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 WASHINGTON–The
two leading contenders for Colorado’s Democratic U.S. Senate
nomination, Andrew Romanoff and Michael Bennet, have staked out
their views on U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
Romanoff, a longstanding and vocal advocate
for Armenian Genocide recognition, announced his candidacy on
September 16th, challenging Bennet, who has held this Senate
seat since he was appointed earlier this year by Colorado’s
Governor Bill Ritter to fill the vacancy left when Ken Salazar
departed the Senate to serve as Secretary of the Interior.
During his service in the Senate, Salazar established a record,
along with nearly all the other members in the state’s
Congressional delegation, of co-sponsoring the Armenian Genocide
Resolution, advocating Armenian priorities, and supporting
anti-genocide initiatives.
In an exclusive letter to the Rocky Mountain
Hye Advocates [text below], Romanoff, the former Speaker of the
Colorado House, reviewed his extensive record in support of
Armenian American concerns and pledged, if elected, to be an
original co-sponsor of a Senate Armenian Genocide Resolution.
Rocky Mountain Hye Advocates co-editor and
ANCA activist Vi Bashian Cooper praised Mr. Romanoff’s steadfast
record of support stating; “Speaker Romanoff has repeatedly
demonstrated his longstanding loyalty to our community and our
abiding wish to have the Armenian Genocide affirmed as United
States policy. His actions as a Colorado state legislator,
including his service as Speaker of the House, confirm his
consistent dedication and honor to Colorado Armenian Americans.
Mr. Romanoff is one of those rare shining lights of character
and intellect on the Colorado political stage. He will represent
our Rocky Mountain state and our national Armenian-American
community with distinction should he be elected to the United
States Senate.”
Senator Bennet, in letters sent to his
Armenian American constituents during his first months in
office, addressed the Armenian Genocide as a “heartfelt
opinion.” More recently, including in a letter received by RMHA
on October 26th, he has been more straightforward, describing
the Ottoman Turkish Empire’s systematic slaughter of Armenians
as genocide. He further states that, “I certainly understand
your frustration with those who would attempt to qualify or
recast these deaths as mere casualties of war.” Senator Bennet
remains silent as to whether he will co-sponsor the Armenian
Genocide Resolution, S.Res.316, currently before the U.S.
Senate.
“Armenian Americans from across Colorado
welcome our friend Andrew Romanoff’s reaffirmation of his
longstanding record in support of Armenian Genocide condemnation
and commemoration, and are, as well, very gratified that Senator
Bennet has joined with so many of his colleagues in our state’s
Congressional delegation in properly recognizing this crime
against humanity,” said Jirair Christianian, a Colorado Armenian
American businessman and ANCA grassroots activist. “We look to
Senator Bennet, in the coming days, to act upon his principled
stand by agreeing to serve as an official cosponsor of the
Armenian Genocide Resolution.”
For his part, Governor Ritter, who appointed
Bennet, has a strong record on the Armenian Genocide. He has
continued the tradition of his predecessors in annually issuing
an Armenian Commemoration proclamation. Last month, he
distinguished Colorado as the first state in the nation
proclaiming “Genocide Awareness Day.”
Text of Senate Candidate Andrew Romanoff’s Letter to
Rocky Mountain Hye Advocates:
October 27, 2009
Rocky Mountain Hye Advocates
Dear Mrs. Bashian Cooper and Ms. Barsam Brown,
As a state legislator, I was proud to serve as an original
cosponsor of the Armenian Genocide resolution. I will do the
same in the United States Senate.
I have actively supported the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide – an atrocity resulting in the extermination of
three-quarters of the Ottoman Empire’s Armenian minority
population. Today, Armenians remain on the defensive, as
evidenced by California’s federal appeals court decision last
month related to WWI/Ottoman Empire insurance claims. The
federal appellate panel finding stated, “There is an express
federal policy prohibiting legislative recognition of an
‘Armenian genocide.’” The court’s interpretation of our national
commitment should be a red flag that it is imperative our
Congress adopt an Armenian genocide resolution and render denial
unacceptable.
This year, as Colorado became the first state in the nation
to establish a “Genocide Awareness Day,” I addressed my remarks
during the press event to single out the first genocide of the
20th century. As George Santayana said. “Those who do not
remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” We know from
experiencing today’s horrors in Darfur that we must be vigilant
in recalling our past as we seek to end ethnic and cultural
devastation.
As a member of Colorado’s House of Representatives, I was a
cosponsor of the first General Assembly resolution in 2002
proclaiming April 24th as our “Colorado Day of Remembrance of
the Armenian Genocide.” I continued my cosponsorship of this
annual resolution in 2003 and 2004.
In 2005, I was proud to be its prime sponsor, commemorating
the 90th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. At the
invitation of “Armenians of Colorado,” I spoke at their annual
commemorative ceremony conducted on the State Capitol grounds at
the Armenian Genocide Memorial Plaque.
In 2006, as Colorado’s Speaker of the House, I was honored to
sign the joint Remembrance resolution. Later, as a guest of the
“AOC,” I spoke of our work in Colorado to affirm the Armenian
Genocide resolution and our efforts to secure its adoption at
the national level.
In 2007 and 2008, my last session in the Colorado House of
Representatives, I was again honored as House Speaker to sign
the General Commemorative Resolution.
My record speaks to my sense of duty and moral clarity in
working with Colorado’s Armenian community to press for the
adoption of a United States resolution which affirms the
historical record of the Armenian genocide.
I look forward to representing Colorado. Thank you for your
consideration.
[signed]
Andrew Romanoff
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