Current Condition of Armenia

[Federate]

Re: Current Condition of Armenia

ANC is getting ready for their March 17 rally, revolution attempt #2. 10,000 leaflets distributed again covering inflation, agriculture and a full text of LTP's speech from March 1, 2011. The leaflet is also calling students and youth to join them during the rally, says they offer them legal protection. The Twitter hashtag will be #17march.

[bell-the-cat]

Re: Current Condition of Armenia

Used to be that it was hard to fid any ugly Armenian buildings - but now everything new is ugly. What "architect" is responsible for this architectural obscenity?

I can guess what the pillars are for - all the mafiosi criminals who paid for the construction get their names put on it, like Catholics buying indulgences to escape punishment in hell for their numerous sins.

[KanadaHye]

Re: Current Condition of Armenia

I can guess what the pillars are for - all the mafiosi criminals who paid for the construction get their names put on it, like Catholics buying indulgences to escape punishment in hell for their numerous sins.

Symbols of free masons.

[bell-the-cat]

Re: Current Condition of Armenia

Symbols of free masons.

I'm talking about the tall pillars that are outside the church on each side.

[Eddo211]

Re: Current Condition of Armenia

The question is, what is sovereignty? And Eddo221, I wonder, what do you want Armenia to do to be more sovereign. It's easy to shout such statements, but give some examples? Let's see if they are realistic.

I am in no position to represent the people of Armenia or make any recommendation; however I know it is also much easier to shout from behind Russian skirt that Armenia's livelihood must be in the hands of Russians or the State will not exist. That is being paranoid with no vision.

There must be a balance between security and freedom. Throughout the human history those have been two main objectives - security and freedom. It is also the basis for political legitimacy. We cannot ignore security for freedom or freedom for security. If we sacrifice security for freedom, we will have chaos. But if we sacrifice freedom for security, then we will have autocratic regimes or an illusion of statehood. These two are not alternative to each other.

This goal can only happen when a government or a state guarantees to the people that security and state could be achievable together. Some say it is better to have less freedom in order to protect our national security. I say no. We don't want to sacrifice from our freedom in order for more security. In fact, the opposite: if you have more freedom, nation and state will be more secure because there will be a strong link between state and individual citizens. If state thinks that citizens are threats, it means the end of the state.

If every day you feel a threat from domestic or foreign forces, you will be a nervous wreck. Every day you will be thinking, how should we react to this threat? It is better to have a vision rather than trying to react to the crisis........a balance must be kept between security and freedom.

Principles:
Self-confidence as a psychological principle, change and transformation as a sociological principle, balance between security and freedom, transparency, accountability, rule of law, continuity of social and political institutions, dialogs within intellectuals, protecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country.

[KanadaHye]

Re: Current Condition of Armenia

I'm talking about the tall pillars that are outside the church on each side.

I see no architectural reasons for free standing pillars.

[Mos]

Re: Current Condition of Armenia

ANC is getting ready for their March 17 rally, revolution attempt #2. 10,000 leaflets distributed again covering inflation, agriculture and a full text of LTP's speech from March 1, 2011. The leaflet is also calling students and youth to join them during the rally, says they offer them legal protection. The Twitter hashtag will be #17march.

Have these people not learned anything? The only time, in Armenia, for a revolution to be possible is right after elections - because that's when you have the most momentum. I highly doubt Levon would improve the situation of Armenia - if he who he is in the early 90s his presidency will be a dictatorship and set Armenia back.

[Federate]

Re: Current Condition of Armenia

Raffi Hovhannisyan, leader of the Heritage party, is going on a hunger strike. Not sure what his specific demands are at the moment though so stay tuned.

[Siggie]

Re: Current Condition of Armenia

Have these people not learned anything? The only time, in Armenia, for a revolution to be possible is right after elections - because that's when you have the most momentum. I highly doubt Levon would improve the situation of Armenia - if he who he is in the early 90s his presidency will be a dictatorship and set Armenia back.

It's been posited all the various protests and revolutions around the world have helped feed each other... perhaps that might motivate a bit?

Raffi Hovhannisyan, leader of the Heritage party, is going on a hunger strike. Not sure what his specific demands are at the moment though so stay tuned.

*Gets out the grill...* Mi keech Kabobi hod ketsenk?

Are hunger strikes really effective? Do people care?

[Federate]

Re: Current Condition of Armenia

Are hunger strikes really effective? Do people care?

Good question, people have debated this for a long time. From what i've seen, they are rather not effective than effective. But the reason why I think this is so is because most hunger strikes seem to be done by prisoners and when the prisoner reaches a critical condition, the prison officials force feed the person effectively ending the hunger strike. That's why most people view them as "he'll break it eventually or someone will feed him when he's hospitalised".

There has been success too. Some prisoners have gotten back basic rights in prison by doing hunger strikes (in Turkey notably). Gandhi did a hunger strike during his non-violent resistance against the British imperialists as well.

The reason why this one is intriguing is because Raffi Hovhannisyan is a member of parliament and the leader of a major opposition party. If his health turns for the worse, this might cause outrage and get the desired results (whatever they are).