How does memory influence reality? For members of the Armenian diaspora, the memory of the Armenian Genocide, with its shared historical consciousness, plays a significant role in collective identity-formation. So much so, I think, that some scholars have criticized this mentality, calling it paralyzing for the descendants of the victims of the Genocide. In Armenians at the Crossroads: Democracy and Nationhood in the Post Soviet Era, Gerard J. Libaridian writes, “The Genocide, its exploitation, and its denial by Turkey have paralyzed the collective psyche of the Armenian people. A nation of victims – at first, of violence, and subsequently of its denial – is incapable of sustaining a rational discourse. A nation cannot imagine a future if the only thing it can image the future bringing is victimization. The denial of the future justifies the denial of the present and mandates an obsessive treatment of an overburdened past” (2). He goes on, insisting that “we can no longer afford to allow the Genocide and diasporization to dictate our thinking and agenda, as if we had no collective capability to use our reason and act on another basis than reflex, other than merely reacting to our past” (170).
While Libaridian makes a valid observation in claiming that Armenians sometimes become trapped in this notion of belonging to a “victimized” people, it is unfair to deemphasize or devalue the importance of a denied history in shaping this kind of mentality in the first place. In the documentary The Armenian Genocide, Professor Ron Suny correctly asserts, “Armenians are suffering from incomplete mourning. They can’t complete it until their wounds are recognized by the descendants of the people who perpetrated it.” Thus, the need to “repeat” the tragedy in various ways (in literature, art, film, or community organizations and events) becomes critical not only as a way to publicize this history, but also as a means of teaching and educating future generations about the past. This memory, in effect, becomes transferred generation to generation, and until and unless validation is afforded, “healing” cannot proceed.
Being an Armenian today means living with the harsh fact that the Genocide has still not been recognized by Turkey, The United States, and other countries who feel that the pressure of getting on Turkey’s bad side would be far too great a risk if they were to side with those countries who have been able to see the truth. The memories of their ancestors being marched out of their homeland and killed for no other reason than being an Armenian, has been a haunting factor for the generations that continue to live on. It seems that the only way Armenia will be able to get the genocide recognized is by educating those who don’t know about the 1915 massacres. Numerous documentaries have been filmed focusing on the genocide and its denial, but what becomes an interesting factor to look at is why so many different genocides go unnoticed in the world. For one I believe that because Turkey is allies with the United States, the U.S. Government feels that if they were to recognize those mass killings as a genocide Turkey would then be able to launch an attack on U.S. grounds, which would put the people at risk. Some have stated why then would the Armenian people put not only their own lives but other Americans lives at risk just to get their genocide recognized? The answer for this is simple. When governments start acknowledging mass killings of people, this will ultimately open the worlds eyes into seeing what is going on in distant lands, which in the end will make future genocides from not happening. In Hagop Asadourian’s testimony, he stated that the Armenian people “Will take our revenge by living…by living as Armenians”. The Armenian people carry the heavy burden of telling their peoples story to those willing to listen. The memory of their ancestors lives on in our hearts, and we feel that Turkey has the obligation to end the suffering of all Armenian people by finally recognizing the heinous acts that they committed. Only then will the country of Armenia begin to flourish as it once did. The sadness still lives on, and unless the Armenian people get the recognition they deserve, they will not be able to heal, or essentially move on with their lives. Protests and April 24 commemorations will continue to hopefully someday get the public’s backing, therefore causing more people to become educated in a topic that is rarely discussed in schools across the country. Hitler who stated, “Who after all speaks today about the annihilation of the Armenians?” was perhaps able to commit the Holocaust upon the Jewish community because of this very act of non-recognition. When governments around the world start acting like civilized people, and start recognizing the killings of innocent lives, this is turn will stop other genocides from occurring.
The question that seems to most pertain to the Armenian Genocide is that regarding the use of memory to create a class structure. This has definitely happened with the Turks and the Armenians, although the use of memory has not so much created a class structure as created a "class" struggle. I put "class" in quotes because it is not a matter of riches as much as a matter of world reknown. We discussed this in part on Wednesday, but I want to look at the same conclusion from a slightly different perspective.
The Armenians struggle to be recognized and the Turks struggle to keep that recognition from happening. If the world were to recognize the Armenian Genocide, the relationship between the Armenians and the Turks would be entirely inverted. As it stands now, the Turks control the Armenians because they are seen as an innocent party (less so now, probably). If the Armenians were to gain recognition, they would then gain the sympathy of the world, which would lower the Turks in the eyes of the world, just as the Germans lost a great deal of international respect after the Holocaust.
As a result, Turkey must keep the Armenian Genocide a secret. Their their way of life depends on this secret. Allowing the Armenians the dignity of recognition would undermine the current "class" structure. Similarly, the Armenians must make the Genocide known because their way of life depends on it. By recognition, they would finally regain their rightful place in the world as wronged people; they would be sympathized with and their repressors would be punished.
I feel that now with the lecture on the history of the Armenian Genocide I understand the causes of the disaster, yet fail to understand the modern mindset of those who challenge the validity of the claims. Through our class, we have openly acknowledged that memory is not always reliable and can never accurately recount history. However, unlike simple memory, the Armenian genocide is backed up real documents and proof of the event. This led me to an interesting thought: If we claim that memory is unreliable, is it up to physical evidence to prove that certain events have occurred?
Also, as I was taking in all the information regarding the Armenian Genocide I wondered how Armenians living today feel about representation of the disaster being represented in film and other works of the imagination. If Holocaust films have become so popular and have sparked the interest in the study of the genocide in Europe, then could not films about the Armenian Genocide do the same? If we have felt it is our duty to teach the Holocaust through film and popular mediums such as the comic book, is it acceptable to do the same for the Armenian Genocide?
Regarding teaching, I was one of the unfortunates that was not taught about this event in school nor in university until this class. Though I had heard about memorials and the CSUN events that honor the memory of the victims, no real information was ever presented in any course. I feel it is imperative that children learn about all the genocides from the Armenian Genocide, the Holocaust to Darfur and Rwanda. If it is not through education then a designated television special that is aired to the general public is sure to be a start in the education of people. Simply based on my personal taster, I feel that more films would be able to reach a larger audience in order to educate.
I have to admit that I was unaware of the Armenian Genocide before last week. I had never learned about the incident through any form of schooling or media. The lack of media coverage on the issue is really quite disgusting and needs a voice so that others may be informed. I feel that many other people are misinformed as well and if the awareness is created then perhaps the Genocide can be discussed formally, allowing the proper steps to be taken. The first step should be that the term Genocide be used so that people know how severe the issue is. By people calling it other names the Trukish government is getting exactly what they want. They along with the world will continue to ignore the situation and nothing will be resolved. We have talked about how memory influences reality. Once the memories have been brought to the forefront then perhaps the reality of justice will begin.
After the presentation on the Armenian Genocide last Wednesday, I began thinking of the reasons this genocide has not received as much attention as the Holocaust. The widespread acceptance of the Holocaust in the West seems to render its occurrence an absolute truth. The Armenian Genocide, however, has been continually denied by Turkey and has not received acknowledgment from the United States, the country Armenians look to as the worldwide leader for acceptance. My education, much like many others’, has not focused on the Armenian Genocide, but I have come across films and books through my college career that have dealt with the subject. These texts, though, have not been about the history and occurrences of the genocide. They usually surround the issue of legitimizing what Armenians have to say, or arguing against the historical occurrence.
One of the four questions that have been asked this semester directly speaks to the denial of the genocide. In denying the Armenian Genocide, Turkey, along with all other countries that deny or simply haven’t acknowledged the event, collectively benefit in one way or another. Through the professor’s lecture and the discussion that we held last week, it is clear that with the denial, the United States, Israel, and Britain benefit with an ally in the Middle East, whereas the Armenians are constantly placed at a disadvantage. This simultaneous harming of Armenians is not a physical recurrence of the 1915 genocide, but a continual invalidation of one’s cultural, and possibly individual, identity.
Unfortunately except for the lecture presented last Wednesday, I have only encountered the topic of the Armenian Genocide as result of Armenian students having a demonstration annually on the CSUN campus. I think that the presentation really was the first in-depth exposure to information concerning the Armenian Genocide. I thought it was interesting that the presenter commented on how it is mandated in the state of California to teach about the Holocaust as well as the Armenian Genocide, yet this education is often portrayed through reading "The Diary of Anne Frank". For me personally this does not reach the level of discussion or comprehension of either event. I think that outreach and information is crucial not only for students to understand what happened but also to begin thinking critically and be able to start having those educational conversations and debates over such topics.
I was thinking after the lecture how the question of memory influences reality and how past events can influence us today. If we think of the Holocaust there really is no way that reprimands can be made and that lives can be restored to how they once were. Yet efforts have been made so that communities are given formal apologies and have recognition of events that took place there. As we know a statue or some state official apologizing is really never going to be "good enough" but rather accept responsibility or recognize that those events did in fact happen. In the case of the Armenian Genocide there is a blanket of silence, because the event of the past are not recognized and memories of the events are ignored people today are uninformed. Armenian's voice is silenced and their perspective is not heard both by their communities as well as the nation of Turkey. This entraps Armenians and does not let their people recognize the injustices that occurred to their community, their reality is impacted in that there is denial and discrepancy of the painful event that occurred. This event and the lack of individual's exposure to information and discussion about the Armenian Genocide further hinders the advancement of the Armenian community as well as their progression towards individuals accepting of the atrocities that occurred.
The Armenian Genocide and its denial by Turkey and the United States highlights the politics of memory and the power that memory has on the concept of "nationhood" in both the abstract and material sense. The Armenian Genocide is an extremely political event, one whose very existence in memory is jeopardized by a lack of political recognition. Moreover, the denial of the event directly and materially affects the wealth of the Turkish state. As was so hotly debated in class, the Turkish state has, at its roots, established a system that currently benefits its citizens through a past of systematic murder and political disenfranchizement.
What is most interesting to me is that simple political recognition is not enough to justify the events that occurred and it seems that many Armenians seek restitution for what was taken. This is totally understandable considering that the Turkish state has materially benefited from the death of thousands of Armenians.
Honestly, I was completely unaware and that is upsetting to me because this is such an important part of history. I asked my children and they did not know nor did they hear anything about the genocide. I asked my husband, he, of course was on top of it. He said, oh, yes he knew all of the details. I should have not been surprised but I did feel a bit out of sorts not be informed. I am so glad that we were able to touch on this issue. I feel as if I need to help with this cause and help get the news out to people who are unaware, as I was.
I find it interesting how when people are faced with such atrocities that they are able to remember certain details and certain smells, or sights. Many of these people are very old and many have died, but when you realize that they were only little children but they remember with such vivid images you can assume that they were completely tramatized by this event.
What I also do not understand is how can a whole country deny what thousands of people witnessed? Are all of these people's memories impared? It is really amazing to me how the so called "evil doers" do not take responsibility and have the gall to call all of these people liars. Really?
How does memory influence reality? Well, in terms of the Armenian Genocide, it resulted in non-existence. The lack of memory about this event, and how the government and country as a whole has hushed the entire event up, has resulted in the world’s general ignorance to this event. I can say personally, that I had never heard of this event until I was in high school, and even then it was only briefly touched on because there is so little material available for the study of it. I found this genocide to almost be more haunting than that of the Holocaust ( not that one should necessarily place the two epochs on the same axis) simply because , so many people deny it ever happened. I guess it’s, hard for me to comprehend how it is that an estimated 1.5 million people can go missing/ die and no one is held responsible, or better yet, even acknowledge that it happened! At least with the Holocaust, the perpetrators were identified and if possible made to pay for their crimes. With the Armenian Genocide, it is much too late for that now… For me, reading and watching films which portrayed the suffering of the Armenians, was the first step in bringing to life the memory of this terrible event. It’s too late now for the survivors, but, if we can agree that it’s possible to share in the memory of something terrible, and prevent it from happening again, then that’s what needs to happen.
Joanne' response: Two major differences in portrayal of Holocaust and Armenian Genocide and why is that? How does history and politics shape the rhetoric of what we are told?
The major difference I see with how the memory of both traumas is handled is of course the amount of documentation of each event. The Holocaust is something we cannot help but be aware of, more now than ever, because the facts about the tragedy are more numerous and widespread. Of course some reasons for this are clear with it being more recent plus we as Americans joined the war (however too late for most of the Jews) and so we were eyewitnesses to the horrors of the Holocaust. Also, the more modern technology of having television and motion pictures were around during the Holocaust. The Armenian Genocide is not well known to many people for some of the same reasons the Holocaust is known, the time period, our involvement or, in this case, our un-involvement, and the medium of television and media was not existent. News was not as accessible then compared to the past 60 years. In fact, I never heard about the Armenian Genocide before I went to a conference last year and someone from our class presented it as their topic. It is something that has been forgotten also because the Armenians have had little support when they have attempted to persuade others, including the Turks themselves, to recognize their near-extinction as Genocide. Where the Jews’ tragedy has been widely acknowledged, the Armenians’ has been silenced. Their memory of the tragedy is threatened by the fact that they are ignored. It is a “double killing” in the words of Ruth Rosen. I feel the most I have learned from this class so far pertains to both the Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust and that is what Hitler had said while beginning his campaign of terror: “Who after all speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?” This is the biggest lesson of all and that is to not allow the memory of a tragedy such as this to die because it can happen again.
How does memory influence reality? For members of the Armenian diaspora, the memory of the Armenian Genocide, with its shared historical consciousness, plays a significant role in collective identity-formation. So much so, I think, that some scholars have criticized this mentality, calling it paralyzing for the descendants of the victims of the Genocide. In Armenians at the Crossroads: Democracy and Nationhood in the Post Soviet Era, Gerard J. Libaridian writes, “The Genocide, its exploitation, and its denial by Turkey have paralyzed the collective psyche of the Armenian people. A nation of victims – at first, of violence, and subsequently of its denial – is incapable of sustaining a rational discourse. A nation cannot imagine a future if the only thing it can image the future bringing is victimization. The denial of the future justifies the denial of the present and mandates an obsessive treatment of an overburdened past” (2). He goes on, insisting that “we can no longer afford to allow the Genocide and diasporization to dictate our thinking and agenda, as if we had no collective capability to use our reason and act on another basis than reflex, other than merely reacting to our past” (170).
ReplyDeleteWhile Libaridian makes a valid observation in claiming that Armenians sometimes become trapped in this notion of belonging to a “victimized” people, it is unfair to deemphasize or devalue the importance of a denied history in shaping this kind of mentality in the first place. In the documentary The Armenian Genocide, Professor Ron Suny correctly asserts, “Armenians are suffering from incomplete mourning. They can’t complete it until their wounds are recognized by the descendants of the people who perpetrated it.” Thus, the need to “repeat” the tragedy in various ways (in literature, art, film, or community organizations and events) becomes critical not only as a way to publicize this history, but also as a means of teaching and educating future generations about the past. This memory, in effect, becomes transferred generation to generation, and until and unless validation is afforded, “healing” cannot proceed.
Being an Armenian today means living with the harsh fact that the Genocide has still not been recognized by Turkey, The United States, and other countries who feel that the pressure of getting on Turkey’s bad side would be far too great a risk if they were to side with those countries who have been able to see the truth. The memories of their ancestors being marched out of their homeland and killed for no other reason than being an Armenian, has been a haunting factor for the generations that continue to live on. It seems that the only way Armenia will be able to get the genocide recognized is by educating those who don’t know about the 1915 massacres. Numerous documentaries have been filmed focusing on the genocide and its denial, but what becomes an interesting factor to look at is why so many different genocides go unnoticed in the world. For one I believe that because Turkey is allies with the United States, the U.S. Government feels that if they were to recognize those mass killings as a genocide Turkey would then be able to launch an attack on U.S. grounds, which would put the people at risk. Some have stated why then would the Armenian people put not only their own lives but other Americans lives at risk just to get their genocide recognized? The answer for this is simple. When governments start acknowledging mass killings of people, this will ultimately open the worlds eyes into seeing what is going on in distant lands, which in the end will make future genocides from not happening. In Hagop Asadourian’s testimony, he stated that the Armenian people “Will take our revenge by living…by living as Armenians”. The Armenian people carry the heavy burden of telling their peoples story to those willing to listen. The memory of their ancestors lives on in our hearts, and we feel that Turkey has the obligation to end the suffering of all Armenian people by finally recognizing the heinous acts that they committed. Only then will the country of Armenia begin to flourish as it once did. The sadness still lives on, and unless the Armenian people get the recognition they deserve, they will not be able to heal, or essentially move on with their lives. Protests and April 24 commemorations will continue to hopefully someday get the public’s backing, therefore causing more people to become educated in a topic that is rarely discussed in schools across the country. Hitler who stated, “Who after all speaks today about the annihilation of the Armenians?” was perhaps able to commit the Holocaust upon the Jewish community because of this very act of non-recognition. When governments around the world start acting like civilized people, and start recognizing the killings of innocent lives, this is turn will stop other genocides from occurring.
ReplyDeleteThe question that seems to most pertain to the Armenian Genocide is that regarding the use of memory to create a class structure. This has definitely happened with the Turks and the Armenians, although the use of memory has not so much created a class structure as created a "class" struggle. I put "class" in quotes because it is not a matter of riches as much as a matter of world reknown. We discussed this in part on Wednesday, but I want to look at the same conclusion from a slightly different perspective.
ReplyDeleteThe Armenians struggle to be recognized and the Turks struggle to keep that recognition from happening. If the world were to recognize the Armenian Genocide, the relationship between the Armenians and the Turks would be entirely inverted. As it stands now, the Turks control the Armenians because they are seen as an innocent party (less so now, probably). If the Armenians were to gain recognition, they would then gain the sympathy of the world, which would lower the Turks in the eyes of the world, just as the Germans lost a great deal of international respect after the Holocaust.
As a result, Turkey must keep the Armenian Genocide a secret. Their their way of life depends on this secret. Allowing the Armenians the dignity of recognition would undermine the current "class" structure. Similarly, the Armenians must make the Genocide known because their way of life depends on it. By recognition, they would finally regain their rightful place in the world as wronged people; they would be sympathized with and their repressors would be punished.
I feel that now with the lecture on the history of the Armenian Genocide I understand the causes of the disaster, yet fail to understand the modern mindset of those who challenge the validity of the claims. Through our class, we have openly acknowledged that memory is not always reliable and can never accurately recount history. However, unlike simple memory, the Armenian genocide is backed up real documents and proof of the event. This led me to an interesting thought: If we claim that memory is unreliable, is it up to physical evidence to prove that certain events have occurred?
ReplyDeleteAlso, as I was taking in all the information regarding the Armenian Genocide I wondered how Armenians living today feel about representation of the disaster being represented in film and other works of the imagination. If Holocaust films have become so popular and have sparked the interest in the study of the genocide in Europe, then could not films about the Armenian Genocide do the same? If we have felt it is our duty to teach the Holocaust through film and popular mediums such as the comic book, is it acceptable to do the same for the Armenian Genocide?
Regarding teaching, I was one of the unfortunates that was not taught about this event in school nor in university until this class. Though I had heard about memorials and the CSUN events that honor the memory of the victims, no real information was ever presented in any course. I feel it is imperative that children learn about all the genocides from the Armenian Genocide, the Holocaust to Darfur and Rwanda. If it is not through education then a designated television special that is aired to the general public is sure to be a start in the education of people. Simply based on my personal taster, I feel that more films would be able to reach a larger audience in order to educate.
I have to admit that I was unaware of the Armenian Genocide before last week. I had never learned about the incident through any form of schooling or media. The lack of media coverage on the issue is really quite disgusting and needs a voice so that others may be informed. I feel that many other people are misinformed as well and if the awareness is created then perhaps the Genocide can be discussed formally, allowing the proper steps to be taken. The first step should be that the term Genocide be used so that people know how severe the issue is. By people calling it other names the Trukish government is getting exactly what they want. They along with the world will continue to ignore the situation and nothing will be resolved. We have talked about how memory influences reality. Once the memories have been brought to the forefront then perhaps the reality of justice will begin.
ReplyDeleteAfter the presentation on the Armenian Genocide last Wednesday, I began thinking of the reasons this genocide has not received as much attention as the Holocaust. The widespread acceptance of the Holocaust in the West seems to render its occurrence an absolute truth. The Armenian Genocide, however, has been continually denied by Turkey and has not received acknowledgment from the United States, the country Armenians look to as the worldwide leader for acceptance. My education, much like many others’, has not focused on the Armenian Genocide, but I have come across films and books through my college career that have dealt with the subject. These texts, though, have not been about the history and occurrences of the genocide. They usually surround the issue of legitimizing what Armenians have to say, or arguing against the historical occurrence.
ReplyDeleteOne of the four questions that have been asked this semester directly speaks to the denial of the genocide. In denying the Armenian Genocide, Turkey, along with all other countries that deny or simply haven’t acknowledged the event, collectively benefit in one way or another. Through the professor’s lecture and the discussion that we held last week, it is clear that with the denial, the United States, Israel, and Britain benefit with an ally in the Middle East, whereas the Armenians are constantly placed at a disadvantage. This simultaneous harming of Armenians is not a physical recurrence of the 1915 genocide, but a continual invalidation of one’s cultural, and possibly individual, identity.
Unfortunately except for the lecture presented last Wednesday, I have only encountered the topic of the Armenian Genocide as result of Armenian students having a demonstration annually on the CSUN campus. I think that the presentation really was the first in-depth exposure to information concerning the Armenian Genocide. I thought it was interesting that the presenter commented on how it is mandated in the state of California to teach about the Holocaust as well as the Armenian Genocide, yet this education is often portrayed through reading "The Diary of Anne Frank". For me personally this does not reach the level of discussion or comprehension of either event. I think that outreach and information is crucial not only for students to understand what happened but also to begin thinking critically and be able to start having those educational conversations and debates over such topics.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking after the lecture how the question of memory influences reality and how past events can influence us today. If we think of the Holocaust there really is no way that reprimands can be made and that lives can be restored to how they once were. Yet efforts have been made so that communities are given formal apologies and have recognition of events that took place there. As we know a statue or some state official apologizing is really never going to be "good enough" but rather accept responsibility or recognize that those events did in fact happen. In the case of the Armenian Genocide there is a blanket of silence, because the event of the past are not recognized and memories of the events are ignored people today are uninformed. Armenian's voice is silenced and their perspective is not heard both by their communities as well as the nation of Turkey. This entraps Armenians and does not let their people recognize the injustices that occurred to their community, their reality is impacted in that there is denial and discrepancy of the painful event that occurred. This event and the lack of individual's exposure to information and discussion about the Armenian Genocide further hinders the advancement of the Armenian community as well as their progression towards individuals accepting of the atrocities that occurred.
The Armenian Genocide and its denial by Turkey and the United States highlights the politics of memory and the power that memory has on the concept of "nationhood" in both the abstract and material sense. The Armenian Genocide is an extremely political event, one whose very existence in memory is jeopardized by a lack of political recognition. Moreover, the denial of the event directly and materially affects the wealth of the Turkish state. As was so hotly debated in class, the Turkish state has, at its roots, established a system that currently benefits its citizens through a past of systematic murder and political disenfranchizement.
ReplyDeleteWhat is most interesting to me is that simple political recognition is not enough to justify the events that occurred and it seems that many Armenians seek restitution for what was taken. This is totally understandable considering that the Turkish state has materially benefited from the death of thousands of Armenians.
Honestly, I was completely unaware and that is upsetting to me because this is such an important part of history. I asked my children and they did not know nor did they hear anything about the genocide. I asked my husband, he, of course was on top of it. He said, oh, yes he knew all of the details. I should have not been surprised but I did feel a bit out of sorts not be informed. I am so glad that we were able to touch on this issue. I feel as if I need to help with this cause and help get the news out to people who are unaware, as I was.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting how when people are faced with such atrocities that they are able to remember certain details and certain smells, or sights. Many of these people are very old and many have died, but when you realize that they were only little children but they remember with such vivid images you can assume that they were completely tramatized by this event.
What I also do not understand is how can a whole country deny what thousands of people witnessed? Are all of these people's memories impared? It is really amazing to me how the so called "evil doers" do not take responsibility and have the gall to call all of these people liars. Really?
How does memory influence reality? Well, in terms of the Armenian Genocide, it resulted in non-existence. The lack of memory about this event, and how the government and country as a whole has hushed the entire event up, has resulted in the world’s general ignorance to this event. I can say personally, that I had never heard of this event until I was in high school, and even then it was only briefly touched on because there is so little material available for the study of it. I found this genocide to almost be more haunting than that of the Holocaust ( not that one should necessarily place the two epochs on the same axis) simply because , so many people deny it ever happened.
ReplyDeleteI guess it’s, hard for me to comprehend how it is that an estimated 1.5 million people can go missing/ die and no one is held responsible, or better yet, even acknowledge that it happened! At least with the Holocaust, the perpetrators were identified and if possible made to pay for their crimes. With the Armenian Genocide, it is much too late for that now… For me, reading and watching films which portrayed the suffering of the Armenians, was the first step in bringing to life the memory of this terrible event. It’s too late now for the survivors, but, if we can agree that it’s possible to share in the memory of something terrible, and prevent it from happening again, then that’s what needs to happen.
Joanne' response:
ReplyDeleteTwo major differences in portrayal of Holocaust and Armenian Genocide and why is that? How does history and politics shape the rhetoric of what we are told?
The major difference I see with how the memory of both traumas is handled is of course the amount of documentation of each event. The Holocaust is something we cannot help but be aware of, more now than ever, because the facts about the tragedy are more numerous and widespread. Of course some reasons for this are clear with it being more recent plus we as Americans joined the war (however too late for most of the Jews) and so we were eyewitnesses to the horrors of the Holocaust. Also, the more modern technology of having television and motion pictures were around during the Holocaust.
The Armenian Genocide is not well known to many people for some of the same reasons the Holocaust is known, the time period, our involvement or, in this case, our un-involvement, and the medium of television and media was not existent. News was not as accessible then compared to the past 60 years. In fact, I never heard about the Armenian Genocide before I went to a conference last year and someone from our class presented it as their topic. It is something that has been forgotten also because the Armenians have had little support when they have attempted to persuade others, including the Turks themselves, to recognize their near-extinction as Genocide. Where the Jews’ tragedy has been widely acknowledged, the Armenians’ has been silenced. Their memory of the tragedy is threatened by the fact that they are ignored. It is a “double killing” in the words of Ruth Rosen.
I feel the most I have learned from this class so far pertains to both the Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust and that is what Hitler had said while beginning his campaign of terror: “Who after all speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?” This is the biggest lesson of all and that is to not allow the memory of a tragedy such as this to die because it can happen again.