Are Armenians on the verge of extinction?

[Armenian]

Re: Are Armenians on the verge of extinction?

Anatolian has no meaning, "Anatolia" is a fabricated name for the Armenian Highlands,...

You see Virgil, you are now "obsessing"

He meant "Western Armenia/Armenian Highlands" but he said Anatolia. Why get bent out of shape? He could have also said Asia Minor. However, none of these names would be untrue. The region has had all four titles, but we know that the locations real name is Western Armenia/Armenian Highlands. No harm done.

Have you ever called Artsakh by its Turkish name "Karabagh"? Be honest now!

[AR MENIA]

Re: Are Armenians on the verge of extinction?

THE FUNDAMENTALS OF ARMENIAN IDENTITY OR WHO IS AN ARMENIAN?

In the current most complex period of development of Armenia and the Armenians, the problem of the Armenian identity represents not only an academic interest but has a serious practical significance. A strong national identity is a strategic asset in the process of building and strengthening a nation-state, while the dilution of national identity by no means facilitates but, moreover, hinders the consolidation of the individual and society around national goals and objectives.

After all, who can be considered Armenian today? As sensitive as this question is, since it touches the feelings of millions of people (especially our compatriots abroad), answering it is imperative. For an adequate illustration of the topic let us first present the state of affairs which the Armenian nation finds itself in today.

There are some irrefutable realities which we must see and accept exactly as they stand, rather than turn a blind eye to them, as do a significant section of the Armenians, including its "elite".

Thus:

Fact 1: The Armenian ethnicity is under the threat of extinction on the territory of its own homeland – in the Republic of Armenia, Artsakh and Javakhk. This threat springs simultaneously from a number of interrelated sources:

a) the possibility of military aggression by Azerbaijan;

b) a critical demographic crisis (the exhodus of over a million Armenian citizens and the ongoing emigration negatively impact the viability of all spheres of life in the country);

c) the stalling of Armenian nation/state building process as well as the solidification of its political institutions;

d) uncultivated state of Armenia’s National Security doctrine ("The Armenian National Security Strategy" adopted in February 2007 is a declarative document, which, according to official announcements, has been written with the "methodology" and "editorship" of Moscow, Washington and Brussels experts). Consequently, there is a conspicuous absence of a clear Foreign Policy Direction based on national interests.

e) Armenia’s heavy dependence on foreign powers;

f) social tension, including the class and regional aspects (inter alia, the artificially created but effectively maintained dangerous antagonism between "hayastantsi" and "gharabaghtsi", the total mistrust towards politicians and political institutions, the alianation of the people from the decision-making process);

g) the complete absence of any struggle against corruption which pervades all spheres of public life in the republic;

h) the lack of a consistent language policy in Armenia, resulting in a defenseless and vulnerable state of the Armenian language;

i) The Georgian state policy of forcing out Armenians from Javakhk using administrative, economic, cultural, religious, linguistic and demographic pressures, and now even through open show and use of force.

Yet, the foremost threat is characterized by the highly probable Azerbaijani aggression, which is being methodically planned and scrupulously prepared, with Turkey’s direct and indirect participation. If it were to succeed ending in the occupation of Artsakh and the liberated territory around it, the disappearance of the Republic of Armenia from the world map would be inevitable because the next, if not simultaneous, attack will be directed against Syunik – the last dividing bastion between these two Turkic allies. The existence of Syunik, without the shielding "barrier" of Artsakh, would become untenable. The weak communication links with central regions of Armenia, the absence of any defensive depth putting all of Syunik within range of Azerbaijan’s modern artillery systems, as well as the psychological trauma from the fall of Artsakh would reduce the defensibility of this strategically vital region to nearly zero. The resulting encirclement of the remainder of Armenia in a Turkish-Azerbaijani ring, will transform it into a ghetto – a kind of Transcaucasian Swaziland. Subsequently, the obliteration of Armenia by Azerbaijan and Turkey, if not through military action, then through economic, political and psychological pressures, will simply be a matter of time. Thus being deprived of any prospects for sustainable development and losing its role as a potential safe haven for the millions of Armenians scattered throughout the world, the resulting geometrically progressed mass emigration would weaken Armenia to the degree of being divided by and absorbed into Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Although the Armenian nation succeeded in eliminating this very scenario in the 1990s, the Turco-Azeri alliance, far from forsaking it, will attempt to implement it if Armenians prove unable to mount an effective resistance.

Fact 2: Armenians can survive only if Armenia survives – as an Armenian state and the Armenian nation living within it.

Fact 3: Without Armenia, the Armenian Spyurk (Diaspora) cannot represent a nation, i.e., a viable entity ensuring national preservation and reproduction of Armenian race (let alone the preservation and development of the Armenian language and culture).

Fact 4: During the last decades the inevitable acculturation and assimilation processes in Spyurk have sharply accelerated to an unprecedented level. In particular, as a result of emigration, every year the ranks of the Armenian communities are thinning out in the Middle East, where until recently the percentage of mixed marriages were extremely low, and the Armenian schools and other community structures functioned effectively. In 20-30 years from now there will remain at best tiny islands of the once flourishing communities of Lebanon, Iran and Syria, similar to what has already happened to the Armenians of Iraq. As for the Armenians living in Russia and the developed West, they are subject to even faster acculturation and assimilation.

Fact 5: There is no Armenian culture without the Armenian language. Along with the statehood and the territory under its control, the language is the foundation and paramount means of preserving the Armenian ethnicity. The fact that many of our compatriots, especially in Spyurk, can feel and consider themselves Armenian without knowing the Armenian language, is possible only thanks to the people of Armenia who still speak, write and create in Armenian. Let us picture a hypothetical situation where Armenians in Armenia have forgotten their mother tongue and communicate with one another, are educated, write and create in a foreign language, no matter which – Russian, English or Chinese. This would signify nothing less than the end of the Armenian civilization, the end of the Armenian culture and the end of the Armenian ethnos!

Yet, today Armenia itself faces the full weight of the challenge of preserving and developing the Armenian language (i.e. culture). As was mentioned eaerlier, this is due to the decrease in the number of users of the Armenian language (including the potential users – children who received and receive non-Armenian educution abroad) attributable to the emigration of our compatriots and the absence of appropriate protection of the Armenian language by the State. After 16 years of independence, it is high time that we duely acknowledge the fundamental role and place that language has in the life of a nation – something that the Armenian political elite and a significant portion of the intelligentsia fail to do. On the contrary, in the language policy, just like in certain other fundamental areas, attempts are still being made to regress the Armenian political thinking.

Conclusions

Conclusion 1: The Armenian nation is in the active phase of the struggle for survival on a fraction of its own homeland, preserved at the cost of unimaginable sacrifices. In other words, the Armenian nation is a struggling organism whose main, vitally important function is the struggle for survival.

Conclusion 2: The frontlines of this struggle for survival stretch out not only along Armenia’s borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey, but evidently also throughout the country itself, embracing the spheres of demography, economy, social life, science and education. Emigration, regardless of its reasons, removes Armenians, partially or fully, from the central battlefield for survival, that is – Armenia. Repatriation, on the other hand, results in the replenishment of a vitally necessary reserve for the country.

Based on the above-mentioned strategic considerations I will attempt to answer the question: "who is an Armenian?" and in what way is s/he differentiated from an Armenian by birth.

One is an Armenian if s/he:

1) considers Armenia his/her only homeland within two dimensions of time and territory – in her historic and present boundaries;

2) has strong psychological attachments to his homeland – its territory, people, language and culture;

3) feels personal responsibility for Armenia’s fate and assumes political obligations towards it;

4) if living abroad, seriously contemplates avenues for his and his family’s repatriation;

5) either is or tries to become the bearer of the Armenian language and culture;

6) strives to maintain his offsprings Armenian, including by means of passing on to them the knowledge of the Armenian language and by bringing them into the realm of the national culture.

Those of our compatriots who consider the country of their birth or citizenship and not Armenia as their homeland, who do not feel psychological attachments and political responsibility towards Armenia, who do not wish to think about living in the Homeland, who do not seek to be the bearers of the Armenian language, who consciously or unconsciously have reconciled with and are not concerned about the inevitable assimilation of their offsprings, can be considered Armenians by origin only, because, in reality, they are already either cosmopolitans or representatives of another nationality. Indeed, it does not matter at all if they shout from the rooftops that they are the most real and authentic Armenians (a genuine self-deception!). The fact is that these individuals, regardless of the reasons, are beyond the nation’s life-process and do not partake in its subsistence even at its most fateful moment.

It should also be emphasized that genetics are of a secondary importance in determining of an Armenian or any other national identity. The real identity of an individual is defined by his personal involvement in and contribution to the life processes of the relevant nation.

Thus, we should differentiate between an Armenian on the one hand, and a person of Armenian origin on the other. This does not mean at all that the former is good and the latter is bad. Simply, the latter no longer can or wants to sacrifice anything for the sake of Armenia and already has a fundamentally different national self-consciousness.

For Armenians by origin it would be useful perhaps to look at themselves honestly and without self-deception and hypocracy: They have actually left the field of the nation’s life activities. Nevertheless, the road is still open for them both ways – total and irreversible assimilation or the return to national roots, the rediscovery of the Armenian language and culture and participation in the nation’s life. In this sense, a large segment of Spyurk are potential Armenians. Unfortunately, such alianated potential Armenians are not rare in Armenia itself, who are fully or partially cut off from the Armenian language, culture and politics and who fail to perceive the common threat of extinction facing all Armenians.

I would like to repeat what I have written about many times before. Preserving Armenianness abroad, "hayapahpanum", cannot be an end in/of itself. The true goal for the preservation of Diasporan Armenians is their reunion with their motherland under the auspieces of an independent state, as of now on the territory under the control of Armenian armed forces. Considering the preservation of Armenianness an end goal (as a considerable part of the Armenians abroad does) severely weakens the most important elements of the same "hayapahpanum."

The struggle for physical survival is unfortunately the core function of life of the Armenian nation. It is this very function that determines and necessitates the fundamental pillar of the Armenian identity – direct and personal engagement in this struggle for the realisation of the national objectives, which presently are:

- the preservation at all cost of that territory, essential for security, on which Armenia (RA and NKR together with the liberated territory around it) has existed for the whole period of its latest independence;

- the increasing of the number of the Armenian population in the Homeland;

- the preservation of the Armenians of Javakhk on their lands;

- the building of a nation-state based on the principles of rule of law, social justice, democracy and protection of national interests and values, including the development of the Armenian language and culture.

There are tremendous practical, ideological and psychological obstacles and ossified stereotypes that must be overcome throughout this struggle. They emanate essentially from non-Armenian sources but are often coming in to the scene through those Armenian political structures which long ago or recently have fallen under the slavish dependence of foreign powers. The engagement in the struggle for the achievement of the above-mentioned objectives will underpin an Armenian’s ethnic resistability with such a breath of emotions, feelings and knolewdge that he/she will indeed have the drive and the need to acquire and become the bearer of the basic elements of the national self-consciousness – the language, culture, customs and traditions.

To sum up, we can conclude that as long as Armenia as a nation and state is drawn into a long-term struggle for survival against powers superior in terms of numbers, resources and territory (Turkey and Azerbaijan), the most natural and functionally strongest ethnically differentiating characteristic feature of an Armenian is the acknowledgment and assumption of personal responsibility – proportionate to his/her strengths and capabilities – for destiny of the homeland.

By Armen Ayvazian, Ph.D. in Political Science, Director of the "Ararat" Center for Strategic Research

[Fedayeen]

Re: Are Armenians on the verge of extinction?

I have noticed three types of Armenians based upon my experiences:

1) There are Armenians who are very comfortable with their heritage. They are proud of their national culture. They have a healthy balanced outlook towards issues that have to do with Armenia and Armenians. This type concerns itself with cultural preservation. This type also partakes in community events and they have a viable connection to the homeland. Let's call this type The Ideal Armenian.

2) There are Armenians who are proud Armenians but are somewhat uneasy about their identity. This type has some complexes for they see their identity as being vulnerable. Armenians are victims in their eyes. As a result, they are fanatically trying to prove something to the world: Armenian Genocide, Armenians are whites, Protection of Artsakh, Armenians are the best in the world, etc. Let's call this type the The Troubled Armenian.

3) There are Armenians who are insecure about their identity. They see their ethnicity as inferior to others. This type hates who they are. As a result, they are fanatically trying to assimilate into whatever niche they can fit into. Let's call this type The Self-hating Armenian.

4) There are Armenians that maintain an Armenian identity. This type partakes in Armenian community events. However, this type does not concern themselves with the homeland or preserving/passing on the Armenian heritage to the future generations. This type is essentially a good weather day Armenian, because they all disappear from the Armenian scene as soon as the going gets tough. Let's call this type The Average Armenian.

In my opinion, majority of Armos in the world today are more-or-less of the number four (4) type. However, the number one type, the Golden Core of our nation as I call it, although a minority, has always been with us and our very future as a nation is dependent upon them.

If you look closely there are more than 4 categories. But nice try.

You fall right under the category who likes to think so highly of them selfs and separate them self from others, to keep the people divided, etc.

Just this last elections here in Glendale, there were like 5-6 different Armenian people running for office. Why? because each one thinks they are the xxxx, and won't lower himself to work with the others for one common good. Instead of working together, they all make their own categories like our great Armenian in here.

Anyways, what made you register under username Armenian? your the one and only one? (I am sorry i am not a good Armenian individual, its not my fault, i blame it on others everyday and hope things will get better )

[jgk3]

Re: Are Armenians on the verge of extinction?

Yes, there is a problem with Armenians, each one fervently sticking to their own camp out of the many that are available.

Can you inform me of the types/categories of Armenians that you see, Fedayeen? That is, while trying not to insult anyone, as this is a general trait of Armenians that contribute to our divisiveness imo.

[Virgil]

Re: Are Armenians on the verge of extinction?

If you look closely there are more than 4 categories. But nice try.

I think he has the right idea, if you are a jackass, people will call you out. I use to think like you, "oh, let me not offend any Armenian, for the sake of appearing 'metsha metk'", however, the reality is this, quality is much better than quantity. As long as people know there exists a scale they will strive to be at the top of the measurements or else everything else becomes a race to the bottom.

You fall right under the category who likes to think so highly of them selfs and separate them self from others, to keep the people divided, etc.

Divide who? We are already divided, the idea that being "united" for the sake of "being united", is a assbackwards ideology that has lead to the depression and stagnation of the Armenian people. If you want to change the world you have to find like minded individuals that share the same fundimental beliefs as you or else the momentim that you build among the people will disintigrate because there exists no leader, no vision, just stagnation, like a prophat leading his or her people into the desert with no oasis in sight.

I think Armenian is the most level headed individual on these forums, on any forum. He contributes more to the development of the "idea" that Armenians have a state and it is only in this state that truly both the Armenian identity and interests can develop. Any other investment or time spent on electing foreign born politicians with the "grandiose" idea of piggy backing on the backs of foreign nationals and their tax dollars will only lead to further emigration, stagnation, and, eventually, extrapollating it, it will lead to the extinction. You are assuming too much, you are assuming, first, that these ideas of "piggy backing" is a new concept to the Armenian people, in which I will remind you that for nearly 400 years Armenians in Iran toiled and labored for the glory of the Persian Empire, but yet to this day they still have to pay extra taxes because they are Christians. You know the Hungarian-Armenians? Oh wait, there are none, they were forced to assimilate because their loyalty was in quesiton...hmm...what about the Indian Armenians? Only deserted churches remain and a "Armenian street".

And I am not communicating "down on you", I am trying my best to communicate to you that your ideas of Armenian "being a dividing force" are not new to the Armenian community. For 500 years "Christian Turks" toiled, day in and day out, to develop the Ottoman Empire. What happend to the "multinational", "multinethnic" state? It declined and in the process, because Armenians were so busy "unifying", also known as lacking direction, also known as "not dividing", they lost it all because they were not brave enough to band together and follow their leaders, right or wrong, to the front lines.

They died a cowards death I am sorry to say, I am not being "cold", "rude", and "disrespectful", but the reality is this, the Armenian people would have fared better if they follow their nationalists. No army in the world, at the time, had the ammunition on hand to stop 1.5 million Armenians, even with pitchforks they would had a better chance and certainly, they would have fared much better being meat sheilds versus being dragged into caves in mass only to sufficate to death by the smoke being blown into the cave (This is what Professor Balikian referred to as "primative gas chambers") or walking to their graves under the desert heat, so, please, let us stop this childless and romantic ideas of "pretending" to push forward the "Armenian cuase" by "uniting" under yan/ian last names.

"Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me" sums up the history of the Armenian people, we have made the same mistake numerous times. And to commit the same mistakes numerous times and yet not have the courage to address it because, knowing full well, that by addressing the mistake you are jeopordizing your existence is in my book the greatest evil.

Just this last elections here in Glendale, there were like 5-6 different Armenian people running for office. Why? because each one thinks they are the xxxx, and won't lower himself to work with the others for one common good. Instead of working together, they all make their own categories like our great Armenian in here.

No, they are not Armenian. They are Americans with Armenian ancestory, once you realize this fact, you stop paying attention to these half witts of the Armenian community that are falling into the same cycle of events of their ancestors and start focusing your attention "depi Hayrenig". Using foreign nationals and their tax dollars to develop your state will only alienate you (i.e. like the "choson people") and eventually you too will be kicked out of 88 countries. We had better men, in better positions in Turkey, Russia, and Persia, who thanked them and the Armenian people for their contributions to the empire? None, the same MIG fighter jets that was made conceived by a Armenian were the same ones the Azeri air force deployed on the Armenian villages. The fundimental tourist destinations and the root of "western" culture in Turkey was brought over from Europe by Armenians. As many point out, "we gave them drama, literature, art, history, science, and engineering" and what did they give us in return? I think at this point it is a question you should ask yourself when driving around in Glendale and looking around, seeing the influx of dollars immigrants from Armenia and Korea brought over that built the backbone of this great city, you and I reside in, only to be the target of prejudice shadow government that spends more time debating about the trivial code violations of Armenians, Armenian organizations, and Armenian businesses as opposed to the management of the day to day operations of Glendale.

Yeah, so I am accusing "Glendolians" of racism? Is it a lie? I think not, they have a grudge against Armenians, right or wrong, there exists tension. And I see the degenerate Armenians that ruin the good Armenian name, but the reality is this, for every Armenian that is assbackwards there are 10 that are not and the ratio is not same when comparing other "groups". One has to go to different parts of Los Angeles to appreciate the safety and stability Armenian immigrants have brought over into Glendale.

Anyways, what made you register under username Armenian? your the one and only one? (I am sorry i am not a good Armenian individual, its not my fault, i blame it on others everyday and hope things will get better )

Well, if you fail to develop the future of your state and opt to live a life as a American, then yes, you are a not a "good Armenian", you are a good American. Its not about being a "good Armenian", the reality is the reality. If you have a degenerate people that are opting to live in the comforts of foreign states as second class citizens when their own state is in shambles, then yes, Armenians have a right to call you out. If you are trying to "adapt" and in the process drag foreign elements into the Armenian culture, then, yes, you are a threat to the Armenian people.

Understand, this idea of "unifying" is a failed ideology that has lead to Armenians becoming more marginalized, divided, and has indirectly lead to the destruction of their nationalistic feelings which overtime weakened the Armenian state. I will never support some assbackwards wigger nor any Armenian that has a non-Armenian spouse. I think you are the one that married the mongol? Funny, a "Fadeyeen" that is Pro-Armenian, but on the fundimental level is not strong enough to do the right thing in his own life, so apprently, I, should drop my support for Armenian, a man who has a developed a strong Armenian family and will eventually migrate back so I can supporta degenerate assbackwards mongol kunogh like yourself? Your a insult to the Fedayeen. Anyways, it is funny who is sitting on the high horse and trying to prove a point of "dividing", when the said individual is truly the one that has racially fragmented us, no, we are not "dividing" Armenians, we are just cleaning the community up. Its funny, now I truly understand the phrase "Turkish Gypsies", what Greeks use to call Armenians in the Ottoman Empire. We have succesfully become American Gypsies nowadays.

[Virgil]

Re: Are Armenians on the verge of extinction?

Yes, there is a problem with Armenians, each one fervently sticking to their own camp out of the many that are available.

Can you inform me of the types/categories of Armenians that you see, Fedayeen? That is, while trying not to insult anyone, as this is a general trait of Armenians that contribute to our divisiveness imo.

NO, there is no problem, you encounter problems and "division" when you have to convince others of facts that are ingrained in common sense. This in essence is what "division" and therefore, in the long run you are misdirected because no one is brave enough to lead the people.

This idea of "dividing" people when in fact individuals like, Armenian and I, are trying to clean up the community and at least, bare minimum, pass over strong ideas, should not be considered "dividing". We are taking initiative, the idea of us "dividing" is a assbackwards ideology because the reality is that Armenians are already "divided". They are "divided" because on the basic level they consider themselves some prefix before consider themselves Armenian. And you know why this is the case? Because you have Armenians outside the "homeland" attempting to adapt instead of mustering up the courage to face that facts and assimilate. These ideas of yours and Fedayeen is not new to the Armenian community. Reread Armenian history, you will see the same sick cycle of events.

Armenians in America need to realize that, thus far, their acheivments will never equal the acheivments of Armenians in historic Persia, Russia, and Turkey, and even these in communities, Armenians ended up with the short end of the stick. I support Armenian even though we have a our differences regarding a few issues because on the basic level, it is individuals like him that will gurantee our future. It is not individuals that log on to my space, facebook, and all these "redundancies", it is not individuals that strive to wear a costume instead of being who they are, it is not individuals that are so weak that they can not push themselves to do the right thing as Armenians, like I have numerous stated, anything else becomes a race to the bottom. If you can set standards and you can no follow them then you are "tarvatz" on the basic level.

[jgk3]

Re: Are Armenians on the verge of extinction?

I was referring more to "Armenians" in a broader sense, like the community you see on this forum, rather than towards individuals who are Armenian by their distinctive tie to the homeland, but you're right nonetheless about how we are already divided as a people.

But my comment on divisiveness was more of a speculation about how perhaps we could teach these cold facts about our nature (both at the societal and individual level) and share our common sense much easier if we did not opt to insult each other so readily. Sure, we can criticize each other, it must be of a constructive nature though, otherwise we get out of hand and our utility for others in that moment deteriorates (I see this happen all too often in myself, bah, who am I kidding, I insult people way too often, I just don't know if it's constructive in the end).

[Armenian]

Re: Are Armenians on the verge of extinction?

This "Armenian unity" wish is a silly one, not to mention unattainable for it's an 'unhuman' trait to expect within a people, especially within a highly opinionated and temperamental people like us Armenians. What's more, we cannot expect any ideological 'unity' in a nation that is essentially trapped between various powerful geopolitical influences and factors. Consequently, some Armenians will tend to be pro-American, some Armenians will be pro-Russian, some Armenians will be pro-European... Some Armenians consider Armenians a middle eastern nation, some Armenians think we are a European nation and yet other Armenians think we are a Caucasian nation... Some Armenians think we need to establish normal relations with Turkey, other Armenians think otherwise... It's all quite natural, you get the picture...

As history of other nations (powerful nations for that matter) have shown, in order to achieve a semblance of national unity, there first has to be major bloodletting within a nation, a civil war if you will. Although we Armenians have at times been at each other's throats, limited engagements here and there, we have 'never' been embarked upon a national agenda of cleaning house - as most successful nations on earth have done at one time or another. During the First World War Dashnak forces attempted to eliminate Ottoman Armenians who were obstacles to our independence movement but for various reasons they were not able to do in effectively.

Take Virgil and Ara Baliozian for example - two individuals on the extreme opposite ends of the sociopolitical spectrum. How can anyone in their right minds think that these two types of individuals in question can be united (or should be united) under one banner/ideology... It's utter nonsense. In large and/or powerful nations the Virgil types have more-or-less been successful in grabbing power during the course of their national history, and today the Ara types live as free subjects under the watchful eyes of the governing Virgil types. However, in lesser nations, dispersed nations, nations without homelands, or extinct nations, it is the Ara types that have been successful... The Armenian nation has had a fair share of the Virgil types and the Ara types throughout history. Due to the peculiarities of our national history, not one of them was able to eradicate the other. And this is essentially what that makes Armenian history so complex- at times glorious, at times depressing, but never boring...

Nonetheless, there has never been a "unified" nation anywhere on earth - and that includes the deeply fragmented Jewish people. Had the Jews not been hated and persecuted worldwide, albeit with good reason, they would be cannibalizing each other today. All nations, all religions are fragmented without exception. Nations that 'seem' the most united today are the ones who's governments are the strongest, most ruthless, thereby keeping the collective nation united under a single banner or myth. And as long as the Armenian nation tolerates traitors such as the former president Levon Ter Petrosian and his supporters, or self-hating proponents of assimilation as our Ara types, our nation will 'never' have its day under the sun.

[Fedayeen]

Re: Are Armenians on the verge of extinction?

So you agree with the initial question that we Armenians are on the verge of extinction here and in homeland.

We have no body to blame but ourself, us...people.

If it continues this way i doubt Armenia will be on world map in 100 years. Its up to us to do something. Instead of pointing out each others differences.


Tomorrow you gonna go back to Armenia, but thats not enough.

[Virgil]

Re: Are Armenians on the verge of extinction?

Nonetheless, there has never been a "unified" nation anywhere on earth - and that includes the deeply fragmented xxxish people. Had the xxxs not been hated and persecuted worldwide, albeit with good reason, they would be cannibalizing each other today. All nations, all religions are fragmented without exception. Nations that 'seem' the most united today are the ones who's governments are the strongest, most ruthless, thereby keeping the collective nation united under a single banner or myth. And as long as the Armenian nation tolerates traitors such as the former president Levon Ter Petrosian and his supporters, or self-hating proponents of assimilation as our Ara types, our nation will 'never' have its day under the sun.

Just to point out somthing, Armenians are not as fragmented as lets say Americans, the American government has to spend more resources toward making sure everyone is "contempt" with the government in order to have the stabiliy we, as Americans, have today. If the Armenian nation was ethnically, religiously, and racially fragmented then Armenia would have been divided in the early 1990's when electricity was cut and people were living day to day on foreign donations. I just want to make sure people understand that it is only the "Ara types" or people like him or people that have no sense of worth or common sense that contribute to more fragmentation or else Armenia and Armenian people, being a mono-ethnic, mono-racial, and mono-religious nation and people, respectively, (No, spell check so sue me!) are at this point in the better position then lets say Georgians, Turks, and Azeris. Just look at neighbors, their fragmentation has lead to their state being on a constant threat of being overtaken by foreign invaders via minorities.

Furthermore, this idea of "Armenian Zionism" has been the crux that has lead to the marginalization of the Armenian state and people throughout history. These cycle of events of having (a) Diaspora, (b) relying on the myth that the "Diaspora is useful", and (c) avoiding confrontations becuase our leaders choose to rely on (a) and (b) has been historically and will be the essentially, "nail in the coffin", for ourselves as Armenians and for our state.

Finally, the context of my statements are as important then the statements themselves, the fact of the matter is and you can not get out of this very reality, at least have the courage to face this fact, you have more than 50% of your population living in foreign nations, and ... I will stop there and let my fellow members fill in the bubbles.