“The denial of genocide is the final stage of genocide; the first killing followed by a killing of the memory of the killing.”
Akin to most individuals aware of the genocide, Balakian is disconcerted by how such an occurrence can be covered up and denied by the government. The Armenian genocide is an incident that has been refuted by some and its actual truths are mostly held by its survivors. Since the massacre occurred during World War I it was easily covered up as a consequence of the war rather than a result of ethnic cleansing. Thus, the assertion accentuates that the denial by the government is also part of the genocide, as the memories of the victims are not respected by covering the truth.
“Clearly, denying genocide paves the way for future genocide, for it suggests to the world that governments can commit mass murder with impunity. Hitler in 1939 was inspired by the collective absence of memory of the Armenian Genocide.”
This statement further emphasizes the ripple effect that the denial of genocide can manifest in the future. The World War II Holocaust as a prime example shows that if previous acts of barbarity are left unchecked the recurrence is easily possible. The denying of the massacre impacted the people in that over time most forgot its pain and tragedy hence reoccurrence was inevitable, as nobody was held accountable.
“She was history knocking on the door of the heart, and when she came knocking, her message often was opaque, symbolic, evocative."
Balakian offers the tragic history of the Armenian people and his family through the narratives conveyed to him by his grandmother. His grandmother being a survivor of the genocide her recounts are vivid and subjective hence gives deep look into the mass tragedy. Since his grandmother is not alive anymore, her essence and truths live through Balakian who furthers the discourse on the subject.
