The reality of the Armenian Genocide

Source: The Federalist-By Stella Morabito- If President Trump recognizes the Armenian genocide by specifically using the word genocide" in his April 24 proclamation he would send a strong signal to the world that America is unequivocally on the side of historical truth and the protection of innocent life. He would be only the second president after Ronald Reagan to do so boldly and officially. Every year on April 24 there are memorial services marches and media reminders of the genocide of 1.5 million Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. The beginning of the massacres is marked on that date in 1915 when hundreds of Armenian community leaders merchants and intellectuals were rounded up and killed in Constantinople. That horrific incident was followed by the sorts of activities youd expect of a government intent on mass slaughter of an ethnic group: propaganda campaigns intended to vilify Armenians in the eyes of their Turkish neighbors; conscription of all Armenian men ages 20-45 to deprive their families of their protection; gun confiscation programs; the release of violent criminals from prisons in order to form chetes" or killing squads targeting Armenians; mass deportations and death marches into the Syrian desert with little to no food or water; and much more. Ive written in detail about the genocide for The Federalist. As the granddaughter of genocide survivors Ive always been well aware of those atrocities and hardships suffered a century ago. But most Americans are completely unaware and the ignorance is growing. This is especially the case as our education establishment treats any serious study of history as well a thing of the past.