Armenian Genocide
In 1943, during WW II, my parents’ village in Italy was overtaken by the Nazi’s. The British Air Force began bombing the village to eliminate the Nazi occupiers. The bombing campaign lasted an entire month. My parents, who were 5 and 7 years old at the time, had to hide in caves as the bombing campaign began. After three weeks, my parents and their families ran out of food. They had to endure hunger for nine days straight as they prayed for a miracle. That miracle came by way of the US Army’s 3rd Armor Division. The 3rd Armor Division eliminated the Nazi occupiers and fed my family -- saving their lives and making my life possible.I find it amazingly ironic that four years before my parents were rescued from the Nazi occupation of their village, Adolph Hitler addressed his high commanders in 1939 -- just nine days before invading Poland -- and remarked, “Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?”
We can not turn a blind eye to oppression of any kind. Doing so will all but assure that it occurs again and again. The comments of a raving lunatic like Adolph Hitler demonstrate this to be true. Needless to say, I am deeply concerned for those who are oppressed anywhere in the world. All oppression, past and present, must be exposed so that the people of the world will be able to stand against it.
That is why today I reach out to the Armenian Americans of the 53rd district of Virginia, as well as all of Northern Virginia and the Washington Metro area. I call on all people to acknowledge that the horrific events that occurred from 1915-1923 were indeed the mass killings of millions of innocent Armenians. I also acknowledge that politically correct and expedient euphemisms that would disguise the facts concerning the Armenian tragedy must be rejected in the name of justice. We must, in good conscience, call the events that occurred from 1915-1923 for what they are -- Genocide.
I was very disappointed when I learned about President Obama's April 24th remarks, where he directly avoided using the word “Genocide,” breaking his promise to all Armenian-Americans.
Today, I stand with former Republican Governor of Virginia, George Allen, who was a strong supporter the Armenian Genocide during his years in public service. I also stand proudly with a personal hero of mine, President Ronald Reagan, who during his Presidential proclamation on April 22nd, 1981, stated:
"Like the genocide of the Armenians before it, and the genocide of the Cambodians which followed it -- and like too many other such persecutions of too many other peoples -- the lessons of the Holocaust must never be forgotten."
Reagan dreamed of an America that was a shining city on the hill; a place for the oppressed to take refuge. Such a dream can not be realized unless we as a free people are willing to take a stand against all forms of oppression. That is why I support the passage of H.Res 252, The Armenian Genocide Resolution making it's way through the House of Representatives in Congress.
As deeply as I care about the formal recognition of the first genocide of the twentieth century, there is an even more pressing matter that I would like to address: Education. I understand that the future of a nation, depends upon the strength and knowledge of its youth. Currently, the Commonwealth of Virginia's Standards of Learning allow for the teaching of the Armenian Genocide. If elected as the state delegate in the 53rd district of Virginia, I will support legislation that encourages the teaching of all genocides. All teachers, school administrators and members of their local board of education should be encouraged to discuss the Armenian genocide, as well as other genocides, while not downgrading, belittling, ignoring or denying these events.
Genocide denial has been called by some as the ultimate form of hate speech. Such intolerance has no place in our schools.
Genocide denial has no place in our schools and should not be given an equal platform with real history.
I thank the various organizations like the Armenian National Committee of Greater Washington and others for the opportunity to reach out to the Armenian-American community here and I humbly ask for your vote this November.
If you have any questions please feel to contact my campaign by email at: campaign@merola09.com, or by phone at: 703-850-8347.
Christopher Merola
Thanks for visiting the Merola 09 web site. If you would like to join the fight for your future, please contact my campaign:
Email: campaign@merola09.com
Merola 09
PO Box 3981
Merrifield, VA. 22116-3981
Christopher Merola and his wife, Tressa Harper Merola, have lived in Northern Virginia for some seven years now.
They have each worked on Capitol Hill and believe in making a contribution to the political process. They have even sacrificed at times to do so.
The freedom and liberty that our founding fathers desired for our nation are values they hold dear.
Email: campaign@merola09.com
Merola 09
PO Box 3981
Merrifield, VA. 22116-3981
Jim Hoeft interviews Chris Merola from Beehive Video on Vimeo.
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Christopher Merola and his wife, Tressa Harper Merola, have lived in Northern Virginia for some seven years now.
They have each worked on Capitol Hill and believe in making a contribution to the political process. They have even sacrificed at times to do so.
The freedom and liberty that our founding fathers desired for our nation are values they hold dear.
