Watertown, Mass -- On Tuesday Sept 23, 2008, the Watertown Town Council voted to pass a resolution calling on Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts to ends its endorsement of the Anti Defamation League's (ADL) No Place for Hate program due to the ADL's refusal to unambiguously acknowledge the Armenian Genocide and to end its active opposition to Congressional affirmation of the Armenian Genocide.
The resolution, introduced by Councilors Marilyn Petitto Devany, Stephen Corbett, and Mark Sideris, was unanimously adopted, following the reading of a statement and a question and answer period with Blue Cross Blue Shield's Jay Curley, who was present at the Council's request.
Read the ANC Press Release: Watertown Town Council Calls on BCBS to Dissassociate with Controversial ADL Program.
Read the Open Letter from the Armenian American Community to Blue Cross Blue Shield.
Read the ANC Press Release: Blue Cross Blue Shield Defies Watertown Town Council Unanimous Call to Cut Ties with Controversial ADL Program.
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BREAKING NEWS
ACTION ALERT: CALL ON BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD TO END ITS SPONSORSHIP OF THE ADL NO PLACE FOR HATE PROGRAM!
Read the Open Letter from the Armenian American Community to Blue Cross Blue Shield!
Are you outraged that Blue Cross Blue Shield health care premiums are being used to deny the Armenian Genocide? Should denial of any genocide be stopped?
If you answered yes to either of these questions, please send an e-mail right now to Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) of Massachusetts Chairman and CEO Cleve L. Killingsworth and ask that BCBS stop supporting genocide denial.
Click here if you are you a Blue Cross Blue Shield subscriber. Click here if you are not a Blue Cross Blue Shield subscriber, but are offended by genocide denial.
Call on Blue Cross Blue Shield to end its corporate sponsorship of the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) No Place for Hate (NPFH) program because the ADL refuses to fully acknowledge the Armenian Genocide and actively opposes Congressional affirmation of this genocide.
By engaging in genocide denial – which is considered hate speech – the ADL does not have the moral authority to sponsor tolerance programs in our communities. By co-sponsoring the NPFH programs, BCBS has become complicit in this violation of human rights.
The human rights community and the political leadership of Massachusetts no longer consider the ADL to be a legitimate human rights organization. Over a dozen Massachusetts cities and towns, as well as the Massachusetts Municipal Association, have ended their participation in No Place for Hate.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts needs to hear from Massachusetts residents – subscribers and non-subscribers alike – that this is unacceptable.
Send an e-mail right now!
Does your employer subscribe to Blue Cross Blue Shield? If so, write your employer a letter and ask them to contact Blue Cross Blue Shield as well.
Dear _________:
I am writing to voice my concern regarding the association of our company with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and to request that you contact Blue Cross Blue Shield and ask them to disassociate themselves from the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) No Place for Hate (NPFH) program.
Blue Cross Blue Shield is using our health care premiums to financially support the ADL’s NPFH program. While the work of NPFH is valuable, its affiliation with the ADL is a major scandal.
The ADL engages in genocide denial by its refusal to unambiguously acknowledge the Armenian Genocide and its continued active opposition to Congressional efforts to affirm this genocide.
Although the ADL places genocide denial at the peak of its hate speech pyramid, it has been guilty of this basic human rights violation for many years by its active denial of the Armenian Genocide.
The human rights community and the political leadership of Massachusetts no longer consider the ADL to be a legitimate human rights organization. Over a dozen municipalities in our Commonwealth have withdrawn from the NPFH program.
In April, the Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA), an umbrella organization representing all the cities and towns of Massachusetts, unanimously voted to rescind its sponsorship of NPFH, stating, “unequivocal recognition of the Armenian Genocide is both a matter of basic justice to its victims as well as essential to efforts to prevent future genocides.”
Therefore, I ask that our company convey its disapproval to Blue Cross Blue Shield for their financial support of an organization that engages in genocide denial.
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BACKGROUND:
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has for many years refused to acknowledge that the systematic, planned massacre of 1.5 million Armenians between 1915 and 1923 was genocide. Moreover, the ADL continues to actively oppose Congressional affirmation of the Armenian Genocide.
Only after intense pressure that started in Watertown, Massachusetts last summer did the national ADL issue a “Statement on the Armenian Genocide” on August 21, 2007.
Referring to the events of 1915-1918, the statement read, “The consequences of those actions were indeed tantamount to genocide.” Aside from the fact that the Armenian Genocide began in 1915 and continued through 1923, the statement was not a full, unequivocal acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide.
Not only was the qualifier “tantamount” inappropriate, but the use of the word “consequences” was a clear attempt to circumvent the international legal definition of genocide by avoiding any language that would imply intent, a crucial aspect of the 1948 United Nations Genocide Convention definition.
The ADL remains on record opposing Armenian Genocide legislation (H.Res.106 / S.Res.106) pending in Congress, arguing that short-term geopolitical considerations related to Turkey-Israel-US relations should take precedence over the moral imperative of condemning genocide whenever and wherever it occurs.
Despite numerous calls to clarify its position on the Armenian Genocide at the organization’s national meeting in New York City in early November 2007, the ADL issued a one-sentence press statement upon the meeting’s conclusion that declared, “The National Commission of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today, at its annual meeting, decided to take no further action on the issue of the Armenian genocide.”
The controversy first came to light on July 6, 2007 when the Watertown Tab published a letter by Armenian-American activist David Boyajian pointing out that it was hypocritical for the ADL to be sponsoring the town’s No Place for Hate (NPFH) tolerance program while simultaneously lobbying against Congressional recognition of the Armenian Genocide. The letter asked the local No Place For Hate chapter to disassociate itself from the ADL.
Later, an Armenian National Committee-sponsored community petition called on the Watertown No Place for Hate committee, "in keeping with its principles," to urge the ADL to unambiguously acknowledge the Armenian Genocide and support Congressional affirmation.
Watertown then became the first town to end its relationship with the No Place for Hate program by a unanimous vote of the Town Council.
Watertown was followed by twelve other Massachusetts municipalities including Belmont, Newton, Arlington, Northampton, Bedford, Lexington, Westwood, Medford, Needham, Newburyport, Peabody, and Somerville.
On April 9, 2008, the Massachusetts Municipal Association voted unanimously to end its sponsorship of NPFH, stating that “unequivocal recognition of the Armenian Genocide is both a matter of basic justice to its victims as well as essential to efforts to prevent future genocides.”
The human rights community and the political leadership of Massachusetts thus no longer consider the ADL to be a legitimate human rights organization.
For complete information about the ADL controversy surrounding the Armenian Genocide visit http://www.noplacefordenial.com/
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SAMPLE LETTERS
Letters should be sent to:
Cleve L. Killingsworth, Chairman and Chief Executive
Blue Cross Blue Shield
Landmark Center
401 Park Drive
Boston, MA 02215-3326
Killingsworth@bcbsma.com
Copies should be sent to:
Fredi Shonkoff, Senior Vice President for Corporate Relations
Blue Cross Blue Shield
Landmark Center
401 Park Drive
Boston, MA 02215-3326
fredi.Shonkoff@bcbsma.com
Jarrett Barrios
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation
Landmark Center
401 Park Drive
Boston, MA 02215
jarrett.barrios@bcbsmafoundation.org
If you are a Blue Cross Blue Shield subscriber:
I am outraged to learn that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, my health care insurer, sponsors and funds No Place for Hate, a program created and operated by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).
The ADL engages in genocide denial by refusing to forthrightly acknowledge the Armenian Genocide and actively opposing U.S. recognition of that genocide. The ADL cannot be trusted with promoting tolerance and diversity because it engages in the ultimate form of hate speech: genocide denial.
Blue Cross Blue Shield has become complicit in this violation of human rights by its association with this ADL program.
The human rights community and the political leadership of Massachusetts no longer consider the ADL to be a legitimate human rights organization. Over a dozen Massachusetts cities and towns, as well as the Massachusetts Municipal Association, have ended their participation in No Place for Hate.
I therefore ask that Blue Cross Blue Shield follow their principled lead and cease its affiliation with No Place for Hate. I do not want my health care provider to be indelibly associated with genocide denial.
If you are not a subscriber:
I am writing to ask Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts to ends its sponsorship of No Place for Hate, a program created and operated by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).
The ADL engages in genocide denial by refusing to forthrightly acknowledge the Armenian Genocide and actively opposing U.S. recognition of that genocide. The ADL cannot be trusted with promoting tolerance and diversity because it engages in the ultimate form of hate speech: genocide denial.
Blue Cross Blue Shield has become complicit in this violation of human rights by its association with this ADL program.
The human rights community and the political leadership of Massachusetts no longer consider the ADL to be a legitimate human rights organization. Over a dozen Massachusetts cities and towns, as well as the Massachusetts Municipal Association, have ended their participation in No Place for Hate.
I therefore ask that Blue Cross Blue Shield follow their principled lead and cease its affiliation with No Place for Hate. Otherwise, the company risks being indelibly associated with genocide denial.
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VIDEO UPDATES: Rally in Front of ADL National Headquarters in NYC
Armenian/Jewish solidarity rally held on November 2 in front of ADL national headquarters in NYC. Followed by highlights from the following public meetings on ADL/NPFH: Newton #2, Arlington, Needham, Newton #1, Belmont, Watertown. Related links: |
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ADL - "NO PLACE FOR HATE" MEETING HIGHLIGHTS
Highlights from public meetings held to discuss the future of the ADL sponsored No Place For Hate program in various Massachusetts towns and cities. This sequence of YouTube clips includes: Watertown Town Council, Newton HRC #1, Belmont HRC, Newton HRC #2, Needham HRC, Arlington Selectmen... |
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