands of human rights advocates from around the world have been formally and sufficiently met by the ADL.
These demands include unambiguous recognition of the Armenian Genocide (Point 1 on http://noplacefordenial.blogspot.com/2010/12/no-place-for-denial-statement-and.html) and full and open support for U.S. affirmation of the Armenian Genocide, as the ADL does with the Jewish Holocaust (Point 4).
For Mr. Greenblatt’s post to have any formal status and sincerity, it must be signed by the ADL’s National Commission and presented as an official declaration and certainly not as a personal announcement on an organizational blog on such an important subject as genocide.
Recall that German President Joachim Gauck’s use of the “G” word in an April 2015 speech in Berlin, just as articulately as Mr. Greenblatt does in his post, did not signal formal recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the German Federal Government.
Furthermore, Mr. Greenblatt’s sentence “we would support U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide” does not require the ADL to take any further public action or follow-up with regard to Armenian Genocide resolutions in the U.S. Congress.
“Would”, as a conditional modal verb, has the diametrically opposite meaning of “will”, the latter implying commitment to take direct action to rectify decades of Armenian Genocide denial and anti-Armenian advocacy in Washington and other capitals.
“Would” leaves the door wide open for continued backdoor lobbying attempts to bury the veracity of the Armenian Genocide and harm the Armenian Nation’s quest for restorative justice.
Mr. Greenblatt’s post also contains no mea culpa or apology and no support for reparations and the recovery of annexed, indigenous Armenian lands, specifically Western Armenia, something the ADL has rightfully endorsed in connection with the Jewish Holocaust and other genocides (excluding, of course, the Armenian Genocide).
It comes against the backdrop of the Israeli state’s continued denial of the Armenian Genocide as well as dishonorable discourse on the “battle proven” feature of Israeli suicide drones purchased and used by Azerbaijan to kill innocent Armenians in free Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic), as evidenced in Azeri-instigated terrorist acts against Armenians early last month that have yet to be chastised by the ADL.
The ADL CEO’s blog post, despite its repeated inclusion of the “G” word in unequivocal terms following years of denial and verbal gymnastics, still does not effectuate change in official ADL policy and thus merits widespread condemnation.
The ADL continues to lack the moral credibility to teach students and others anything about civil and human rights or genocide so long as it aids and abets still-genocidal Turkey and its ally Azerbaijan.
The principled campaign against the ADL’s longstanding hypocrisy and immorality and for dignity and peace at home and around the world has now entered a new phase.
The author, a resident of Needham, Massachusetts, specializes in international relations and diplomacy.