Pro-Armenian American Congressmen, members of the California state legislature, dozens of Los Angeles County and city officials, members of Armenian organizations gathered to listen to the US President. At a news conference shortly after Joe Biden’s address, Congressman Adam Schiff thanked the Armenian community for its decades-long efforts to continue the struggle not to be broken after each disappointment.
“The recognition came at a very important moment, when Azerbaijan and Turkey started a war against the Armenian people again, when there is another fear of another genocide in Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). The President’s will to speak the truth confirms that the United States supports its allies, does not stand by autocratic dictators who kill their neighbors. I thank President Biden for speaking up for the truth,” US Congressman Adam Schiff says.
According to Congresswoman Judy Chu, the recognition means that the United States will not forget the Armenian Genocide, the victims of that tragedy, and its consequences.
“Azerbaijan’s attack on Artsakh showed that there are still people who want to uproot the Armenian people. We must support the struggle of Armenians for the right to self-determination. Unfortunately, we cannot cancel the past, but we can be honest, recognizing the genocide and insure that nothing will happen to them again,” US Congresswoman Judy Chu says.
“The truth is not known today. It has always been known, it just took people a hundred years to talk about it. This recognition is a message to Turkey, to others, that the Armenian community and Armenia are important to the United States. But the case is not over,” US Congressman Jimmy Gomez says.
Armenian figures state that the recognition puts an end to the US complicity of Turkey’s denial and opens the door to responsibility and justice once and for all.
American-Armenians in the same mood gathered in the center of Hollywood for an annual march. In the second half of the day, another protest was organized in front of the Turkish Consulate. They stated that the United States has finally abandoned the compulsion of Turkey to circumvent the truth. The young people stressed that the recognition should be followed by the steps towards responsibility and justice.
