[img]821|left|Colby J. Cooper||no_popup[/img]Mobile Press-Register
First of three parts
[Editor’s Note: During the Armenian Genocide (1915-1917), almost 1.5 million Armenians, a minority rival community, were systematically murdered by the rulers of Turkey. For the past 93 years, Turkey successfully has resisted most international attempts to have the massacres formally labeled “genocide” — including by the United States. Recognition remains a delicate, politically charged debate here and elsewhere. Today, Monday and Tuesday, we will present opposing views on whether America should join the 20 countries of the world who fvormally label the holocaust “Armenian Genocide. The essay below is by a 34-year-old public relations executive, former aide to Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice during the Bush administration. His contrarian essay appeared in his Alabama hometown newspapers, the Mobile Press-Register, on Sunday, March 14.]
I have often found myself, usually around Armenian Remembrance Day (April 24), in the tough position of explaining to family why the administration of George W. Bush could not support classifying the Great Armenian Calamity of 1915 as “genocide.”
I served in the Bush administration for nearly eight years, and I was supportive of its policy. I am also a third-generation Armenian-American.
Earlier this month, the House Foreign Affairs Committee narrowly passed a non-binding resolution classifying the horrific acts of the early 1900s as “genocide.” That resolution must not go any further.
Today, more than ever, the United States must be focused on maintaining and strengthening its strategic partnerships and alliances, not impugning (even if unintentionally) the honor and integrity of our allies for acts committed by generations before them.
My Armenian great-grandparents (Ms. Iskouhi Parounagian and Mr. Levon Hovaness Franguelian) lived, fled and suffered the effects of this terrible time period along with all Armenians.
My great-grandmother fled to the United States after being driven from her village of Sivas, losing most of her family, sleeping beside dogs for heat and lying among dead bodies for safety and warmth. After arriving in America in 1920, she chose never to leave this great country, even on vacation.
Forever American
After he came to America, and upon the outbreak of World War I, my great-grandfather proudly joined and served in the U.S. Army.
As irony would have it, he was in the same platoon as the legendary singer Irving Berlin. Berlin’s family faced similar persecution and fled from the Russian Empire because of their Jewish faith. Only in America could two people from such different, yet similar, walks of life find themselves defending freedom and liberty together.
I am reminded every day of the persecution my lineage endured. I keep in my office a portrait of my great-grandmother and a copy of the biographical book about her life, “Silences: My Mother’s Will to Survive,” written by my great-aunt, Alice Tashjian.
When I look at the picture of my great-grandmother or read excerpts from the book, I reflect on how grateful (and lucky) I am for her sacrifice, perseverance, willpower and strength.
I do not think of those who committed the heinous acts against her and our family, for my mind has no space to waste on them.
The ramifications of Congress or the Obama administration officially taking the stance that the calamitous acts between 1915 and 1923 were genocide would be severe.
The Republic of Turkey has been a longtime strategic ally of the United States in many ways, from the war on terror to the promotion of democracy, as well as being an important military and economic partner.
In this day and age, the costs of giving this strategic alliance a black eye are not worth the historical pursuit of reclassifying world events of 95 years ago — especially, for acts committed by those who no longer walk this earth.
I encourage our country’s lawmakers to resist bringing a resolution to the House floor for a vote, and I call upon the Obama administration to immediately and publicly denounce such a resolution.
My great-grandparents may have harbored anger and resentment, but I am convinced that they were more focused on their new lives in America and on future generations.
We will never forget what happened, but we need to be rational with our current thinking and actions.
This Armenian-American is more concerned about the future of the world than trying to rewrite history.
Colby J. Cooper of Fairhope is principal of The Cooper-Lyon Group, LLC, and was a senior adviser to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. He may be contacted at colby@cooperlyon.com
