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Genocide denier Justin McCarthy
Jewish body adds voice against Genocide denier McCarthy
SYDNEY, MELBOURNE—Professor Justin McCarthy, a well
funded denier of the Armenian Genocide, has had two planned events in Sydney
and Melbourne canceled on the grounds of his unwelcome denialist views.
McCarthy was due to address audiences at the University
of Melbourne and at the New South Wales Art Gallery this week, however, each
institution revoked McCarthy’s opportunity after learning of his abhorrent
denialist views on the Armenian Genocide.
Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of
Australia (ANC Australia), Vache Kahramanian welcomed the independent decision
taken by both institutions.
“Justin McCarthy’s views have no place in Australia and
no institution or venue should ever allow a genocide denier to utilise their
stage,” said Kahramanian.
“Genocide denial is the final act of genocide against
victims and surviving generations. As a proud multicultural nation we should
never allow the denigration of the memory of victims of genocide,” Kahramanian
added.
McCarthy is due to address a private gathering in
Parliament House, Canberra, on November 21st.
ANC Australia has written to all Members of Parliament,
informing them of McCarthy’s denalist views and to ensure they do not allow
Parliament House to be used as a platform for McCarthy’s denialist views.
Jewish body adds voice against Genocide denier McCarthy
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) has
released a powerful statement expressing their deep concerns of Professor
Justin McCarthy’s upcoming address in Parliament House, Canberra.
In a media release dated 20 November 2013, the ECAJ
accepts the “overwhelming view of history scholars that the killing of hundreds
of thousands of civilians in these communities was done with genocidal intent.”
The release goes on to address the issue of McCarthy’s
upcoming event at Parliament House on 21 November, which the ECAJ says, will
mean the institution is “lending his theories the misleading appearance of
official approval. In our view, no part of Parliament House should be misused
in this way.”
Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of
Australia (ANC Australia), Vache Kahramanian stated: “We thank the Executive
Council of Australian Jewry for their principled position on this important
matter. Venues such as Parliament House should never allow genocide deniers to
have a stage.”
McCarthy was due to speak at events at the University of
Melbourne and the New South Wales Art Gallery but were both canceled by the
respective institutions upon learning of McCarthy’s denialist views on the
Armenian Genocide.
ANC Australia has written to Laurie Ferguson MP, who
booked the venue in Parliament House for the event, to immediately withdraw his
name and revoke access to the venue to ensure McCarthy isn’t allowed to spread
his denialist views.
The full text of the Executive Council of Australian
Jewry media release can be read below:
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry notes the
current visit to Australia of the American Professor of history, Justin
McCarthy. Professor McCarthy campaigns around the world against the recognition
of the Armenian genocide.
Professor McCarthy does not deny that from 1915 to 1923
more than 1 million Armenians, Pontian Greeks and Assyrians, almost all of them
civilians, lost their lives at the hands of the Ottoman Caliphate. However,
notwithstanding that this slaughter was on a massive scale over a period of
years, Professor McCarthy maintains that this loss of life was not systematic
and was not carried out with the intention of eradicating these Christian
communities, but was an act of war.
The inherent implausibility of this contention raises
many questions about the quality of Professor McCarthy’s analysis. The ECAJ
accepts the overwhelming view of history scholars that the killing of hundreds
of thousands of civilians in these communities was done with genocidal intent.
Whilst freedom of expression and academic freedom require
that Professor McCarthy must be at liberty to put forward his theories, the
manner in which he does so must not lapse into racial vilification. Professor
McCarthy is a guest of Australia and must respect Australia’s laws during his
visit.
One of the venues to which Professor McCarthy has been
invited to put forward his views, is a room in Parliament House Canberra,
thereby lending his theories the misleading appearance of official approval. In
our view, no part of Parliament House should be misused in this way.
Peter Wertheim AM | Executive Director
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