System of a Down To Rally In Front of House Speaker Dennis Hastert's Office
Band Photo: System Of A Down (?)
SYSTEM OF A DOWN have just announced that they — along with their fans, the Armenian National Committee of America, Axis of Justice and the Armenian Youth Federation — will visit the Batavia office of Rep. Dennis Hastert on Tuesday, September 27 at noon to ask Speaker Hastert to "do the right thing" and keep his commitment to hold a vote on the pending Armenian genocide legislation. If passed, the legislation will officially recognize Turkey's destruction of 1.5 million Armenians between 1915 and 1923. The band have invited their fans to join with them in this effort by attending the rally and have set up a system by which fans can directly email Speaker Hastert on the issue.
SYSTEM OF A DOWN's four band members — Serj Tankian, Daron Malakian, Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan — are of Armenian descent and have made awareness of the genocide, and genocide around the world, a central message of the band. All have lost family members to the Armenian genocide.
On September 15, the House International Relations Committee overwhelmingly approved legislation recognizing the Armenian genocide, despite objections from both Turkey and the Bush administration. Despite his previous public support for the measure in 2000, Speaker Hastert has twice prevented the Armenian Genocide legislation from coming to a full vote in the House. Today the fate of this human rights issue rests in the Speaker's hands. He has two choices: either allow a vote on the Armenian genocide resolution, giving the 435 members of the U.S. House a chance to cast their ballots on this human rights measure or, delay, defer, and ultimately defeat the Armenian genocide resolution by refusing to bring the measure to a vote of the full U.S. House. The rally is in support of a fair and full vote in the House of Representatives, ending U.S. denial of this crime and opening the doors to justice — to the restoration, reparation, and restitution owed to the victims of genocide.
"Dennis, do the right thing," stated Serj Tankian. “I just visited my 97-year-old grandfather, my only link to the far past, and promised him that I would go and try to talk to Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the House, and make sure that he takes this opportunity to bring up the Armenian genocide resolution to the floor of the House of Representatives. This is a personal issue to me and SYSTEM."
The SYSTEM OF A DOWN/ANCA rally will take place at the offices of Rep. Dennis Hastert — 27 North River Street, Batavia, Illinois (about an hour from downtown Chicago). The rally is scheduled for 12 noon-2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 27. The Armenian community, activists, and the band’s fans from across the greater Chicago area are expected to attend the rally.
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34 Comments on "SOAD To Rally In Front of House Speaker's Home"
Member
Member
6. writes:
Lazerus you are a turd sandwich in a message board full of douches, not to mention a hypocrite. If your family died in the 911 attacks you would prolly feel the same way all of those armenians do so think before you write sh** everyone is going to see. Oh yeah and f*** you.
Member
Former Contributor
11. writes:
Serj Tankian is using his freedom of speech.
f***ing deal with it.
The reason America is not a colony of Englands is because we had disidents. People who challenged an established system. If not for people who question a system we would not be where we are today in any respect, beit science, commerce, theology, politics, industry, education etc.
You can decide for yourself if you like any of his views, all of his views or loath any or all of them....That in itself, is a right some people in some countries don't have.
It's truely a uneducated and or biased person that thinks "If you don't have something nice to say don't say anything at all" when it comes to politics.....
It's denial
It's ignorance (thus bliss?!?!?)
and most of all it's childish.
grow up.
Member
Member
Member
26. writes:
Honestly, I no longer support Bush(this most recent Supreme Court nominee sent me over the edge). He's ditched the war and now he's taking apart the highest court in the country.
Oh yeah, and Metalldzppln, you have made the most illogical statement of this thread, congratulations. System of a Down and their political views may rock to you, but to many, they don't mean anything. And to say that you suck because you don't "accept" it, is the illogical part.
Former Contributor
28. writes:
Bush is a fool.
I'd say the same if he were a democrat.
No president has made more mistakes, taken more time for vacation (INCLUDING RONALD REAGAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) or disrupted our countries growth in so many ways as Bush jr....
I liked his father to some degree, and Reagans non-senile/drooling era destroyed our cold war enemies...But George W. is a f***ing puppet and everyone knows it or is in Fox News denial.
All his political allies are corrupt (Frist, Delay half a dozen others) and no president since Nixon has been more hated by so many for so many good reasons.
I'll be thrilled if McCain or even Hilary Clinton gets in office after this administration is removed. It may not be a golden era but we'll have someone in power who can be rational, who can see the big picture, and who has a grasp of english.
As for SOAD, heh, the new record didnt impress me much and post 11 is still how I feel on that matter, I just figured I'd chime in with Brokenwings since she hasn't been here in so long.
31. writes:
i agree entirely with RM? at post 28,its so true so dont try to deny it because your daddy told you he was "an american",he's cut so many social programs and cut ties with so many good allies and made friends with all the countries with big oil it makes me sick,its almost like i'm hoping his time ends before he destroys what we have left,the sh** he has done is undefendable,i could go on and on for days about his redneck a$$ but i know i'll just get comments like "fukkin fag"(please see #29)
Former Contributor
33. writes:
In my experience, the only people who defend Bush are self-rightous christians, (some) people with a friend or family memeber in the armed service, whiney abortion clinic protestors, causcasians who experience little to no contact with any race beyond their own, the rich and those who watch Fox News.
This summary may not apply to someone who does not agree with me but I would be very, very surprised.
On a side note, I read a church side that said "Reason is the --enemy-- of God".....does that sound desperate and pathetic to anyone else? Made me laugh, but I don't think it was joke.....sad, dark times.
It's hard to hold anything against SOAD for being extreme left wingers when fanatical right wingers come across as so condescending and desperate.
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1. razor writes:
f*** serj and his political views! This d***head thinks he's some sort of leader who deserves to be heard. Play music and shut the f*** up!