Genocide.

Our representatives, in their infinite pusillanimity, have decided not to chastise Turkey for the genocide perpetrated in 1915 against millions of Armenians, 1.5 million of whom were killed.

Such a censure would interfere with our usage of Turkey as a staging area for our aggressive wars in the Middle East. 70% of our war materiel in Iraq gets to Iraq via Turkey.

Cowardice kills. Silence is a sin. Perhaps we'll close today's sermon with a poem by Pastor Martin Niemöller.

First They Came for the Jews

First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.


PS. I wouldn't expect my fellow religious leaders to speak out about this issue. After all, it concerns humanity. Not some arcana.