An example of Armenian-Turkish friendship

[Eddo211]

Re: An example of Armenian-Turkish friendship

On a personal level, I witness a lot of friendship and common personality with Turks

On the other hand when the politics involved, that's another ball of game, I suppose

Just about every turk I have come across with on internet has shown itself to be hateful enemy of Armenians (be it Kemalist, Islamist, or Fascist).....Turks and Armenians are words apart and are nothing alike.

[mouradian]

Re: An example of Armenian-Turkish friendship

On a personal level, I witness a lot of friendship and common personality with Turks

On the other hand when the politics involved, that's another ball of game, I suppose

[levon]

Re: An example of Armenian-Turkish friendship

It is important to recognize that Turks are brought up through their school system and their media to believe that Armenians were guilty and were plotting against them, and also the Ottoman empire was a tolerant place. You could meet a Turk who is apparently a very good human being with such views. So, I would say, don't make acceptance of the Armenian genocide a condition for becoming friends with him/her

You should have read some of my other posts following the one you responded to, before writing your response.

It's important to distinguish friendship between individuals and friendship between countries. An Armenian and a Turk can be friends, as individuals are often able to look past ethnic and country lines and see each other as people, and as a result there isn't as much risk introduced by placing some blind trust onto the other person.

This scenario entirely changes when one talks about friendship between large groups of people. Groups of people are often very susceptible to propaganda and herd behavior making it much more risky to trust them. Friendship between countries is like friendship between two very large groups of people. It is usually incredibly tricky, and trust is never actually given, only declared. What we must remember is that no matter what, Turkey as a country will always place its interests above Armenia, even if individual Turks may do the opposite. This means, Armenia can never trust Turkey and thus, there can be no friendship between Armenians and Turks.

Blurring the distinction between friendship between two people and friendship between countries is a recurrent theme used by Turkish propaganda in an attempt to create "good diaspora Armenians", which just means Armenians that won't oppose further Turkish attempts at Genocide Denial. It always involves establishing the fact that individual Turks and Armenians can put their pasts behind them and become friends and encourages the generalization that Armenians and Turks can be friends. This is an attempt to get Armenians to drop their guard and give room for more Turkish propaganda to come in.

and this.

Another point. Why should we, Armenians, specifically pursue friendship with the Turks. On a country to country level it would be very difficult to accomplish and carries with it many risks. Maybe some business relations and regional projects, but nothing else.

On an individual level, if one thinks about it, the race, ethnicity of a person don't really matter when making friends. What matters are usually mutual or personal gain of some sort, be it financial, emotional, etc. So on an individual level, it would be rather cynical to specifically pursue friendships with Turks.

[lampron]

Re: An example of Armenian-Turkish friendship

Finally, there can be no friendship between Armenians and Turks. You need to understand what friendship means, and I don't mean the ultra-tolerant-liberal version that encourages forgive and forget. If history has taught anything to us Armenians is that we should actually look at our past to shape our future decisions. Turks have proved again and again that they cannot be trusted, and without trust there can be no friendship.

It is important to recognize that Turks are brought up through their school system and their media to believe that Armenians were guilty and were plotting against them, and also the Ottoman empire was a tolerant place. You could meet a Turk who is apparently a very good human being with such views. So, I would say, don't make acceptance of the Armenian genocide a condition for becoming friends with him/her

[gegev]

Re: An example of Armenian-Turkish friendship

Very clever, but this wasn't the first time you "defended" the turks. I can cite at least another example where you mentioned "Turks are good people." (or something similar)
Also, you should make it a habit to actually read before responding, rather than just make idiotic statements without any backing.

Face it, a portion of your comments may incite the reader to conclude that you are here to promote turks, as every opportunity you get you "defend" the turks. And why are you so surprised to find that armenians dislike turks? Turkey actively pushes forward anti-Armenian propaganda, and most turks have a hostile view of Armenians. Generalizations are there to apply to the majority of a specific population, and it's fair to say, based on the number of Turks I have personally met and have heard about, that most Turks have a negative view of Armenians. Thus, it's fair to generalize. It's completely ridiculous to expect one not to generalize just because some might not fit the stereotype.

Now, if you're not here to promote turks, then quit being so "offended" when some here(including myself) speak negatively of the turks. You are not the "universal tolerance despite bitter history" enforcer here, so don't take on that role.

Finally, it's impossible to make a "racist attack" against the turks, as turks are not a race, but a nationality. So please, get the wording correct. I know the shock value of saying "racist attack" is much more, but unfortunately it doesn't apply to this case.

I like your reasoning Levon!

[levon]

Re: An example of Armenian-Turkish friendship

If you generalized the Chinese or the Portuguese I would defend them the same way, you made a racist attack against Turks, and I defended them. End of story.

Very clever, but this wasn't the first time you "defended" the turks. I can cite at least another example where you mentioned "Turks are good people." (or something similar)
Also, you should make it a habit to actually read before responding, rather than just make idiotic statements without any backing.

Face it, a portion of your comments may incite the reader to conclude that you are here to promote turks, as every opportunity you get you "defend" the turks. And why are you so surprised to find that armenians dislike turks? Turkey actively pushes forward anti-Armenian propaganda, and most turks have a hostile view of Armenians. Generalizations are there to apply to the majority of a specific population, and it's fair to say, based on the number of Turks I have personally met and have heard about, that most Turks have a negative view of Armenians. Thus, it's fair to generalize. It's completely ridiculous to expect one not to generalize just because some might not fit the stereotype.

Now, if you're not here to promote turks, then quit being so "offended" when some here(including myself) speak negatively of the turks. You are not the "universal tolerance despite bitter history" enforcer here, so don't take on that role.

Finally, it's impossible to make a "racist attack" against the turks, as turks are not a race, but a nationality. So please, get the wording correct. I know the shock value of saying "racist attack" is much more, but unfortunately it doesn't apply to this case.

[Azar]

Re: An example of Armenian-Turkish friendship

Mr. Azar. You have just shown how incredibly skilled you are at the art of creating an argument. Unfortunately, it involves dodging actual questions and attacking the other person with demeaning character assassinations, which is a great propaganda tactic (ironically, similar tactics were used by the Nazis), but is not conducive to the actual discussion.

Your otherwise calm demeanor throughout much of your posts has suddenly changed to an incredibly hostile one the moment I posted something negative about Turks, suggesting, at the very least, that you have some very dear sympathies tied to Turks.

Please refrain from insults. If you will not be posting actual responses, keep your insults to yourself.

If you generalized the Chinese or the Portuguese I would defend them the same way, you made a racist attack against Turks, and I defended them. End of story.

[levon]

Re: An example of Armenian-Turkish friendship

When a sheep is revealed to be a serpent in hiding, it sheds its skin and slithers away, hopefully, never to come back. I say good riddance.

[Eddo211]

Re: An example of Armenian-Turkish friendship

In Anatolia "a Turk has no friend but a Turk"...........the ones who make friends with Armenians are not "Turk" in a real sense and they do not fit the defination of an Anatolian Turk, whether Islamic or Kemalist.

[levon]

Re: An example of Armenian-Turkish friendship

Another point. Why should we, Armenians, specifically pursue friendship with the Turks. On a country to country level it would be very difficult to accomplish and carries with it many risks. Maybe some business relations and regional projects, but nothing else.

On an individual level, if one thinks about it, the race, ethnicity of a person don't really matter when making friends. What matters are usually mutual or personal gain of some sort, be it financial, emotional, etc. So on an individual level, it would be rather cynical to specifically pursue friendships with Turks.