Refusing complicity

Published: Saturday April 21, 2007

The New York Times has written a powerful editorial excoriating "the U.N.'s craven new leadership" for "bowing to Turkey's demands" to "censor discussion of the Armenian genocide." The editorial, which appeared on April 13, argues that in making such demands, Turkey makes itself an accessory to the crime of 1915: "It's odd that Turkey's leaders have not figured out by now that every time they try to censor discussion of the Armenian genocide, they only bring wider attention to the subject and link today's democratic Turkey with the now distant crime."

The New York Times has shown moral leadership at a time when several major newspapers have opted for an unprincipled stance. With the Bush administration, the well-paid Turkish lobby, and Turkey's allies on an all-out campaign to defeat the Armenian Genocide resolutions in Congress, these newspapers have given space to specious and poorly argued commentaries on the matter. These essays portray Turkey as a reliable U.S. ally and raise false alarms about disastrous consequences that would follow the adoption of the resolutions.

Even the New York Times published such a commentary in the guise of news last week. To their credit, the editors promptly published a correction that addressed the article's worst offense.

The New York Times is right to point out that every time Turkey tries to censor discussion of the Armenian Genocide, it makes itself an accessory to the crime. In demanding that others join it in denial, Turkey asks them to become complicit as well. It is unfortunate that the U.S. administration and so many newspapers have chosen complicity. Kudos to the New York Times for refusing to play along.

Let us once again urge President Bush to choose the right path. Instead of complicity in the crime, let the United States regain its proud place as one of the nations that tried to do something about the Armenian Genocide as it was happening, and helped the survivors afterward. In his annual message on April 24, President Bush should use the expression he has been at pains to avoid: the Armenian Genocide.

President George W. Bush The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500, Comments:   202-456-1111, FAX:             202-456-2461, comments@whitehouse.gov