BBC News:  Armenia welcomes ‘genocide’ vote and BBC News Video plus the response of the Turkish President

Almost all countries have their dark spots in history: America’s decimation of native Indians, Belgium’s brutal rule in the Congo and Turkey’s slaughter of Armenians.

Some countries like Germany went through a long and painful process of understanding it’s own history and apologizing for it. Some countries like Japan or Turkey seem to be in eternal denial.

Especially the Turkish macho attitude to national pride and identity are more a curse than a blessing. Yes, you can go to jail for any crime or insult against ‘Turkishness’ (whatever that means).

How dare the US to speak truth to Turkishness?!

Back when it all happened it was the US who condemned and reprimanded Turkey for it’s bloody deeds. Until this day the US congress and many American and of course Armenian NCO’s kept the memory alive. Turkey hasn’t moved an inch since the first Armenian was killed.

Nationalism is always in the way of truth. Being a modern country means also to accept your own dark spots and simply asking for forgiveness for things that went wrong.

Denial in the age of information looks rather stupid and backward, no matter how much pride a nation can muster.

Some more background: Turkey’s Armenian dilemma and BBC Q&A about the Armenian genocide.