we're stereotyped

[jessoussi]

guys......have u noticed taht armenians in arab worlds are stereotyped??
like my cousin's arabic teacher..each time she raised her ahnd to answer..he used to go like: hey, put ur hand donw, ur armenian...what do u know?
that's like so offensive

[EYYBABA23]

And that happened in which country?

[ArmoBarbi]

Wow, that is very wrong and unprofessional. Your cousin should have complained about this teacher. Why do you think this stereotype is held?

I am not familiar with "the Arab world" enough to give an opinion on it. I do, however, know that Armenians were stereotyped in the Soviet Union.

Not only were we known for having big noses, but also the general (uneducated) public seemed to hold the stereotype that Armenians are roudy and criminal very much like black people are here. I've even heard of Armenians being called "chyornie" (blacks) by other Soviets. It was all political in origin of course.

I have to add that many educated sophisticated people in any country seem to have a good stereotype about Armenians such as: being intelligent, sophisticated, family oriented, good scholars, etc.

[winoman]

Wait a sec Armobarbi - just a thread ago you were saying somthing about folks calling us "white" - now were being called "black" - lol (see I said it was all relative - and a matter of making us vs them type distinctions)

When I was in my mid 20s (1980s!) I once worked for this older WASP (originally) from Oklahomma. He was constantly derogatory of me for racial reasons - sayng we were the same thing as arabs and he called our food (which I used to always love to bring in and share and talk about etc) - as pig food - "we feed them thar Garbonzo beans to the pigs - thats not people food" - etc etc)...I probably had the basis for quite a discriminatory lawsuit all the BS I used to get from this guy...(and he did his best to slam me - ultimatly failed)...

[winoman]

I have to add that many educated sophisticated people in any country seem to have a good stereotype about Armenians such as: being intelligent, sophisticated, family oriented, good scholars, etc.

Of course we know that most people in this country (USA) have never heard of an Armenian. However awareness (of the existance) of Armenians in the USA - though more accuratly I shoudl say in certain cities/areas is at an all time high...but if anything Armenians' reputation is going down and not up - and here is why. In my generation and the two before it (beginning with Armenians who came here from just after the Genocide) - most Armenians in the states were either fairly well educated and well off - or quickly became that way. Most were also from Western Anatolia - Istanbul - like my family - and were quite cosmopolitan (European perhaps eh?). This tend somewhat continued even through the 1970s with many (educated adn well off) Armenians arriving from Iran (just what is it about Westwood that resembles Tehran I will never know...). These Armenians came here in fairly small numbers and they tended to live in communities in densities where they didn't dominate but blended in (outside of Fresno and Watertown Mass that is...). Additionally - believe it or not - the goal of most of these Armenians was (essentially) assimilation...and think about it - what choice did they have?

Well, beginning in the early 1980s a large influx of Armenians started comming in from places like Lebanon and Eastern Europe, followed by Armenia and Russia...(where most of you are likely from) - These Armenians (you or your parents) tended to be refugees from either wars or from very economically depressed regions. While some were quite educated - most had very litttle money. And they came in much greater numbers then ever before and concentrated into Armenian communities - like Glendale - etc. And they (you) resisted assimilation - as you could thrive in "Little Armenias" (I used to live in Hollywood BTW...Little Armenia!) - and there was also an explosion of youth and Armenian youth culture that didn't much exist before (outside of church). Thus you had Armenian gangs, hustlers, and Rabiz Armenians etc etc - and I think you'all pretty much knwo the rest. I think our image will be repaired in time (its up to your generation) - because (most) Armenians will educate themselves and become successful (and grow up!)....

[ArmenianKid]

[QUOTE=winoman]Of course we know that most people in this country (USA) have never heard of an Armenian.

thats true where i live. lost people never heard of the country. i did a report on armenia and the armenians and a kid raised his hand and asked if i made up a country.im not kidding.

[ArmoBarbi]

Wait a sec Armobarbi - just a thread ago you were saying somthing about folks calling us "white" - now were being called "black" - lol (see I said it was all relative - and a matter of making us vs them type distinctions)

)...

1) I talked about "folks calling us 'white'"?? Did you ever read the original thread? I'm not going to bother explaining again. Reread or stay confused.

2) Of course it is relative and political in nature! This is exactly what I said in my prior post here. Why do you feel the need to point this out to me?

[ArmoBarbi]

Of course we know that most people in this country (USA) have never heard of an Armenian. However awareness (of the existance) of Armenians in the USA - though more accuratly I shoudl say in certain cities/areas is at an all time high...but if anything Armenians' reputation is going down and not up - and here is why. In my generation and the two before it (beginning with Armenians who came here from just after the Genocide) - most Armenians in the states were either fairly well educated and well off - or quickly became that way. Most were also from Western Anatolia - Istanbul - like my family - and were quite cosmopolitan (European perhaps eh?). This tend somewhat continued even through the 1970s with many (educated adn well off) Armenians arriving from Iran (just what is it about Westwood that resembles Tehran I will never know...). These Armenians came here in fairly small numbers and they tended to live in communities in densities where they didn't dominate but blended in (outside of Fresno and Watertown Mass that is...). Additionally - believe it or not - the goal of most of these Armenians was (essentially) assimilation...and think about it - what choice did they have?

Well, beginning in the early 1980s a large influx of Armenians started comming in from places like Lebanon and Eastern Europe, followed by Armenia and Russia...(where most of you are likely from) - These Armenians (you or your parents) tended to be refugees from either wars or from very economically depressed regions. While some were quite educated - most had very litttle money. And they came in much greater numbers then ever before and concentrated into Armenian communities - like Glendale - etc. And they (you) resisted assimilation - as you could thrive in "Little Armenias" (I used to live in Hollywood BTW...Little Armenia!) - and there was also an explosion of youth and Armenian youth culture that didn't much exist before (outside of church). Thus you had Armenian gangs, hustlers, and Rabiz Armenians etc etc - and I think you'all pretty much knwo the rest. I think our image will be repaired in time (its up to your generation) - because (most) Armenians will educate themselves and become successful (and grow up!)....

How was that a response to the quote? Educated sophisticated people in any country are more likely to have the stereotype I described about Armenians. If they simply dont know about Armenians then they obviously dont count. We are talking about people holding stereotypes - knowing about us in the first place is a prerec.

[winoman]

How was that a response to the quote? Educated sophisticated people in any country are more likely to have the stereotype I described about Armenians. If they simply dont know about Armenians then they obviously dont count. We are talking about people holding stereotypes - knowing about us in the first place is a prerec.

Do you really know allllllllll the answers?

And I'm not so sure that educated/sophisticated people in Los Angeles might have a negative opinion of Armenians - and for good reason....think about it. Anyway my comments were just my observation - don't read my comments if they don't interest you....

[ArmoBarbi]

Do you really know allllllllll the answers?

And I'm not so sure that educated/sophisticated people in Los Angeles might have a negative opinion of Armenians - and for good reason....think about it. Anyway my comments were just my observation - don't read my comments if they don't interest you....

Where did I say that I have all the answers? Where did I say that your comments dont interest me? Respond to what people say, not what you make up in your head.

Your comment suggests that I said that educated and sophisticated people in LA have negative stereotypes of Armenians, when I only said that such people in any place have positive stereotypes. You either misspoke here or misunderstood/misrepresented my post.