Final Diaspora Post

Okay, I'm sorry it took so long to share my "surprise" with you all, since at this point most people already know about it. Well, I'll start with the build up. For a long time now, System of a Down has been requesting a meeting with Speaker of the House Rep Dennis Hastert (R-IL) to pressure him into putting the Genocide Resolution to a vote. The status now is that the Resolution exists and has enough support in Congress to pass. The reason it is being stalled is that the Speaker will not call for a vote. As I posted before, this is the same man who was responsible for pulling Sectionn 907 in 2000 after getting paid off by the Turks up to $500,000 according to Sibel Edmonds' story in Vanity Fair (September 2005). When the Schiff amendment was passed last September, Hastert lashed out at him for raising the issue in an inappropriate manner. It was the number 1 item on his website the next day.

When System was performing in Chicago, they decided to participate in a protest infront of Hastert's district office in Batavia, IL to request a meeting with the Speaker to discuss the matter. This was last Fall. Since, the ANCA and System have worked together to communicate with Hastert's office and has received little to no response. Essentially, they were brushed off.

Fastforward to last week, as Serj and John were in DC for their 3-day campaign, they hoped to meet with Hastert then, but were denied a meeting yet again. During a morning radio interview at a local rock radio station, the DJ raised the issue and Serj basically shared how the Speaker has not allowed for a meeting.

Instead, Serj and John continued to meet with various Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle. After a good visit with Senator Allard, the chief of staff was kind enough to escort us to the next meeting through the private underrail and also give a brief tour of the Capitol along the way. We entered the Captiol dome where tourist swarmed and began to recognize Serj and John. We continued into the next room as the guys looked around and they drew more attention. We continued, only to realize we went the wrong way. We went back into the room we came from where tourists still gawked at the duo. Who do we see, none other than Speaker Hastert posing for a photo with a group of high school students. John instinctively went in for the kill and introduced himself to the Speaker as Serj followed cornering him in the middle of the room. They introduced themselves as members of System of a Down and asked if he had received the letter requesting a meeting they had sent. He "didn't recall at the time" so Serj continued to raise the issue of the resolution and urged the Speaker to pass the resolution to a vote. The Speaker listened to their concerns for a bit, but then eventually grunted and cordially brushed off the two. This all took place in the midst of fan frenzie. I couldn't have made this story up if I tried.

So there it is, the highlight of my week. The moral of the story, Hastert, you can't get away from us. We are lurking in the halls, we are watching your every step. We are listening to your wiretaps, we are here to call you out. When I say "we", I don't mean Serj and John, I don't mean ANCA, I don't mean Armenian Americans alone. When I say "we", I mean people of conscience. It's time to bring justice to this issue and for America to represent true humanity. PASS THE RESOLUTION TO A VOTE!