Speaking of Myths...

12/29/05

By: Soraya Sepahpour-Ulrich

 

Iran’s president Ahamadinejad created a political tsunami when he stated that the Holocaust was a “myth”.   Not a single shore around the world was left immune. Tragically, the epicenter, Iran, is beginning to receive the worst aftershocks imaginable.   As the international community reacts to Ahmadinejad’s outrageous rhetoric, they are making plans to embark on punitive measures against the innocent Iranian people - Sanctions and military strike have become common talk – losing site of the real victims, the Iranians.

 

Of course the Holocaust was not a myth.  Humanity must never forget nor repeat its dark history.  However, it does beg the question where is the outrage over the Armenian genocide?  Why is humanity so mute in light of the Darfur genocide and why are we not stopping it? Surely that is no “myth”.     Humanity cannot be selective in its denial of genocide.  History is unforgiving.   

 

But back to “myths”, here is another…

 

The United States is not the world’s superpower.  Israel is.  The US is at the command of Israel, or at least its foreign policy, particularly in the Middle East is; especially in light of Iran, its regime, and its nuclear program, which AIPAC has insisted that the Bush administration is not doing enough to stop and destroy[i] .  As the Christian Coalition president Roberta Combs stated: “Our Heart is with Israel”, and as such, “It is very important for people of faith to know where our legislators stand on support for Israel.”[ii]  One need only be reminded of the Christian coalition behind President Bush in 2004 to draw the line…

 

However, life dictates that we dispense with myths and deal with reality.   

 

Maybe Ahmadinejad just wants to be the hero of another war.  It may be that it is easier for the US to drop phosphorous on Iraqis than to stop the genocide in Darfur.  Perhaps it is convenient to deny the Armenian genocide…

 

Perhaps myths are more comfortable to live with….