System Of A Down Debuts In Armenia With a Free Show: “This is not a rock and roll concert, to our murders this is revenge!”

SOAD ScreenCap 6As reported earlier the band System Of A Down was kicking off the “Wake Up Souls” tour to raise awareness about the 1915 Armenian genocide.It’s fitting they ended the tour playing a free show in Armenia. All were invited out to Republic Square in Yerevan for a 2 and half hour show, despite the heavy rain 10,000’s were in attendance to commemorate the day. Too take things further System Of A Down wanted the whole world to see and hear this message, it was live streamed via YouTube.

Those that were unable to catch it live can check it out below.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVck7Sqq678]

 “International resolution to the Armenian genocide. A peaceful, global movement that’s working to end the world wide cycle of genocide and build a better future for Armenians and Turks based on truth and justice. This international effort has been joined by courageous women and men within Turkey who at risk of prosecution and persecution are rising above hatred and openly calling for recognition and reparations. They are few but fearless. They are waking up the souls of their own system. Their own society. Their own history. They have chosen, now it’s time for us to choose, for the world to choose. Stand with these brave souls seeking justice for genocidal crimes or side with the states that seek to silence them.”

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Image Source: YouTube

During an interim Darion Malakian(guitarist) screams “This is not a rock and roll concert, to our murders this is revenge!”

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Image Source: YouTube
SOAD ScreenCap
Image Source: YouTube

“On the eve of his 1939 invasion of Poland, Aldolf Hitler silenced those that dared voice reservations of his genocidal plans by asking “who now remembers the Armenians”. Inspired by the example of openly committing mass murder with impunity he became the architect of a new genocide, the holocaust. Nazi Germany’s evil campaign to rid Europe of  Jews, Pols, Gypsies, gays, the disabled, and all those that who did not fit into Hitler’s twisted vision of a pure race. Though the perpetrators of the holocaust were defeated, and punished, and the crime itself given a name in a international treaty, the cycle of genocide survived the horrors of WWII and continues to this day. In Cambodia, East Timor, Rwanda, Darfur and to many other killing fields across the globe. Despite all the talk and all the treaties the terror persists. In Africa, Asia, the Middle East, the world just stands back and watches. Today a century after 1915, Turkey obstructs justice for the Armenian genocide. Neo-Nazi’s in Europe deny the holocaust. Omar Al Bashar, the leader of Sudan, a mass murder indicted for genocide by the international criminal court travels the world in freedom. We can no longer sit back and watch these dreadful acts committed around the world. The time has come to wake up the souls.”

Image Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVck7Sqq678
Image Source: YouTube

“Genocide works, genocide works because the world turns away. Behind the mask of modern state lies, all the talk of human rights and genocide prevention lies a tragic tolerance for genocide. Bystander states enable atrocity’s, armed killers, profit from perpetrators. On their balance sheet of bullets, barrels of oil and military bases, human life’s are a rounding error. The cycle of genocide serves state interest and will only stop when citizens make it stop. Our governments will respond to genocide as a political commodity, trading away, giving away reparations as long as we let them. The will only challenge genocide as a moral imperative when we force them. For as we start to heal the wounds of this terrible crime we begin the work of a world without genocide. Join us as we wake up the souls”

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It’s refreshing to see a band like System Of A Down using it’s fame to help bring attention to these atrocity’s against humanity. As individuals we often feel powerless in these type of fights. We need to raise awareness of these issues before they start to occur in our own backyards. There are many great organizations out there assisting in this fight, get out and get involved and help wake up your communities.

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