09/27 Letter to Foxman by Watertown's Former NPFH

Letter: Hold genocide perpetrators accountable, including Turkey
Thu Sep 27, 2007, 04:23 PM EDT

WATERTOWN, MA - Mr. Abraham Foxman, National Director
Mr. Glen S. Lewy, Chair, National Board

Anti-Defamation League

Dear Mr. Foxman and Mr. Lewy:
As Co-chairs of the former Watertown, MA “No Place for Hate” committee, we are writing to express both our thanks and our concern to you.

As you know, the Watertown Town Council withdrew its participation in the “No Place for Hate” program because of the national ADL’s position concerning the Armenian Genocide. The Town Council, the members of the local “No Place for Hate” committee, and a large percentage of the Town’s population found it unconscionable that an organization that works to educate the world about the Holocaust and other similar atrocities would turn a blind eye to the sad history of the Armenian people. Throughout the summer, many local individuals and groups, both Armenian and non-Armenian, expressed enormous resentment towards the ADL because of its choice to ignore such a clear moral imperative. It was impossible to continue our committee’s work, and to regain our credibility in the community, while affiliated with the ADL under these circumstances. Hopefully Mr. Foxman’s statement of Aug. 21 will begin a badly needed healing process. We appreciate this change of position.

However, to continue this process we strongly urge you to take the next critical step, by endorsing the Armenian Genocide legislation currently pending before Congress. We cannot fully believe the sincerity of the ADL’s stated goals – to work for the fair and equal treatment of all – until you have completely and wholeheartedly supported the Armenian people in their quest to have their history acknowledged by all nations of the world. If we are to prevent further atrocities from occurring, we must hold perpetrators, including Turkey, accountable for those that have taken place in the past. We believe that support of this legislation would be entirely consistent with the mission of the ADL as we understand it.

Thank you for your consideration.
Will Twombly
Marion Road
Sgt. David Sampson
Watertown Police Department
Representing the former Watertown “No Place for Hate” committee

Source: http://www.wickedlocal.com/watertown/opinions/x680957694