A Little More Respect to Each Other

[Emrah]

I have been living in USA for about three years now. Before that, I have been living in Turkey. I can easily say that nearly all the Armenians that I met in USA hate all Turkish people without a single exception. As soon as they learn that I am a Turkish citizen, they step back and do not talk to me at all. It is clear that Armenian people are growing in this hatred against Turkish nation. I can easily say that I have never seen the same level of hatred in Turkey against Armenians. I accept that we do not like Armenia either, but not at a level that we do not even talk to them.
So, it is useless, pointless, and a waste of time to discuss Armenian-Turkey relations, the historical events that happened or did not happen. Everbody has a perception of history, an Armenian never admits that Armenian gangs provoked their own people against the empire, Turks never admit that a stupid sultan ordered the deportation of East Armenians knowing they would die on the road in winter.
I can tell you all that this ongoing debate will never bring any benefit, neither to Armenia nor to Turkey. Because, Armenia will not bring back those who have lost their lifes, Turkey will never change its stand. We will play this far more centuries.
I read in one of the posts that somebody wrote “Europe believed Armenians”. A quick note to Armenian friends: Do not depend on Europe, and do not take pride in Europe supporting you. European countries like France whose past is full of blood and colonialism cannot represent the ideals of democracy, human rights, and justice. I have more respect to India than France, Germany, or UK.
One final note: We, Turks, are taught that our state is a sacred entity. We are taught that we should not rise against the state, respect its instutitions, its history, and laws. We can never, again I repeat, can never change our stand on this Armenian issue. No government in Turkey can give up Northern Cyprus. Because of this, you will see that Turkey will withdraw its EU application. I will fully support it, although I am not a nationalist, because I believe thaht EU has lost its character.
As for the Armenians, we do not hate you, but if you continue in this way in every platform, things will change through time. Young generations in Turkey will grown up just like you, they will be taught that they should hate Armenians. This will completely destroy the relations of two great nations who once lived in peace together. And when two nations hate each other enough, unfortunately war becomes inevitable.
A little more common sense.

[hitite]

I agree with most of your post regarding Armenian hatred towards Turks which is of course understandable considering the fact that none of them are left on the lands they have been living on for thousands of years. Depriving people of probably 99% of their homeland and killing or pushing them out adds to all this and Armenians ending up with a small piece of land with no sea just top the cake. I honestly do not know when this hatred will end and I'm pretty sure it will not end even long after (if) Turkey recognises the Armenian Genocide. It is true that Turks didnt and still dont know much about Armenians but globalisation and the internet is giving them a fair feeling of teh hatred they feel towards us. I know many Turks who are startled at this hatred and this hatred unfortunately has started to become reciprocal. Many Armenians on this forum dont care about this new hatred and some even welcome it. That is because they do not feel the immediate danger their brethren feel in our geography.

However I do not believe Turkey will forever or has to deny the Genocide. If Turkey and Armenia and their diasporas changed current strategies towards the issue and worked for the mixing and interaction of these people things will change very very fast. At the moment there are between 10 to 70 thousand illegal Armenian workers in Turkey. The figures vary wildly I know but I have read both figures just recently. These people have mixed into the Turkish workforce and have already started telling their own stories, stories this generation of Turks have never heard. Turks are doing the same. These people have started the healing process but as I said they are illegal workers. Why not make this legal. I am a strong advocate of opening the border with Armenia and increasing legal interaction so relations with our neighbour can at least get to the level that we have with Greece. We're even having joint "SURVIVOR" shows with Greeks nowadays with both sides openly showing how they feel about the other on TV. Even seeing how some of the "others" dont like you and how some dont care and some even like the other are all a part of the healing process but a few episodes of SURVIVOR of course is not enough for this. If people dont interact they will continue to hate and you cant get recognition or healing out of that...

[Hovik]

Emrah,

I'd like to introduce myself. I am the first Armenian you've met in the US in three years who doesn't hate all Turks, and I don't hate YOU.

I'm sorry if you felt that all of us you've met so far hated you. That's sad to hear. I more often hear of Armenians who hate Turks (once they get to know them) on an individual level because of their ignorance w/ regard to the AG.

I think we differ much in the way we think. I think we have a very sensitive subject here for both sides, however that shouldn't cause everyone on one side of the fence to "HATE" everyone on the other side just because of the nation they belong to... that only creates more problems.

It is my hope that you meet more Armenians who don't hate you because of your Turkishness, and I meet more Turks who don't hate me for my Armenianness.

By the way, where are you living?

Hovik

[1.5 million]

Emrah - I don't hate you even if I think you are an ignorant liar.

[Emrah]

By the way, where are you living?

Hovik

I live in Atlanta, GA. It is interesting that once in the lands currently I am living, black and white people were in a big conflict. I suggest you guys to read Martin Luther King’s life, and learn what he has done to prevent a clash between white and black, and how he devoted his life (he has been shot to death during a speech) to earn freedom for his people. He should be an inspiration for all those who want peace in this world.

Think of a world without borders, where no child dies because of starvation, no guns, no hatred between nations, where the powerful does not rule the weak, and where there is only peace. It depends on us how far such a world is.

[Yavrum]

I live in Atlanta, GA. It is interesting that once in the lands currently I am living, black and white people were in a big conflict. I suggest you guys to read Martin Luther King’s life, and learn what he has done to prevent a clash between white and black, and how he devoted his life (he has been shot to death during a speech) to earn freedom for his people. He should be an inspiration for all those who want peace in this world.

Think of a world without borders, where no child dies because of starvation, no guns, no hatred between nations, where the powerful does not rule the weak, and where there is only peace. It depends on us how far such a world is.

Oh, Bravo, welcome to the la-la land of the left. As for me, I chose to live in the real world, as ugly as it is. Reality bites, but it's the truth.

[elendil]

Think of a world without borders, where no child dies because of starvation, no guns, no hatred between nations, where the powerful does not rule the weak, and where there is only peace. It depends on us how far such a world is.

Evil and good should always walk hand in hand in world since such is the case with the hearth of people. No to facism of nationality, no to facism of religion, no to facism of communism, no to facism of left-right defined ideals.Let people walk the way they see fit, let them pay the price for the path they are willing to take....My idea ofcourse

[Hovik]

I live in Atlanta, GA. It is interesting that once in the lands currently I am living, black and white people were in a big conflict. I suggest you guys to read Martin Luther King’s life, and learn what he has done to prevent a clash between white and black, and how he devoted his life (he has been shot to death during a speech) to earn freedom for his people. He should be an inspiration for all those who want peace in this world.

Think of a world without borders, where no child dies because of starvation, no guns, no hatred between nations, where the powerful does not rule the weak, and where there is only peace. It depends on us how far such a world is.

Great points. Although most Turks would like you to believe that the Blacks were revolting against their white masters, that it was a sort of "civil war" and that the blacks were siding with the 'enemy', that the Blacks wanted their own freedom and equality... and deserved what they got...

[Yavrum]

Great points. Although most Turks would like you to believe that the Blacks were revolting against their white masters, that it was a sort of "civil war" and that the blacks were siding with the 'enemy', that the Blacks wanted their own freedom and equality... and deserved what they got...

LOL - exactly. Good illustration. The same is true for the American Indians. Many of them just wanted to live on the land they had enjoyed for centuries. Should the U.S. change the history pages and say, well, they were revolting and there was a war, several of them actually, so everyone died, big deal. No, the American people have seen fit to own up to the awful past and deal with it, even giving grants and parcels of land for Indian celebrations, etc. In fact, Americans have tried too hard to bend the other way and sometimes go a bit overboard with it. Better that way then denying it and trying to pretend something else happened then what really did happen.

[1.5 million]

Yavrum, Hovik, Elendidl - all very good points...been a long time since this forum had 3 posts (from diff authors) in a row that were halfway decent...

Oh and Emrah - still no hate - but I should have added comical/foolish and insensitive to my description of you...

And by your logic I supose that the Europeans cannot be held account (or should even acknowledge or be apologetic) for any of the evils they inflicted upon the natives of the Americas, Africa, Australia and Asia because of all the nasty things the Mongols had done to other peoples at some time or another - eh?

So if we take the Turks and Armenians and compare them to White Americans (former masters) and Black Americans (former slaves) - considering their relative power positions in society and considering which group had commited abuses upon which other - whom do you might think might be the counterpart of the other?