Re: elegy
Friday, September 25, 2009
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POWER
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Because they couldn't get at our revolutionaries, they went after the defenseless civilians. This is an aspect of the Genocide that is covered up by both sides.
Our revolutionaries preached heroism (they still do) but practice taking care of number one (ditto). Which may suggest that “when the going gets tough, the tough get going” but not always in the same direction.
I am not casting aspersions. All I am saying is that sometimes the instinct for self-preservation trumps all other political and moral considerations. That may well be the secret of our survival.
As for our intellectuals: the very few that survived (Zabel Yessayan among them) were later betrayed to the authorities by another set of our so-called “revolutionaries.”
In their national anthem, the English sing: “God save our gracious Queen.”
We would be justified in singing : “God save us from our revolutionaries.”
*
Moral I: Power means first and foremost the power to redefine words, and when power redefines words they end up meaning the opposite of what they say. As when freedom is redefined to mean the freedom to indoctrinate, intimidate, and enslave.
*
Moral II: Even in the most benevolent leader there is a vampire who loves the taste of blood.
*
Moral III:
Without indoctrination and intimidation, a power structure collapses like a house of cards in a windstorm.
*
Moral IV:
If we are unteachable, it may be because we are eminently brainwashable.
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Moral V: When it comes to their own historic experience, both Armenians and Turks are denialists.
#
Friday, September 25, 2009
***********************************************
POWER
********************************************
Because they couldn't get at our revolutionaries, they went after the defenseless civilians. This is an aspect of the Genocide that is covered up by both sides.
Our revolutionaries preached heroism (they still do) but practice taking care of number one (ditto). Which may suggest that “when the going gets tough, the tough get going” but not always in the same direction.
I am not casting aspersions. All I am saying is that sometimes the instinct for self-preservation trumps all other political and moral considerations. That may well be the secret of our survival.
As for our intellectuals: the very few that survived (Zabel Yessayan among them) were later betrayed to the authorities by another set of our so-called “revolutionaries.”
In their national anthem, the English sing: “God save our gracious Queen.”
We would be justified in singing : “God save us from our revolutionaries.”
*
Moral I: Power means first and foremost the power to redefine words, and when power redefines words they end up meaning the opposite of what they say. As when freedom is redefined to mean the freedom to indoctrinate, intimidate, and enslave.
*
Moral II: Even in the most benevolent leader there is a vampire who loves the taste of blood.
*
Moral III:
Without indoctrination and intimidation, a power structure collapses like a house of cards in a windstorm.
*
Moral IV:
If we are unteachable, it may be because we are eminently brainwashable.
*
Moral V: When it comes to their own historic experience, both Armenians and Turks are denialists.
#
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