The Eisenthal Report

Martin Luther King, Jr.

On this terrible anniversary - the fortieth anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., I can do no better than to point back to a TER piece from about fifteen months ago - on the occasion of the Martin Luther King holiday in 2007.

In that piece, I wrote that

As a society, we are still sorting out his legacy - and his work is far from finished. However, if we survive as a coherent society in the coming decades and centuries - if we avoid the fate of other ethnically diverse societies such as Northern Ireland, Yugoslavia, and Rwanda - it will be in no small measure because of the work and the example of Dr. King.

The Burning Tigris: The Armenian Genocide and America's Response

The Burning Tigris is harrowing reading.

Peter Balakian, a professor at Colgate University, wrote The Burning Tigris as a work of witness to the Armenian Genocide. Balakian begins by recounting atrocities against the Armenians that were perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire in the years before the Genocide itself. Sultan Abdul Hamid II, who ruled from 1876 to 1909, was responsible for the deaths of 200,000 Armenians during the 1890s. British Prime Minister William Gladstone referred to Abdul Hamid as "the great assassin."

Balakian then brings his readers step by step through the horrors of the Genocide itself - very difficult reading. The outrageousness of the crimes of the Genocide itself is matched by that of Ottoman denials and other behavior.

Interspersed with these accounts are recountings of the responses to the Genocide by Americans and other Westerners. The substantial documentation of the Genocide is due in no small part to the efforts of Americans and Germans who were working within the Ottoman Empire during the First World War. Germany and the Ottoman Empire were allied during that war - and while the United States and Germany went to war in 1917, the United States and the Ottoman Empire never declared war on each other.

Once the horrors of the Genocide came to light, the West - and particularly the United States - was quick to offer support. The proceeds of the 1916 Harvard-Yale Football game were donated to Armenian relief. Former President Theodore Roosevelt referred to the Genocide as "the greatest crime of the war." He favored declaring war on the Ottoman Empire in large part to combat the Genocide. One reason that the United States did not declare war was that Christian missionaries working within the Ottoman Empire convinced President Woodrow Wilson that they could do more good for the Armenians if the United States did not intervene militarily - a judgement that some of the missionaries later regretted.

Balakian concludes by recounting how historical views of the Genocide have evolved over the past ninety years. Political considerations - particularly, the importance of Turkey as an ally of the United States during the Cold War and after - made official recognition of the Genocide very difficult. Official denials of culpability persist to this day - and have become an important issue here locally in Massachusetts, nationally, and internationally.

Colossal Gall in History - The Armenian Genocide

Peter Balakian, a professor of the humanities at Colgate University, wrote The Burning Tigris: The Armenian Genocide and the American Response.

This book, which was published in 2003, goes into great detail describing the horrors of the genocide and the efforts of many Americans and others to provide protection and relief to the Armenians. The book was praised by such luminaries as Paul Fussell, Sir Martin Gilbert, James Carroll, Deborah Lipstadt, and Robert Jay Lifton.

One incident described in the book stands out for sheer colossal gall. In 1916, after much of the killing had taken place, Talaat Bey, the Turkish Interior Minister, met with Henry Morgenthau, the United States Ambassador to Turkey. Balakian describes the exchange -

Knowing that many Armenians with American ties had life insurance policies with the New York Life Insurance Company and the Equitable Life of New York, Talaat said to the ambassador: "I wish that you would get the American life insurance companies to send us a complete list of their Armenian policyholders. They are practically all dead now and have left no heirs to collect the money. It of course all escheats to the State. The Government is the beneficiary now. Will you do so?"

Morgenthau stormed out of that meeting in an understandable rage. (The source of this account was Morgenthau's own book, Ambassador Morgenthau's Story.)

U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Approves Armenian Genocide Resolution

CNN reports that in a narrow vote, the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee a short time ago approved House Resolution 106, which recognizes the Armenian Genocide.

This vote, with 27 members in favor and 21 opposed, came about despite the opposition of President Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and all living former Secretaries of State. The President and other foreign policy figures based their opposition on the damage passage of the resolution would do to relations between the United States and Turkey. Indeed, Turkish President Abdullah Gul has said explicitly that passage of this resolution would damage the bilateral relationship.

In his remarks today, President Bush said that

We all deeply regret the tragic suffering of the Armenian people that began in 1915. This resolution is not the right response to those historic mass killings.

As CNN points outs, this "resolution arrives at a particularly sensitive juncture in U.S.-Turkish relations. The United States has urged Turkey not to send its troops over the border into northern Iraq to fight Kurdish separatist rebels, who have launched some cross-border attacks against Turkish targets."

TER has been following the issue of the Armenian Genocide intensively for the past two months, with a focus on how it has played out in Massachusetts and within the Jewish community.

According to Rep. Adam Schiff (D - California), House Resolution 106 now has 226 co-sponsors out of 435 House members. If all co-sponsors vote for the bill, it will pass the House.

Newton, Massachusetts Withdraws from "No Place For Hate"

The Boston Globe is reporting that the City of Newton, Massachusetts withdrew today from the No Place For Hate program that is operated by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).

Newton follows the Towns of Belmont and Watertown in withdrawing from the program, which became controversial because of the ADL's stance on the Armenian Genocide. Until the end of August, the ADL took a "neutral" position as to whether the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians constituted a "genocide." One reason for this position was the effort by the government of Turkey to influence American opinion - particularly American Jewish opinion - on this matter. Turkey does not acknowledge the Armenian Genocide - and fiercely resists efforts to do so.

During the month of August, a drama played out in Watertown, which is home to some 8,000 Armenian-Americans (out of a population of 33,000). By mid-August, Watertown's Town Council voted to withdraw from the program. In response, the Director and Board of ADL's New England region voted to reconsider their position on the Armenian Genocide. The national ADL then fired the Regional Director, Andrew Tarsy. Under great pressure from within and beyond the Jewish community, at the end of August, the national ADL then modified its position on the Armenian Genocide and reinstated Tarsy.

It is the modification of the ADL's position that has been at issue in Newton. National Director Abraham Foxman said at the end of August that the killing of 1.5 million Armenians during the First World War was "tantamount to genocide." Foxman and the national ADL refused, however, to endorse a resolution before the U.S. Congress that would officially recognize the Armenian Genocide. (Even this mild change in position by ADL provoked an angry response from the Turkish government.)

In withdrawing from No Place for Hate, Newton Mayor David Cohen, who is Jewish, said that

The recognition of the Armenian Genocide is an important step along the path of freedom and justice, and crucial in combating other genocides now and in the future. Newton hopes for the day when national ADL leadership fully and unequivocally embraces' the effort to acknowledge the genocide.

Newton is larger than either Belmont or Watertown - larger, in fact, than the other two combined - and it has a much more significant Jewish population. Newton has arguably one of the most significant Jewish communities in the entire nation - in size, wealth, and influence. Newton's action today is very significant for ADL as a national organization.

Gul Elected President of Turkey

Abdullah Gul, the Turkish Foreign Minister, has been elected President of Turkey by that nation's Parliament.

Gul is a former Islamist whose candidacy has drawn opposition from secular elements in the nation, including the military. According to CNN, the presidential election

has stoked divisions between supporters of Gul, a former Islamist who is backed by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Turkey's traditionally secular political establishment.

This story has a local angle in Massachusetts. Gul met in February with leaders of several American Jewish organizations seeking support for Turkish positions on a number of issues, including the Armenian Genocide. It was the "neutral" position on the Genocide that triggered the controversy surrounding No Place For Hate in Watertown, Massachusetts. This controversy, which developed over the past several weeks, eventually had ripples that were felt well beyond Massachusetts.

Tarsy Reinstated by ADL

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has reinstated Andrew Tarsy as the Director of its New England Region, according to a report in The Boston Globe.

This follows the ADL's reversal of its prior position on recognition of the Armenian Genocide. The issue became a cascading controversy following deliberations within the Town of Watertown, Massachusetts on continuing its participation in No Place For Hate, a program sponsored by the ADL that promotes respect for racial and ethnic diversity and combats bias. The program became controversial in Watertown because of ADL's "neutral" position on the Armenian Genocide. Watertown is home to some 8,000 Armenian-Americans out of a population of 33,000. Watertown decided to withdraw from the program earlier this month.

Shortly after that, the ADL New England Region changed its public position on recognition of the Armenian Genocide. The regional board voted to urge the national organization to change its position and to support a resolution in Congress recognizing the Genocide. Regional Executive Director Andrew Tarsy made public statements supporting this change in position. The national ADL fired Tarsy for his defiance of the national organization. Now, the national organization has re-hired him.

Despite the fact that the ADL national organization continues to oppose the congressional resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide, the Turkish government issued a statement protesting the ADL's recognition of the Genocide last week.

Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Head Recognizes Armenian Genocide

The Boston Globe reports this morning that the Director of the national organization of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has changed his position on the Armenian Genocide.

According to the Globe, Abraham H. Foxman said in a written statement that

"We have never negated but have always described the painful events of 1915-1918 perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire against Armenians as massacres and atrocities," Foxman said in a written statement yesterday. But upon reflection, Foxman continued, "the consequences of those actions were indeed tantamount to genocide."In an interview with the Globe, Foxman said that for some time he has privately believed that the mass killings constituted a genocide, but thought that describing them as atrocities or massacres was enough. Yesterday, he said, he realized this description was dividing the Jewish community and the ADL changed its position

The issue became a cascading controversy following deliberations within the Town of Watertown, Massachusetts on continuing its participation in No Place For Hate, a program sponsored by the ADL that promotes respect for racial and ethnic diversity and combats bias. The program became controversial in Watertown because of ADL's "neutral" position on the Armenian Genocide. Watertown is home to some 8,000 Armenian-Americans out of a population of 33,000. Watertown decided to withdraw from the program last week.

Shortly after that, the ADL New England Region changed its public position on recognition of the Armenian Genocide. The regional board voted to urge the national organization to change its position and to support a resolution in Congress recognizing the Genocide. Regional Executive Director Andrew Tarsy made public statements supporting this change in position. At the end of last week, the national ADL fired Tarsy for his defiance of the national organization

While Foxman has publicly changed his position on the Genocide, he did not indicate whether Tarsy would be reinstated, or whether ADL would now support the congressional resolution supporting recognition of the Genocide.

UPDATE, August 24: Despite the fact that the ADL national organization continues to oppose the congressional resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide, the Turkish government has issued a statement protesting the ADL's recognition of the Genocide.

More Fallout from Armenian Genocide Controversy

The Boston Globe reports this morning that two members of the ADL New England Region Board of Directors have resigned following the firing of Region Executive Director Andrew Tarsy.

Former Polaroid Corp. Chairman Stewart Cohen and Boston City Councillor Michael Ross resigned yesterday from the board. According to the Globe, they said that

They could no longer be part of an organization with national leaders who refused to acknowledge the Armenian genocide and fired regional director, Andrew H. Tarsy, on Friday for taking a position in support of Armenian-Americans.

More resignations are possible at this point. As TER noted yesterday,

The firing of Tarsy is bound to become very controversial within the American Jewish community. As this observer has stated previously, mainstream Jewish opinion favors standing with the Armenian community on recognition of the genocide...This controversy has not yet run its course.

In a related note, a reader has communicated with TER in an attempt to present a Turkish view of the controversy - see the comment here. This observer finds the presentation unimpressive. With the long litany of facts presented, the basic fact remains that 1.5 million Armenians died under the control of the Ottoman Empire. It seems to this observer that the very best that those who question the term "genocide" can say is that the Ottoman Empire committed "negligent genocide" rather than "first-degree genocide." Does this distinction really matter? Does it remove the stain of responsibility from the Ottoman Empire?

The United States interned 120,000 Japanese-Americans during World War II. The justification for this action - like that of the Ottoman Empire in World War I - was concern about a potential "fifth column" in time of war. This internment was - and is - a foul stain on American history. Americans - and the American government - have acknowledged it to be such. Turkey should similarly take historic responsibility for its actions 90 years ago. This is truly the the only way for all parties to move forward.

UPDATE, August 21: The Boston Globe reports that Jewish groups in New England, including the Combined Jewish Philanthopies, have signed a letter to the Anti-Defamation League urging the national organization to change its position on the Armenian Genocide.

According to the Globe, the letter says that "We must never forget the Armenian genocide and maintain our guard against those who deny its occurrence." Nancy Kaufman, Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Boston, drafted the letter and reportedly sent it to "some 40 prominent Jewish leaders in Massachusetts, asking them to support the ousted director (Andrew Tarsy) and to recognize the genocide against Armenians."

Kaufman was quoted as saying

I have never gotten such unanimous support for any position by the JCRC as I have in the last few days on this one. It doesn't matter where people are on the political spectrum -- left, right, middle -- people are really standing behind this because it strikes at the core of what it means to be a Jew and never again means never again.

UPDATE, August 22: Abraham Foxman, national Director of the ADL, has changed his position and has publicly acknowledged the Armenian Genocide. He has not commented on whether Tarsy would be reinstated or whether ADL would support the congressional resolution that recognizes the Genocide.

Tarsy Fired From ADL

The New England Region Director of the ADL, Andrew Tarsy, was fired yesterday after breaking with the national organization on recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

Tarsy and the ADL New England Region broke with the national organization after controversy developed in Watertown, Massachusetts about No Place For Hate, a program sponsored by ADL that combats bias and promotes respect for diversity. Watertown is home to 8,000 Armenian-Americans out of a population of 33,000. Members of that community and others objected to Watertown's participation in a program sponsored by an organization that did not recognize the mass deportations and killings of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) as a genocide.

As TER has noted previously, ADL and other Jewish organizations have taken a "neutral" position on the genocide question out of concerns regarding the relationship between Israel and Turkey. In February, Turkish Foreign Minister - and Presidential candidate - Abdullah Gul met in Washington with the heads of several American Jewish organizations to discuss this question.

The firing of Tarsy is bound to become very controversial within the American Jewish community. As this observer has stated previously, mainstream Jewish opinion favors standing with the Armenian community on recognition of the genocide. Additional evidence of this is an op-ed piece in this morning's Boston Globe co-authored by state Rep. Rachel Kaprielian (D - Watertown) and Harvard Law School professor Alan Dershowitz.

This controversy has not yet run its course - as can be seen from this update.

UPDATE, August 27: The ADL has now reinstated Andrew Tarsy as Director of its New England Region.