Happy Birthday Ara Baliozian!

[arabaliozian]

Re: Happy Birthday Ara Baliozian!

Calm down Ara, there was no rage...remember, I wrote "soberly", as in "as-a-matter-of-fact", you are a "hateful malcontent and a son of a xxxxx". Moreover, there is nothing shocking or scandalous in this evident observation. You have been in this unhealthy human condition for decades now. Why would another stupid comment from you get my blood pressure up?

BTW Ara,I'm disappointed in your response (above). If I did not already know you are an old man, I would think you were 14 years old. Honestly Ara, couldn't you have come up with something better than a simple adolescent taunt.

Anyway, happy birthday

sooner or later you have to confront the fact that you come across as someone who is not only a coward but also dishonest enough not to admit it.

[arabaliozian]

Re: Happy Birthday Ara Baliozian!

Reflections of a Concerned Citizen
*************************************************
Sometimes I am attacked on the grounds that I am neither a political pundit nor a philosopher, and that I quote others too frequently to be an original thinker and I repeat myself too much to be a creative writer. But whether or not what I am doing qualifies as literature, journalism, political commentary, criticism, polemic, or some other academic discipline is irrelevant to me. I don't feel the need to classify myself and I care even less how others choose to see me. I don't even mind being described as a derivative hack who doesn't deserve to be published and read. (This, by the way, is already what our partisan editors have decided to do anyway, so that my critics may have good reason to feel vindicated.)
I know one thing for certain: the questions I raise and discuss will have to be raised and discussed sooner or later by others, and if these others are more competent than I and if they carry out their task by means of an easily classifiable genre (drama, fiction, essay, political treatise, philosophical analysis) so much the better.

But it seems to me, in our context, it would be far more useful to introduce the concept of direction rather than literary genre: we either advance in the right direction by discussing our problems objectively or we ignore them in the name of this or that academic abstraction.

To our junkies of classification, I say: If it is classification you want, then classify me simply as a concerned citizen. I for one will be more than happy with that tag.

[arabaliozian]

Re: Happy Birthday Ara Baliozian!

THE MEETING OF THE TWAIN
************************************************
It has been said that the East is more religious, mystical, metaphysical.
By contrast, the West is more pragmatic, scientific, skeptical.
Armenians, who happen to be in the middle, appear to have learned the worst from both camps. To justify their partisan or parochial loyalties, they adopt metaphysical reasons which are not easy to refute, hence, their longevity.
But to promote their own interests, they adopt pragmatic methods, hence, such
phenomena as full-page ads in the NEW YORK TIMES promoting the sale of Oriental rugs in our cathedrals. (Some of these rugs, I am informed by eyewitnesses, bear a label that says "Made in Turkey.")
Dear Mr. Kipling: You were not quite right when you said "East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet." The twain have met in us and the result, alas, cannot be said to be an edifying spectacle.

[crusader1492]

Re: Happy Birthday Ara Baliozian!

sooner or later you have to confront the fact that you come across as someone who is not only a coward but also dishonest enough not to admit it.

You see Ara, just because you (of all people ) are calling me a coward (for the 10th time), it does not make it so. BTW, what was it again...the reason I'm a coward? Because I post anonomously? Are you the only brave one here then?

Also Ara, your foolish efforts to slander me will not make others think your writing is worthy of reading (much less to be considered seriously).
Regardless of that, I'm glad I inspire you. It makes me feel good that I am helping a self-professed failure feel somewhat relevant. It is good to have some sense of purpose as you get on in years.

Anyway Ara, from one "coward" to another coward ...happy birthday!

[crusader1492]

Re: Happy Birthday Ara Baliozian!

Monday, January 28, 2008
**************************************
ON TURKISH LOVE & ARMENIAN HATRED
************************************************** *****
If Turks love me and Armenians hate me (this according to one of my gentle anonymous readers on the Internet)...

That's me!

...it may be because Turks are not always wrong and Armenians not always right -- especially when it comes to judging their fellow Armenians.
To avoid recognizing the devil in us we demonize others –i.e. we project. In the same way that xxxs demonize anti-Semites, and some blacks demonize white men (“White man is the devil”), we demonize not only Turks and the Great Powers of the West, but also anyone who dares not to be on our side. On more than one occasion I have myself been demonized by fellow Armenians simply because I refuse to parrot their favorite brand of propaganda. Hence my skepticism of all blame-games.
Playing the blame-game might as well be synonymous with being infallible, and being infallible means an inability to learn from one’s mistakes, because in order to learn from them one must first admit them.
An addict of the blame-game is a morally bankrupt man because he’d rather lose his reason than give up his addiction.
As for Turks loving me: as far as I know, Turks don’t read me, and if they read me, they don’t comment on what I write. The only Turk who has written me agrees with me that Armeno-Turkish relations will have a better chance to improve on the day extremists on both sides are marginalized thus allowing the moderates the upper hand.

Keep trying...one day you will reach you goal of endearing yourself to the Turk of the world. Hold on to your dream!

As for Armenians who hate me: I also have a good number of Armenian readers who agree with me...

Sure they do

...and others who are critical only because I don’t go far enough in my criticism. My comment on Armenians who hate me: their verbal abuse is such that it does not require any comment on my part.

Stop it Ara, you are killing me

[freakyfreaky]

Re: Happy Birthday Ara Baliozian!

Ara, all I can say is that some of the detractors on this board have no idea what they are railing against; especially, when it comes to you (attacking your position is one thing, attacking you is just wrong).

http://www.azad-hye.net/news/viewnews.asp?newsId=884sgh16

http://www.narek.com/arabaliozian.htm

[Armenian]

Re: Happy Birthday Ara Baliozian!

Ara, all I can say is that some of the detractors
on this board have no idea what they are railing against;

Your a naughty-naughty freak, does Ara know about your antisemitism?

[crusader1492]

Re: Happy Birthday Ara Baliozian!

Monday, January 28, 2008
**********************************************
On "attacking" Ara
****************
Many unsuspecting Armenians (and non-Armenians alike) come to this forum to learn more about Armenian identity, only to be bombarded by Ara's unbalanced and scornful remarks one everything Armenian...remarks made under the guise of "critisism".
*
Ara's style of writing is fortune-cookie like, filled with self-righteous rants.
*
Ara's diolaoge is one-way. He does not respond to thoughtful criticisms...the opinions of other Armenians are beneath him.
*
Ara's thoughts are given a false sence of legitimacy as they are buttressed by the collusion from his "dupes" (FreakyFreaky and Siamanto to name a few).
*
Alas, Ara, our "resident poet" and son of a Genocide survivor, comes off as a sage-like figure to the unsuspecting Armenian who wants to learn more about Armenian identity.
*
What would this unsuspecting Armenian think of Armenians after reading Ara's posts? Posts with the purpose of eroding Armenian dignity.
*
I will continue to "attack" Ara in order to expose him as a charlatan, unworthy of his Armenian lineage.
*
I will do it with a "hooligan's" zeal...with a smile on my face and the Mer Hyrenik in my heart.

[Armenian]

Re: Happy Birthday Ara Baliozian!

Monday, January 28, 2008
**********************************************
On "attcking" Ara
*************
Many unsuspecting Armenians (and non-Armenians alike) come to this forum to learn more about Armenian identity, only to be bombarded by Ara's unbalanced and scornful remarks one everything Armenian...remarks made under the guise of "critisism".
*
Ara, style of writing is fortune-cookie like, filled with self-righteous rants.
*
Ara, diolaoge is one-way. He does not respond to thoughtful criticisms...other opinions are beneath him.
*
Ara's thoughts are given a false sence of legitimacy as they are buttressed by the collusion from his "dupes" (FreakyFreaky and Siamanto to name a few)
*
Alas, Ara, our "resident poet" and son of a Genocide survivor, comes off as a sage-like figure to the unsuspecting Armenian who wants to learn more about Armenian identity
*
What would this unsuspecting Armenian think of Armenians after reading Ara's posts? Posts with the purpose of eroding Armenian dignity.
*
I will continue to "attack" Ara in order to expose him as a charlatan, unworthy of being called an Armenian. I will do it with a smile on my face and the Mer Hyrenik in my heart.

[freakyfreaky]

Re: Happy Birthday Ara Baliozian!

I've never met Ara in my life. And, I don't necessarily agree with everything he says.

But, I do agree he has a right to say it sans ad hominem attacks.

As for anti-semitism, I am not an anti-semite.

You've been duped by the media and political organizations charading as human rights organizations to believe that a criticism or observation of how one ethnicity or religious group politicizes its tragedies while minimalizing the tragedies of others (e.g. AG) and marketing other tragedies (e.g., Save Darfur) is evidence of anti-semitism.

And this some how goes back to Ara. He rails against our leaders. He's entitled to. Certainly, our American Armenian leaders take advantage of us too.

They have been blowing the same horn for years without fully understanding the powers that be in D.C. and in their own backyard with respect to the majority of the American diaspora population. After 35 years, they are unable to influence public opinion through traditional MSM and despite claiming grass-roots have very little ability to swell the masses on the ground. You could claim that they are naive. Or, perhaps their followers are.

In the same way, you could argue that Turkish Armenian leaders took advantage of those that perished. I think this is a vein of Ara's position. From what I gather, he points to the corrupt individual or group.

That he is Armenian and criticizes Armenians should be of little or no import to his message.

Also, if you have gained any wisdom from your time in the service or just spinning on this big rock, you shouldn't bother a fool to let him know he is one (if that is in fact what you are doing) lest you want to be considered a fool's fool and you shouldn't disparage your elders.