Page 42 - AMAANewsJulyAugSept2021_Neat

Peace-Loving Armenians

By Areni Haroutunian, AMAA 2021 James G. Jameson Essay Contest Winner, High School Level

hat does it mean to forgive? When people choose to
forgive, should they brush aside all feelings of sorrow,
pain, regret and mourning? The Armenian race's
Wancient history is riddled with centuries of pain and
sorrow and death, most recently inflicted by the Turks and Azeris.
When Armenians choose to forgive them, all must take heed not
to belittle the losses and betray the millions of innocent lives who
wanted nothing more than to enjoy the fruits of life on this green
earth. Armenians have tried to resolve their tragic past in order
to achieve peace and contentment, in which, finally, they are not
constantly haunted by ghosts of their heartbreaking past. Within
that context, they must not allow the murderous deaths of millions
of Armenians at the hands of the Turks to be in vain. The Turks'
contemptuous and unapologetic actions have bred complacency
among many Armenians to overlook the murders without realizing
that certain steps must be taken to make the Turks and Azeris answer
for their crimes. Horrifically shocking criminal atrocities, such as the
Armenian massacres, that are prematurely forgiven obstruct truth
and justice and the ability to process grief and sorrow. Murder of the
innocent leaves a cold, ruthless, cavalier emptiness in the mind and
heart and soul and a message of injustice that never leaves. What
does it mean when one immediately and easily forgives a shameful
crime? Armenians must properly grieve the destruction of lives, nation Additionally, genocide denial may serve a bigger political
and culture, while ensuring that the Turks answer for what they have agenda for some world powers. Certain nations at times fear
done by way of reparations for war crimes and national decimation that recognizing the Armenian Genocide would get them on the
committed against an ancient and peace-loving race as the Armenians. "bad side" of Turkey. Turkey conducts a lot of trade with many
Furthermore, when Turks and Azeris fails to express apology nations in the world. In order to appease the Turkish regime, some
after all this time and continue to slaughter Armenians, they not governments have been very slow to recognize the Genocide as a
only prevent Armenians meaningful closure, but amplify their historical fact. These nations of appeasement can erode truth and
past monstrosities. Christians are urged to love and pray for their give way to the erasure of Armenian rights from the minds of future
enemies. Sometimes we are urged to pray more for our enemies generations. We should emphasize the fact that there are certain
than we do for our loved ones. However, every Armenian must unpatriotic Armenian Christians who have already penetrated the
realize that the authors of the Genocide and their blood-hungry borders of the Armenian Republic, as well as various communities
allies—the Azeriz—will seize any opportunity to spill more of the Armenian Diaspora. The unpatriotic Armenians are trying
Armenian blood. They will continue to murder and pillage with to pursue dark political purposes by expending large amounts of a
reckless abandon while Armenian families weep in sorrow. This campaign for personal gain. By agreeing to label the Genocide not
is precisely why Armenians must take every action to make the as a genocide but just as the "Armenian Question" or "Armenian
blood-thirsty Turks and Azeris accountable for their atrocities. Issue," in one of their insidious devices to push toward premature
Lately, overly eager Armenian-Turkish reconcilement has been a forgiveness of the Turks and to enable payouts from Turkish
cause for concern. There has been a pervasive movement to conduct politicians and rich nationalists.
meetings between Armenian and Turkish intellectuals and students Ultimately, the international recognition of the Armenian
to launch a non-existent friendship between Armenians and Turks. Genocide is presented to the Armenian public as the first step
To this end, there have been attempts to produce films and to for the solution of Armenia's problems as they relate to receiving
issue joint publications toward achieving peace. Both sides should, reparations from Turkey. Foreign world powers have extended
in theory, forgive each other and open new pages of accord. The their reach into matters concerning the liberation of the Armenian-
last thing Armenians would want, however, is to return to their occupied lands. What do Armenians understand by the term
Homeland only to find it invaded and overrun by Turks and Azeris. "Armenian Cause"? For many Armenians, the term is understood

42 | AMAA NEWS, July-Aug-Sept 2021