International Turkey is Angry that the Massacre of 1,500,000 Armenians is Finally Being Recognized a "Genocide"

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Those of you who didn't know about the Armenian Genocide can read all about it here, or the cliff notes here.

Please be respectful to those 1.5 million Armenian victims by staying on topic when you join in the conversation, thank you.




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Turkey Recalls Ambassador After Pope Francis Called The Ottoman Turks' Systematic Slaughtering of 1.5 Million Armenians "The First Genocide of the 20th Century"
By NICOLE WINFIELD | April 12, 2015

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Pope Francis on Sunday marked the 100th anniversary of the slaughter of Armenians by calling the massacre by Ottoman Turks "the first genocide of the 20th century" and urging the international community to recognize it as such.

Turkey immediately responded by recalling its ambassador and accusing Francis of spreading hatred and "unfounded claims."

Francis issued the pronouncement during a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica commemorating the centenary that was attended by Armenian church leaders and President Serge Sarkisian, who praised the pope for calling a spade a spade and "delivering a powerful message to the international community."

Historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed by Ottoman Turks around the time of World War I, an event widely viewed by scholars as the first genocide of the 20th century.

Turkey, however, denies a genocide took place. It has insisted that the toll has been inflated and that those killed were victims of civil war and unrest.

Francis defended his words by saying it was his duty to honor the memory of the innocent men, women and children who were "senselessly" murdered by Ottoman Turks.

"Concealing or denying evil is like allowing a wound to keep bleeding without bandaging it," he said.
He said similar massacres are under way today against Christians who because of their faith are "publicly and ruthlessly put to death — decapitated, crucified, burned alive — or forced to leave their homeland," a reference to the Islamic State group's assault against Christians in Iraq and Syria.

Francis called on the world community, heads of state and international organizations to recognize the truth of what transpired to prevent such "horrors" from repeating themselves, and to oppose all such crimes "without ceding to ambiguity or compromise."

Turkey has fiercely lobbied to prevent countries, including the Holy See, from officially recognizing the Armenian massacre as genocide and reacted strongly to Francis' declaration.

"The pope's statement, which is far from historic and legal truths, is unacceptable," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu tweeted. "Religious positions are not places where unfounded claims are made and hatred is stirred."

The Foreign Ministry summoned the Vatican's envoy in Ankara, and then announced it was recalling its own ambassador to the Vatican for consultations.

In a statement, the ministry said the Turkish people would not recognize the pope's statement "which is controversial in every aspect, which is based on prejudice, which distorts history and reduces the pains suffered in Anatolia under the conditions of the First World War to members of just one religion."

It accused Francis of deviating from his message of peace and reconciliation during his November visit to Turkey.

Several European countries recognize the massacres as genocide, though Italy and the United States, for example, have avoided using the term officially given the importance they place on Turkey as an ally.

The Holy See, too, places great importance in its relationship with the moderate Muslim nation, especially as it demands that Muslim leaders condemn the Islamic State group slaughter of Christians.

But Francis' willingness to rile Ankara with his words showed once again that he has few qualms about taking diplomatic risks for issues close to his heart. And the massacre of Armenians is indeed close to the Vatican's heart given that Armenia is held up as the first Christian nation, dating from 301.

That said, Francis is not the first pope to call the massacre a genocide. St. John Paul II wrote in a 2001 joint declaration with the Armenian church leader, Karenkin II, that the deaths were considered "the first genocide of the 20th century."

But the context of Francis' pronunciation was different and significant: in St. Peter's during an Armenian rite service with the Armenian church and state leadership in attendance on the 100th anniversary of the slaughter. And his call for international acknowledgement of what happened went beyond what John Paul had written.

Francis' words had a deeply moving effect among Armenians in the basilica, many of whom wept. At the end of the service, the Armenian Apostolic Church's Aram I thanked Francis for his clear condemnation and recalled that "genocide" is a crime against humanity that requires reparation.

The Armenian president, Sarkisian, praised Francis for "calling things by their names."

In the interview, he acknowledged the reparation issue, but said "for our people, the primary issue is universal recognition of the Armenian genocide, including recognition by Turkey."

He dismissed Turkish calls for joint research into what transpired, saying researchers and commissions have already come to the conclusion and there is "no doubt at all that what happened was a genocide."

The lead sponsor of a new U.S. congressional resolution recognizing the genocide, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), said he hoped the pope's words would "inspire our president and Congress to demonstrate a like commitment to speaking the truth about the Armenian genocide and to renounce Turkey's campaign of concealment and denial."

The definition of genocide has long been contentious. The United Nations in 1948 defined genocide as killing and other acts intended to destroy a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, but many dispute which mass killings should be called genocide and whether the terms of the U.N. convention on genocide can be applied retroactively.

Reaction to the pope's declaration on the streets in Istanbul was mixed.

"I'm glad he said it," said Aysun Vahic Olger. "When you look at history, there's proof of it."

However, Mucahit Yucedal, 25, said he felt genocide is a "serious allegation."

"I don't support the word genocide being used by a great religious figure who has many followers," he said.
www.yahoo.com/news/pope-calls-armenian-slaughter-1st-genocide-20th-century-071157057.html
 
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President Obama Breaking Promise and Refuses to Acknowledge the Armenian Genocide,
Called a "National Disgrace" and "Betrayal of the Truth" by Armenian-Americans

By Stoyan Zaimov | April 23, 2015

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Armenian-American activists have said that it's a "national disgrace" and a "betrayal" that President Barack Obama is refusing to describe the 1915 massacre of close to 1.5 million Armenian Christians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire as a genocide, despite previously promising to do so.​

The LA Times reported that White House officials have made clear the president will not use the word genocide when he commemorates the deaths on Friday, which marks the 100th anniversary of the massacres.

"The president's surrender represents a national disgrace," said Aram S. Hamparian, executive director of the Washington-based Armenian National Committee of America. "It is a betrayal of the truth, and it is a betrayal of trust."

Turkey, which formed after the Ottoman Empire disintegrated in 1923, has put pressure on world leaders not to describe the events of 1915 as a genocide. While most Western historians recognize the ethnic and religious cleansing, which included mass deportation, and starvation and killing of Armenians, most of whom were Christians, the Turkish government has attempted to frame the many deaths as a result of World War I-related clashes.

Obama pledged while running for president in 2008 that he will not shy away from using the term, and said: "As president, I will recognize the Armenian genocide."

Obama even criticized former President George W. Bush for failing to do so.

"Armenian genocide is not an allegation, a personal opinion, or a point of view, but rather a widely documented fact supported by an overwhelming body of historical evidence," Obama said in 2008.

"The facts are undeniable. An official policy that calls on diplomats to distort the historical facts is an untenable policy."

The White House has reportedly explained, however, that it does not want to sour its relations with Turkey, a fellow NATO-member.

U.S. politicians such as Rep. Adam B. Schiff, D-Burbank, have also led the charge to have the government recognize the genocide of Armenians, and said that he was "deeply disappointed" with Obama's decision.

"How long must the victims and their families wait before our nation has the courage to confront Turkey with the truth about the murderous past of the Ottoman Empire? If not this president, who spoke so eloquently and passionately about recognition in the past, whom? If not after 100 years, when?" Schiff said in a statement.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/o...tional-disgrace-betrayal-by-activists-138061/
 
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It was a genocide. Fucking Turkey needs to admit it already.

Respect to the Pope for calling it like it is.
 
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Thumbs up for the Pope calling a spade a spade.

The ADL (Anti-Defamation League) for many years argued against it being called a genocide.
 
Props to the bizarro Pope. Probably advocating use of condoms next week!
 
Like saying the Earth is round......Deny it all you want it is what it is. Was Genocide Pope keeping it 100% real.
 
This is nothing new, they have always denied it. BS politics have stopped other countries from calling it a genocide as well because they want to stay in Turkey's graces. Fuck Turkey.
 
I love the line-up for the Francis 3-card Monte (& shell!) game. Fucking hilarious.
 
Depending on what you mean by advocate, he did.

I had to look to be sure but damn it is close enough:

After decades of fierce opposition to the use of all contraception, the Pontiff has ended the Church’s absolute ban on the use of condoms.

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Francis is the man, all he has to do now is to get one of those folding cross hats like these

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The Independent posted about it, and fuckloads of Turks came on to protest. Most of them were along the lines of "look at so-and-so", as if the Nazis trying to wipe out Jews, Gypsies, etc makes trying to wipe out Armenians acceptable in comparison. A few denied it even happened. I guess they all dropped dead on their own.

I'm perfectly okay with accepting that my country's done some fucking horrific things at times, so why can't they? It doesn't mean that you did it.
 
Armenian American Community Lauds the Pope's Recognition of Genocide

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Pope Francis, left, is greeted by the head of Armenia's Orthodox Church, Karekin II, right, during an Armenian rite Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on April 12.

Members of Southern California's Armenian American community on Sunday lauded Pope Francis, calling him courageous for his recognition of the mass killings of Armenians a century ago under the Ottoman Empire as genocide.

As far as the Armenian American Community is concerned, the Pope has taken a courageous stand despite the threats from the republic of Turkey, said Glendale Mayor Zareh Sinanyan, whose city has been a haven for Armenians for generations.

Sinanyan said Turkey's denial of the genocide and the United States refusal to acknowledge it has not allowed Armenians to move on from the killings.

:It's like a bleeding wound that just won't go away,"he said. "There's no closure, there's no healing."

He said the pope's statements on Sunday were powerful.

"When people with high public profiles like the Pope are not only using the word "genocide" but actually holding the Mass in the Vatican dedicated to the victims ... that resonates in the Armenian American community," he said.[

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank), who is the lead sponsor of the proposed Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution in Congress, said in a statement he hopes that "the Pope's words will inspire our President and Congress to demonstrate a like commitment to speaking the truth about the Armenian Genocide and to renounce Turkey's campaign of concealment and denial. America must speak plainly about the facts of what happened one hundred years ago, when in the throes of defeat, the Ottoman Empire murdered one and a half million Armenian men, women and children. With the centennial of the genocide fast approaching, and with a few survivors still among us, the time for inexcusable silence has come to an end."

Although Obama, before his election, referred several times to the deaths as genocide, he has not done so as president, maintaining his predecessors reluctance to alienate Turkey, a highly valued ally in the Middle East.

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/...can-pope-francis-genocide-20150412-story.html
 
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Pope Francis is putting in some serious work in trying to undo The Great Schism.

Something something something 7 seals blah blah blah gog and magog, death and destruction and then JEEBUS. Sounds like one exciting decade is coming up
 
Why the hell are Turkey such assholes about this? Everyone involved in it is dead by now, it was 100 years ago. They get on their rag every time someone calls it a genocide.....but wtf else would you call it? It happened, there's nothing you can do about it now. Just admit that it was fucked up and move on.
 
Turks need to own up to it, or they can never move on from this issue.
 
The Independent posted about it, and fuckloads of Turks came on to protest. Most of them were along the lines of "look at so-and-so", as if the Nazis trying to wipe out Jews, Gypsies, etc makes trying to wipe out Armenians acceptable in comparison. A few denied it even happened. I guess they all dropped dead on their own.

I'm perfectly okay with accepting that my country's done some fucking horrific things at times, so why can't they? It doesn't mean that you did it.

This is something I have noticed for years from dominant MiddleEastern and South Asians cultures, they can never admit to all the genocides and atrocities they committed . Same could be said for East Asia , I mean look at the Japanese and how they deny and or try to downplay their WW2 atrocities. Or China's behavior in Tibet and Xinjiang ; though I don't know if the average Chinese admits to it and if its only the government that tries to deny it. Or Indonesia and their genocide in East Timor.
 
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