Thanks joe. Left Turkey as we speak. On Serbian air space. Can't see the picture though. I hope this isn't a goat picture. Lol
Serious question. The Turkish Parliament just passed a bill banning the term 'Armenian Genocide'. What are your thoughts on this? I know that Obama had promised Armenian-Americans that if he was elected that he would formally recognize it as genocide, and then upset a lot people here when he later hedged and refused to do it. Well, he hedged pretty much by saying his opinion on the matter remained unchanged, but for "diplomatic" reasons he wouldn't formally use the G word. It was too risky as far as damaging relations with Turkey/fighting ISIS, and Erdogan was adamant. My understanding is that many Turks consider it a "deportation", a smaller number consider it ethnic cleansing, but even so, the death toll is "highly exaggerated". Anyway, I know the history is extremely intricate and complicated and that expelling the Armenians from Anatolia, which also involved the Kurds, was far more of a nationalist move than a religious one when the Ottoman Empire was crumbling. Kurds not only recognize it as genocide, they'll never stop apologizing for it, especially for what went on across the Syrian border. As part of the bill, Kurdish and Kurdistan can also not be mentioned. I was just curious to get perspective from someone who hails from there and your opinion of the bill. Thanks.
My great grandmother is an Armenian woman who was saved by my great grandfather. I call it Genocide and as a Kurdish person I feel ashamed. Ottoman Empire used Kurdish forces to cleanse Armenians and Kurdish people openly apologize for their role and call this a genocide. Armenians though didn't forgive Kurdish people yet. Although it was Ottoman Empire and Turks who ordered the mass killings but it was mostly Kurdish people who executed it. After the Armenian genocide there was a Kurdish mini genocide and my great grandfather who saved my Armenian great grand mother was hanged in the city center in DIyarbakir. Here is a link for you to read his story and his friends story. http://www.executedtoday.com/2011/06/29/1925-sheikh-said-piran-kurdish-rebel/
