6 ms·

It is (at least in France) Armenian Genocide Rememberence Day. It could be a reason there are a few different Armenian stories out there.

29athrowaway 5y ago
Does France have a "Rememberence" day for this too? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_use_of_chemical_weapons_in_the_Rif_War https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_use_of_chemical_weapon...
- enriquto 5y ago
  Unfortunately, not. And neither Spain does, which is a shame. What is the point of your question?
  - 29athrowaway 5y ago
    France is always pontificating about "Liberté, égalité, fraternité" and all that kumbaya stuff (which are great ideas, btw), but in practice, some of what they've done in their colonies and their behavior in conflicts is questionable af. I went to an Argelian restaurant some time ago, and the guy there told me that historically, French soldiers demanded that Argelian women have sex with them, and if they refused they would cut their faces. "Liberté, égalité, fraternité".
    - enriquto 5y ago
      I agree that the French state is extremely hypocritical in its self-righteousness towards other countries. That does not make the Turkish state any less evil in its denying of the Armenian genocide. And while hypocritical, it is not wrong that the French pressure the Turks to acknowledge their genocide. I would be happy also if France acknowledged all its wrongdoings in Africa as well.
      - BrandoElFollito 5y ago
        OTOH everyone fought with everyone over the last whatever years. It got more efficient with time but the basic "we hate them" was always here. As a French I do not expect Spain, England, Germany, Italy, Sweden, let me think, Mongolia and others to apologize because we were the same. Let's not pretend that humanity has changed and just enjoy our lifes without keeping a list of who apologized and who not. Of course if France was too claim today that we did not do do anything wrong in Africa or elsewhere that would be outrageous. This does not mean that we will send a sorry letter to 120 countries. I am married to a non-French, have plenty of friends in Germany (whose family fought in the war where my relatives were killed) and I do not give a fuck about what happened 70 years ago when discussing football with someone my age.
        mbg721 5y ago
        Americans are rightly ridiculed for going on vacation to Europe and saying "Oh, I'm French/German/Irish/Whatever!" just for having a surname of that nationality. I don't see any point in holding those same people accountable for past state sins.
        enriquto 5y ago
        > holding those same people accountable for past state sins. Nobody wants any person to be accountable for past sins of any state. The idea is that the state itself be accountable, which is a very different thing.
        BrandoElFollito 5y ago
        By holding a state responsible, their citizens are automatically included. Having had family killed during WWII, I know that their contemporary relatives held a grunge against Germans. Not Germany as a state, but Germans. This is very much understandable because Germans (and not Germany) killed their family.
        5y ago
    - dang 5y ago
      If you continue to post flamewar comments to HN we will ban you. We've asked you repeatedly not to do this. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

29athrowaway 5y ago

Does France have a "Rememberence" day for this too? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_use_of_chemical_weapons_in_the_Rif_War https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_use_of_chemical_weapon...

enriquto 5y ago
Unfortunately, not. And neither Spain does, which is a shame. What is the point of your question?
- 29athrowaway 5y ago
  France is always pontificating about "Liberté, égalité, fraternité" and all that kumbaya stuff (which are great ideas, btw), but in practice, some of what they've done in their colonies and their behavior in conflicts is questionable af. I went to an Argelian restaurant some time ago, and the guy there told me that historically, French soldiers demanded that Argelian women have sex with them, and if they refused they would cut their faces. "Liberté, égalité, fraternité".
  - enriquto 5y ago
    I agree that the French state is extremely hypocritical in its self-righteousness towards other countries. That does not make the Turkish state any less evil in its denying of the Armenian genocide. And while hypocritical, it is not wrong that the French pressure the Turks to acknowledge their genocide. I would be happy also if France acknowledged all its wrongdoings in Africa as well.
    - BrandoElFollito 5y ago
      OTOH everyone fought with everyone over the last whatever years. It got more efficient with time but the basic "we hate them" was always here. As a French I do not expect Spain, England, Germany, Italy, Sweden, let me think, Mongolia and others to apologize because we were the same. Let's not pretend that humanity has changed and just enjoy our lifes without keeping a list of who apologized and who not. Of course if France was too claim today that we did not do do anything wrong in Africa or elsewhere that would be outrageous. This does not mean that we will send a sorry letter to 120 countries. I am married to a non-French, have plenty of friends in Germany (whose family fought in the war where my relatives were killed) and I do not give a fuck about what happened 70 years ago when discussing football with someone my age.
      - mbg721 5y ago
        Americans are rightly ridiculed for going on vacation to Europe and saying "Oh, I'm French/German/Irish/Whatever!" just for having a surname of that nationality. I don't see any point in holding those same people accountable for past state sins.
        enriquto 5y ago
        > holding those same people accountable for past state sins. Nobody wants any person to be accountable for past sins of any state. The idea is that the state itself be accountable, which is a very different thing.
        BrandoElFollito 5y ago
        By holding a state responsible, their citizens are automatically included. Having had family killed during WWII, I know that their contemporary relatives held a grunge against Germans. Not Germany as a state, but Germans. This is very much understandable because Germans (and not Germany) killed their family.
        5y ago
  - dang 5y ago
    If you continue to post flamewar comments to HN we will ban you. We've asked you repeatedly not to do this. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html