Turkish Forum

Tag: WSJ

  • LETTER TO WALL STREET JOURNAL

    LETTER TO WALL STREET JOURNAL

    Comment on the Wall Street Journal Article, title ;
    “Will Trump Tell the Truth About the Armenian Genocide?”
    By Robert M. Morgenthau
    Jan. 25, 2018 7:11 p.m. ET

    (Prepared by;
    Dr. Yurdagul Atun / Sukru Server Aya/ Prof. Ata Atun

    WSJ & Museum OPEN COVER LETTER (Feb.11, 2018)
    To: a- The Wall Street Journal – Editors
    b- The Washington Holocaust Museum Memorial Council Members and Management
    c- The Office of the U.S.A. President (as supervisors of this state establishment)

    c.c: The U.S.A. Embassy, Ankara, Turkey (Press Attaché)
    The Turkish Embassy, Washington
    Turkish Foreign Affairs Ministry, Ankara
    Press & Academia

    Esteemed Gentlemen, February 13, 2018

    Re: WSJ Article of Jan. 25, 2018https://www.wsj.com/articles/will-trump-tell-the-truth-about-the-armenian-genocide-1516925489

    As private researchers and writers on the WW-1 and WW-2

    The Washington Holocaust Museum alleged Hitler Quote
    The Washington Holocaust Museum

    History and events related to the “mythomania of genocide” (Erich Feigl) we are profoundly disturbed by the domineering tone of the author and feel compelled to refute the contents of this article from A to Z, since almost everything written by former New York District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau is untrue, not evidenced, and flawed with colossal deficiency of knowledge on past and present history. The “alleged Hitler Quote” still standing on the wall of the Museum is a complete forgery, which undoubtedly has been known to the Museum from the very early days for more than twenty years. Regrettably, despite written applications and provided documentary as evidence, the Museum preferred or was probably told to “remain quiet, hide and falsify history” to the public. The Museum has become instrumental in propagating the “genocide palaver”, despite all judicial requirements and verdicts of various authorized courts in Europe.

    We attach our “research refuting the article” and the patronizing remarks of Mr. Morgenthau, who is presumably unaware of WW-2 Nazi Armenian Legion being complicit in rounding up Jews to be sent to death camps, or the books and articles on internet corroborating how Turkish diplomats saved over ten thousand Jews in Vichy France and Rhodes from Nazi persecution and arranging their transfer to Palestine by special chartered trains. This of course, is no surprise given the history of the Armenians and the Turks living in peace and harmony down the street from each other for centuries. We would like to invite Mr. Morgenthau to take time in his retirement to familiarize himself with the history of the Ottoman Empire which lasted over 600 years because of its policy of “live and let live” and mutual tolerance of its people reaching at one time more than thirty ethnic groups stretching from Europe to Indonesia. We attach as a reminder footnote, two excerpts from history for the treat of Jews by the Ottoman Turks which should be self-explanatory to Mr. Morgenthau.

    We believe we have answered the hearsay or prejudiced grandma stories in the attached research paper and hereby cordially ask you to tell the public if the “quote on the Museum wall true?” also keeping in mind to respect the U.N.’s judicial requirements before saying so. If so, then the “Nuremberg Court decision of 1948 deleting this forgery, or the full definition of this alleged quote and meeting of 22.08.1939as narrated in William L. Shirer’s book must be wrong”, as well as the recent confirmation of the very same contents in the Documents of US Military.”

    Gentlemen, you are ethically obligated to clarify the status and rectify the many “empty, dominative and assertive allegations for which not even a page of legally valid document” has ever been submitted to any competent tribunal, let alone any confirming verdict from the same. The US archives are full of official documents bearing references of the US Congress and Senate contradicting his article and yet, Mr. Morgenthau, a celebrity in law and justice, has either ignored or defied by “acting as a persecutor, without hearing any defense, no evidence, and no obedience to nor respect for the laws of this land and as a judge or deity for eternity”.

    We submit that this cannot be accepted, and we respectfully request a statement from Wall Street Journal whether or not it subscribes to Mr. Robert M. Morgenthau’s claims of “Armenian Genocide.” Thank you.

    Cordially yours,

    Dr. Yurdagül Atun
    (Researcher) – International Aydin University
    (yurdagulbeyoglu@hotmail.com)

    Şükrü Server Aya (Researcher) International Aydin University
    (ssaya@superonline.com&ssaya01@gmail.com)

    Prof. Ata Atun (Rector)
    International Aydin University
    (ataatun@gmail.com)

    “Jewish communities in Anatolia flourished and continued to prosper throughout the Turkish rule. When the Ottomans captured Bursa in 1326 and made it their capital, Jews welcomed the Ottomans as saviors. Sultan Orhan gave them permission to build the Etz ha-Hayyim (Tree of Life) Synagogue, which remained in service until the 1940s.”

    The Chief Rabbi of Edirne between 1454-69, Isaac Sarfati wrote his famous “Edirne Letter” during this same period. It concerns several German Jewish families, which had immigrated to the Ottoman Empire.

    “I have heard of the afflictions, more bitter than death, that have befallen our brethren in Germany, of the tyrannical laws, the compulsory baptism and the banishment, which are of daily occurrence.
    …Brothers and teachers, friends and acquaintances! I, Isaac Sarfati… I proclaim to you that Turkey is a land wherein nothing is lacking, and where, if you will, all shall yet be well with you… Here every man may dwell at peace under his own vine and fig tree… Here you are allowed to wear the most precious garments”..
    # 1 . Bertrand Russell, Human Society in Ethics & Politics, George Allen-Unwin Ltd. London 1954, pg.218.
    # 2. Courtesy, Museum of Turkish Jews, The Quincentennial Foundation, Istanbul pg.76-77 “Bernard Lewis, Jews of Islam”

    Mektubun Türkçe çevirisi

  • TAGS (Trump Armenian Genocide Statement). By Garen Yegparian

    TAGS (Trump Armenian Genocide Statement). By Garen Yegparian

    TAGS (Trump Armenian Genocide Statement)

    By Garen Yegparian on March 14, 2018

    Trump Armenian Genocide Statement—that’s what TAGS stands for. Last year, when he had his first chance to do right on the matter of the Armenian Genocide, U.S. President Donald Trump gave us the same mealy-mouthed meaninglessness we had gotten accustomed to from his immediate predecessors in that office.

    Donald Trump (Photo: Gage Skidmore)

    We are about six weeks out from proclamation/resolution/statement (PRS) season when it comes to the annual spike in intensity of genocide recognition efforts, so it is very timely to discuss what our expectations of Trump are or should be. It seems to me there are two aspects to consider.

    First, let’s address how we should approach heads of state and governments when it comes to Armenian Genocide recognition. It strikes me that should adopt a “one chance” policy. The first April that person is in office, s/he should be expected to make an appropriate statement, including the word “genocide” coupled with relevant, implementable, policy that will guide the course of that country. Anything less, even if it includes the word “genocide” is far too little, too late. The time for such platitudes is past. Armenians’ expectations are far more hard-nosed now. We want something that will produce real results, not just good feelings. It should be permanent in its effect, that is, it should not require annual renewal. Otherwise, we will forever be in the position of the proverbial dog chasing its tail. This does not mean we should sever relations with an executive-office-holder who fails to deliver on our expectations. Rather, we should appropriately criticize her/him and simply focus on other issues of Armenian concern where cooperation is possible. Repeatedly groveling for a “handout” when one can reasonably expect no benefit is simply humiliating.

    In Trump’s case, since this “one chance” rule was not in place last year, we should make every effort to elicit an appropriate utterance from him in 2018. Turkey’s crescendoing arrogance and troublemaking might provide sufficient impetus to move the White House’s various entrenched bureaucracies to reduce or eliminate their opposition to a proper Genocide PRS, as described in the previous paragraph. Congressmember Adam Schiff makes this argument in his piece Turkey’s Descent into Authoritarianism published a little over two weeks ago.

    Another interesting argument is made by Robert M. Morgenthau, the famous Ambassador Morgenthau’s grandson, in a Wall Street Journal piece from late January titled Will Trump Tell the Truth About the Armenian Genocide? He thinks that because Trump is so unconventional, he just might be willing to rock the boat enough to give proper recognition to the Genocide. Of course this would still be insufficient based on my requirements for something results, rather than feelings, oriented. It is something worth thinking about.

    But, let’s say that Trump is willing to go all the way, recognize and change policy, give appropriate marching orders to the Departments of Defense and State. The question becomes, do we, Armenians, want that action to come from someone like Trump?

    Why would this question even arise? Trump’s inconsistency, erraticness, thoughtlessness, impulsiveness, intellectual-rigorlessness, vacuousness, and just plain inappropriate-for-the-presidency personality could easily devalue, render meaningless, any Genocide related action or position he may take. He is not even like Reagan, who at least had some political experience and a tolerable presidential bearing and mien. That’s why Reagan’s 1981 statement (inserted by his speechwriter, Ken Khachigian, after getting appropriate clearances, as recently documented by Peter Musurlian in an interview with him) carried weight then and still does now.

    Nevertheless, I think it would be a good thing if he were to take action, but especially because of who he is, it becomes doubly important that what he does meets the “practicality” requirements I set forth above.

    All the Armenians who voted for him (and heck, everyone else, too) should engage in a massive letter writing/e-mailing/tweeting campaign urging Donald Trump to properly characterize the Genocide and direct that U.S. policy reflect it.