Monte Melkonian

[KanadaHye]

Re: Monte Melkonian

Lucin jan, I think I know why Monte made that move of going to Iran as an American-Armenian. You see, Dashnagtsoutyun in the past helped Shah's father to put him or to make him remain on the throne. So in a nutshell after that Shah's family and Dashnagtsoutyun had a very good collaborating friendly connection with each other as the Shah and his family were very greatful to Dashnagtsoutyun for it. And since Monte has become part of Asala, he was I believe in the ranks of Dashnagtsoutyun. And ARF until the end most probably wished to help the Shah for him to once again regain his throne. And probably that's why Monte went to Iran on behalf of the Shah and for him to regain his throne.

The Shah was put there for the west against Iranian interests... I assume there was CIA involvement in his actions.

[Anoush]

Re: Monte Melkonian

I have feeling that it wasn’t because they didn’t care Pedro jan but they were……..in their way somehow protecting their kids from the sad and ugly reality and wishing them a normal life.

Regardless, this proves my point that the further we become separated from our roots…………the stronger the pull back factor.

Monte is a good example of assimilated Armenian that didn’t even know how to answer his teachers when asked about where he is really from and couldn’t even speak Armenian until he was in his 20s……………..all the way up to commanding a liberating force of 4000 men.

I like to get that book, have you read it Pedro?

Eddo jan, you made a very good psychological observation to what transpired in Monte's psyche. You are probably right.

Btw; I would also like to get hold of the book written by Monte's brother about him.

[Anoush]

Re: Monte Melkonian

Wow, this is interesting. I wonder why he made such a move as an American-Armenian?

Lucin jan, I think I know why Monte made that move of going to Iran as an American-Armenian. You see, Dashnagtsoutyun in the past helped Shah's father to put him or to make him remain on the throne. So in a nutshell after that Shah's family and Dashnagtsoutyun had a very good collaborating friendly connection with each other as the Shah and his family were very greatful to Dashnagtsoutyun for it. And since Monte has become part of Asala, he was I believe in the ranks of Dashnagtsoutyun. And ARF until the end most probably wished to help the Shah for him to once again regain his throne. And probably that's why Monte went to Iran on behalf of the Shah and for him to regain his throne.

[Eddo211]

Re: Monte Melkonian

..........Monte's parents did not care about their Armenian heritage, Monte discovered about it while travelling, it was all on his own, his parent had nothing to do with it........

I have feeling that it wasn’t because they didn’t care Pedro jan but they were……..in their way somehow protecting their kids from the sad and ugly reality and wishing them a normal life.

Regardless, this proves my point that the further we become separated from our roots…………the stronger the pull back factor.

Monte is a good example of assimilated Armenian that didn’t even know how to answer his teachers when asked about where he is really from and couldn’t even speak Armenian until he was in his 20s……………..all the way up to commanding a liberating force of 4000 men.

I like to get that book, have you read it Pedro?

[Lucin]

Re: Monte Melkonian

Because he was most probably brought up by his parents to be a man with a great heart and love for his anscestral lands and people. It must have been a combination of his upbrining or his education from books and the organizations that he was involved with such as the Armenian Revolutionary Federation.

I'm assuming you did not read my quote, it was about Iran and the Iranian Revolution. Here it is:

An Armenian-American, Melkonian left the United States and arrived in Iran in 1978 during the beginning of the 1979 Iranian Revolution, taking part in demonstrations against the Shah. Following the collapse of the Shah's monarchy in 1979...

[Pedro Xaramillo]

Re: Monte Melkonian

Thank you Pedro jan for your detailed Monte's upbringing. I thought that his parents or his upbringing had a good deal to do with what has become of Monte. Though I was not sure and that is why I said or perhaps his education or the organizations that Monte later on belonged to.

In any case thanks Pedro.

Not a problem, incidentally I recommend reading his biography My Brother's Road, written by his brother, its an excellent read

[Anoush]

Re: Monte Melkonian

Anoush jan thank you for the concern!

I know this man in person and he’s an angel.

He was the scapegoat for all the high rankers and Serge’s anti corruption policy. I think all this was done to few people, just to show The Eurobank and the Worldbank that they are seriously fighting the corruption so they can get more grants, the more grants they get the more money they can pocket. His boss was transferred to another high ranked position just before the kaka hit the fan.

And his corrupted and his thief boss was transferred to another high rank position and freed from any responsibility while this hero man Dr. Stepan Gervorgyan has been unjustly tried and found guilty to be encarcerated and to be rot in prisons for 7 years while his boss is free and able to do more treachery and harm within the corrupted government ranks.

I am determined now to write to Serzh and I urge you guys and gals to do the same in the name for Justice to prevail in this very unjust world!

[Anoush]

Re: Monte Melkonian

Thank you Pedro jan for your detailed Monte's upbringing. I thought that his parents or his upbringing had a good deal to do with what has become of Monte. Though I was not sure and that is why I said or perhaps his education or the organizations that Monte later on belonged to.

In any case thanks Pedro.

[Yedtarts]

Re: Monte Melkonian

It's too too bad... He is the one being jailed and humiliated when he was actually carrying out an order coming from his superior/boss, and how come instead of him his boss wasn't jailed? Why was he jailed for the wrongdoing of his boss? I tell you guys this is a very corruped and a very UNJUST world.

Here's a man innocent of any wrongdoings while his boss was the bad one and plus he is a hero trying to liberate the land of his anscestors in the name of love for his nation, for his country and for his brethren in Artsakh. How sad. I feel like writing to Serzh and collecting petition from all of you guys to free him and clean his good name from any unjustifiable wrongdoings.

Anoush jan thank you for the concern!

I know this man in person and he’s an angel.

He was the scapegoat for all the high rankers and Serge’s anti corruption policy. I think all this was done to few people, just to show The Eurobank and the Worldbank that they are seriously fighting the corruption so they can get more grants, the more grants they get the more money they can pocket. His boss was transferred to another high ranked position just before the kaka hit the fan.

[Pedro Xaramillo]

Re: Monte Melkonian

Yes I also like to thank you Federate jan for writing about Monte and in such detail. I also love Monte for his love and his devotion to his anscestral lands. After all, there is no greater sacrifice than voluntarily giving your life for such a grand cause as liberating your anscestral sacred lands; and Monte was a very giving and a real brave hero. He must be remembered and loved by all Armenians from all around the world for always!!!




Because he was most probably brought up by his parents to be a man with a great heart and love for his anscestral lands and people. It must have been a combination of his upbrining or his education from books and the organizations that he was involved with such as the Armenian Revolutionary Federation.

I hate prove you wrong here Anoush jan, but Monte's parents did not care about their Armenian heritage, Monte discovered about it while travelling, it was all on his own, his parent had nothing to do with it

Read my brother road, his biography

Melkonian was born on November 25, 1957 at Visalia Municipal Hospital in Visalia, California to Charles and Zabel Melkonian. He was the third of four children born to a self-employed cabinetmaker and an elementary-school teacher.[4] By all accounts, Melkonian was described as an all-American child who joined the Boy Scouts and was a pitcher in Little League baseball.[3] Melkonian's parents rarely talked about their ethnic Armenian heritage with their children, often referring to the place of their ancestors as the "Old Country." His interest in his background only sparked at the age of eleven, when his family went on a year-long trip to Europe in 1969.

While taking Spanish language courses in Spain, his teacher had posed him the question of where he was from. Dissatisfied with Melkonian's answer of "California", the teacher rephrased the question by asking "where did your ancestors come from?" His brother Markar Melkonian remarked that "her image of us was not at all like our image of ourselves. She did not view us as the Americans we had always assumed we were." From this moment on, for days and months to come, Markar continues, "Monte pondered [their teacher Seńorita] Blanca's question Where are you from?"[5]

In the spring of that year, the family also traveled across Turkey to visit the town of Merzifon, where Melkonian's maternal grandparents were from. Merzifon's population at the time was 23,475 but was almost completely devoid of its once 17,000-strong Armenian population that was wiped out during the Armenian Genocide in 1915. They did find one Armenian family of the three that was living in the town, however, Melkonian soon learned that the only reason this was so, was because the head of the family in 1915 had exchanged the safety of his family in return for identifying all the Armenians in the town to Turkish authorities during the genocide.[6] Monte would later confide to his wife that "he was never the same after that visit....He saw the place that had been lost."[3]