WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) launched an array of grassroots, media, advertising, and advocacy initiatives today – as part of its “End Turkey’s Gag Rule” campaign – to encourage the U.S. Congress to adopt legislation, H.Res.252, calling on the U.S. government to put the lessons of the Armenian Genocide to work in preventing future crimes against humanity.

The newly inaugurated ANCA campaign comes in the wake of Sunday’s 60 Minutes program taking Turkey to task over its denial of the Armenian Genocide, and on the eve of the Thursday, March 4th vote by the House Foreign Affairs Committee on the Armenian Genocide Resolution.

“We’re pleased to launch the ‘End Turkey’s Gag Rule’ campaign as a service to help Americans of every background to better understand the danger of denial and the urgency of taking action now to secure Congressional recognition of the Armenian Genocide,” said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. “As Americans, we simply cannot allow any nation – Turkey, or China or any foreign power – to impose a gag rule on America’s moral stand against genocide.”

The campaign, which features a compelling image of the Statue of Liberty gagged by a Turkish flag, is anchored by an interactive website: www.anca.org/endthegagrule, that offers avenues for advocacy in support of Armenian Genocide legislation, educational resources on the Armenian Genocide, and social networking opportunities.

Advertisements targeting the Congressional audience began appearing Monday in three Capitol Hill and political online publications – Roll Call, Politico and The Hill. The effort is set to expand in the days leading to the House Foreign Affairs Committee vote and continue in anticipation of full House consideration of the measure.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman (D-CA) has scheduled a vote on the Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.252) on March 4th. Over 137 House Members have cosponsored this measure, spearheaded by Representatives Schiff, George Radanovich (R-CA), and Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Mark Kirk (R-IL). A similar measure in the Senate (S.Res.316), led by Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and John Ensign (R-NV) has 13 cosponsors.

Activists and organizations are encouraged to include the ‘End Turkey’s Gag Rule’ graphic and link on their websites and blogs by contacting elizabeth@anca.org.