Inconsistency

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It's no surprise to see that many Santa Barbara organizations, including the city itself, supports "No Place For Hate," a program sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League. After all, on their web site, the ADL claims to "secure justice" and maintain "fair treatment to all citizens alike."

It may be quite shocking to learn that the ADL, given their supposed values, did not recognize the Armenian Genocide. Given that genocide denial is often considered one of the highest forms of hate speech, I found the ADL's standpoint on this issue hypocritical. How can an organization claim to secure justice and fair treatment to all when it is itself, by denying the Armenian Genocide, involved in a manner of hate speech? Furthermore, what surprised me even further is that there are about 60 organizations in Santa Barbara alone affiliated with the NPFH program. These organizations include many of our high schools, colleges, and our so called peace organizations.

Shining light on the hypocrisy of the Anti-Defamation League, seven Massachusetts cities made a proactive move to cut all of their ties to the NFPH program. Human Rights Committee, a very high profile national organization for justice, has also cut ties to NPFH. Under pressure from these developments in the east coast, the ADL chairman, Mr. Foxman, issued statement recently affirming a shift in ADL's position, "[the Ottoman government's] actions were indeed tantamount to genocide." He went on to state that a" Congressional Resolution on such matters is counterproductive," In an effort swipe criticism Mr. Foxman outsourced the decision by proposing a commission from Turkey and Armenia to examine the Armenian Genocide. This is no different from last year's Holocaust conference held in Iran that the ADL rightly condemned.

It is my belief that Santa Barbara should follow suit in a proactive declaration for peace, justice, and truth by following the lead of the Human Rights Committee and the cities of Massachusetts by urging our local organizations to cut ties with the NPFH until the Anti Defamation League follows its own mission statements and recognizes the atrocities of the Armenian Genocide publicly, supporting its passage in the United States Congress. If we want to live in a world without genocide, we cannot leave any room for denial. An organization that engages in a form of genocide denial and opposes recognition does not have the moral authority to sponsor programs in our communities. —Arby Eivazian

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