Gathering to Remember

This evening, about one hundred people gathered in front of Memorial Hall in Northampton, MA.  Like their counterparts around the world, they were Gathering to Remember the Armenian Genocide.

Many countries, including our own, do not want to recognize the killings of the Armenian people as genocide.  However, the facts speak for themselves - 1.5 million Armenians died - over half the population of Armenians living in Turkey in the spring of 1915 were systematically killed.  

As we stood in the New England cold, Rev. Dr. Andrea Ayvazian gave a brief history of what has happened over the years to the Armenian people.  She said, "My Dad called it 'the massacres;' my Grandmother called it 'the attocities.'  Many scholars agree that the killing of the Armenian people was the first genocide of the 20th century."

The crowd heard stories of those who had been martyred and those who had survived as well as heart-wrenching poetry by an Armenian   poet.   
  

                                                

Rev. Dr. Andrea Ayvazian at Gathering to Remember

Rev. Dr. Ayvazian told of a group in Boston, Facing History and Ourselves, that creates curriculum for the schools. They have curriculum that tells the full and accurate story of the Armenian people.
Their motto is "People make choices.  Choices make history."

The people gathered in Northampton today made a choice to witness the pain and heartache of their Armenian brothers and sisters.  I have made the choice to write this blog post in order to share my support for those who have suffered far too long without recognition.

In the days ahead, I pray that our president will recognize the Armenian Genocide. I pray that another 100 years will not pass before the world recognizes the horror of the events of 1915; that Turkey admit to the crimes and that the Armenian people may finally begin their journey to healing.

Namasté!

For more information go to:
http://www.armenian-genocide.org/genocidefaq.html