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The Daily Foxman: From Armenia to Darfur
By Michael Weiss / September 9, 2007
Gershom Gorenberg has an excellent piece in the American Prospect distilling the main points of the ADL-Armenian Genocide fiasco. One of my arguments all along has been that a failure to acknowledge a historical atrocity is also an implicit acquiescence before future atrocities. Indeed, the current Darfur refugee crisis — and Israel's recent expulsion of 50 Darfuris last month — becomes a grievous complement to the events of not only 1915, but of 1939:
Olmert, who has an uncanny ability to miss opportunities for leadership, blew this chance as well. In July, he announced that he'd agreed with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak that any refugee caught crossing the border would be sent back. That prompted 63 Knesset members, more than half the parliament, to sign a petition against deporting Sudanese refugees, citing "the Jewish people's history as well as the values of democracy and humanity." Nonetheless, authorities sent back a bus of over 50 Africans in late August, most reportedly from Darfur. One official argument is that Al-Qaeda activists could be among the refugees. Lurking behind that is fear — expressed quietly even by some who oppose deportations — that large numbers of refugees could change Israel's ethnic character.
Under pressure, the government has announced it will let 500 Darfur refugees stay. Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit — a rival of Olmert from within his own Kadimah party — says he'll grant the 500 citizenship. The other Sudanese are to be sent back to Egypt.
As a country of 7 million, it's true, Israel can't solve the Darfur refugee crisis. Then again, the Israeli population is now about one-twentieth that of America just before the Holocaust. If it is enough for Israel to let in 500 people fleeing genocide, then the U.S. could have met its responsibility by taking 10,000 Jews. In fact, 50,000 Jews came to America between 1933 and 1941, according a Yad Vashem scholar. That was insufficient refuge.
I suppose it's not impossible that a member of Al Qaeda could slip past the asylum processors and enter Israel. However, one of the things that makes the Khartoum regime, which has been blessed by Al Qaeda, guilty of genocide is that it is targeting specifically black African Muslims for annihilation and expulsion. A black Darfuri is therefore much less likely to be a Bin Ladenist than, say, a white man from Warsaw claiming Jewish heritage in 1939 was likely to be a Nazi in disguise. This "official" argument centered on Israeli security is not so terribly compelling.
That said, given our own hysterical debate over the perils and promises of immigration to the U.S., it is an absolute crime that we have turned our backs on refugees from Sudan and Iraq.
The Iraqi Diaspora was among the most sophisticated and prosperous in the world up until 2003. It would be a small humanitarian triumph of this war if, given the continued bloodshed and chaos in Iraq, we could add to that population within our own borders, the better to prepare Iraq for a later influx of U.S. visa-holders and naturalized citizens.
Of course, such a reversal of policy might actually help the Bush administration save face, so no, it wouldn't want to do anything so bold as that.
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Armenian Genocide Monument in Wales Smashed on UK's Holocaust Memorial Day
Contributed by: WorkerFreedom
Views: 113
and Welsh came together on January 27 to pray for victims of all
genocides on the United Kingdom's Holocaust Memorial Day and to
remember the first anniversary of the assassination of Hrant Dink, the
journalist killed for raising the issue of the Armenian Genocide in the
Turkish press.
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MONUMENT IN WALES SMASHED ON UK'S HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY
Armenians and Welsh came together on January 27 to pray for victims of
all genocides on the United Kingdom's Holocaust Memorial Day and to
remember the first anniversary of the assassination of Hrant Dink, the
journalist killed for raising the issue of the Armenian Genocide in the
Turkish press.
As they gathered they discovered the ornate slate cross on the Armenian
genocide monument (pictured here) smashed into pieces with a hammer
left at the scene. The Armenian Genocide Monument was desecrated on a
symbolic day designated to recall the events, consequences and lessons
of the darkest days of human history in a deliberate and premeditated
act of vandalism.
Kind of sick, don't you think?
The monument in Cardiff is to remember 1.5 million Armenians who were
massacred in 1915. IC Wales reports it caused controversy at the time,
with members of the Turkish community denying the killings amounted to
genocide.
Caerphilly Councillor Ray Davies, who campaigned for the Armenian
monument to be erected, said many people at the service were close to
tears when they saw what had happened.
“The desecration of the monument reminds us that we must always be
vigilant against racism and hatred which is never far from the
surface,” he said.
Director of the Welsh Centre for International Affairs Stephen Thomas
said: “It was particularly saddening for the Armenians present that
this happened on the day of the Holocaust Memorial Day. This service
wasn’t specific to the Armenians. We were trying to be all-inclusive
about all those historical events where people have been massacred. It
wasn’t very helpful in terms of trying to create a bridge and links
between Turkey and Armenia that this was carried out. People were upset
when they turned up and saw what had happened.”
Hal Savas, a member of the five-man delegation from the Committee for
the Protection of Turkish Rights, was present at the service.
“Whoever has done it should be ashamed of themselves,” he said. “We would condemn any damage done to any religious monument.”
The following is from AZG Armenian Daily.
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MONUMENT DESECRATED ON HOLOCAUST COMMEMORATION DAY
The tiny Welsh Armenian community of Cardiff were targeted with a
despicable racist attack on Holocaust Memorial Day (January 27). The
new Armenian Genocide Monument (which was erected by the community
under the leadership of John Torosyan in November ) was desecrated in
the early hours of the morning before important ceremonies were held
today to Commemorate the Holocaust,and to remember Hrant Dink. The
ornate Armenian Cross on the monument was smashed to bits by persons
unknown using a hammer, which was left at the scene of the crime.
Turkish protesters disrupt Holocaust and Hrant Dink Commemorations
One of the Welsh Armenians said: "This is our holiest shrine. Our
grandparents who perished in the Genocide do not have marked graves.
This is where we remember them" Eilian Williams of Wales Armenia
Solidarity said that he blamed the so-called "Committee for the
Protection of Turkish Rights", under the leadership of Hal Savas for
the crime. We shall repair the cross again and again no matter how
often it is desecrated. We also challenge the UK government and the
Turkish Embassy to condemn this racist attack.
The Holocaust commemoration was a gesture of friendship by Welsh
Armenians towards the Jewish and Roma communities During the Prayers
for the Holocaust victims, the said Turkish Committee used a
loud-speaker to disrupt proceedings. Finally Martin Shipton, chief
reporter for the "Western Mail" the national newspaper of Wales gave
his tribute to Hrant Dink (also representing the National Union of
Journalists). The Turkish protesters also disrupted his speech.
Good point. And what do you think of, for example, Shoher’s attitude like here http://samsonblinded.org/blog/reverse-darfur.htm ?
I wondered when we would hear from the Armenian Jews.
The title “jez” is pretty anonymous, so calling me cowardly for being anonymous is hypocritical. However, hypocrisy is now the lingua franca of the left, so I should excuse you. The rantings of Gormberg are all over the web, so you should have no problem finding out that he is a fanatic Israel hater. He helped Christian Amanpour in her thesis that Israel is just as bad as Bin Laden. Why dont you do some research and find out how much CNN paid him for his fine work. Then you can join Gormberg as his surfing buddy in Anbar province
your attack on Gorenberg is as cowardly as your anonymity. I could say you are 'fanatical', that you are a 'hater' and you should do 'something useful'. I would however have no more rational basis for doing so than you do regarding Gorenberg. I did not know about Gorenberg before reading this article, and I have no idea what he loves, hates or wether he is fanatical about anything. What I do know, is that in your attack you offer no evidence to back up your claims.
I think that Israel should give refuge to for refugees. However, to provide Gersh Gormberg as support for your hypothesis is counterproductive. Gormberg is a fanatical Israel hater whose cameo role for Christianne Amanpours screed on Judaism said that Jewish fundamentalists are just as bad as bin Laden. Gormberg should do something useful with his life, like surf in Anbar province
A black Darfuri is therefore much less likely to be a Bin Ladenist than, say, a white man from Warsaw claiming Jewish heritage in 1939 was likely to be a Nazi in disguise. This "official" argument centered on Israeli security is not so terribly compelling.
That is a wonderful point.
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