The City Council of City of Carson voted unanimously on Wednesday to reject a measure to erect a monument to Kemal Ataturk in the city, after lengthy debate during the regular city council session.
Speaking against the monument were Glendale Mayor Zareh Sinanian, Montebello Mayor Jack Hadjinian, Glendale City Clerk Ardashes “Ardy” Kassakhian, Professor Levon Marashlian and the Vice Chairman of the American Hellenic Council Aris Anagnos. Although there were only six speakers permitted per side, there were 298 speaker cards submitted in opposition to the monument and 101 in favor.
California State Assembly members submitted a letter in opposition to the monument, which was presented at the meeting by a representative of Assembly member and former Carson City Councilman Mike Gipson, and co-signed by Assembly members Adrin Nazarian, Katcho Achadjian, Scott Wilk and Mike Gatto.
The Turkish Consul General of Los Angeles Raife Gulru Gezer was one of the six speaking in favor of the monument.
According to the Armenian-American activist, ADLP member Shoushan Kevranian-Baghboudarian «Carson Mayor Jim Dear, who had first initiated the monument proposal, re-put a motion on the floor towards the end of the hearing to squash the previous motion to have a new motion to vote, they all agreed and the new vote was NO!»
«It was a huge victory for all Armenians» adds Shoushan.
