Armenian Genocide should be given recognition it deserves

PanARMENIAN.Net - All throughout my elementary and middle school years, I was educated on the numerous genocides of the 20th century: the Holocaust, Rwanda, Darfur. I was told to look at these events as the worst acts of inhumanity ever committed; however, these events all took place after the Armenian Genocide, Rohan Viswanathan writes in opinion published by Daily Briun.

The article says, in part: “Millions of Armenians were relocated during the Turkish ethnic cleansing through death marches to the desert where they were executed.

The Armenian Students’ Association hosted a silent march in honor of Armenian Remembrance Day. Protesters wore black shirts and covered their mouths with red tape while they marched around campus.

The ASA did demonstrate an educational approach to addressing the issue when a speaker read personal accounts of genocide victims. This was a step in the right direction, helping educate the UCLA community on the effects of the Armenian massacre; but it still does not provide an objective, historical education of the event.

To do so, the Armenian Genocide should be made just as prevalent in elementary, middle and high school curricula around the nation as the Holocaust.

The Los Angeles Unified School District recently provided a two-day workshop for high school history teachers that focused on the Armenian Genocide from a historical standpoint. It is appalling that almost a century after the events, many, including college graduates, know very little of the Genocide or have never been exposed to it.

The Genocide should also be better incorporated into UCLA courses. Fiat Lux seminars discussing the genocide would allow students to learn the history if they want. Just as the Holocaust is a vital part of World War II education, the history department should make the Armenian Genocide a vital part of World War I education.

We may not win the political battle, but we can at least win the educational one. It is our responsibility to teach students about all history and give the Armenian Genocide the recognition it deserves.”