AYF and ANC Confront Genocide Denier Congresswoman Jane Harman

Los Angeles, CA – “With pride and patriotism, members of the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) confronted Congresswoman Jane Harman (D-CA-36) this weekend for her immoral role in the denial of the Armenian Genocide. It was discovered this week that the Congresswoman, while publicly endorsing H. Res. 106 (the Armenian Genocide Resolution), had secretly authored a letter on October 3, 2007 urging the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee to kill that very same bill.

“Jane Harman ought to be ashamed,” commented Vache Thomassian, a member of the AYF Central Executive. “She ought to be ashamed for her rank hypocrisy. She ought to be ashamed for her double standard on human rights. And she ought to be ashamed that as a daughter of a man who came to America as a refugee from Nazi Germany, she is now willing to turn a blind eye to genocide for the sake of political expediency. Shame on Jane Harman,” Thomassian added.

The AYF members, joined by ANC supporters, challenged Harman’s position at a public event held in Lakewood, California on Saturday, October 6, 2007. Nearly a 100 AYF members were on hand, the Armenian Americans spoke truth to power by directly confronting the Congresswoman for her hypocrisy. Specifically, the AYF members shared that her deceitful actions are profoundly immoral and fall far beneath even the most basic ethical standards that her constituents in California’s 36th Congressional District have a right to expect. With chants of “Hypocrite, Liar, Genocide Denier,” the AYF members highlighted Harman’s ethically challenged effort to defeat the Armenian Genocide resolution.

Over 1,000 human rights supporters from across Los Angeles County have contacted Harman’s offices in California and Washington, D.C. to criticize her decision to oppose the Armenian Genocide Resolution. Her constituents have called Harman to express their sharp disappointment with her betrayal to support universal recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Having learned of her secretive opposition to the Armenian Genocide Resolution, many voters in her Congressional District question Harman’s dedication to the truth. Constituents found the Congresswoman’s actions particularly troubling given her longstanding public support for this human rights legislation.

Founded in 1933, the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) has grown to become the largest and most influential Armenian American youth organization; with chapters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world. Inspired by our past and motivated by the needs of the future, the AYF actively strives to advance the social, political, educational and cultural awareness of all Armenian youth.