Dear Ms. Falkiewicz:
Thank you for informing me of your opposition to H. Res. 252, Affirmation of the United States Record on the Armenian Genocide. Your thoughts on this important matter are most welcome and appreciated.
As you know, from 1915–1923 the Ottoman Turks perpetuated a genocide against the Armenian people. Indoctrinated with an ultra-nationalistic, pan-Turanian ideology, Turks began their genocidal purge with large-scale deportations of Armenians living in modern-day Turkey. While disguised as a resettlement program, these deportations quickly turned into death marches. Without food or water, hundreds of thousands of Armenians were starved to death. In addition to deaths resulting from starvation, dehydration, and exhaustion, numerous Armenians were massacred in mass executions and staged raids by gangs, organized by Turkish authorities. In estimation, nearly one and a half million Armenians were purged by the Ottoman Turks. America must continue to demand Turkey’s formal recognition of their tragic crime.
Thus, on March 17, 2009, Representative Adam Schiff (CA) introduced H. Res. 252, which I have co-sponsored. If adopted, H. Res. 252 would call upon the President to ensure the foreign policy of the United States reflects our concern for issues related to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the United States record relating to the Armenian Genocide. Presently, H. Res. 252 awaits action in the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Rest assured, your opposition to H. Res. 252 will be well remembered during the 111th Congress. Again, thank you for all you do for our community and our country. Should you have any further comments or questions on this or any issue, please contact me at the Livonia or Milford district or Washington, D.C. office.
I work for you.
Sincerely,
Thaddeus G. McCotter
Member of Congress
Response
Below is the response letter from the 2009–2010 president of the Turkish American Cultural Association of Michigan Leylâ Ahmed about the letter written from The Office of Congressman Thaddeus G. McCotter to Özlem Falkiewicz, a member of TACAM. The Letter concerns House Resolution 252 (H. Res. 252), Affirmation of the United States Record on the Armenian Genocide.
The Honorable Congressman Thaddeus G. McCotter
17197 North Laurel Park Drive
Livonia, MI 48152
March 4, 2010
Dear Congressman McCotter:
I recently received a copy of the letter which you wrote to one of our members, Ms. Falkiewicz, regarding your support for H. Res. 252. I was very disappointed to see the wording you chose in order to defend your actions on this subject matter.
I am specifically referring to your second paragraph where you state that “…Turks began their genocidal purge…” You chose not to use “Ottoman Government” nor “Young Turks” and instead decided on just using “Turk,” which I believe is a very disturbing choice of words to explain your reasoning to support H. Res. 252.
I, on behalf of my community, do not appreciate the connotations intended by your wording to vilify an entire ethnic group.
This is an insult to our Turkish Community and all Turks who live in the United States and in Turkey. I think you owe us an apology. It was an extremely poor and vile choice of words to make a statement about an entire people.
Would you, Honorable Congressman, stand by if another country branded all Americans as perpetrators of genocide based on our history of enslavement of millions of Africans and the elimination of nearly the entire indigenous American Indian population? No you would not, because it is unfair to label an entire people based on an interpretation of the actions of some individuals in the past. I believe you to be a man of character, and thus I feel you would fight that charge; just as we are fighting your charge against us in your letter.
With jobs still being lost in Michigan every day, why are you devoting your energy to a non-binding resolution that attempts to turn politicians into historians? Indeed this resolution lacks any meaning or substance beyond dishonoring a frontline ally against the Soviet Union, and a modern ally in the War for Freedom against Terrorism. Whether you agree or disagree with my opinion on this resolution, it does not give you the right to defame Turks.
In modern history no nation has a claim of being completely innocent of acts of violence — including Western countries that are quick to condemn other nations. Where I take personal issue is with your usage of a decontextualized facet of World War I history, a history rarely taught in its totality in the United States, and branding an entire people in such a way to simply score political points or solicit campaign donations.
Turkish-Americans are an important part of the history of the United States, and an important part of Michigan’s 11th district. We are business owners, engineers, academics, entrepreneurs, educators and active citizens engaged in our communities. Instead of ignoring this constituency, you should be honored that the 11th district has been the home of the Turkish community for almost 40 years and that your district has one of the highest numbers of Turkish-Americans in this Great State of ours.
I hope you understand Sir, and will review your previous conclusions so that you may apologize for the poor choice of words that you have used in your attempt to slander all Turkish people. I look forward to sharing such correspondence from you with our entire community.
Sincerely,
Leylâ Ahmed
2009–2010 TACAM President