What Happens Next?

[hyebruin]

i see what you're saying arman, and it is sad to think that once 'it' is accepted and 'done with' that the cohesive forces that bind all armenians will weaken and somehow dissapear; however, the mere acceptance and restitution of the genocide by turkey is not the end! it is only the beginning; and i hope that just like the jewish community we do continue to disseminate and raise consicousness on the event (or the process) that is known as the Armenian Genocide.

our culture encompasses more than just the Genocide and the main reason it has become such a focus amongst us is lack of acknowledgment by most of the world; love of one's culture involves its literature, music, customs, history,...etc.

there is so much to embrace and love when it comes to our armenian culture and i am optimistic that there are many young armenians who will still hunger to learn more about our culture regardless of the politics surrounding the genocide.

[Anonymouse]

So both of you support the the institutionalization of the genocide, like the holocaust? You say there is more to Armenian culture, yet at the same time assign the central importance to the Genocide. If there is more to Armenian culture, then if the genocide is accepted, Armenian culture will stand without it. I do not want the Genocide to be institutionalized. I, unlike you folks and other Armenians, disagree. I want the Genocide recognized just as much as you, but I do not want it to morph to what the Holocaust has morphed to, to an 'industry', and a religion in itself, a political katana sword used as nothing more than a tool for Israel. Justice is honorable and my great-grandparents deserve it, but to institutionalize their blood that was spilled, simply does nothing more than politicize it and insult them. Remembering them is one thing, institutionalizing it is another.

[hyebruin]

it's about paying what's long been overdue; nothing more, nothing less...the rest is all subjective interpretation.

[thedebutante]

As April 24 approaches again I am left with one thought - what happens next? What if the Armenian genocide is accepted by Turkey? What then? What force do Armenians unify against? It seems the genocide has acted as the reference point which Armenians young and old, east and west, from Ethiopia and Zimbabwe, to England and France, to Canada and U.S., all rally around. Take that away, and you take a major part of Armenian national consciousness. And when that happens, what's next? It seems there won't be any more reason for some to be 'Armenian' when there is no goal of great magnitude ahead.

well, then armos start rubbing it against the turks' faces. haha, as if you didnt know!

[Siamanto]

So both of you support the the institutionalization of the genocide, like the holocaust? You say there is more to Armenian culture, yet at the same time assign the central importance to the Genocide. If there is more to Armenian culture, then if the genocide is accepted, Armenian culture will stand without it. I do not want the Genocide to be institutionalized. I, unlike you folks and other Armenians, disagree. I want the Genocide recognized just as much as you, but I do not want it to morph to what the Holocaust has morphed to, to an 'industry', and a religion in itself, a political katana sword used as nothing more than a tool for Israel. Justice is honorable and my great-grandparents deserve it, but to institutionalize their blood that was spilled, simply does nothing more than politicize it and insult them. Remembering them is one thing, institutionalizing it is another.

Anonymouse,
I share your concerns and agree that Jews have abused and mercantilized the sacred memory of their victims.
As long as TEMPORARILY SO CALLED Turkey will continue to have a hostile attitude towards Armenia and Armenians in general, some will be tempted to "institutionalize" - I prefer the word "leverage" - the Genocide as a hedging mechanism. That is unavoidable, but I hope that we will not too closely follow the Jewish example.

From a cultural point of view, contrary to the Jews, Armenians have always lived on their own lands and have had a relatively "indigenous" Culture. The Cultural Artifacts created by Jews mostly belong to the host Cultures. Jews have created, but within other Cultures. Hyebruin has a point!

Also, the "unifying power" of the Genocide can be leveraged to rebuild the future Republic of Armenia - that may not geographically correspond to the existing one. Taking part of the reconstruction will probably create a bond between the Diaspora and the Republic of Armenia. TigranJamharian has a point!

[Red Brigade]

The reason that Turkey was afraid all these years to recognise the Armenian Genocide , is because we will after ask our lands back which is our divine right.

So when they finaly recognise it, then it will just begin , because we will focus
in what we already focused by asking Turkey to recognise the genocide which is to restore the glory of Armenia.

That is why is it vital for us to recognise the Genocide since any aggresion started from us against them will be justified.

The reason we want to recognise the Genocide is to restore historic Armenia the way it should be.

Armenians stayed Armenians even if they were under the rules of Parthians ,Greeks,Byzantians,Romans,Seljuks, Ottomans etc etc... So what many think that just because of the Genocide we are Armenians is a joke.

After the Armenians will be focused in only one thing and that will be the picture which i have in my Avatar on left.

We cant deny that revenge is in the hearts of most Armenians.

So my conclusion is that the recognition of the genocide is simply the first step , since the real cause is after.

[CatWoman]

As April 24 approaches again I am left with one thought - what happens next? What if the Armenian genocide is accepted by Turkey? What then? What force do Armenians unify against? It seems the genocide has acted as the reference point which Armenians young and old, east and west, from Ethiopia and Zimbabwe, to England and France, to Canada and U.S., all rally around. Take that away, and you take a major part of Armenian national consciousness. And when that happens, what's next? It seems there won't be any more reason for some to be 'Armenian' when there is no goal of great magnitude ahead.

I know what you mean, I sometimes think the genocide recognition struggle is what keeps us united as well. Hopefully we're both wrong.

Building a stronger Armenia should be the answer to your question though... A country with a strong economy and a growing population should be our next goal (or perhaps our main goal regardless of the genocide).

[bell-the-cat]

But see, Israel is merely an extension of the Holocaust.

Reverse that, add the word "industry", and it will be correct.

[bell-the-cat]

The reason that Turkey was afraid all these years to recognise the Armenian Genocide , is because we will after ask our lands back which is our divine right.

The only people with "divine rights" are Popes and African dictators.

[Anonymouse]

The reason that Turkey was afraid all these years to recognise the Armenian Genocide , is because we will after ask our lands back which is our divine right.

So when they finaly recognise it, then it will just begin , because we will focus
in what we already focused by asking Turkey to recognise the genocide which is to restore the glory of Armenia.

This isn't about glories. You seem to have caught the wrong winds and have been misled as to what the purpose of this is. This isn't about glories, or "divine rights" to land, it is about justice. You do not deserve land simply because you once occupied it. Turks will not give you that land even if they hypothetically recognize the Genocide. They took it by force, and if you want it, you must be prepared to take it by force.