If you couldn't marry an Armenian.....

[yerazhishda]

Re: If you couldn't marry an Armenian.....

The fact is, though, Italy can afford to lose another Italian; they have a population of 60 million. They are not under threat of war. Italian culture is pretty much the centerpiece of Western civilization and is so abundant that Italy would have to be nuked 10 times over to destroy all its art, architecture, etc. In otherwords, they're not going anywhere soon.

Armenia, on the otherhand has a whopping population of 2.5 million and a total of 8 million worldwide, and is on the decline due to emigration from the country. In a generation, much of the "Armenians" that live worldwide will be lost to integration and assimilation meaning, they will not speak, read or write Armenian, they will probably not go to church and be a part of the Armenian community, they will of course not repatriate etc.; that generation of would-be Armenians is lost forever. Our literature, architecture, sculpture, and art are barely known outside of Armenia. Armenia is also under threat of war from the two turkic countries that flank it, and believe me, this 'war' will be more about the ethnic cleansing of Armenians than the land its supposedly being fought over.

There is also an inherent "survival mode" that all Armenians have had passed down from generation from generation. Any Armenian will know what I'm talking about. It's hard to explain to someone who has come from such a large nation as Italy.

This is the first time Armenians have had an independent nation in over 600 years, the worth of which only the Assyrians might understand. To sum up; Armenians feel a duty to serve their nation at least by not assimilating into the 'plain-toast' Western/American culture.

[Italia brrro]

Re: If you couldn't marry an Armenian.....

No, I'm not. Maybe fortunately?

And you've left the magnificent Italia for California!?

lol yes, well I was too young to know the difference. From what I understand there were too many associations with bad people there, but thats the extent that I know. The parents never talk about it...must be some mafiosa stuff

And I don't know what you're talking about Cali is aweseme! It's the land of happening things.

[Italia brrro]

Re: If you couldn't marry an Armenian.....

First I have one question these "Armenian girls mixed with Persian" you keep mentioning, are you referring to Armenians girls from Iran or actual 1/2 Armenian 1/2 Persian individuals?

Because if you are speaking of women that are the children of an Armenian/Persian mix of course they are going to be more accepting of interracial relationships, as their parents have entered into such a relationship. Their parents are not going to raise them with the ideal that same nationality/race marriage is the best situation for all involved, how could they? It would be hypocritical. And frankly I have lived in California my entire life, come from a family that lived in Iran, have many Persian friends and could count on two fingers the amount of Armenian/Persian mixed individuals that I know, so I am not sure where all these women you know are coming from?

The ideal of marriage within ones nationality/race is not solely Armenian, as I have said over and over in the threads related to this topic. I am sure that your Italian grandparents and maybe even your parents would or do support this belief.

Love is a choice as Anon posted earlier. Some mixed marriages may work out, but in general if there are too many differences in culture, traditions, ideals and language no matter what two individuals come together there are going to be issues. Why chose to put yourself in a relationship that you can be sure at some point in time that these issues will arise?

I also would like to address the statements that are continually made regarding Armenians marrying Armenians in the Diaspora. Marriage is the coming together of not just two individuals but of entire families. Family connection is very important to the Armenian in the Diaspora. What keeps our identities? What continues our history and heritage outside of Armenia? What continues the bloodlines of our fathers and grandfathers? Marriage and procreation. Why shouldn’t Armenians in the Diaspora continue to strive to keep our communities alive outside of Armenia? I mean I understand the point that if it is possible to take our families and return that this is the perfect completion of who and what we are, but to state that unless you are planning to return to Armenia it is not that important to marry within our own people is somewhat confusing to me.

Our communities have thrived in various countries for centuries before the genocide, not a perfect scenario, but if they had not stayed together as a community in these other locations, how many of us would actually be here today? How many more generations of Armenians will there be outside of Armenia? I mean lets face it, not all families outside of Armenia have the way or means to return so many are just struggling to survive where they are now, should our families die out due to this fact? Should our language and traditions die outside of Armenia? Maybe I am naive, maybe I am old fashioned, maybe I am foolish, but I agree 100% with Anon and Anoush. Personally I could not and would not marry an odar.

whoa that was long....I believe I know both of which you speak about. Some are from Iranian descent and some are the offspring of a Persian and an Armenian. Some of them are from Glendale and some of them are from La Crescenta and surrounding areas. I know of a lot of them because I used to go to a high school with a huge Armenian population and I grew up with them.

I understand everything that you are saying, and if preserving you culture is what is important to YOU, then like I have said this whole time I see nothing wrong with YOU wanting to marry within your own kind. However, when pressure is put on people to marry within a certain racial field, I think that is too far. I think a person should be allowed to marry whom ever they see fit. Now it would be ok for parents to educate their children on the history of Armenia and how important it is to preserve the culture, but if the child grows up and sees fit to marry an Italian , they should not disown or look down upon them like I seen happen before.

When my family moved to the U.S., they saw it fit for our family to assimilate and always taught me to not limit my heart to any race. Now I would like to have an Italian woman because they are beautiful and have similar personalities, and speak my language. BUT, I would be offended if I brought a lets say Armenian girl home, and my parents didn't approve solely on race. There would be some major arguments happening.

So in short, if you feel it is your duty to marry within your race, then I think thats great and will probably make like easier for you, but keep it at that and don't allow peer pressure to make your decisions or don't be guilty of pressuring others into doing as you want. (Can you say run-on sentence??)

[Lucin]

Re: If you couldn't marry an Armenian.....

Well I'm sorry to hear that, but my experiences have shown different. Are you from CA?

No, I'm not. Maybe fortunately?

And you've left the magnificent Italia for California!?

[Anush]

Re: If you couldn't marry an Armenian.....

But then again I guess I shouldn't really complain about them wanting to reproduce from their own kind because they do make beautiful children. And the ones that are mixed with Persian are hot and willing to procreate with "odars"

First I have one question these "Armenian girls mixed with Persian" you keep mentioning, are you referring to Armenians girls from Iran or actual 1/2 Armenian 1/2 Persian individuals?

Because if you are speaking of women that are the children of an Armenian/Persian mix of course they are going to be more accepting of interracial relationships, as their parents have entered into such a relationship. Their parents are not going to raise them with the ideal that same nationality/race marriage is the best situation for all involved, how could they? It would be hypocritical. And frankly I have lived in California my entire life, come from a family that lived in Iran, have many Persian friends and could count on two fingers the amount of Armenian/Persian mixed individuals that I know, so I am not sure where all these women you know are coming from?

The ideal of marriage within ones nationality/race is not solely Armenian, as I have said over and over in the threads related to this topic. I am sure that your Italian grandparents and maybe even your parents would or do support this belief.

Love is a choice as Anon posted earlier. Some mixed marriages may work out, but in general if there are too many differences in culture, traditions, ideals and language no matter what two individuals come together there are going to be issues. Why chose to put yourself in a relationship that you can be sure at some point in time that these issues will arise?

I also would like to address the statements that are continually made regarding Armenians marrying Armenians in the Diaspora. Marriage is the coming together of not just two individuals but of entire families. Family connection is very important to the Armenian in the Diaspora. What keeps our identities? What continues our history and heritage outside of Armenia? What continues the bloodlines of our fathers and grandfathers? Marriage and procreation. Why shouldn’t Armenians in the Diaspora continue to strive to keep our communities alive outside of Armenia? I mean I understand the point that if it is possible to take our families and return that this is the perfect completion of who and what we are, but to state that unless you are planning to return to Armenia it is not that important to marry within our own people is somewhat confusing to me.

Our communities have thrived in various countries for centuries before the genocide, not a perfect scenario, but if they had not stayed together as a community in these other locations, how many of us would actually be here today? How many more generations of Armenians will there be outside of Armenia? I mean lets face it, not all families outside of Armenia have the way or means to return so many are just struggling to survive where they are now, should our families die out due to this fact? Should our language and traditions die outside of Armenia? Maybe I am naive, maybe I am old fashioned, maybe I am foolish, but I agree 100% with Anon and Anoush. Personally I could not and would not marry an odar.

[Italia brrro]

Re: If you couldn't marry an Armenian.....

No, Mr. Italiano. Do not speak on our behalf please. As a Persian-Armenian girl, I can confidently say that most of us are not really open to it.

Well I'm sorry to hear that, but my experiences have shown different. Are you from CA?

[Lucin]

Re: If you couldn't marry an Armenian.....

And as I said in another thread, the Armenian/Persian girls are the ones who seem open to being in a relationship with a non armenian, and those are the ones that I have dated.

No, Mr. Italiano. Do not speak on our behalf please. As a Persian-Armenian girl, I can confidently say that most of us are not really open to it.

[Italia brrro]

Re: If you couldn't marry an Armenian.....

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ANOUSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


You beat me

I was gonna say that.

Btw Italian Brrro, full Armenians don't date outside their race because as a child they've been told it's wrong to marry an odar probably cuz of our population #

Armenian girls I'd say 1 in a million will divorce. They're taught to live with their husband through the good and the bad. I mean they know that if they try to act dominant over their husband they'll probably get hit. That's natural in Armenian culture. Try doing that with an American girl. She'll probably go crazy and try to sue her own husband.

And NO! when I say that Armenian men hit their wives I don't mean they beat their asses hardcore. They put them in their place.

LOL and that is ok with you? I admire Armenian woman because they are respectable to their husbands, however, it is never ok to hit a woman (except maybe in self defense). Do you actually condone this behaviour?

I must know some rare Armenian couples then because I know 5 different couples who were married and got divorced. I would venture to say that they stay with their husbands because they are scared for their life or because they fear being put down socially. It is not true happiness, and only continue because fear.

But then again I guess I shouldn't really complain about them wanting to reproduce from their own kind because they do make beautiful children. And the ones that are mixed with Persian are hot and willing to procreate with "odars"

[Pazooki]

Re: If you couldn't marry an Armenian.....

No not necessarily. Odar doesn't mean in a bad connotation and I didn't say it other than the person is not of Armenian nationality.

No we don't think that we are better than thou but I think that if you marry your own kind it will be better and easier all around for later on when things become much more complicated with the outcome of children and so forth.

The other factor is the Armenian nationality's survival factor. If for instance Italians are 100-150 Million throughout the world. Then Armenians are only 7.5-8 Million only. We had very tragic past when annihilations and Genocide happened to Armenians in 1915. Most of the diasporan Armenians are the survivors of that Genocide (they are the grandchildren and the great grandchildren who survived) and some would prefer to intermarry to preserve their own kind as well. If for instance the Genocide didn't occur, we would have been 44 Million on earth.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ANOUSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


You beat me

I was gonna say that.

Btw Italian Brrro, full Armenians don't date outside their race because as a child they've been told it's wrong to marry an odar probably cuz of our population #

Armenian girls I'd say 1 in a million will divorce. They're taught to live with their husband through the good and the bad. I mean they know that if they try to act dominant over their husband they'll probably get hit. That's natural in Armenian culture. Try doing that with an American girl. She'll probably go crazy and try to sue her own husband.

And NO! when I say that Armenian men hit their wives I don't mean they beat their asses hardcore. They put them in their place.

[Anoush]

Re: If you couldn't marry an Armenian.....

Well many Armenian people stick through marriage because they are taught that the value of marriage is important, and yes that is a part of their culture that I think is something that should be salvaged here in the U.S. It would be wise for an Armenian to have high standards for their partner, but not just limit that person to an Armenian. There are plenty "odars" that have high standards and value the sanctitiy of marriage just the same. I personally just think it is wrong to try to coerce somebody and force by pressure somebody into marrying somebody. Let that be their decision.

Is odar a negative connotation? It sounds like odor as in a bad smell.

And as I said in another thread, the Armenian/Persian girls are the ones who seem open to being in a relationship with a non armenian, and those are the ones that I have dated. I have not dated a full armenian. They seem to be more to themselves which gives off the impression that they think they are better than us. That's what gives me such a bad taste in my mouth.

No not necessarily. Odar doesn't mean in a bad connotation and I didn't say it other than the person is not of Armenian nationality.

No we don't think that we are better than thou but I think that if you marry your own kind it will be better and easier all around for later on when things become much more complicated with the outcome of children and so forth.

The other factor is the Armenian nationality's survival factor. If for instance Italians are 100-150 Million throughout the world. Then Armenians are only 7.5-8 Million only. We had very tragic past when annihilations and Genocide happened to Armenians in 1915. Most of the diasporan Armenians are the survivors of that Genocide (they are the grandchildren and the great grandchildren who survived) and some would prefer to intermarry to preserve their own kind as well. If for instance the Genocide didn't occur, we would have been 44 Million on earth.