“I Believe So.”
By Michael G. Mensoian
On Nov. 1, Abraham Foxman and the leadership of the National ADL will hold a meeting in New York ostensibly to respond to the demands of the several towns in Massachusetts that have either withdrawn or have threatened to withdraw from the ADL’s No Place for Hate program. These towns will reconsider their participation in the program if the ADL recognizes the Armenian genocide without qualification and agrees to publicly support the resolution before Congress recognizing the genocide. The stakes are high. What will be considered at this Nov. 1 meeting far outweighs the importance of the No Place for Hate program. That is ancillary to the stinging rebuke Turkey would suffer if the ADL unequivocally recognizes the Armenian genocide and publicly supports the Congressional resolution recognizing it.
Whatever decision Foxman and the National ADL leadership agree upon will not be made with the events in Massachusetts as their primary focus. Namik Tan, the Turkish Ambassador to Israel, was extremely blunt when expressing Turkey’s position to the Israeli Foreign Office: “Israel should not let the Jewish community [ADL change its position” from non-recognition of the Armenian genocide, he said. Even more telling with respect to the influence Israel exerts on the National ADL is his continuing comment that “[this is our expectation… On some issues there is no such thing as Israel cannot deliver.” This expectation by the Turkish government is not based on supposition but on a realistic understanding of the relationship that the Israeli government has with the Jewish diaspora.The fact that the New England Region ADL broke ranks with the National ADL and came out in support of the Armenian genocide and the recognition efforts in Congress reminds me of the “good cop-bad cop routine.” It would be surprising if the Regional ADL has sufficient clout to influence the National ADL. Until now it hasn’t been apparent. Pragmatically, the position crafted by the National ADL has international implications and as such will always take precedence over any position that a regional affiliate may take. If necessary, it would not be surprising for the National ADL to sacrifice their No Place for Hate program in those few communities where Armenians were able to muster a sufficient response to influence the outcome. Already, letters to the editor column of various local papers have published letters by people either lamenting the fact that they will be denied the opportunities that the No Place for Hate program provides or extolling its worthiness within the community. This is all part of a calculated campaign to influence public opinion to support the program. To expect a significant number of towns to join Watertown, Newton, Belmont and Arlington in withdrawing or threatening to withdraw from the program is unlikely. Presently, there are more than four dozen communities in Massachusetts that participate in this program.
http://www.hairenik.com/armenianweekly/com10060701.htm