Ani-Please don’t let these negative comments get you down. Whenever anyone passionately stands up for justice, there will always be someone trying to knock you down who is not well informed and thinks they know better.

I was astounded by some of the negative comments which only prove to me that they know nothing or very little of the Armenian Genocide. Apparently they haven’t taken any time out to check on the internet of which there are hundreds upon hundreds of genuine facts on this horrible travesty in history. I think it’s time for a history lesson for these people.

If there was no Armenian Genocide, then why for those of us who understand, do we know of the well documented statement by Hitler during his vicious extermination process of the Jews, “After all, who remembers now the extermination of the Armenians?” Hitler himself copied methods used by the Turks to massacre Armenians in the period 1915-1924.

What these people miss is that by not recognizing the “first” Genocide in the 20th Century, we continue to allow aggressive governments and groups to destroy other people based on race, religion and cultural differences.

I am not Armenian, but I have been involved for the past six years on a deep level with these courageous, passionate, people and can vouch that this horrible event did in fact happen starting in 1915. Anyone who downplays or tries to dismiss this fact does not know what they are talking about.

Anomyous,

I strongly suggest you revisit documented history on the subject of which you make such strong statements. Regardless of the fact that he Nagorno-Karabakh war was never mentioned in the previous post, the Sumgait pogroms, chosen by the Azeris, in retaliation to independence, sparked the six year battle of which both parties suffered (and continue to today) many losses.

I'm not sure what your goal of highlighting her personal accomplishments in relation to this subject was- I see little correlation to one's ( nation's) internal agony.
This is America- we are a democratic society. Should every protestor sleep under a park bench and beg on street corners?

Another historic point- There was minimal extremist thinking- merely advocacy for personal freedom under their governing structure. The vast majority of Armenians on Ottoman Land fought (while many were not allocated proper weaponry) for their ruling state, or at least until they were disbanded and split into labor unions shortly before they were killed in desolate areas. Do not confuse these Armenians with their counterparts east of the Arax River. Please brief yourself on the Ottoman ruling policies of the previous forty years, those including The Treaty of Berlin, dhimmi status, Tanzimat reforms, early promises of the Young Turks, Battle of Sarikamis, and the beginning of deportations in Zeitun.

Give US a break!

Don't let them get you down, Ani. It is indispensible to any culture that there are people who remember and who try to construct a new life in accord with those memories. If we forget, what are we likely to build? I try to remember and to pass on to my children the memory of the more than a million Irish people who died starving on England's doorstep. I hope beyond hope that what my father taught me is a lesson they will never forget! The suffering of Armenians should be a star in the dark heavens.

Don't let them get you down, Ani. It is indispensible to any culture that there are people who remember and who try to construct a new life in accord with those memories. If we forget, what are we likely to build? I try to remember and to pass on to my children the memory of the more than a million Irish people who died starving on England's doorstep. I hope beyond hope that what my father taught me is a lesson they will never forget! The suffering of Armenians should be a star in the dark heavens.

To: Anonymous:
You are not correct when you say: "It could all easily be settled if the present government of Armenia would allow scholars to examine their records.
But they wont."

Actually, most of the famous Armenian and non-Armenian genocide scholars agree that the 1915 massacres was a genocide. They are basing their findings on facts and eye-witness accounts. So, before you start to hold up traffic maybe you should figure out the facts first.

It is a 90 year old complaint. What justice?
For whom? It wasn't an incident that occurred in a victim filled vacuum- but had actors and agressors. Later, the Armenians chose to commit genocide of 10s of thousands of Azerjiabanis.

The author hasnt suffered, she's on her way to Med School. Exactly what is it she has accomplished? Stirring up old emnities?

This is America- we are a pluralistic society.
If she were fighting for inner city children who are caught in a cycle of poverty since their ancestors were freed from slavery- that is one thing.

But this is so politically motivated, slanted, and divisive that one needs to address the original contention. Not all people believe the Armenians were unjustly killed-
They lived in peace in Turkey for 500 years before they betrayed the Turks to the Russians to get a little land- and killed more Turks than Turks killed Armenians.

It could all easily be settled if the present government of Armenia would allow scholars to examine their records.
But they wont. So middle class Armenian kids can hold up traffic in midtown and write articles?

Give me a break.

So this is to the person who wrote that long and totally inapropriate comment on May 3rd. In regards to the blog that Ani wrote- she was not saying that Armenians are THE ONLY people that have suffered. She is expressing her thoughts on her own people- which she is totally right in doing. You are taking away from her own opinion and her expression when you write "If you want to look at the past- look at the entire past.
Some of us prefer to live in the present.
And work for EVERYONE-not one divisive and separate group." She is not being divisive at all. AND- this isn't just a "90 year-old complaint" as you put it. This is real. People lost lives and yes, that has to be heard- even after 90 years, until the Armenian people get the justice and peace they deserve. What is happening today in our world- like the Darfur genocide is utterly disturbing. But if you don't speak up, like Ani did, the Armenian genocide will be forgotten, and 90 years from now, the Darfur genocide will be forgotten and what will we have learned? Who will make all this stop if someone like Ani doesn't speak up? No one group is more special than any other. But each group is entitled to fight for justice, to fight for what is right, to voice their opinion, no matter when it happened. And that is just what Ani did.

Thanks for standing up for what you believe in, once again.
And for taking it a step further by actually doing what most people just talk about... you are fighting a good fight.
Inspiring!

If you want to fight for justice and pluralism in America- the you will have to abandon your fear that Armenians will be defeated by assimilation.

What you are calling defeat- most others consider the success of pluralism here. It happens to all immigrant groups- and no one group is more "special" than any other.

If you want to protest- protest something meaningful to everyone- and current.
The war in Iraq and Afghanistan- the drums beating for an invasion into Iran- the plight of the Palestinians- the current genocide of the people of Darfur-

I would say that the Armenians have had an inordinate and disproportianate (to the numbers) amount of attnetion paid to them for their 90s ome year old complaint.

Let the scholars open their records to the Turkish scholars- who have made this offer- and rectify the differences.

While you do that, Armenians can address the genocide of 86 out of 120 villages of Azerbaijanis and 10s of thousands of innocent civilains- 10 years before the massacre of an incomparable 100's of intellectuals.

We all have blood on our hands somewhere-
It is hypocritical to claim to be fighting for human rights- of actors who have been dead a long time ago.

There is no Azeri Martyrs' "Day".
Because the genocide of those people, by the Armenians who flooded into their land, did not last mercifully for one day- but for years.
If you want to look at the past- look at the entire past.
Some of us prefer to live in the present.
And work for EVERYONE-not one divisive and separate group.

I like your thoughts on your experience. Hopefully, our government will step up to the plate soon!