Over the past week you have seen films and read articles about The Armenian Genocide. On Monday you heard an insightful and informative lecture about this terrible event by Father Boghosian. First, what did you think of Father Boghosian's lecutre? Second, the last stage of Genocide is denial. Given everything you've heard, seen, and read about this event, what do you think should be done to make more people in the United States aware of the Armenian Genocide?
Mr. Gallagher
17 comments:
it disturbes me how many people who caused a genocide can say that it never happened, but theres millions of deeath to prove the bad horror. And many of journalist and many armenian who know that the horror of what the turkish caused did happened.
Just like slavery-the armenian people wanted freedom to be equal and not to live in second class citizen.. from that they got killed
I agree i dont understand how people can denie and try so hard to cover up the truth i mean there manyt of books, documents and people saying that this horror is true. it makes me sick of people can denie the truth just so they wont get in trouble. and how in school systems they dont even speak if what had happen. thats somehting of history or someones cultur that they not getting a chance to know because of someones ignorancy.
yeah its kinda weird and it just shows how better we have it in a america and now i got a better understanding on why many people say that America is the promise land of the free.
I thought the lecture was really good. It made the Armenian Genocide so much more real when there was someone who was directly affected (through his family members) by the genocide compared to seeing a film or reading articles about something that happened years ago in far off countries that I have never seen before. You could hear the passion that he had about the genocide and getting the Turkish government to admit that the genocide actually happened. First of all, I am pretty sure that most of America has never even heard of the Armenian Genocide. I think this year is the first year, I have even heard anything about thesee events. Us students hear a lot about the Nazis and the Jewish Genocide, but we rarely hear about this genocide. Why? It needs to become one of the topics that should be covered in history before going into the subject of Germany and World War II. It happened and people are trying to hide that fact, so more people need to be made aware through things like education about this incident in the past, so the lives of these people aren't forgotten.
Yeah, I agree with Chris that the lecture made the genocide that much more real. I would have like it if there was more time for questions though.
What should be done to make more people in the U.S. aware of the genocide? The biggest step would be to recognize that the genocide took place, something that the U.S. still hasn’t officially done. Unfortunately, this won’t happen as long as we’re still fighting wars in the Middle East. So the next best thing to do would be to incorporate the Armenian Genocide into school curriculum. I remember briefly talking about the Armenian Genocide in social studies in 9th grade and 11th grade, but this is the first time I’ve ever really learned what actually happened. Also, maybe there should be more TV programming about the Armenian Genocide. I’ve never seen a documentary about it on TV before, but the documentary we watched in class was very interesting and informative. I’m sure that if people got exposed to the Genocide through the medium of television, their interests would be piqued.
As Chris said, I felt that the passion and pain of Father Bohesian was clearly audible in his voice, which added a personal level to my understanding of the Armenian Genocide. I do think, however, that Father Bohesian's lecture would have been even more powerful if he had elaborated on his grandparents' personal story.
I would guess that over 95% of Americans have never heard of the Armenian Genocide. It amazes me that such a significant event is not taught at any point throughout a student's 12 years of public education. I believe that the most effective way of raising awareness of this genocide would be to simply add it to the curriculum of a mandatory history course that teaches WWI.
I agree with what chris was saying and that the passion and evident hurt that was heard in Father Bohesian's voice made the incident even more real. The fact that his grandparents had a personal connection with the genocide, made the Father even more sensitive and passionate toward the topic. I don't think that it is right that while kids are in public school, they are never taught about the Armenian Genocide. As a result of this, most Americans do not even know that this event occured, which makes the denial stage even more real and possible. Therefore, I think students should be taught about this genocide in one of our history classes because we learn about other mass destructions, and we should learn about this one as well.
I really enjoyed Father Bohesian's lecture. For me, the Armenian Genocide became more real as I listened to his presentation. It is one thing to get a textbook definition of the Armenian Genocide, it's another to be taught the information from one who is passionate about the subject and who has a personal tie to the subject.
It is hard to understand how the Turks can so easily deny that the Armenian Genocide ever occured. How do they explain how all of the victims of the genocide died? I think that the Turkish people are able to get away with this denial because few people are aware that the Armenian Genocide occured. If one did not know that this atrocity occured, how can they be convinced that it did happen, if the people that allegidly caused the issue deny it ever happened? I believe that education is key in solving this problem. It also does not help that many of the books published on the Armenian Genocide have been censored. Obviously this indicates that there is something to hide or be ashamed of. This must be an indicator that the genocide occured. It is important that there are ways that people can be educated on this topic so that it does not continue.
I agree with Chris when he said that many people in the US are well educated on the Jewish Genocide and not on the Armenian Genocide. I ask the same question that he does: why is that?
I also agree with Sam that I wish there was more time to ask Father Bohesian questions because he seemed very willing and excited to answer our questions.
I think that the Turks just need to hear the people, such as Father Bohesian speak about the horrors they had to endure. Even his voice showed the pain that he felt. I understand there was a language barrier but I could still sense that there was wounds that won't heal for him. So I definitely agree with Chris and Becca.
I agree with Monicca that it's disgusting to think that people can't even take the blame for such an otrosity. Genocide, all of its stages, is an awful to occur and to happen to any group of people. It is unfair and should not even exist in history books. But the fact that the Turks will not own up to the events of the Armenian Genocide, makes the 8th stage truly the worst.
What is even more of a crime, is that this isn't extendsivly known throughout the world. Before this course, I had heard about the Armenian Genocide, but no one seemed to bother elaborating. The Armenian Genocide should be focused on just as much as the Nazi Rule and the Holocaust because both are unjust acts which people of the present should look back on in order to never have it repeated. History doesn't always have to repeat itself, but it order to stop the bad, we must know of the bad. 'It's better to know what you don't know than to not know what you don't know'
I really enjoyed Father Bohesian's lecture. I thought it was impeccable how he told us about the events as though he himself was a apart of the Genocide. I agree with Max that Father Bohesian's lecture would have been a lot more powerful if he had elaborated on his grandparents' personal story, because now we would be getting a view of an actual accountancy. Most of America has never heard of the Armenian Genocide because one, it's never really taught. This wasn't the first time I heard about it, but it was definitely the first time I knew what it actually was. I don't know why but it seems as though the whole subject is simply being avoided if such a large part of the U.S. population has no clue as to what the Armenian Genocide is. I guess this is why the Turks are able to continue denying it ever happened since it isn't really known.
It obviously doesn't give Turkey the best reputation that they committed a genocide, but whats done is done and you have to own up to it. Even though the people living in Germany didn't directly participate in the Holocaust they don't try and deny it ever happened. In terms of making it more aware to Americans I think that it could be more of a required curriculum. If we learn about the Holocaust in school it would make sense to learn about the Armenian Genocide because it is of great importance. I thought that the speaker on Monday did a great job of informing us of what happened and it was important to have someone who is so knowledgeable and has first hand experiences tell stories of what happened.
i enjoyed this movie, things like the armenian genocide and the holocaust really interest me. and as many people said before about how people such as the turks who caused this horrific event to cover up all the evidence of the genocide and denying that it has ever happened. its also pretty upsetting to learn that the genocide happened because of religion. in my eyes, no matter what religion or race a person may be, they are still human and i dont understand how people can act like this upon other people. its upsetting. i think that this is a subject that every school system should teach and everybody should know about the events that has occured. im sure that there are many armenians to this day who dont know about the event or are told that it never happened and that its all a myth. its not right.
I believe that learning about the Armenian Genocide was one of the most important things I have learned through out high school. However, it was also one of the most shocking things I have learned. It leaves me wondering not only how people can do such horrid things, but also how people choose to deny and ignore rather than face the truth and learn from the mistakes theyve made. I dont recall any other history class I have been in discussing the Armenian Genocide, and I believe that the reason is due in part to the denial of it ever happening by the Turks. I later asked my parents if they had heard about the genocide. They shook their heads clearly not knowing at all what I was referring too. Its hard to believe something so tragic can almost forgotten. Thankfully, there are people like Father Bohesian to passionately explain what really happened, and how it had such a strong impact on peoples lives.
I agree with Chris, Max, and Lyndsey with the fact that Father Bohesian's voice and passion delivered the reality of the events. I believe that the passion in Father Bohesians voice alone far outweighed any testimony of denial by the Turkish Government.
When I saw the movie "The Armenian Genocide" it made me feel bad. I could not believe that these people of one race was killed becasue they were different. I fell so bad for the people at that time. I can't belive that Turkey don't want to approve what they did.
I agree with Monicca, the fact that the Turks choose to deny what happened, and what has been proved to have happened. The fact that the leader of Turkey stated he didnt think any more than maybe 100,000 Armenians died in 1915, when actually 1.5 million someodd Armenians were massacred during that time. All this, just for believing in a different religion.
i agree with dyany. i also found it interesting that they gave not only the armenian point of view, but occasionally allowed turkish citezens to voice their opinion. having seen the class's reaction to this movie mirror my own, it makes me wonder if we all lived in turkey and this movie was filmed mainly from the opposite perspective, if the class and i would have accepted their case for the genocide having not taken place. i feel that though in this example there is no doubt on what occured, americans generally ridcule others for believing what their government and media tells them, when we do the same ourselves.
i agree, it disturbs me that people could just sweep this under the rug, without owning up to their own mistakes. TO be honest, this is the first time i've ever heard of the armenian genocide and i find it more than disturbing that so many were killed over the wanting of change and freedom.
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