Nothing Strengthens Authority So Much As Silence

“Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence.” - Leonardo da Vinci

As President Trump exchanged pleasantries and compliments with President Erdogan, protesters were violently attacked by Pro-Erdogan groups. Despite the regression of Turkey into an authoritarian state (with the recent referendum signifying major increases in Erdogan's powers as president), Erdogan was congratulated personally by Trump through a phone call. Trump's complicity in the violation of basic human rights by leaders such as Erdogan signals the ongoing need to confront the suppression of minorities throughout the Middle East.

As Noam Chomsky once stated: “Goebbels was in favor of free speech for views he liked. So was Stalin. If you’re really in favor of free speech, then you’re in favor of freedom of speech for precisely the views you despise. Otherwise, you’re not in favor of free speech.”

We are entering the 103rd year of denial of the Armenian Genocide, and confronting efforts to silence public outcry of the ongoing human rights violations by the Turkish regime is unacceptable. The Armenian Students' Association of NSW these gross attacks on the peaceful Armenian, Kurdish and Yazidi protesters.