Competitive Genocide

Did we need more conflict? Something else to argue about? Did someone, somewhere decide that now would be a good time to increase acrimony?

Perhaps this new wrinkle was meant to distract the world from its economic debacles.

Why else would the French government propose a law fining, and possibly incarcerating, anyone who denied the Armenian genocide by the Ottoman Turks.

In response, the Turkish government accused France of genocide against Algerians in the period of French colonial rule.

Now, it seems, we have competitive genocides.

I do not question the fact that too many Armenians and too many Algerians were killed.

And I do realize that unless atrocities are acknowledged and remembered, they are more apt to be repeated. We have enough atrocities going on right now.

However, I do question punishing people for saying the wrong thing.

I do question escalating vilification.

And I do ask that all of us – individuals, political parties, and national governments – cease unnecessary acrimony and begin, please, to practice civility.

Enough.