Yes, we all have a lot of reasons to be proud, but in the diaspora, while our political strenght is getting stronger, and our community centers are getting more and more organized, we are, ironically, on a whole, getting weaker.
Speaking armenian, it seems, is no longer an obligation. I am sorry if I offend anyone on this board who does not speak armenian, but there is no denying it: an armenian who does not speak armenian will not be able to keep his future generations armenian. There are, of course, exceptions, such as a few friends of mine whose parents were unable to learn armenian, but who enrolled their children in armenian schools.
But as I said, those are exceptions. Nowadays, it seems that even parents, despite their strong accent, choose to speak English. Whether it is to impress the neighbours, the family, or their children, I don't know. But it is downright disgusting.
Even 10 years ago, an armenian that was unable to speak armenian was considered a scandal in our community. Now, it seems that it is acceptable. Pretty soon, I fear that it will be the norm.
This is caused by a couple of things:
1) parents who don't care about being armenian
or 2) parents who want to raise their kids as "americans" or "canadians", so they can later go on and say "I'm Trevor Aristakesian, a canadian of armenian descent" and would have absolutely nooooo clue about Armenia or being Armenian
3) An armenian school system that is comprised of old, tired, women teaching armenian, and who put no effort in making it interesting
4) Most armenian community centers who are led by men who do not seem to understand that their time of retirement has arrived, and who continue to organize the same events every year
I have said it time and time again: repatriation is the ONLY solution. Most armenians in the States or Canada do not go any further than 3rd or 4th generation, and already, the armenian identity has been lost in many of them. Repatriation wouldn't even correspond to one hundredth of the sacrifice our grandparents (or great grandparents) went through in order to keep us armenian. In fact, most repats would probably be better off economically if they returned to Armenia. But I guess most of us are no longer armenian enough to care, and are just "american of armenian descent".
hmmmmmm.....did I just ruin the mood here?
Speaking armenian, it seems, is no longer an obligation. I am sorry if I offend anyone on this board who does not speak armenian, but there is no denying it: an armenian who does not speak armenian will not be able to keep his future generations armenian. There are, of course, exceptions, such as a few friends of mine whose parents were unable to learn armenian, but who enrolled their children in armenian schools.
But as I said, those are exceptions. Nowadays, it seems that even parents, despite their strong accent, choose to speak English. Whether it is to impress the neighbours, the family, or their children, I don't know. But it is downright disgusting.
Even 10 years ago, an armenian that was unable to speak armenian was considered a scandal in our community. Now, it seems that it is acceptable. Pretty soon, I fear that it will be the norm.
This is caused by a couple of things:
1) parents who don't care about being armenian
or 2) parents who want to raise their kids as "americans" or "canadians", so they can later go on and say "I'm Trevor Aristakesian, a canadian of armenian descent" and would have absolutely nooooo clue about Armenia or being Armenian
3) An armenian school system that is comprised of old, tired, women teaching armenian, and who put no effort in making it interesting
4) Most armenian community centers who are led by men who do not seem to understand that their time of retirement has arrived, and who continue to organize the same events every year
I have said it time and time again: repatriation is the ONLY solution. Most armenians in the States or Canada do not go any further than 3rd or 4th generation, and already, the armenian identity has been lost in many of them. Repatriation wouldn't even correspond to one hundredth of the sacrifice our grandparents (or great grandparents) went through in order to keep us armenian. In fact, most repats would probably be better off economically if they returned to Armenia. But I guess most of us are no longer armenian enough to care, and are just "american of armenian descent".
hmmmmmm.....did I just ruin the mood here?
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