By Harut Sassounian, California Courier
January 26, 2016
While Armenian Americans closely following the sinister efforts of Turkey and its lobbying firms, they do not pay too much attention to some Turkish Americans, or they appear in the organization chart of the Turkish government, or they undertake in turn acts of propaganda, driven by unbridled patriotism. One of these is the Turkish American Oya Bain, described in a recent interview with the Turkish denialist website HistoryofTruth.com as “one of the most active people in the Turkish diaspora in the United States.” She is a member of the Board of the Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA), Assembly of Turkish Associations of America, a coalition of 60 Turkish associations in the United States.
Bain claims that after many years of ATAA’s efforts to organize “lectures, conferences, programs on false Armenian claims across the US in 2015 [year of the centenary of the Armenian Genocide], the frequency and The intensity of such programs have achieved the highest levels. “ She added that there was a significant “increase in the number of professionals and serious academics who study objectively the Ottoman period in the time of the First World War and which issued their report without the Armenian threats and intimidation of previous years”.
Curiously, Bain uses the term “we have serious specialists” to designate the deniers Ed Erickson authors, Michael Gunter, Guenter Lewy, Tal Buenos Jeremy Salt, Norman Stone, Christofer Gunn, Maxime Gauin and Pat Walsh. What exactly drives Bain to say “we have”? This phraseology is undoubtedly a “kiss of death” for any self-respecting intellectual!
Responding to a question on relations between Armenians and Turks in Washington DC, Bain took the opportunity to attack the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA): “Yes, we have friends in the Armenian community. Turkish Armenians are warm, friendly and they like us. By cons, we have in front of us ANCA, a consistently negative and hostile organization prejudices, exaggerations and outright lies in the media, political circles and the university. “ It also does not appreciate my weekly column: “Recently, an article of 20 October 2015 Harut Sassounian extremist author was entitled ‘For the Denial of Genocide is Forbidden, the [European] Court Incite Armenians Committing Acts of Violence. “
Ignoring the millions of dollars spent each year by the Turkish government to manipulate politicians, journalists, writers and so-called experts, Bain exaggerates the modest budget of ANCA and the Armenian Assembly, describing it as false “well funded, installed in luxury offices, with a large staff … It is undoubtedly an industry.”
Bain says proudly that the size of the Friendship Group with Turkey has increased from 62 members to 151 members in 2005. Recognizing that money buys votes, as was the case of the former Speaker of the House of Representatives Dennis Hastert [photo], she states: “We do not have as many votes in the Armenian communities Greek, but we can provide funding and support of volunteers. “ Bath indulges in what Senator Menendez and Representatives Pallone and Pelosi, describing them as “members [of Congress] fans who are very rigid and very hostile to the Turks.”
Seasoned propagandist, Bain said his organization tries to convince – it should say abusing – members of Congress by presenting their “a message of reconciliation with Armenia.” She cites such “support the ATAA for protocols between Armenia and Turkey in 2009, and particularly the formation of a commission of historians to study targets the conflict between Armenians and Turks.” She conveniently forgets to mention that Turkey has continued to refuse to ratify the protocols!
Recognizing that the ATAA was created in 1979 by Sukru Elekda, while Turkish Ambassador to the United States, Bain inadvertently reveals the intense political activity of the ATAA in violation of its statutes nonprofit organization! She presses with unconsciousness groups ATAA ‘to leave the dangerous state of mind of a type 501-c-3 [nonprofit] hampering political activity’. ‘This behavior has seriously hampered our efforts to fight the Armenian claims in the region’. An appeal should be filed with the IRS [the IRS] to restrict lobbying activities of ATAA or terminate.
It is possible that other ATAA violates US laws. Calling it “excellent” relations between the ATAA and the Turkish Embassy in Washington DC, Bain recognizes that successive Turkish ambassadors in Washington contributed “a lot of support” for ATAA, as the organization of “a lot fabulous evening fundraiser at the Embassy. “ It does not seem to realize that it magnifies the revelations could cause problems to the ATAA requiring registration as a “foreign agent” with the Justice Department of the USA.
In his concluding remarks, Bath accuses US media “bias, censorship of any positive event from Turkey, veiled discrimination”. She then adds: “The bias of the media has risen during the April 24, 2015, the centennial year of Armenian claims … It will probably take another 100 years to reverse and correct misconceptions.” Bath vain hope that “in the coming 100 years Armenian propaganda and lies will be removed and a more balanced perception of Turkish and Armenian tragedy emerge, respecting the suffering and deaths of the two people in 1915. I think that the Armenian tragedy is now so much depreciated vulgar propaganda it can go lower … One wishes that the internet will finally be rid of all the rubbish of false information on the Armenian claims . I am hopeful for 100 years to come. The tide goes out. “
It is imperative that the Armenians counteract campaigns not only of the Turkish government lobbying, but also those of ‘lone wolves’ as Oya Bain, without exceeding the rules of civility and law.
Translation for Gilbert Béguian Armenews
Jean Eckian © armenews.com