For the first time, a prestigious nationwide survey, conducted on November 9 by Zogby Analytics, reveals the extent of the American public’s knowledge and opinion on the Armenian Genocide and Artsakh (Karabagh). The survey results, made available exclusively to this writer, have a +/- 3.1% margin of error.

To the question, are you aware that there was an Armenian Genocide, surprisingly only 34.8% of those surveyed answered ��?yes’; 49.6% ��?no’; and 15.6% ��?not sure.’ One would have expected that a much higher percentage of U.S. citizens would be aware of the Armenian Genocide, particularly after the large-scale Centennial commemorative events this year. The fact that half of all Americans have never heard of the Genocide of 1.5 million Armenians indicates that a major effort is needed to educate the public.

Zogby Analytics provides extensive information about the background of the participants in the survey. Here are some interesting details:

— While male respondents are evenly divided on the above question, there is a serious imbalance among women — twice as many females are unaware of the Armenian Genocide compared to those who are.

— Around half of all respondents are equally ignorant about the Armenian Genocide, regardless of political party affiliation. Liberals are slightly more knowledgeable than Moderates and Conservatives. Surprisingly, the majority of ��?Tea Party’ and ��?Occupy Wall Street’ sympathizers are cognizant of the Armenian Genocide.

— College graduates are more likely to know about the Armenian Genocide than those who are not.

— The age group 25-34 is the most knowledgeable about the Armenian Genocide, while the least knowledgeable is the age group 35-53.

— Hispanics are far more knowledgeable than ��?Whites’ about the Armenian Genocide; African-Americans and Asian-Americans are the least knowledgeable.

— Catholics are more aware of the Armenian Genocide than Protestants.

— West Coast Americans are more aware of the Armenian Genocide than their counterparts in the East; while those living in Central and Southern U.S. are the least knowledgeable.

— Americans with the highest income category ($100,000+) know the most about the Armenian Genocide; those making $35,000-$50,000 a year know the least.

In summary, the American most informed about the Armenian Genocide is: male, right or left wing political activist, college graduate, 25-34 years old, Hispanic, Catholic, lives on the West Coast, and makes over $100,000 a year; whereas the American least informed about the Armenian Genocide is: female, mainstream political party member, not a college graduate, 35-53 years old, African-American or Asian-American, Protestant, lives in the Central or Southern states, and makes $35,000 to $50,000 a year.

Here are eight other genocide and Artsakh-related questions that survey participants were asked to answer:

— 46.5% of Americans agree that the United States government should call on Turkey to publicly admit the Armenian Genocide; 16.1% disagree; and 37.4% don’t know.

— 39% agree that “the U.S. Congress should pass a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide… even if it risks destroying diplomatic relations with a key, strategic ally in the Middle East”; 22.5% disagree; and 38.5% don’t know.

— 63.2% agree that “if an ally of the United States initiates a program to eradicate, persecute or displace populations within their own country, the U.S. should end economic and/or military aid to that ally”; 10.5% disagree; and 26.3% don’t know.

— 20.1% believe that when a country commits genocide, it should pay reparations “in cash”; 11.8% say that it should compensate by returning the occupied “land”; 10.7%, “by other symbolic act”; 9.4%, “no reparations should be paid”; and 48% don’t know.

— 31.3% believe that the United Nations should determine what the reparations should be when genocide is committed; 23.8% say it should be decided by the International Criminal Court; 12.1%, the United States Congress; 3%, Amnesty International; 2.5%, the European Court of Human Rights; 0.8%, the Pope; and 26.5% don’t know.

— 37.9% believe that the United States should use “economic sanctions” against a country that “refuses to recognize and take responsibility for its crimes against humanity”; 16.4% say the U.S. should use “political/diplomatic pressure”; 8.6%, “embargo”; 2.6%, the U.S. should declare war; 4.5%, “do nothing”; and 30% don’t know.

— 38.3% agree that “the United States should intervene if Azerbaijan acts to expel the ethnic Christian Armenians [of Artsakh] who have resided there for centuries”; 21.8% disagree; and 39.9% don’t know.

— 40.4% agree that if Azerbaijan attacks Artsakh, the United States should call on Israel, which is selling sophisticated weapons to Baku, to cut off its diplomatic relations with Azerbaijan; 16.9% disagree; and 42.7% don’t know.

This first of its kind survey could serve as a valuable guide to the Armenian-American community to know where to concentrate its educational efforts and lobbying resources.

By Harut Sassounian

Publisher, The California Courier

www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com