phantom22

Arpa, Just this. I mean "expunged," removed or done away with.

Thanks Gams, You are crystal clear here. Armenians are European because of their culture, not their genetics nor language. Some vestiges of paganism remain in the Armenian culture though, that I would like to see expunged.

The way our leaders handle this, you would think that Assyrians and Pontic Greeks were never targeted.

The Vieux Carre (French Quarter) was on higher ground and was flooded by only one foot of water at the peak of the flood. It received much less damage and will be reopened next week. The water damage will be taken care of. It is other parts of New Orleans that were under 20-30 feet of water that are in worse shape. The French founders of old New Orleans had the sense to build it on high ground. It was only later that the lowlands were leveed and developed. The tourist mecca has sustained the least damage of the whole city.

Those were good times, good years.

It will be a while before this is brought to the House floor, if Hastert allows it to. I see that the PURISTS are still dissecting the vote. Politics has no logic and little morality. I am getting to understand why the Armenians usually lose-lack of vision. MORALITY has little to do with what transpires. Every day I come into contact with both people living in exquisite palaces in America and then on the way to my office, people living homeless on the street. It is all about power, the strong and the weak. To the powerful goes the spoils.

Lev7, Glad we find ourselves "on the same page." Sorry, it was not a "flip-flop" by Lantos. It was a combination of factors that worked in our favor, which all started when the Soviet Union began to break up. I am sorry, but I doubt that you mingle at all with Jews. If you are a typical Armenian most of your social contacts are with other Armenians. The Armenian psyche is fixed in time, like a relic. Lantos' vote was totally logical given the changes that have occured. OK, now let us see if the resolution is brought to the floor.

There you have it. You state "Back then, Armenians were weak and did not have an army." So it was the wrong time to agitate for independence. Let Turkey get away with it? Where have I stated that? What I am commenting on is the wacky way a few here, (Verginne who I suspect is really a Turk) and Arpa have reacted to Lantos' YES vote. He has enraged them by supporting this resolution. He has won over the Jewophile Armenians and has driven the Anti-Semite Armenians into apoplexy. If he had voted against it, they would not be "whirling dervishes" right now. Whatever our differences with him due to his former record, this Hungarian Jew has proven that he is a brilliant strategist.

Skhara, TIMING is of the essence. I do not wear rose-colored glasses. I KNOW EXACTLY what has transpired. ...but given what transpired today the knee-jerk reaction of some here is incongrous. IRRATIONAL, DETRIMENTAL to our cause. Only an Armenian oblivious to the sea-change that occurred or a fanatic Turk making trouble would have placed the comments today under the name of "Verginne." Do you operate from your brain or from your gut? In 1910 my great-grandfather told a gathering of local Armenians who were agitating for independence , "the lion is sleeping, don't wake him up." They shouted him down, stating "Shut up, old man." Was an independent Armenia achieved in the six vilayets or were our people decimated? TIMING is everything.

Given his history, Lantos' vote is amazing. After a few squeals, Mehmet (AKA Verginne, Anoush, AR) now realizes that he has been exposed.

I would like to see a list of those who voted for and against the two resolutions. I am going to try the House website to see if it has been posted.

This is an AP (Associated Press) article. It will be in numerous papers tomorrow morning. The reason that it is posted in the SF Chronicle is that it is one of the few newspapers that is an afternoon paper in America.

I think that we are in for a surprise. This is being done for Turkey's benefit. She is like a child whose parents take to the dentist to have his wisdom teeth removed. He doesn't go willingly, he pouts and cajoles his parents, but it is in his best interests that the teeth come out. Turkey needs passage over Armenian territory and needs Armenians to spur its economy. Do you not think the Americans realize that Eastern Anatolia was a bread-basket when inhabited by Armenians and is for the most part a wasteland today? Unless Turkey returns to being a multi-religious, multi-ethnic state, it will NEVER be admitted into the EU. Only a truly secular Turkish state will gain entry. I may be wrong, but I think that we are in for a surprise.

Domino, Your comment solidifies my statement that you do not understand American politics. There is no logic to politics in America, nor in most places in the world. You are approaching this from the perspective of an academic.

That is a real possibility. Hastert could choose not to bring the bills to the floor as he did in 2000. Yet, given the revelations of Sibel Edmonds, he may not want to do that this time. Yes, obstacles remain. We shall see. Yet, you are changing the subject. We are focused on Lantos' vote today which is a paradigm shift for him.

Domino, You do not understand American politics. How could you? You are a Canadian born outside of the North American continent. While you may be brilliant in the area of Genocide studies, your understanding of the intracacies of this vote are lacking.

Arpa, How do you think that my great-grandfather was able to survive and thrive in a environment where Armenians were second-class citizens? It wasn't by operating from "bile" as you appear to be doing, but by his "wits." I repeat, a NO vote by Lantos would not have utterly disturbed you as his YES vote has.

Verginne, Are you posting from Ankara or from within the Turkish embassy in Washington? Your timing is exposing you! You are revealing your cards! Immediately, you are feverishly working to repair the damage. You may be able to fool the "dak kloochs" here but I see right through you, Mehmet.

Verginne, Looks like Lantos' vote has got you shaking. He has done a real job on the likes of you. He has earth-quaked you to the core.

Arpa, Why this outburst from you NOW?? Lantos covered his A** and then voted "Yes." Why do you feel it is necessary to tirade at this moment? I sense something dis-junctive. Has his vote shaken your "world view?"

Turkey will have to do some real soul-searching, like so many Turks that have to come to terms with their doenmeh (note lower case) Armenian grandmothers. Then they will have to face up to Ataturk's adopted daughter being an Armenian, the real history of their country like the fact that under my great-grandfather tutelage his vilayet was a garden-of-eden and today is a desert with 70% unemployment, the "events of 1915" as they say, and their own xenophobia vis-a-vis Armenians.

Karakash, I should have stretched my hand to my bookcase at my right and perused my copy of "The Almanac of American Politics" before I responded. Lantos' vote will obviously be the top news story.

Karakash, Thank you for the clarification.

Karakash, Why are you "looking at a gift horse in the mouth?" We had a positive vote. Do you understand the intricacies that are behind Lantos' switched vote? Do you understand that Jewish sensitivities are the mirror image of Armenian sensitivities? That brilliant but flawed Saroyan and some of our fascistic California politicians touched a sore nerve of many Jews.

There was not a more prominent and vocal opponent than Tom Lantos. He was the fulcrum of anti-Genocide forces. Turkey gave him cover by their idiotic actions, re: rejection of American troop movements, conference of scholars cancellation and Pamuk trial.