Us and the Country

[tunot]

Re: Us and the Country

No, the same Ara who has translated some of our best authors who you wish to ignore.

[Anonymouse]

Re: Us and the Country

Also, an Armenian like yourself, who has only just begun to grow pubic hair, should watch his mouth a little. Ara could be your great-grandfather, and he has seen more among Armenians than you ever will unless you decide to open your eyes and get to know our culture a bit.

Were those words supposed to smite me?

I don't care if Ara could be my great-grandfather. Respect is earned. It is not freely handed to people, and certainly not to those who encourage what he does. He translated Armenian authors, great! I am thankful for him in those efforts, but what does that have to do with what he supports? He can translate a thousand Armenian authors and go and build a Church in Armenia as far as I am concerned, but once he supports what he does, I don't care for him.

[tunot]

Re: Us and the Country

I'd rather not be respected, than put on a pedestal by vermin.

[simonig]

Re: Us and the Country

After all this talk of Ara Baliozian, I went out and bought one of his books a few days ago. I was impressed by his candor and his willingness to question Armenian authority.

Instead of just giving up, it would be more productive to get involved and question the varchootouns of our Armenian organizations. Ara Baliozian wrote that writers are unable to question or criticize Armenian organizations because they are the ones that are getting the grants from those organizations. Non-writers and the general Armenian public have all the freedom to actually make a change in these organizations. Hopefully with a little more assimilation, the next generation will have a more modern way of dealing with its community.

[simonig]

Re: Us and the Country

"More assimilated" was the wrong word to use. What I should of said was more western thinking. I am very curious to see if our future leaders of our community organizations are going to be the smart educated kids that care about our culture or it will remain the the uneducated abrasive leaders we have now. I certainly don't think that all of our commuity leaders are uneducated and abrasive. It's just that the "raffi pan-choonee's" are easy to spot.

I don't want you to think that my only goal is to recruit 1/2 and 1/4 Armenians. There are a lot of things I'm passionate about. I even respect Armenian for her passion and dedication. If everyone works together at collectively raisng the bar for our people, we would be able to achieve more. It is very counter-productive to judge others on based on what one might think is right or wrong.

Speaking of 1/2 Armenians, a documentary is coming out tomorrow on Ryan Long(NFL football player who is half Armenian). He was contacted and drawn back to the Armenian community. The video shows him going to Armenia to bapize his daughter. He also meets and speaks with the PM of Armenia. This is a success story for not only him but the Armenian community.

[tunot]

Re: Us and the Country

It's just that the "raffi pan-choonee's" are easy to spot.

You mean Yervant Odian's panchoonies.

Our community is run on funds and donations. That is the first thing that needs to change and the rest will come by itself.

Thank you, in any case, for buying one of Ara's books. Unfortunately, not much of the revenue, if any at all, will go to him. All of our publishing houses in the diaspora have gone bankrupt for the obvious reason (we're not readers). Time and again that I have been in Armenian bookstores in Glendale, I have been the sole customer. My father will be able to tell you more about it, seen as he has been in them even more often than I have, and usually for me.

May I ask which book you bought by Ara?

[simonig]

Re: Us and the Country

I bought two books. The one by Ara Baliozian is called "Intimate talk." I really enjoyed it. It felt as though he was speaking directly to me. It was very refreshing to read something so different from our standard Armenian literature. Thanks for introducing to his works.

[Armenian]

Re: Us and the Country

It felt as though he was speaking directly to me...

You find his self-hating rhetoric and verbal gymnastics appealing? That says a lot about "your" personal issues. Please leave us Armenians alone. You, tunot and Ara should get together and form a new nation, we are simply not good enough for your intellects

[simonig]

Re: Us and the Country

Fortunately not all Armenians are like sheep. Those type of people are called Kurds. Armenians are able to think outside the box and thats why we are so successful in the business world. Unfortunately it poses a problem when we are required to work together. We are too many chiefs and not enough Indians.

Armenian, I honestly respect your dedication and your strong Armenian passion. Granted you may be well versed in Armenian affairs but you can not bully me or anyone else into your hard line nationalistic(militaristic) point of view. If it makes you feel better about your sense of being Armenian, then more power to you(I don't mean that sarcasticly).

[tunot]

Re: Us and the Country

Granted you may be well versed in Armenian affairs

If he was well-versed in Armenian affairs, he would be talking like Ara, Zarian, Raffi, Odian, and Baronian, to name just a few. He's nothing more than one of so many vermins crawling among us, and like all vermin, he is better off crushed.