‘Anguish and Policy’ Over Martyrs Day Resolution

Your editorial does a grave disservice, not only to the American-Armenian community, but to all peoples who have been victims of genocide.

You argue that it is “not fair” to call upon the government of modern-day Turkey to acknowledge the historical truth of the Armenian genocide. You state that “whatever happened” came under the Ottoman Empire and before the creation of the modern state of Turkey. Would you also argue that, because the extermination of over 6 million Jews took place under Hitler’s Germany, the modern state of Germany should not recognize the Holocaust?

You also cite, inaccurately, a failure on the part of those calling for a congressional resolution recognizing the genocide to denounce what you editorially refer to as “Armenian terrorism” that “preys on Turkish nationals, including diplomats.” Any human life is precious but there can be no comparison between a few isolated individual criminal acts and the premeditated and purposeful government-supervised extermination of 1.5 million people over a period of several years.

Members of the American-Armenian community have publicly denounced terrorism against Turkish nationals. Those persons include Gov. George Deukmejian, Justice Armand Arabian and myself.

ROBERT H. PHILIBOSIAN

Los Angeles