Parisa Ostovari: Obama should recognize Armenian genocide

April 24 marked the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide; however, the Obama administration refuses to refer to the massacre as a genocide. The term genocide refers to any act of killing done with the intent to destroy an entire group of people, yet, denial of the genocide continues. Contrary to a promise made by Sen. Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential campaign, to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide by name, the Obama administration has avoided the term.

While the decision to avoid the term might be political, understanding the government’s need for strong U.S.-Turkey relations, it should not be at the expense of denying history. It important for the U.S. not to feel pressured by the Turkish government’s denial that genocide occurred, as the massacre satisfies the legal criteria to be recognized as a genocide.

To follow in the footsteps of Pope Francis, in finally using the term genocide, is crucial no matter the repercussions that may follow from the Turkish government. It is imperative the Obama administration recognize this for what it truly is, a genocide, in order to remain honest and gain the trust from the Armenian population.

This story was originally published May 6, 2015 at 1:08 PM with the headline "Parisa Ostovari: Obama should recognize Armenian genocide."