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COMMENTARY: JUST WHO IS AN ARMENIAN?
http://hetq.am/en/diaspora/armenian-3/#more-42286
2010/11/01 | 11:59
Feature Stories diaspora
The old refrain, who qualifies to be called an Armenian, came crashing
through in real life terms just a few days ago.
At a football match here in Hamburg, Germany, some Armenian guys from
Armenia called some Armenian guys from Istanbul "Turks" because
they were speaking Turkish, not Armenian.
Similar cultural clashes have happened in the past; it's not a
new occurrence.
Armenians from different regions had met up in Germany to play some
"friendly" football matches. Things got out of hand and punches
were thrown along with some choice invectives.
A local Armenian yahoo forum in Germany has been besieged with
comments; most accusatory in nature of one or another side. Each
commentator believes he or she knows what the correct definition of
an Armenian is.
Let's put the question on the table - who exactly is an Armenian?
Are the 18,000 Armenians now in Los Angeles jails Armenian? What about
the recently arrested Armenian mafia types who scammed millions in a
U.S. Medicare system fraud? What do you call the Armenians responsible
for the death of young men serving in the Artsakh Army? Can Armenians
who rip off their fellow Armenians or those who plunder the resources
of Armenia, be called Armenian? What about the thousands who leave
Armenia and those who force them to leave?
Naturally, the simple answer is that they are all Armenians. That's
to say, the way we approach the issue is incorrect. It appears
that whether or not one feels a member of the Armenian nation is
irrelevant. The litmus test is whether one speaks the language or not
or, as many see it, whether one belongs to the Armenian Apostolic
Church. These people don't even consider Armenian Evangelicals or
Catholics "real" Armenians.
Aren't some of these same Armenian-speaking, Armenian Apostolic
Church members, in the short-sightedness, allowing for the
gradual disappearance of the language in Armenia by permitting
the establishment of foreign language schools? Are these Armenians
actually "Turks" in disguise? Of course not; but they are Armenians
of a different stripe.
Why can't we just accept the fact that Armenians are simply a people
just like any other? Not better or worse; a mix of good and bad,
with its share of faults and foibles.
Why can't we accept the Armenian reality that exists, even though
sometimes it may leave a bitter taste in our mouths? We must realize
that to change this reality we need to understand one another, to help
one another, and not criticize or insult. The principle of "teaching
and being taught" must be a key component of the equation.
Defining a nation and its traits, of course, is different from an
individual's national belonging and his/her emotions. A nation has a
unique make-up - history, language, culture, religion and, of course,
the native homeland on which it lives, survives, creates and develops
its culture, language and literature.
Naturally, it would be ideal if the traits of an individual feeling
a sense of belonging to a nation correspond to the general traits of
that nation - ideal, yes, but not mandatory.
It is enough that a person feels a part of the nation as a whole;
for the individual to be considered a member of the national family.
Rather than abusing and stereotyping others, we should respect their
feelings. We need to help and show them the way, as it were, so that
they too can fully display our national traits.
Yervand Khosrovyan European Congress of Armenians October 26, 2010
From: A. Papazian
http://hetq.am/en/diaspora/armenian-3/#more-42286
2010/11/01 | 11:59
Feature Stories diaspora
The old refrain, who qualifies to be called an Armenian, came crashing
through in real life terms just a few days ago.
At a football match here in Hamburg, Germany, some Armenian guys from
Armenia called some Armenian guys from Istanbul "Turks" because
they were speaking Turkish, not Armenian.
Similar cultural clashes have happened in the past; it's not a
new occurrence.
Armenians from different regions had met up in Germany to play some
"friendly" football matches. Things got out of hand and punches
were thrown along with some choice invectives.
A local Armenian yahoo forum in Germany has been besieged with
comments; most accusatory in nature of one or another side. Each
commentator believes he or she knows what the correct definition of
an Armenian is.
Let's put the question on the table - who exactly is an Armenian?
Are the 18,000 Armenians now in Los Angeles jails Armenian? What about
the recently arrested Armenian mafia types who scammed millions in a
U.S. Medicare system fraud? What do you call the Armenians responsible
for the death of young men serving in the Artsakh Army? Can Armenians
who rip off their fellow Armenians or those who plunder the resources
of Armenia, be called Armenian? What about the thousands who leave
Armenia and those who force them to leave?
Naturally, the simple answer is that they are all Armenians. That's
to say, the way we approach the issue is incorrect. It appears
that whether or not one feels a member of the Armenian nation is
irrelevant. The litmus test is whether one speaks the language or not
or, as many see it, whether one belongs to the Armenian Apostolic
Church. These people don't even consider Armenian Evangelicals or
Catholics "real" Armenians.
Aren't some of these same Armenian-speaking, Armenian Apostolic
Church members, in the short-sightedness, allowing for the
gradual disappearance of the language in Armenia by permitting
the establishment of foreign language schools? Are these Armenians
actually "Turks" in disguise? Of course not; but they are Armenians
of a different stripe.
Why can't we just accept the fact that Armenians are simply a people
just like any other? Not better or worse; a mix of good and bad,
with its share of faults and foibles.
Why can't we accept the Armenian reality that exists, even though
sometimes it may leave a bitter taste in our mouths? We must realize
that to change this reality we need to understand one another, to help
one another, and not criticize or insult. The principle of "teaching
and being taught" must be a key component of the equation.
Defining a nation and its traits, of course, is different from an
individual's national belonging and his/her emotions. A nation has a
unique make-up - history, language, culture, religion and, of course,
the native homeland on which it lives, survives, creates and develops
its culture, language and literature.
Naturally, it would be ideal if the traits of an individual feeling
a sense of belonging to a nation correspond to the general traits of
that nation - ideal, yes, but not mandatory.
It is enough that a person feels a part of the nation as a whole;
for the individual to be considered a member of the national family.
Rather than abusing and stereotyping others, we should respect their
feelings. We need to help and show them the way, as it were, so that
they too can fully display our national traits.
Yervand Khosrovyan European Congress of Armenians October 26, 2010
From: A. Papazian