Saturday 27 October 2007

HARD HITTING ADVOCACY EARNING RESPECT

October 26, 2007

Parev,

I am writing to offer you our perspective about the progress of H.Res.106, the Armenian Genocide Resolution

Over the past two weeks and, in particular, the last couple of days, we’ve seen some truly remarkable developments – many good, some bad, and several that have yet to play out. I’d like to share a few of my thoughts on these with you.

Hard-hitting advocacy – earning respect

Our nationwide grassroots full-court press leading up to the October 10th passage of the Armenian Genocide Resolution in the Foreign Affairs Committee earned truly worldwide respect for the “Armenian Lobby.”

Proving that we can win an intensely contested committee vote (27 to 21), in the face of heavy White House pressure, a multi-million dollar Turkish lobby, and personal calls from the President himself, put us firmly in the top tier of ethnic lobbies and among the most powerful citizen groups impacting our nation’s foreign policy.

We’re still hard at work moving the Resolution forward.

Just yesterday, we wrapped up our latest H.Res.106 Advocacy Days, which brought volunteers from some 20 states to Washington to speak directly with their elected representatives. We’ll continue to organize these programs and invite you to consider taking part, even as we continue to broaden our internet and phone outreach around the nation. (In just the past month, over 4,000 new activists have volunteered to help the ANCA.)

A media firestorm – educating millions

With over 6,000 mainstream media articles published in the past three weeks about H.Res.106 – including front page articles in the New York Times and lead stories on CNN and the other television networks - we have educated hundreds of millions across the world, many for the first time, about the Armenian Genocide.

In a very powerful sense, given Turkey’s long-term goal of burying the Armenian Genocide issue, all coverage of this issue – even the attacks – is positive. We take issue, of course, with the criticisms, much of it very unfair and hateful, and, with your help, are working hard with our public relations partners to steer the media toward more balanced and accurate reporting.

FYI - our website alone had over 5 million “hits” in just the first three weeks of this month.

Genocide denial - turning the tide

In the media, on America’s editorial pages, and in the halls of Congress, we have won the debate over history, forcing opponents – by virtue of our ability to consistently and effectively communicate the factual record of this crime – to abandon their hateful denials and resort instead to “timing” and “national security” arguments to make their case.

If you watch the roughly three hours of frequently contentious Committee debate, you’ll see that none of the 16 Committee members who spoke against H.Res.106 – as wrong as they were in their argumentation - actually denied the Armenian Genocide; in fact, many openly acknowledged it. This reality represents a significant step forward, but one we need to work to sustain.

Turkey - revealing an unreliable ally

Turkey profoundly disappointed even many of its best allies in Washington by displaying a truly remarkable willingness – even a seeming eagerness - to disrupt U.S. military operations.

Even as U.S. officials appease Turkey over the short-term, top policymakers in the Pentagon and State Department are drawing up alternative plans to supply and support our operations in Iraq and throughout the Middle East.

Armenians Americans – standing up as the
conscience of America

And finally, we demonstrated – by our courage and determination – that the real danger to America is not from Turkey’s threats, but rather from compromising our international moral leadership under pressure from a foreign government.

Not everyone saw this right away. Some were blinded temporarily by Turkey’s fireworks. Others paused in their support out of a natural concern over how Turkey’s threats would impact our troops. Most are now beginning to see that Turkey’s threats – not our nation’s principled defense of human rights – are the real problem.

And so, as you might expect, we’re already seeing a backlash.

Over the past few days, even as H.Res.106’s path to passage is being revised as Members of Congress sort through Turkey’s threats, we are seeing an initial reaction of caution give way to a more lasting impression - one of disappointment, even anger, that an ally is so brazenly threatening the security of our troops.

We are confident that, as the confusion over these threats lifts, that an even stronger bipartisan majority will stand up against Turkey's intimidation and vote to adopt this human rights resolution on its merits. In fact, we spoke personally to a Congressional leader today – who remain rock-solid in her commitment to U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

Now that I’ve brought you up to speed on where we stand, I’d like to share with you our path ahead and suggest how you can help us reach our goals.

Our job now is to strengthen our majority, Member of Congress by Member of Congress, constituent by constituent, setting the stage for the successful bipartisan passage of H.Res.106.

You can do this by educating yourself about all the latest facts, and then sharing this information with your elected officials. By explaining that we advance our interests by standing up for our values, not by caving in to foreign intimidation. And, of course, by demanding – in the best spirit of American citizen advocacy – that our government always lives up to our highest ideals as a nation.

Take action – making a difference

You can start right now by sending a free ANCA WebFax to your U.S. Representative.

After you do, if you haven’t already, please take a moment to read up on this issue by visiting the following links:

* ANCA press release on the revised timetable for H.Res.106 including our two page letter to Members of Congress

* Los Angeles Times article on recent developments

Thank you for your devotion and hard work. We could not have reached this far without you, and without you we won’t be able to finally put America back on the right side of this issue.

Rest assured that we will continue this struggle until we prevail.

Warmest regards,

Aram Hamparian
Executive Director

P.S. As always, but especially during these challenging times, I welcome your ideas and suggestions about how we can better serve our community and cause. I also value any financial support that you can offer, and urge you to please send a secure on-line donation of $100, $500, $1,000 – or even just $10 – to help us stand up against the powerful enemies of justice for the Armenian Genocide.


1711 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
Tel: (202) 775-1918 ~ Fax: (202) 775-5648 ~ anca@anca.org ~
www.anca.org

Tuesday 23 October 2007

More Calls Needed to Pass Genocide Resolution

Dear Friends,

The Bay Area Armenian National Committee held a community briefing Sunday regarding the Armenian Genocide Resolution (HR106). ANC representatives provided over 100 activists in attendance the latest developments in this effort. After the briefing, activists began calling members of Congress to urge their support for H.Res.106.

More Calls are Needed to Members of Congress

We urge you to call and write your representative and ALL other Bay Area Congressional members. This needs to be a forceful and sustained effort until the Armenian Genocide Resolution is passed, so please make an effort to repeat these phone calls daily. Hand-written letters make a powerful impression, and all letters should be faxed to avoid delay in delivery.

Your call/letter can be very brief and, in your own words, should state that:

1. You appreciate the representative's support for the Armenian Genocide Resolution, HR106

2. You encourage him/her to stand firm in his/her support

3. You ask that he/she speak out publicly in favor of the resolution

4. You urge him/her to ask other members of Congress to support the resolution.

Below is the list of Congressional representatives from Northern California, with their phone and fax numbers. Please call and fax letters to both the district and Washington, DC offices:

John Doolittle

District Ph: (916) 786-5560 District Fax: (916) 786-6364

DC Ph: Phone: (202) 225-2511 DC Fax: (202) 225-5444

Anna Eshoo

District Ph: (408) 245-2339 District Fax: (650) 323-3498

DC Ph: (202) 225-8104 DC Fax: (202) 225-8890

Wally Herger (Recently withdrew his support)

District Ph: (530) 893-8363

DC Ph: (202) 225-3076 DC Fax: (202) 226-0852

Michael Honda

District Ph: (408) 558-8085 District Fax: (408) 558-8086

DC Ph: (202) 225-2631 DC Fax: (202) 225-2699

Tom Lantos

District Ph: (650) 342-0300 District Fax: (650) 375-8270

DC Ph: (202) 225-3531 DC Fax: (202) 226-4183

Barbara Lee

District Ph: (510) 763-0370 District Fax: (510) 763-6538

DC Ph: (202) 225-2661 DC Fax: (202) 225-9817

Zoe Lofgren

District Ph: (408) 271-8700 District Fax: (408) 271-8713

DC Ph: (202) 225-3072 DC Fax: (202) 225-3336

Dan Lungren

District Ph: (916) 859-9906 District Fax: (916) 859-9976

DC Ph: (202) 225-5716 DC Fax: (202) 226-1298

Doris Matsui

District Ph: (916) 498-5600 District Fax: (916) 444-6117

DC Ph: (202) 225-7163 DC Fax: (202) 225-0566

Gerald McNerney

District Ph: (925) 737-0727 District Fax: (925) 737-0734

DC Ph: (202) 225-1947 DC Fax: (202) 225-4060

George Miller

District Ph: (925) 602-1880 District Fax: (925) 674-0983

DC Ph: (202) 225-2095 DC Fax: (202) 225-5609

Nancy Pelosi

District Ph: (415) 556-4862 District Fax: (415) 861-1670

DC Ph: (202) 225-4965 DC Fax: (202) 225-4188

Pete Stark

District Ph: (510) 494-1388 District Fax: (510) 494-5852

DC Ph: (202) 225-5065 DC Fax: (202) 226-3805

Ellen Tauscher

District Ph: (925) 932-8899 District Fax: (925) 932-8159

DC Ph: (202) 225-1880 DC Fax: (202) 225-5914

Mike Thompson

District Ph: (707) 226-9898 District Fax: (707) 251-9800

DC Ph: (202) 225-3311 DC Fax: (202) 225-4335

Lynn Woolsey

District Ph: (415) 507-9554 District Fax: (415) 507-9601

DC Ph: (202) 225-5161 DC Fax: (202) 225-5163

We cannot succeed without your calls and letters. Please encourage your family and friends to take action on this important issue as well.

If you's like to know who your representative is, you can go to http://capwiz.com/anca/callalert/index.tt?alertid=10430121 and enter your zip code.

To find out more about the resolution, please visit www.anca.org.

Thank you!

---

Armenian National Committee

San Francisco - Bay Area

51 Commonwealth Avenue

San Francisco, CA 94118

Tel: (415) 387-3433

Fax: (415) 751-0617

mail@ancsf.org

www.ancsf.org

Sunday 21 October 2007

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

Watch ANCA Special Report: Call For Justice!
The Time is NOW to Pass H.Res.106

Tune in to hear updates about how we will win the Congressional Vote for H.Res.106, the Armenian Genocide Resolution.

Sunday, October 21, 2007 5:00pm to 8:00pm PST / 8:00pm to 11:00pm EST.

Horizon Television or Log on to http://www.horizonarmeniantv.com/

Friday 19 October 2007

URGENT COMMUNITY GATHERING

Armenian Genocide Resolution Up for Vote

Please come to a community briefing about the Armenian Genocide resolution, which is likely to come to a vote in the U.S. Congress very soon.

Sunday, October 21st, 2007

1:00-3:00 pm

Vaspouragan Hall, St. Gregory Church

51 Commonwealth Ave., S.F., 94118

ANC representatives will provide background information and the very latest news about the politics involved, as well as vital hands-on information on how you can participate more effectively in this crucial grass-roots effort. The resolution will only pass if our community mobilizes collectively and quickly to meet the massive denialist forces working to defeat recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the U.S. government.

Against great odds, our communities across the country helped pass the resolution in the House Foreign Affairs Committee on October 10th. Now, even more pressure is being put on members of Congress to withdraw or refuse their support for the measure.

There are still very positive indications in Washington that the resolution is alive and well. We have the truth on our side, and our personal devotion to a just cause, and Turkey's increasingly obvious indefensible behavior. We advance our nation’s interests when we stand up for our values - an even-handed pursuit of human rights, a foreign policy based on

truth and honesty, freedom of speech.

Please join us on Sunday.

We can make a bigger difference working together.

*****

Before the gathering on Sunday, you can participate in this effort by leaving voicemail messages for all Bay Area Congressional representatives.

Just pick up the phone, dial, say your name, and that:

  1. You appreciate the representative's support for the Armenian Genocide Resolution, HR106
  2. You encourage he/she to stand firm in his/her support
  3. You ask that he/she speak out publicly in favor of the resolution
  4. You urge him/her to ask his/her colleagues to join them in supporting the resolution.

Here are the phone numbers to call:

John Doolittle: 202 225-2511

Anna Eshoo: 202 225-8104

Sam Farr: 202 225-2861

Wally Herger: 202 225-3076 (HERGER JUST WITHDREW HIS SUPPORT)

Michael Honda: 202 225-2631

Tom Lantos: 202 225-3531

Barbara Lee: 202 225-2661

Zoe Lofgren: 202 225-3072

Dan Lungren: 202 225-5716

Doris Matsui: 202 225-7163

Jerry McNerney: 202 225-1947

George Miller: 202 225-2095

Nancy Pelosi: 202 225-4965

Pete Stark: 202 225-5065

Ellen Tauscher: 202 225-1880

Mike Thompson: 202 225-3311

Lynn Woolsey: 202 225-5161

Here are some encouraging articles about the resolution:

TIME in Partnership with CNN http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1672790,00.html

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2007/10/16/genocide

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/17/washington/17lobby.html?_r=1&oref=login

(Fmr. Rep. Livingston's money games and buying politicians)

http://thehill.com/business--lobby/armenians-working-to-shore-up-support-on-genocide-resolution-2007-10-18.html

(about our grass-roots efforts on the Hill)

http://menendez.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=285552&(United States Senator Robert Menendez makes a statement denouncing the Turkish government's denial lobby and interference in our domestic affairs)

http://www.salon.com/opinion/kamiya/2007/10/16/armenian_genocide/

(favorable opinion piece on Salon.com)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ucgg/20071017/cm_ucgg/owninguptopastwouldaidturkeyspathtofuture

(about how Turkey can help itself by recognizing the genocide)

http://www.wnbc.com/politics/14325746/detail.html

http://www.wnbc.com/politics/14360725/detail.html

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/saturdayspin/335320_parvaz13.html

http://www.dailycolonial.com/go.dc?p=3&s=4580

http://www.nysun.com/article/64553

http://www.hairenik.com/HairenikTV/HA_TV_Clip122.htm

(Comedy Central's The Daily Show with John Stewart)

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/search.nsf/sitesearchresults?openview&type=1&ch=Site+Search

For more information, please contact the Bay Area ANC at www.ancsf.org or (415) 387-3433

---

Armenian National Committee

San Francisco - Bay Area

51 Commonwealth Avenue

San Francisco, CA 94118

Tel: (415) 387-3433

Fax: (415) 751-0617

mail@ancsf.org

www.ancsf.org

Thursday 18 October 2007

ARMENIAN NATIONAL COMMITEE OF AMERICA

NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS

October 18, 2007

Dear All

They’ve taken their best shot. And we’re still standing strong.

Over the past 48 hours, Turkey’s lobbyists hit us with a round of manufactured media hype against the Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.106).

With millions of foreign dollars funneled into the American political system, they paid for a desperate wave of “shock and awe” – intended to intimidate our supporters and deter us – as if they ever could – from our noble cause of putting America back on the right side of this issue.

But they won’t win. And we won’t back down.

We have the truth on our side, and your personal devotion to a just cause.

And Turkey’s threats are beginning to backfire.

Take a look at just a few examples:

· Congressman Sires criticized them for putting
“a Turkish sword” over his head.

· Congressman Crowley said “shame” on Turkey for threatening to destabilize our forces in Iraq.

· Congressman Rohrabacher doubted Turkey’s standing as an ally in light of its threats to “cut off” American military troops.

· Congressman Lantos criticized Turkey for trying to “intimidate” the U.S. from recognizing this human rights issue.

· And just today, Senator Menendez, sharply attacked “the Turkish government's attempts to intervene in the business of the U.S. Congress with over-the-top threats.”

Americans know better.

We know that we advance our nation’s interests when we stand up for our values.

We know that a foreign nation should never be allowed to exercise a veto over where America stands on human rights issues.

We know, as Americans, that we should never – and must never – outsource our foreign policy, our basic morality, to another country. Turkey, a nation that sets records for jailing and killing journalists, simply cannot be allowed to export its hateful Article 301 “gag-rule” to the United States Congress.

Stand up for the truth – right now:

· CLICK HERE for a phone script to call your Member of Congress.

· CLICK HERE to send a free ANCA WebFax to your Member of Congress

· Join us in Washington, DC - October 23rd and 24th!
CLICK HERE to send us an email with your name, address, phone number to participate in the H.Res.106 DC Advocacy Days
as part of a community-wide effort, including the ANCA, the Armenian Assembly, and other community groups. Due to the short lead time, flight and hotel arrangements are the responsibility of the participating individuals.

· CLICK HERE to make a secure online donation to help pass the Armenian Genocide Resolution.

· Watch ANCA Special Report: Call for Justice
this Sunday, October 21st from 5:00pm to 8:00pm PDT on Horizon Television or www.horizonarmeniantv.com

· Check out some of the most recent articles and video.

o The U.S. & Turkey: Honesty is the Best Policy
Samantha Power, Time Magazine,
10/18/2007

o Armenians Working to Shore Up Support on Genocide Resolution - Kevin Bogardus and Jackie Kucinich, The Hill, 10/18/2007

o An Ex-Leader in Congress is Now Turkey's Man in the Lobbies of Capitol Hill - Marilyn W. Thompson, The New York Times, 10/17/2007

o The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on H.Res.106

Please do everything you can to help put America on the right side of this issue – and urge your friends, relatives, and work colleagues to get involved as well by forwarding this note to the emails in your address book.

Thank you - from the bottom of my heart - for standing strong.

Warmest regards,

Aram Hamparian
Executive Director

P.S. Please take a moment right now to share this note with friends and relatives in your email address book.


Wednesday 17 October 2007

Yes ! for RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Dear Friends,
I am sure you may have received this, but just in case you did not have time, please try now.
Please, find time and vote for:

Yes for "Recognition of Armenian Genocide" by US Congress

by clicking on the following site: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21253084/from/ET/
It is very important!!!
Thank you in advance

Ara N

Tuesday 16 October 2007

Action Alert: Make Your Phone Call Before the Vote

Dear Friends,

Now is the time to call your Congressional representative again. The Armenian Genocide Resolution (HR106) is expected to come to a vote in the full House of Representatives very soon, without much warning. All representatives listed below are supporters of the resolution, but with the increasing opposition from the U.S. administration, we need to encourage them to hold firm in their support when the final vote comes.

You can find out who your representative is, by going to http://www.house.gov/ and putting your zip code in the upper left-hand corner window labeled, "Find Your Representative."

Below is a list of representatives from the Bay Area and their phone numbers.

Your call can be quite brief:

- Introduce yourself with your name, and tell the staff person that you're a constituent.

- Say you're calling about the Armenian Genocide Resolution, HR106.

- Thank the representative for his/her co-sponsorship of the resolution

- Urge the representative to continue his/her support with a "yes" vote in the full House

- Ask the representative to encourage his/her colleagues to vote "yes."

If you are a Nancy Pelosi constituent, tell her staff that you appreciate her leadership on this resolution, and that you'd like her to continue doing everything in her power to make the resolution pass.

Representatives' Washington, DC office phone numbers:

Dennis Cardoza: 202 225-6131

John Doolittle: 202 225-2511

Anna Eshoo: 202 225-8104

Sam Farr: 202 225-2861

Wally Herger: 202 225-3076

Michael Honda: 202 225-2631

Tom Lantos: 202 225-3531 (NOT a HR106 co-sponsor, but voted "yes" in committee)

Barbara Lee: 202 225-2661

Zoe Lofgren: 202 225-3072

Dan Lungren: 202 225-5716

Doris Matsui: 202 225-7163

Jerry McNerney: 202 225-1947

George Miller: 202 225-2095

Nancy Pelosi: 202 225-4965 (NOT officially a co-sponsor, but is leads the vote in the House)

Pete Stark: 202 225-5065

Ellen Tauscher: 202 225-1880

Mike Thompson: 202 225-3311

Lynn Woolsey: 202 225-5161

Thank you very much for your participation in the fight for official U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Please encourage your friends and family to call their representatives as well.

You also may want to participate in this poll being conducted by MSNBC about the Armenian Genocide resolution:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21253084/

---

Armenian National Committee

San Francisco - Bay Area

51 Commonwealth Avenue

San Francisco, CA 94118

Tel: (415) 387-3433

Fax: (415) 751-0617

mail@ancsf.org

www.ancsf.org

ANKARA: Armenian Monument Set To Open In Cardiff (Wales); Turks Living In Britain Protest

ARMENIAN MONUMENT SET TO OPEN IN CARDIFF; TURKS LIVING IN BRITAIN PROTEST


Hurriyet, Turkey
Oct 9 2007

Armenians living in Wales are reportedly preparing to erect a monument
to the so-called Armenian genocide in front of the Temple of Peace
building in Cardiff. Brochures which have been passed out by Armenian
groups in Cardiff call on MPs from the British House of Commons to
sign a proposed bill in support of Armenian claims.

The new monument backed by the Armenian diaspora in Wales is set to
officially open on November 3. In the meantime, the Turks in Britain
Federation has begun its own campaign in opposition to the Cardiff
monument. Said Federation president Servet Hasan: "We have started up
this protest campaign to prevent the opening of this monument, which
is just one piece of the campaign by Armenians in the diaspora....to
stain the name of Turkey."

Inscription à la newsletter de armenews.com

Bonjour,

Vous recevez cet email parce que vous (ou quelqu'un d'autre se faisant passer
pour vous) vous êtes inscrits à la liste de diffusion "Armenews" du site armenews.com.

Nous vous remercions de votre intérêt pour notre liste de diffusion.

Voici le code associé à votre compte, gardez le précieusement :
56323792554172682a97f7bdad5d1a27

Monday 15 October 2007

The fight will be won by a vote of Congress, not an MSNBC poll


Dear friends,

Like you, I also received an email to vote for yes on an MSNBC poll for a Genocide resolution. I went and voted yes, but since then the YES is trailing NO by 50,000 votes, and this poll is going to the NO.

However, as I was reminded by someone on my list:

"This fight will be won by a vote of Congress, not an MSNBC poll. Please focus your efforts on encouraging friends to call their Congressional offices."

I urge you to do so.

Thank you

T B

Saturday 13 October 2007

Pelosi Speaks Strongly for Genocide Resolution

Dear Friends,

In a press-briefing yesterday, San Francisco Congresswoman and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi confirmed her support for the Armenian Genocide Resolution and her intentions of bringing it to a full house vote. Her strongly worded statement is pasted in this e-mail below.

She will be under heavy attack from the administration as a result, and it will help her to move forward if we call her office today and re-iterate our appreciation and pride in her commitment to Armenian Genocide Recognition and our support for her as she put the resolution to a vote in the House of Representatives.

Please Call Speaker Pelosi: (202) 225-0100

Speaker Pelosi Weekly Legislative Briefing (Oct. 11, 2007)

Question: Do you have a date in mind for bringing the Resolution to the floor?

Pelosi: I don't have a date in mind. We have next week set up, but it will be before the end of the session.

Question: Some people think that you may not do it now, that you let the committee work its will and that will be the end of it. Can you tell us that that's not the case?

Pelosi: No, I said that if it comes out of committee, it will go to the floor. Now it has come out of committee and it will go to the floor.

Question: Given the mounting words over this issue and pressure from the Turkish officials, why press this issue now?

Pelosi: Well, you know, I've been in Congress for twenty years and for twenty years, people have been saying the same thing: that Turkey's strategic location during the Cold War-that was before the Soviet Union came down-they said because of Turkey's strategic location and our relationship, we couldn't do it then. Then after that came Gulf War I. Then, in the Clinton years, it was the overflights and the pipeline. Now they're saying Gulf War II . . . So why do it now? Because there's never a good time and all of us in the Democratic leadership have supported reiterating Americans' acknowledgment of the Genocide. In the earliest days when the Genocide was happening our diplomats there reported a plan for the elimination of a race, of Armenians.

Ronald Reagan in 1981, President Reagan, referred to the Armenian Genocide and said that we must not ever forget that or other persecutions of people that have occurred. While that may have been a long time ago, genocide is taking place now in Darfur, as it did in recent memory in Rwanda. So as long as there is genocide, there is a need to speak out against it."

Question: Are the negative consequences Turkey talks about worth it?

Pelosi: Well, the US and Turkey have a very strong relationship. It is based on mutual interest and I, with all the respect in the world for the government of Turkey, believe that our continued mutual interest will have us grow that relationship. This isn't about the Erdogan government. This is about the Ottoman Empire.

Question: The Prime Minister today said he will ask parliament for permission for an incursion into northern Iraq. Don't you think that this will affect US troops in Iraq? Don't you think that bringing the Armenian resolution to the floor will affect US troops in Iraq?

Pelosi: Do you think that the Prime Minister of Turkey asked the Parliament of Turkey for permission to have an incursion into Iraq because of the Armenian Resolution? I don't think so. This is about Turkey's plans; this isn't about our resolution about a genocide.

Question: But it was after your resolution and this is when . . .

Pelosi: Does the Prime Minister wish to imply that but for the resolution they wouldn't have this incursion? I don't think so. But, as I said, we have a respectful, strong, and long-term relationship with Turkey; very respectful of the fact that it is a democracy, that is a friend, that we work together in our mutual interest.

---

Armenian National Committee
San Francisco
- Bay Area
51 Commonwealth Avenue
San Francisco
, CA 94118
Tel: (415) 387-3433
Fax: (415) 751-0617
mail@ancsf.org
www.ancsf.org

Friday 12 October 2007

Armenian Genocide Resolution. . . the next 24 hours - ANCA

Parev/Hello Seta

Yesterday we went toe to toe with the most powerful forces in Washington – and won.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee – despite unprecedented pressure and after hours of heated debate – voted 27 to 21 to approve the Armenian Genocide Resolution.

We won this battle despite a very visible public attack by President Bush – broadcast live on national TV. In the face of personal phone calls by Secretary of State Rice and Defense Secretary Gates frantically trying to sway votes with scare tactics. Even over hysterical threats by Turkey to walk away from NATO or to invade northern Iraq.

We had the power to stay strong because of dedicated activists around the country, and because of the
secure on-line donations sent by you and thousands of devoted and generous people like you.

Our victory set off an amazing firestorm of activity by Turkey and its allies clawing to block the adoption of this legislation by the full House of Representatives.

I have never seen so much round-the-clock national coverage of the Armenian Genocide or so much public criticism of Turkey’s denial of this crime – CNN, ABC, CBS, New York Times, Washington Post, and just about every other national media outlet.

We’re winning this battle – in Congress and in the media – not because we have the most money, like Turkey, or the best access, like its lobbyists Bob Livingston and Dick Gephardt.

We’re winning because we have the truth on our side.

And just as importantly, because we are blessed with devoted, caring Armenians like you who speak out for justice and – with their secure on-line donations - make sure we have the financial resources to leverage our grassroots activism. So, right now, please send $100, $500, $1,000 or whatever you can afford.

The stakes are high – and getting higher. Our opponents want to defeat us. But with your help, we will prevail.

With warmest regards,

Ken Hachikian
Chairman

P.S. Your secure on-line donation right now will allow us to take advantage of the priceless opportunities in the next 24 hours that our victory and the media frenzy over this issue has created for the Armenian Cause.