*Anarcissie* <anarcissie@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:1193501608.335952.84930@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> On Oct 27, 8:11 am, sdrodr...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
wrote:
> > On Oct 16, 9:14 pm, "M. Ranjit Mathews"
> >
> > <ranjit_math...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> > > Condemn the present Turkey for a past government's
> > > doing?
> > > Would anyone consider condemning the present
> > > Vatican Cty for the Albigensian genocide?
> >
> > I condemn all genocides, not present-day persons
> > who did not participate in them. In my post, I am
> > talking about genocide, and my criticism of the
> > present-day Turks is over their unwillingness to
> > recognize the crime of genocide, NOT their
> > participation in it! (Just as I criticize Mr. Cohen
> > for the same thing: NOT for having a kind heart and
> > being a sweetheart, which I'm sure he has/is, but for
> > not calling a spade a spade.) This is ALL about our
> > willingness to call a genocide a genocide--it may
> > appear to be a matter of some slight im****tance to
> > many, but ask the few Holocaust survivors whether
> > they might accept changing the definition of The
> > Holocaust to merely "an unfortunate mass-murder"
> > instead of The Holocaust. Then we'll talk.
>
> I think you're confusing the government with other
> people and institutions. Clearly, the question is
> whether it is the proper business of a government
> (if indeed a government has any proper business)
> to be declaring this or that about a historical
> event or situation. The government is not "we".
> It seems to me it is historians, not politicians or
> bureaucrats, to whom we should look for such
> judgements, if we don't make them for ourselves.
>
The Turkish government can make a considerable contribution by aboli****ng
the law which makes it a criminal offence to suggest that the then Turkish
governemnt had anything to do whatsoever with the Armenian massacres. It
could also stop arresting, charging, prosecuting, convicting and
imprisoning
academics, writers and journalists who call for the period and events to
be
examined, discussed and debated.
Once that occurs, then perhaps those you mention as being the ones who
should be declaring 'this or that' will, in fact, be able to do so.
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