THE ALTERNATIVE With Reno Omokri
Ihave read many views on the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and sadly, one fact is clear, most of us outside Israel are taking sides emotionally, rather than rationally. And as a result, we are becoming part of the problem, rather than the solution.
Notice that I say emotionally, as opposed to spiritually. I am not opposed to anyone deciding because he or she feels led by the Spirit of God. But make sure you are being led, not being deluded.
What is happening in Israel and Palestine, is complicated. And unless you understand the intricacies involved, your views and utterances, especially if you happen to have some influence, will complicate matters.
By Charlie Mahtesian
US President Joe Biden on Saturday issued the document Armenian Americans have pursued for decades: a declaration that the Ottoman Empire’s slaughter of an estimated 1.5 million Armenian civilians was genocide.
It’s a deceptively simple action, carrying no force of law. Yet it’s a bold move for Biden, who has gone beyond what any American president has ever been willing to do. Until now, presidents have declined to formally apply the term “genocide” for fear of sparking a backlash from Turkey, which vigorously denies it. According to the Turkish account, World War I-era violence between Muslim Ottomans and Christian Armenians led to large casualties on both sides. According to most historians, however, the evidence is clear the Turks engaged in a years-long ethnic cleansing campaign that included forced death marches and mass starvation.
Biden makes history by declaring killings of Armenians a genocide mycentraloregon.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from mycentraloregon.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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After 43 years of feeling a “certain way” defined by the fight to have the massacre of her Armenian ancestors recognized as genocide Lori Mesrobian isn’t sure what emotions will spring up if that actually happens.
For Mesrobian and other Armenians, what they consider a simple act of acknowledging history has faced decades of geopolitical barriers. U.S. politicians have made promises, only to pull back over the country’s strategic relationship with Turkey. There was great disappointment when President Obama, after pledging to recognize the genocide, ended up not taking that step.
Now, it appears the United States is on the verge of acting.