Members of UCSB’s Armenian Student Association gathered in silent protest yesterday near Girvetz Hall in objection to the Turkish government and the international community’s failure to officially recognize the Armenian genocide during the early 20th century.
Armenian student organizations at several other campuses across the state — including the entire UC system, CSU Northridge, Cal Poly Pomona, CSU Los Angeles, Occidental College and Loyola Marymount University — also participated in the day of action. Students stood in a line with tape over their mouths to show solidarity and signify the lack of acknowledgement.
ASA member Shant Mirzaians, a third-year political science major, said the demonstration addressed genocide as a worldwide concern rather than an isolated event.
“We’re not only fighting for the recognition of just our genocide but of all genocides,” Mirzaians said. “Recognizing the fact that they happen is the first step in preventing atrocities like these from continuing.”
As we have come to expect from Islam any self criticsm is not allowed in that religion. Islamic genocide is prettied up, so much so, that it becomes as close to the opposite as it possible. We see this again today in Sudan where genocide is all but ignored by the Islamic controlled UN and Omar al-Bashir, Sudan’s genocidal leader, is often welcomed to Muslim countries with open arms. Meanwhile in Turkey any mention of the Armenian genocide is met with a harsh jail sentence. I’m suffering from Islamonausea which is somebody who is sick and tired of Islam and… Read more »