Many observers believe that Ottoman Turks committed outright genocide in the killings of hundreds of thousands of Armenians around the time of World War I, in the early 20th century. Turkey says the situation was complicated and ugly but did not amount to genocide.

Most Americans probably have not given a lot of thought to the issue, and understandably so. Not only did it occur nearly a century ago, but the United States was not involved.

That makes it puzzling that once again, some members of Congress are pushing for a resolution that would put the United States on record as saying the Turks did commit genocide.

Whatever resolution Congress might pass, it would do nothing to benefit the Armenians who were killed. Neither should modern-day citizens of Turkey be held accountable for the actions of their ancestors -- and certainly not by a nation such as the United States, which was neutral in the long-ago conflict.

What the resolution has done is stir needless anger in Turkey against the United States.

This is another example of symbolic but useless "condemnations" or "apologies" that have become so common in politics. For instance, it is proposed that modern-day Georgia formally apologize for the horrible practice of slavery, which ended about a century and a half ago. What good would that do long-dead slaves?

Congress and state governments have too many real issues to deal with to waste time issuing apologies or condemnations that stir the ethnic pot but help no one.