Turkish 'Genocide?' Why does the US pass a 'bill' declaring this WWI era topic and not leave it an opinion?

Question

I just don't understand the purpose of the US passing a bill declaring the Armenian killings genocide. I thought bills were passed to put laws into effect - not state opinion. Now they are discussing how this will strain relations with the US and Turkey (Turkey is a huge ally in the Iraq war)? Isn't this simply something that historians that write text books should argue about - not our government? Again, seems like this issue is someone's opinion. Please explain why!!

Answer 1

It is important to every state to remember history correctly. The Armenian Holocaust is not an opinion; it is a fact. Many members of my husbands family died in it. I was not aware of this bill, but I could see the need to define the federal position on such a misunderstood and under advertised event. The Turks (while they have been less aggressive in recent years) did a spectacular job of covering up such a large event. There is almost as much misinformation as information floating around about the Armenian Holocaust, and like the councel of Trent - it is important to declare that we are on the side of truth and not fiction. The Turks may be Allies now, but the Armenians have been good friends of ours as well. The truth needs to come out.

Answer 2

This doesn't make sense to me either. Its not a law.

I thought it was interesting that an Armenian-American activist thought that this bill would give them the freedom to speak openly about this issue. My reaction was, your American, you can speak openly about this anyway.

Let the history books decide what the Ottomans did. Why disrupt international relations over an opinion statement.

And Mustachio Mucho, nobody says it was a good thing that this happened at all, no matter how big or small it is. Should the congress work on a bill for the Spanish Inquisition next. I'm sure that would be a fine use of government tax dollars. Oh, and I can say anything I want about the Spanish Inquisition like you did, and we didn't need a bill for it.

Answer 3

So, if it is the "opinion" of the Turks that it was okay to slaughter women and children because they were Armenian, then it is OK?

The Inquisition didn't prove the earth was flat, even though that was the prevailing "opinion."