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TOP STORIES
05/20/2005
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1) ANCA Congratulates Villaraigosa, Looks Forward to Working Together in the
Future
2) Greek Americans Call for Armenian Genocide Reparations
3) Surprise Move by Belgium's Socialist Party Hinders Armenian Efforts
4) Kerkorian Pays Unexpected Visit to Armenia
5) Glendale Ghapan Sister City Association to Send Medical Delegation to
Armenia
6) ANC Leadership Institute Hosts Talk on Genocide Education Project
7) UCLA Armenian Student Association Celebrates 60th anniversary with Alumni
Reception
8) Tamar Mashigian Reviews PASSAGE THROUGH HELL
9) I SEE LONDON, I SEE FRANCE...I SEE SADDAM'S UNDERPANTS
1) ANCA Congratulates Villaraigosa, Looks Forward to Working Together in the
Future
LOS ANGELES--Los Angeles City Council Member Antonio Villaraigosa scored a
decisive victory in the May 17 run-off election for Los Angeles Mayor, running
against incumbent Mayor Jim Hahn. This was the second time the two have faced
off with the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) having endorsed
Villaraigosa both during the previous election in 2001and this election cycle.
This victory makes Antonio Villaraigosa the first Latino mayor of Los Angeles
since 1872 and also positions him to be a political force in national
politics.
Villaraigosa rode a wave of voter discontent with Mayor Hahn and his
administration and was able to build a substantially broader coalition of
support this time, especially among the city's different ethnic communities,
including the Armenian American community. This fact, coupled with voters'
desire for a fresh direction for the city, resulted in a major voter swing in
Villaraigosa's favor.
Commenting on the strong relationship Villaraigosa has with the Armenian
American community, Steven J. Dadaian, Chairman of the ANC Western Region,
stated, "Antonio's relationship with our community is based on years of
being a
leading advocate in supporting justice for the Armenian Genocide, promoting
genocide curricula in our schools, strengthening economic ties with Armenia,
and increasing the inclusion of Armenian Americans in public service. We
congratulate him on his election as Mayor of the nation's second largest and
most dynamic city and look forward to his leadership in making our goals a
reality."
The ANCA conducted a major voter awareness campaign for the election and
Villaraigosa's candidacy which included television interviews, producing a TV
commercial targeted at the Armenian American community that aired on many
Armenian cable stations, print advertising, and providing volunteers to do
Armenian voter outreach throughout the campaign.
"As we have seen in both the Glendale city elections and now the Los Angeles
Mayor's election, there is a growing electoral shift occurring in Los Angeles
that is creating new opportunities for political leaders of different ethnic
backgrounds," said Zanku Armenian, ANCA Liaison to the Villaraigosa campaign.
"Recognizing the need for more dynamic and diverse leadership in City Hall,
the
ANCA endorsed Villaraigosa and deployed substantial resources to get out the
Armenian American vote in support of his candidacy. As with his past
positions,
we felt Antonio Villaraigosa would prove to be a mayor who will work closely
with the Armenian American community, ensuring we play a vital role in city
government," added Armenian.
Mayor-elect Antonio Villaraigosa will be sworn into office on July 1.
2) Greek Americans Call for Armenian Genocide Reparations
WASHINGTON, DC--The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) expressed
appreciation on behalf of the Armenian American community to the American
Hellenic Institute and the leading Greek American membership organizations for
their principled stand in favor of Turkish compensation for the Armenian
genocide.
American Hellenic Institute president Gene Rossides, in a public statement
issued on Thursday, called for Armenian genocide reparations as part of a
policy statement on "Compensation to Turkey's Victims," prepared by the
American Hellenic Institute. The policy statement has been endorsed by the
major Greek American membership groups: the Order of AHEPA, Hellenic American
National Council, Cyprus Federation of America, Panepirotic Federation of
America, Pan-Macedonian Association of America, Evrytanian Association of
America and American Hellenic Institute.
"We want to extend our appreciation to Eugene Rossides, the American Hellenic
Institute, and all the leading Greek American groups for their clearly
articulated and principled demand that Turkey compensate the Armenian nation
for the Armenian Genocide," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "We
join with our Greek American friends in calling on our government to press
Turkey to ensure a just resolution of this crime and an equitable
settlement of
all of Turkey's offenses against Greeks and Armenians."
In addition to seeking Turkish government compensation for the Armenian
genocide, the Greek American leadership calls for Turkish compensation to the
1) the victims of Turkey's illegal invasion of Cyprus of 1974; 2) the
owners of
property in Cyprus illegally taken, occupied and used by the Turkish
authorities and individuals since 1974; 3) the victims of the September 1955
Turkish pogrom against its Greek citizens in Istanbul; 4) the victims of the
Turkish genocide against the Pontian Greeks in the 1920's, and; 5) the victims
of the Turkish massacre of the Greek and Armenian populations of Smyrna (now
Izmir) in 1922 under Kemal Ataturk's orders.
In calling on "the US government to press Turkey to pay compensation," the
Greek American leadership cited "the compensation paid by the government of
Germany to Holocaust victims and to the state of Israel and the government of
Japan to the victims of its actions in Asia before and during World War II."
3) Surprise Move by Belgium's Socialist Party Hinders Armenian Efforts
BRUSSELS--In the next few days, the Belgium Senate will examine a draft law
that would expand the definition for genocide denial. The draft law approved
earlier by the House of Representative is based on a judicial definition of
the
crime of genocide, and does not specifically penalize the denial of the
Armenian genocide.
The House version was enacted prior to the establishment of the relevant
international jurisdiction. But the issue has come to prominence recently due
to numerous instances of Armenian genocide denial in Belgium.
As a result, nearly half of the members of the Senate are seeking to consider
this law and examine amendments to extend penalties for the denial of those
genocides recognized by Belgian federal legislative bodies and by European
legislative institutions.
The position of Belguim's Socialist Party (PS), however, has upset a leading
European Armenian group, which denounced the "openly denialist position" of
the
PS.
The European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (EAFJD) said
the PS
has indirectly indicated that it will not support these amendments.
The PS, in a statement, writes: "To take legal action in our courts, a
consensus is required among the international community on the
qualification of
the incriminated facts. This consensus of the international community has
to go
beyond resolutions without juridical significance taken by national or
European
Assemblies. If not, we would take the risk to trivialize the horrible meaning
of the Jewish genocide undertaken by a modern State."
The statement also concludes that House of Representative draft law could be
applied "to the Armenian genocide, when it is recognized by an appropriate
body."
"It appears to us that the PS position was imposed by the Turkish state, in
furtherance of its policy of questioning the reality of the Armenian genocide
through the use of trivialization and rationalization," the EAFJD said in its
sharp criticism of PS.
"We also hold that the PS, in making comparisons to the Holocaust, has
reduced
itself to the base level of arranging a hierarchy of suffering, ranking
victims
in order importance."
The EAFJD also criticized the PS for discrediting itself by repudiating its
previous positions on this very issue.
It accused the PS of reducing a profound moral issue to crass electoral
considerations by enlisting the support of "a fringe element of genocide
deniers that have neither respect for Belgium or Belgians." "We denounce the
transparent demagoguery of the PS, which has become obsessed with chasing the
Turkish vote throughout Brussels."
The EAFJD has called on human rights organizations, the Centre pour l'egalite
des chances, the members and the organization of the Common Socialist Action,
the organization representing the victims of genocide, and especially the
Jewish, Armenian, and Tutsi organizations and civil society to demand that PS
issue a public apology and adopt a position consistent with its socialist
legacy and European values.
4) Kerkorian Pays Unexpected Visit to Armenia
YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--Armenian-American billionaire and philantropist Kirk
Kerkorian arrived in Yerevan on Wednesday and met with President Robert
Kocharian, as well as received the nation's highest state award--The Medal of
Fatherland.
The reclusive tycoon spent the next day inspecting streets in the city center
and roads outside it that were rebuilt with his money. He was reportedly
satisfied with the results of the projects.
"Everything is wonderful here. I just couldn't imagine how beautiful this
place is," Kerkorian said, as he sat in a street cafe in downtown Yerevan on
Thursday.
Asked by the paper whether intends to provide more multimillion-dollar
assistance to Armenia, he said: "We'll think."
The Armenian government hopes that Kerkorian will approve another hefty aid
allocation comparable to its annual budget. Its possibility was apparently
discussed during his meeting with Kocharian.
"The current economic situation and reforms implemented in the country were
discussed at the meeting," read a brief statement by Kocharian's office. "Also
discussed were prospects for the republic's economic development."
The implementation of the Lincy projects was personally overseen and
coordinated by the chief of Kocharian's staff, Artashes Tumanian. The
transparency and integrity of the process was seriously questioned by some
Armenian press reports.
Kerkorian, 87, has been Armenia's by far the largest diaspora benefactor
since
independence, having donated about $180 million through his charity, the Lincy
Foundation. The bulk of the money has been allocated and spent since 2001 on
various infrastructure projects. Those included the repair of 420
kilometers of
major highways and the construction of 3,700 new apartments in the country's
northwestern regions hit hard by the 1988 catastrophic earthquake.
Kerkorian is known around the world as the owner of Tracinda Corporation, a
Nevada-based investment company. "Forbes" magazine estimates his fortune at
$8.1 billion. Among his biggest holdings are the MGM-Mirage casino and hotel
operator as well as the Mandalay Bay Resorts group.
Kerkorian recently made headlines in the Western press with the announcement
of his plans to more than double his stake in General Motors, the world's
largest automaker, to 8.84 percent.
5) Glendale Ghapan Sister City Association to Send Medical Delegation to
Armenia
GLENDALE--The Glendale Ghapan Sister City Association (GGSCA) has organized a
delegation of medical experts and professionals to visit Armenia in September
to promote a better understanding of the country's history, people, and
culture
among Glendale's medical community, and to familiarize Armenia's health
administrators and professionals with the American healthcare system model.
The delegation includes Hon. Larry Zarian, Governing Board Member of Glendale
Adventist Hospital and former Glendale City Councilmember; Scott Reiner, Chief
Executive Officer of Glendale Adventist Hospital; Carl Ermshar, the hospital's
Chief of Staff; Dr. Alber Karamanoukian, a Glendale-based physician; and
representatives of GGSCA.
"We are very excited about our upcoming delegation to Armenia," said Artin
Manoukian, President of GGSCA. "Both the delegation, as well as the medical
community in Armenia, will learn a great deal from this exchange, and as a
result will be able to provide a higher quality of care to their patients in
the long run."
The delegation will travel to Yerevan and Ghapan where they will visit
medical
institutions, as well as meet with various medical professionals, government
officials, and health administrators. They will also visit historical and
cultural sites throughout the two cities.
"Because of Glendale's large Armenian population, the City's medical
community
provides care to thousands of Armenians," said Larry Zarian, Governing Board
Member of Glendale Adventist Hospital. "Through exchanges such as this
delegation, our health providers can become more familiar with the culture and
history of the people they serve."
The non-profit organization was founded in 2001 to foster relations, as well
as cultural and economic cooperation between Glendale, California and Ghapan,
Armenia.
6) ANC Leadership Institute Hosts Talk on Genocide Education Project
GLENDALE--Speaking to a capacity audience at the Armenian National Committee
(ANC) Leadership Institute on May 11, Sara Cohen, Education Director of the
Genocide Education Project, presented its mission to help prevent genocide by
assisting educators, students, and educational organizations through education
about genocide and other major human rights violations, with specific focus on
the Armenian genocide.
The ANC Professional Network (PN) hosted the lecture in its ongoing effort to
develop future generations of leaders to advance the interests of Armenian
Americans by encouraging the emergence of an educated and politically active
community.
The audience of young professionals, which included educators, learned of the
Genocide Education Project's development of a comprehensive teacher's manual
that includes one, two and 10-day lesson plans and how the organization trains
teachers interested in educating their students about the Armenian genocide.
Complete lesson plans and other teaching tools are available online at
www.teachgenocide.org.
"Incorporating the Armenian Genocide into public school curricula will help
establish more understanding among a diverse student body so that all future
acts of intolerance can be avoided," commented Jeannine Topalian, President of
the ANC-PN and a school psychologist in the Los Angeles Unified School
District.
California Law mandates that the Armenian genocide be taught in the state's
public schools. However, due to the overwhelming number of lessons that
teachers have to plan and prepare, the Armenian genocide is often omitted. The
lesson plans in the teacher's manual developed by the Genocide Education
Project lift the burden placed on teachers and allow them to easily
incorporate
California's mandated curriculum.
7) UCLA Armenian Student Association Celebrates 60th anniversary with Alumni
Reception
WESTWOOD--The UCLA Armenian Student Association (ASA) will be celebrating the
60th anniversary of the organization's founding with an alumni reception on
Sunday, May 22 on campus.
Established in 1945, the ASA has continued to strive to spread Armenian
history and culture throughout the UCLA student community. Whether it is
planning a cultural performance, a genocide awareness event, or a social
mixer,
the ASA has consistently put together quality programming to serve the student
community. This year, the organization decided to not only give back to the
students, but to fellow alumni as well.
The networking event will include guest speakers and a photo slide show
highlighting various years throughout ASA history. Proceeds from the program
will be used towards various UCLA ASA programming and to build a school in
Armenia.
The alumni reception will be held at the Kerckhoff Grand Salon on UCLA's
campus. Through networking, the ASA has attempted to get in contact with a
number of UCLA alums and former ASA members to take part in the event.
"A project like this hasn't been attempted in recent years...this is something
that the ASA has decided to put together to give back to the community," said
program coordinator Maral Karagozian. "It was a great challenge to start from
scratch and attempt to locate as many former ASA members as possible."
Tickets for the event are $20, which includes appetizers and wine. Please
RSVP
as soon as possible at [email protected] or by calling (626)372-4630. The
UCLA ASA is one of the oldest Armenian-American student groups in the United
States. This year marks the 60th anniversary of its existence. The UCLA ASA
seeks to cultivate a true understanding and appreciation of Armenian history,
heritage, and culture through cultural, social, and recreational activities.
8) Tamar Mashigian Reviews PASSAGE THROUGH HELL
By Armen Anush Marashlian
Translated by Ishkhan Jinbashian
Passage Through Hell, the English translation of writer Armen Anush's memoir
of the deportation and massacres, was presented at the Montebello Armenian
Center on April 19, and at Ferrahian High School in Encino on April 28. It is
dedicated to the memory of the 1.5 million Armenian victims of the Genocide
and
to the Generation of the Desert Orphans.
The following is Tamar Mashigian's April 28 presentation of the book:
Over the past three decades, I have heard the tragic stories of dozens of
Genocide survivors. I have interviewed numerous survivors, both on film and
cassette tape. From cities like Izmit and Izmir to Garin and Kharpert, these
eyewitnesses to the Genocide have told of the shock of being uprooted from
their loving Armenian homes, their horrifying journeys through the desert and
their ultimate miraculous survival.
So when I received the book "Passage Through Hell" by noted writer and
educator Armen Anush Marashlian, I thought to myself, "I've heard so many
stories about the deportations and massacres. Maybe I can skim this book."
Most
accounts of the deportations and massacre are so horrific, I was thinking I
might spare myself the river of tears that involuntarily flow when I hear the
grisly details of the Genocide.
But there was no putting it aside or hastily scanning the pages of Passage
Through Hell. Instead, I discovered that I was reading the poignant plight of
one family, author Armen Anush's family, and almost like a suspense novel
found
I couldn't put it down. I had to know what was going to happen to them.
The book is written in the first person. Armen Anush is a 9-year-old boy
living in war-torn Urfa, with gunfire and explosions wracking his
neighborhood.
That was in the fall of 1915. Armen Anush's father was gone for days at a
time, returning with a grim face only to leave again--presumably to fight the
enemy Turk. One evening shrapnel landed near the family's house. "Tomorrow
evening our neighborhood, too, will be destroyed," Armen Anush's father
predicted, and he left the house, never to be seen again. Indeed, the next day
an explosion took off the roof of their house, and the family left on a
journey
that was, quite literally, "a passage through hell."
During the Marashlians' march through the killing fields of Turkey, we get to
know each of the family members as if they are our own, and we are caught
up in
emotional turmoil as we discover the fate of each one of them:
* His amazingly young mother, who at the age of 29 bears 7 children, ranging
from twin babies to a 12-year-old, is determined to keep the family together
during the deportations, and even after her money runs out...
* his sister, Victoria, who is transformed from a pretty, black-haired
12-year-old Armenian girl to a withered skeleton on the deportation route.
* sister Rebecca, age 7, with her red hair and fiery black eyes,
uncharacteristically quiet on the deportation march, wearing her kindergarten
uniform.
* sister Nvard, 5 years old, who is deaf and mute after a terrible fever when
she was 3, and is consequently protected by everyone in the family.
* 3-year-old sister Aghavni, a cute little girl who is the spoiled child of
the family.
* twin brothers, Tigranik and Mihranik, 9 months old.
Armen Anush brings all of his family members to life in these pages; in doing
so, he has found a beautiful way to honor them.
There are many poignant moments for the Marashlian family along the
deportation route; for instance, when they create a makeshift home. "We were
still working when mother came back. Victoria took the stuff that she had
brought, which included a jug of water, bread, vegetables and even a candle
and
matches. Nvard, eyes wide open, looked on with astonishment. I grabbed the
candle and matches from Victoria's hands and jumped up and down. 'So we'll be
lighting a candle and drink water from a jug,' I kept repeating and prancing.
The girls laughed."
Armen Anush also recounts the kindnesses of strangers: "I had recuperated but
could hardly stand up. Mother carried me. She groaned and panted under my
weight. Already we were behind. The slope wouldn't end and mother, out of
breath, struggled to climb. A boy of 14 or 15 approached us and told her,
'Give
him to me, madam, you're too tired.' Without waiting for an answer, he took me
in his strong arms and headed straight for the front lines."
Then there is the terrifying carnage that Armen Anush miraculously escapes:
"The soldiers bound me with three women. I heard a horrific, gut-wrenching cry
and collapsed. 'I'll die,' I thought. I continued hearing the dull blows of
the
swords and hatchets, the screams. The voices died down gradually. I forced
myself to stir. Something heavy fell off my back. I looked: it was a
woman--the
one I was bound with. When I freed my waist, the corpse of another woman fell
next to me. I was able to sit up, yet another woman's corpse lay on my
legs. By
falling on me, the three women I was bound with had, purposely or not,
saved me
from certain death."
And, of course, he writes about the hardships: "All along the deportation
road
I had dreamt of Der-Zor. I was under the impression that we would have a room
there...a warm, clean room of our own. I had dreamt of shoes and new clothes.
But
here we were in that city, and I was still barefoot, and my skin showed
through
my tattered clothes. Even when basking under the sun my body never, ever got
warm. For hours I roamed the streets to get my hands on a few dates, while
with
each passing day bread became harder to come by, turning into an impossible
fantasy."
This was not an easy story to write, and it was 40 years after the Genocide
that Armen Anush had the courage to put pen to paper and compose his memoir.
Before then, he struggled to make a life for himself. After the
deportations he
escaped to Aleppo with the help of an Armenian coachman posing as a Turk. He
was able to attend Aleppo's Haigazian Middle School, then he moved to Beirut,
Lebanon, where he studied the French and Armenian languages and literature and
he took some business courses, with the goal of becoming an educator.
Eventually he entered the world of public service, working as a teacher and
principal in Armenian schools throughout Syria, all the while taking
correspondence courses in history and geography.
He started writing as a young man, publishing articles in Armenian diasporan
periodicals such as Haratch and Hairenik, and authoring books and poems about
the Armenian experience. His works include Orerun Het, published in 1933;
Ayrvats Kaghaki me Patmutiune, the story of Urfa's defense against the Turks,
published in 1948; the epic poem Erkir Khrovki, published in 1955; and Aryan
Chanaparhov, which was published in 1959 after his death and whose first
English translation, Passage Through Hell, was published this year by Hagop
and
Knar Manjikian.
This is not an easy text to translate, and Ishkhan Jinbashian deserves much
credit for turning out some beautiful phrases. Jinbashian translates:
"Mihranik
was asleep, as were my sisters. I was still awake. I looked around, watching
the scattered flames, which gradually died down while more and more the black
of night, with its wings of dread, weighed down on the camp. From left and
right you could hear children's whimpers, murmurs of prayer and damnations."
Passage Through Hell is an important memoir. The value of this book is
that it
becomes one of a handful of eyewitness accounts of the Genocide, written by
the
survivors themselves, available in English today. Anyone searching Amazon.com
for the subjects Armenian genocide, Armenian massacres and Armenian
autobiography will notice fewer than a dozen books written by survivors
themselves. The rest are written by children or grandchildren, or they're
fictionalized accounts or they're history books. And most of the survivors
memoirs are out of print.
It is imperative that we have a substantial number of Genocide accounts in
English so that the stories of the deportations and massacres be accessible to
scholars, politicians, and researchers. And there's a vast and growing number
of Armenians who can't read Armenian and who need to be aware of the human and
political injustices of the Genocide of 1915.
Passage Through Hell is an essential contribution to the English-language
literature on the Great Crime that the Turkish government and people
perpetrated against the Armenians in 1915. This book is another brick in
Armenians' efforts to make a case against Turkey on the issue of the veracity
of the Genocide.
Passage Through Hell may be purchased in the Los Angeles area at the
Sardarabad, Berj and Abril bookstores in Glendale; in Boston at the Hairenik
bookstore; and in New York at St. Vartan Cathedral and the Prelacy. The book
also may be purchased for $15 (add $3 for shipping) from H. and K. Manjikian
Publications, P.O. Box 2734, Toluca Lake, CA 91610-0374; e-mail
[email protected].
9) I SEE LONDON, I SEE FRANCE...I SEE SADDAM'S UNDERPANTS
BY SKEPTIK SINIKIAN
Earlier this week, Britain's tabloid newspaper, The Sun, published a photo of
infamous Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in wearing nothing but his lily-white
briefs. That is correct. The man who incurred the wrath of not just one, but
TWO Presidents named Bush, was photographed in his detention cell wearing only
a "vardeeg." According to various news sources, the photo has angered US
military officials who have issued condemnation and feel that Saddam's boudoir
photo will now incur even greater anti-American sentiment in Iraq.
Never mind the thousands of people who have died and continue to die every
day
because of this unjustified war. Forget the fact that America has no intention
of pulling out of Iraq any time soon. You can invade/occupy/liberate a nation.
You can turn a blind eye while rioters loot the National Historic Museum in
Baghdad. But do NOT dare take pictures of their former leader wearing his
tidy-whitey "Fruit of the Looms." My favorite part of this whole story has
been
the quotes issues by the White House. One spokesman, Trent Duffy, said that
the
President "has been briefed on that situation and he strongly supports the
aggressive and thorough investigation that is already under way." BRIEFED! I
almost fell out of my chair. (By the way, if US Senator Barbara Boxer prepares
this "brief" for the President, would that make it the Boxer Brief?)
The spokesman went on to say that the President "wants to get to the
bottom of
the investigation." Personally, I believe this photo is as close to the
"bottom" as one can get. I don't know what the specifics behind this photo
are,
but I hope that making Saddam strip down to his underwear is not part of
Bush's
ongoing search for the elusive weapons of mass destruction. The strange
part of
this story is that after months upon months of searching for weapons of mass
destruction and finally coming up empty handed, I thought it was the President
who had been caught with his pants down. It's funny how the real world
operates. Don't you think?
Here's some more bizarre news that I thought I'd share with you this week. I
just read that the Department of Defense's March 30, 2005 progress report on
the post September 11 upgrading of its needs for foreign language
professionals
showed the Pentagon (41 months after the attacks) just now getting around to
learning how many of its people already speak a foreign language. According to
this document, it was not until May 2004 that a formal decision was made to
"assess (foreign) language needs" and form a "steering committee." And it
won't
be until December 2005 that they will create a database of personnel with
foreign language skills.
Don't you feel safe knowing that our nation's top military and intelligence
officials are working hard to keep us safe? Here's a suggestion for folks who
are paid big tax dollars to keep our country safe. How about we forget about
whether Saddam wears boxers or briefs and concentrate on training our
intelligence and military personnel to learn a few new languages. If we're so
concerned with our security, wouldn't it be wise to encourage more of our
youth
to learn foreign languages? It's funny how when I was younger, I remember how
my non-Armenian friends used to make fun of the immigrant kids who had just
come over from various countries in the Middle East or the former Soviet
Union.
They used to make fun of their accents and make them feel extremely
uncomfortable. OK, maybe not
"being-photographed-in-your-underwear-uncomfortable" but you get the idea. And
here we are today, short staffed in our nation's intelligence and defense
sectors on bilingual native speakers.
I'm not encouraging the hiring of bilingual staff in order to spy on other
people necessarily. I believe that with a diverse staff our governmental
agencies and security forces would also be able to approach situations with a
greater sensitivity towards other cultures. Maybe if they had people who
understood both the language and the culture of a particular nation or people,
then we'd be spared moronic stories in the news about soldiers flushing pages
of the Koran down the toilet at the detention camps in Guantanamo Bay or naked
human pyramids in Abu Ghraib or even Saddam Hussein in poses that would make
even Paris Hilton blush.
When we show no sensitivity towards other cultures and show no respect
towards
the traditions of the Arab nations we are trying to instill democracy in, then
our credit line to preach American values--life, liberty, the pursuit of
happiness, etc.--is very limited. Given our current behavior, Americans
preaching about respect and tolerance is like the Hunchback of Notre Dame
telling someone to sit up straight! We will only be able to achieve peace
if we
understand and respect each other.
Until next time, remember to wear clean underwear because you never know
who's
lurking around the corner with a camera.
Skeptik Sinkian wrote this column "Commando" style (wearing no underwear). He
is willing to pose for the British tabloids but as of yet, no one has accepted
his offer. He can be reached for comment at [email protected] or
<http://www.sinikian.blogspot.com/>www.sinikian.blogspot.com
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TOP STORIES
05/20/2005
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <http://www.asbarez.com/>HTTP://WWW.ASBAREZ.COM
1) ANCA Congratulates Villaraigosa, Looks Forward to Working Together in the
Future
2) Greek Americans Call for Armenian Genocide Reparations
3) Surprise Move by Belgium's Socialist Party Hinders Armenian Efforts
4) Kerkorian Pays Unexpected Visit to Armenia
5) Glendale Ghapan Sister City Association to Send Medical Delegation to
Armenia
6) ANC Leadership Institute Hosts Talk on Genocide Education Project
7) UCLA Armenian Student Association Celebrates 60th anniversary with Alumni
Reception
8) Tamar Mashigian Reviews PASSAGE THROUGH HELL
9) I SEE LONDON, I SEE FRANCE...I SEE SADDAM'S UNDERPANTS
1) ANCA Congratulates Villaraigosa, Looks Forward to Working Together in the
Future
LOS ANGELES--Los Angeles City Council Member Antonio Villaraigosa scored a
decisive victory in the May 17 run-off election for Los Angeles Mayor, running
against incumbent Mayor Jim Hahn. This was the second time the two have faced
off with the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) having endorsed
Villaraigosa both during the previous election in 2001and this election cycle.
This victory makes Antonio Villaraigosa the first Latino mayor of Los Angeles
since 1872 and also positions him to be a political force in national
politics.
Villaraigosa rode a wave of voter discontent with Mayor Hahn and his
administration and was able to build a substantially broader coalition of
support this time, especially among the city's different ethnic communities,
including the Armenian American community. This fact, coupled with voters'
desire for a fresh direction for the city, resulted in a major voter swing in
Villaraigosa's favor.
Commenting on the strong relationship Villaraigosa has with the Armenian
American community, Steven J. Dadaian, Chairman of the ANC Western Region,
stated, "Antonio's relationship with our community is based on years of
being a
leading advocate in supporting justice for the Armenian Genocide, promoting
genocide curricula in our schools, strengthening economic ties with Armenia,
and increasing the inclusion of Armenian Americans in public service. We
congratulate him on his election as Mayor of the nation's second largest and
most dynamic city and look forward to his leadership in making our goals a
reality."
The ANCA conducted a major voter awareness campaign for the election and
Villaraigosa's candidacy which included television interviews, producing a TV
commercial targeted at the Armenian American community that aired on many
Armenian cable stations, print advertising, and providing volunteers to do
Armenian voter outreach throughout the campaign.
"As we have seen in both the Glendale city elections and now the Los Angeles
Mayor's election, there is a growing electoral shift occurring in Los Angeles
that is creating new opportunities for political leaders of different ethnic
backgrounds," said Zanku Armenian, ANCA Liaison to the Villaraigosa campaign.
"Recognizing the need for more dynamic and diverse leadership in City Hall,
the
ANCA endorsed Villaraigosa and deployed substantial resources to get out the
Armenian American vote in support of his candidacy. As with his past
positions,
we felt Antonio Villaraigosa would prove to be a mayor who will work closely
with the Armenian American community, ensuring we play a vital role in city
government," added Armenian.
Mayor-elect Antonio Villaraigosa will be sworn into office on July 1.
2) Greek Americans Call for Armenian Genocide Reparations
WASHINGTON, DC--The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) expressed
appreciation on behalf of the Armenian American community to the American
Hellenic Institute and the leading Greek American membership organizations for
their principled stand in favor of Turkish compensation for the Armenian
genocide.
American Hellenic Institute president Gene Rossides, in a public statement
issued on Thursday, called for Armenian genocide reparations as part of a
policy statement on "Compensation to Turkey's Victims," prepared by the
American Hellenic Institute. The policy statement has been endorsed by the
major Greek American membership groups: the Order of AHEPA, Hellenic American
National Council, Cyprus Federation of America, Panepirotic Federation of
America, Pan-Macedonian Association of America, Evrytanian Association of
America and American Hellenic Institute.
"We want to extend our appreciation to Eugene Rossides, the American Hellenic
Institute, and all the leading Greek American groups for their clearly
articulated and principled demand that Turkey compensate the Armenian nation
for the Armenian Genocide," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "We
join with our Greek American friends in calling on our government to press
Turkey to ensure a just resolution of this crime and an equitable
settlement of
all of Turkey's offenses against Greeks and Armenians."
In addition to seeking Turkish government compensation for the Armenian
genocide, the Greek American leadership calls for Turkish compensation to the
1) the victims of Turkey's illegal invasion of Cyprus of 1974; 2) the
owners of
property in Cyprus illegally taken, occupied and used by the Turkish
authorities and individuals since 1974; 3) the victims of the September 1955
Turkish pogrom against its Greek citizens in Istanbul; 4) the victims of the
Turkish genocide against the Pontian Greeks in the 1920's, and; 5) the victims
of the Turkish massacre of the Greek and Armenian populations of Smyrna (now
Izmir) in 1922 under Kemal Ataturk's orders.
In calling on "the US government to press Turkey to pay compensation," the
Greek American leadership cited "the compensation paid by the government of
Germany to Holocaust victims and to the state of Israel and the government of
Japan to the victims of its actions in Asia before and during World War II."
3) Surprise Move by Belgium's Socialist Party Hinders Armenian Efforts
BRUSSELS--In the next few days, the Belgium Senate will examine a draft law
that would expand the definition for genocide denial. The draft law approved
earlier by the House of Representative is based on a judicial definition of
the
crime of genocide, and does not specifically penalize the denial of the
Armenian genocide.
The House version was enacted prior to the establishment of the relevant
international jurisdiction. But the issue has come to prominence recently due
to numerous instances of Armenian genocide denial in Belgium.
As a result, nearly half of the members of the Senate are seeking to consider
this law and examine amendments to extend penalties for the denial of those
genocides recognized by Belgian federal legislative bodies and by European
legislative institutions.
The position of Belguim's Socialist Party (PS), however, has upset a leading
European Armenian group, which denounced the "openly denialist position" of
the
PS.
The European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (EAFJD) said
the PS
has indirectly indicated that it will not support these amendments.
The PS, in a statement, writes: "To take legal action in our courts, a
consensus is required among the international community on the
qualification of
the incriminated facts. This consensus of the international community has
to go
beyond resolutions without juridical significance taken by national or
European
Assemblies. If not, we would take the risk to trivialize the horrible meaning
of the Jewish genocide undertaken by a modern State."
The statement also concludes that House of Representative draft law could be
applied "to the Armenian genocide, when it is recognized by an appropriate
body."
"It appears to us that the PS position was imposed by the Turkish state, in
furtherance of its policy of questioning the reality of the Armenian genocide
through the use of trivialization and rationalization," the EAFJD said in its
sharp criticism of PS.
"We also hold that the PS, in making comparisons to the Holocaust, has
reduced
itself to the base level of arranging a hierarchy of suffering, ranking
victims
in order importance."
The EAFJD also criticized the PS for discrediting itself by repudiating its
previous positions on this very issue.
It accused the PS of reducing a profound moral issue to crass electoral
considerations by enlisting the support of "a fringe element of genocide
deniers that have neither respect for Belgium or Belgians." "We denounce the
transparent demagoguery of the PS, which has become obsessed with chasing the
Turkish vote throughout Brussels."
The EAFJD has called on human rights organizations, the Centre pour l'egalite
des chances, the members and the organization of the Common Socialist Action,
the organization representing the victims of genocide, and especially the
Jewish, Armenian, and Tutsi organizations and civil society to demand that PS
issue a public apology and adopt a position consistent with its socialist
legacy and European values.
4) Kerkorian Pays Unexpected Visit to Armenia
YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--Armenian-American billionaire and philantropist Kirk
Kerkorian arrived in Yerevan on Wednesday and met with President Robert
Kocharian, as well as received the nation's highest state award--The Medal of
Fatherland.
The reclusive tycoon spent the next day inspecting streets in the city center
and roads outside it that were rebuilt with his money. He was reportedly
satisfied with the results of the projects.
"Everything is wonderful here. I just couldn't imagine how beautiful this
place is," Kerkorian said, as he sat in a street cafe in downtown Yerevan on
Thursday.
Asked by the paper whether intends to provide more multimillion-dollar
assistance to Armenia, he said: "We'll think."
The Armenian government hopes that Kerkorian will approve another hefty aid
allocation comparable to its annual budget. Its possibility was apparently
discussed during his meeting with Kocharian.
"The current economic situation and reforms implemented in the country were
discussed at the meeting," read a brief statement by Kocharian's office. "Also
discussed were prospects for the republic's economic development."
The implementation of the Lincy projects was personally overseen and
coordinated by the chief of Kocharian's staff, Artashes Tumanian. The
transparency and integrity of the process was seriously questioned by some
Armenian press reports.
Kerkorian, 87, has been Armenia's by far the largest diaspora benefactor
since
independence, having donated about $180 million through his charity, the Lincy
Foundation. The bulk of the money has been allocated and spent since 2001 on
various infrastructure projects. Those included the repair of 420
kilometers of
major highways and the construction of 3,700 new apartments in the country's
northwestern regions hit hard by the 1988 catastrophic earthquake.
Kerkorian is known around the world as the owner of Tracinda Corporation, a
Nevada-based investment company. "Forbes" magazine estimates his fortune at
$8.1 billion. Among his biggest holdings are the MGM-Mirage casino and hotel
operator as well as the Mandalay Bay Resorts group.
Kerkorian recently made headlines in the Western press with the announcement
of his plans to more than double his stake in General Motors, the world's
largest automaker, to 8.84 percent.
5) Glendale Ghapan Sister City Association to Send Medical Delegation to
Armenia
GLENDALE--The Glendale Ghapan Sister City Association (GGSCA) has organized a
delegation of medical experts and professionals to visit Armenia in September
to promote a better understanding of the country's history, people, and
culture
among Glendale's medical community, and to familiarize Armenia's health
administrators and professionals with the American healthcare system model.
The delegation includes Hon. Larry Zarian, Governing Board Member of Glendale
Adventist Hospital and former Glendale City Councilmember; Scott Reiner, Chief
Executive Officer of Glendale Adventist Hospital; Carl Ermshar, the hospital's
Chief of Staff; Dr. Alber Karamanoukian, a Glendale-based physician; and
representatives of GGSCA.
"We are very excited about our upcoming delegation to Armenia," said Artin
Manoukian, President of GGSCA. "Both the delegation, as well as the medical
community in Armenia, will learn a great deal from this exchange, and as a
result will be able to provide a higher quality of care to their patients in
the long run."
The delegation will travel to Yerevan and Ghapan where they will visit
medical
institutions, as well as meet with various medical professionals, government
officials, and health administrators. They will also visit historical and
cultural sites throughout the two cities.
"Because of Glendale's large Armenian population, the City's medical
community
provides care to thousands of Armenians," said Larry Zarian, Governing Board
Member of Glendale Adventist Hospital. "Through exchanges such as this
delegation, our health providers can become more familiar with the culture and
history of the people they serve."
The non-profit organization was founded in 2001 to foster relations, as well
as cultural and economic cooperation between Glendale, California and Ghapan,
Armenia.
6) ANC Leadership Institute Hosts Talk on Genocide Education Project
GLENDALE--Speaking to a capacity audience at the Armenian National Committee
(ANC) Leadership Institute on May 11, Sara Cohen, Education Director of the
Genocide Education Project, presented its mission to help prevent genocide by
assisting educators, students, and educational organizations through education
about genocide and other major human rights violations, with specific focus on
the Armenian genocide.
The ANC Professional Network (PN) hosted the lecture in its ongoing effort to
develop future generations of leaders to advance the interests of Armenian
Americans by encouraging the emergence of an educated and politically active
community.
The audience of young professionals, which included educators, learned of the
Genocide Education Project's development of a comprehensive teacher's manual
that includes one, two and 10-day lesson plans and how the organization trains
teachers interested in educating their students about the Armenian genocide.
Complete lesson plans and other teaching tools are available online at
www.teachgenocide.org.
"Incorporating the Armenian Genocide into public school curricula will help
establish more understanding among a diverse student body so that all future
acts of intolerance can be avoided," commented Jeannine Topalian, President of
the ANC-PN and a school psychologist in the Los Angeles Unified School
District.
California Law mandates that the Armenian genocide be taught in the state's
public schools. However, due to the overwhelming number of lessons that
teachers have to plan and prepare, the Armenian genocide is often omitted. The
lesson plans in the teacher's manual developed by the Genocide Education
Project lift the burden placed on teachers and allow them to easily
incorporate
California's mandated curriculum.
7) UCLA Armenian Student Association Celebrates 60th anniversary with Alumni
Reception
WESTWOOD--The UCLA Armenian Student Association (ASA) will be celebrating the
60th anniversary of the organization's founding with an alumni reception on
Sunday, May 22 on campus.
Established in 1945, the ASA has continued to strive to spread Armenian
history and culture throughout the UCLA student community. Whether it is
planning a cultural performance, a genocide awareness event, or a social
mixer,
the ASA has consistently put together quality programming to serve the student
community. This year, the organization decided to not only give back to the
students, but to fellow alumni as well.
The networking event will include guest speakers and a photo slide show
highlighting various years throughout ASA history. Proceeds from the program
will be used towards various UCLA ASA programming and to build a school in
Armenia.
The alumni reception will be held at the Kerckhoff Grand Salon on UCLA's
campus. Through networking, the ASA has attempted to get in contact with a
number of UCLA alums and former ASA members to take part in the event.
"A project like this hasn't been attempted in recent years...this is something
that the ASA has decided to put together to give back to the community," said
program coordinator Maral Karagozian. "It was a great challenge to start from
scratch and attempt to locate as many former ASA members as possible."
Tickets for the event are $20, which includes appetizers and wine. Please
RSVP
as soon as possible at [email protected] or by calling (626)372-4630. The
UCLA ASA is one of the oldest Armenian-American student groups in the United
States. This year marks the 60th anniversary of its existence. The UCLA ASA
seeks to cultivate a true understanding and appreciation of Armenian history,
heritage, and culture through cultural, social, and recreational activities.
8) Tamar Mashigian Reviews PASSAGE THROUGH HELL
By Armen Anush Marashlian
Translated by Ishkhan Jinbashian
Passage Through Hell, the English translation of writer Armen Anush's memoir
of the deportation and massacres, was presented at the Montebello Armenian
Center on April 19, and at Ferrahian High School in Encino on April 28. It is
dedicated to the memory of the 1.5 million Armenian victims of the Genocide
and
to the Generation of the Desert Orphans.
The following is Tamar Mashigian's April 28 presentation of the book:
Over the past three decades, I have heard the tragic stories of dozens of
Genocide survivors. I have interviewed numerous survivors, both on film and
cassette tape. From cities like Izmit and Izmir to Garin and Kharpert, these
eyewitnesses to the Genocide have told of the shock of being uprooted from
their loving Armenian homes, their horrifying journeys through the desert and
their ultimate miraculous survival.
So when I received the book "Passage Through Hell" by noted writer and
educator Armen Anush Marashlian, I thought to myself, "I've heard so many
stories about the deportations and massacres. Maybe I can skim this book."
Most
accounts of the deportations and massacre are so horrific, I was thinking I
might spare myself the river of tears that involuntarily flow when I hear the
grisly details of the Genocide.
But there was no putting it aside or hastily scanning the pages of Passage
Through Hell. Instead, I discovered that I was reading the poignant plight of
one family, author Armen Anush's family, and almost like a suspense novel
found
I couldn't put it down. I had to know what was going to happen to them.
The book is written in the first person. Armen Anush is a 9-year-old boy
living in war-torn Urfa, with gunfire and explosions wracking his
neighborhood.
That was in the fall of 1915. Armen Anush's father was gone for days at a
time, returning with a grim face only to leave again--presumably to fight the
enemy Turk. One evening shrapnel landed near the family's house. "Tomorrow
evening our neighborhood, too, will be destroyed," Armen Anush's father
predicted, and he left the house, never to be seen again. Indeed, the next day
an explosion took off the roof of their house, and the family left on a
journey
that was, quite literally, "a passage through hell."
During the Marashlians' march through the killing fields of Turkey, we get to
know each of the family members as if they are our own, and we are caught
up in
emotional turmoil as we discover the fate of each one of them:
* His amazingly young mother, who at the age of 29 bears 7 children, ranging
from twin babies to a 12-year-old, is determined to keep the family together
during the deportations, and even after her money runs out...
* his sister, Victoria, who is transformed from a pretty, black-haired
12-year-old Armenian girl to a withered skeleton on the deportation route.
* sister Rebecca, age 7, with her red hair and fiery black eyes,
uncharacteristically quiet on the deportation march, wearing her kindergarten
uniform.
* sister Nvard, 5 years old, who is deaf and mute after a terrible fever when
she was 3, and is consequently protected by everyone in the family.
* 3-year-old sister Aghavni, a cute little girl who is the spoiled child of
the family.
* twin brothers, Tigranik and Mihranik, 9 months old.
Armen Anush brings all of his family members to life in these pages; in doing
so, he has found a beautiful way to honor them.
There are many poignant moments for the Marashlian family along the
deportation route; for instance, when they create a makeshift home. "We were
still working when mother came back. Victoria took the stuff that she had
brought, which included a jug of water, bread, vegetables and even a candle
and
matches. Nvard, eyes wide open, looked on with astonishment. I grabbed the
candle and matches from Victoria's hands and jumped up and down. 'So we'll be
lighting a candle and drink water from a jug,' I kept repeating and prancing.
The girls laughed."
Armen Anush also recounts the kindnesses of strangers: "I had recuperated but
could hardly stand up. Mother carried me. She groaned and panted under my
weight. Already we were behind. The slope wouldn't end and mother, out of
breath, struggled to climb. A boy of 14 or 15 approached us and told her,
'Give
him to me, madam, you're too tired.' Without waiting for an answer, he took me
in his strong arms and headed straight for the front lines."
Then there is the terrifying carnage that Armen Anush miraculously escapes:
"The soldiers bound me with three women. I heard a horrific, gut-wrenching cry
and collapsed. 'I'll die,' I thought. I continued hearing the dull blows of
the
swords and hatchets, the screams. The voices died down gradually. I forced
myself to stir. Something heavy fell off my back. I looked: it was a
woman--the
one I was bound with. When I freed my waist, the corpse of another woman fell
next to me. I was able to sit up, yet another woman's corpse lay on my
legs. By
falling on me, the three women I was bound with had, purposely or not,
saved me
from certain death."
And, of course, he writes about the hardships: "All along the deportation
road
I had dreamt of Der-Zor. I was under the impression that we would have a room
there...a warm, clean room of our own. I had dreamt of shoes and new clothes.
But
here we were in that city, and I was still barefoot, and my skin showed
through
my tattered clothes. Even when basking under the sun my body never, ever got
warm. For hours I roamed the streets to get my hands on a few dates, while
with
each passing day bread became harder to come by, turning into an impossible
fantasy."
This was not an easy story to write, and it was 40 years after the Genocide
that Armen Anush had the courage to put pen to paper and compose his memoir.
Before then, he struggled to make a life for himself. After the
deportations he
escaped to Aleppo with the help of an Armenian coachman posing as a Turk. He
was able to attend Aleppo's Haigazian Middle School, then he moved to Beirut,
Lebanon, where he studied the French and Armenian languages and literature and
he took some business courses, with the goal of becoming an educator.
Eventually he entered the world of public service, working as a teacher and
principal in Armenian schools throughout Syria, all the while taking
correspondence courses in history and geography.
He started writing as a young man, publishing articles in Armenian diasporan
periodicals such as Haratch and Hairenik, and authoring books and poems about
the Armenian experience. His works include Orerun Het, published in 1933;
Ayrvats Kaghaki me Patmutiune, the story of Urfa's defense against the Turks,
published in 1948; the epic poem Erkir Khrovki, published in 1955; and Aryan
Chanaparhov, which was published in 1959 after his death and whose first
English translation, Passage Through Hell, was published this year by Hagop
and
Knar Manjikian.
This is not an easy text to translate, and Ishkhan Jinbashian deserves much
credit for turning out some beautiful phrases. Jinbashian translates:
"Mihranik
was asleep, as were my sisters. I was still awake. I looked around, watching
the scattered flames, which gradually died down while more and more the black
of night, with its wings of dread, weighed down on the camp. From left and
right you could hear children's whimpers, murmurs of prayer and damnations."
Passage Through Hell is an important memoir. The value of this book is
that it
becomes one of a handful of eyewitness accounts of the Genocide, written by
the
survivors themselves, available in English today. Anyone searching Amazon.com
for the subjects Armenian genocide, Armenian massacres and Armenian
autobiography will notice fewer than a dozen books written by survivors
themselves. The rest are written by children or grandchildren, or they're
fictionalized accounts or they're history books. And most of the survivors
memoirs are out of print.
It is imperative that we have a substantial number of Genocide accounts in
English so that the stories of the deportations and massacres be accessible to
scholars, politicians, and researchers. And there's a vast and growing number
of Armenians who can't read Armenian and who need to be aware of the human and
political injustices of the Genocide of 1915.
Passage Through Hell is an essential contribution to the English-language
literature on the Great Crime that the Turkish government and people
perpetrated against the Armenians in 1915. This book is another brick in
Armenians' efforts to make a case against Turkey on the issue of the veracity
of the Genocide.
Passage Through Hell may be purchased in the Los Angeles area at the
Sardarabad, Berj and Abril bookstores in Glendale; in Boston at the Hairenik
bookstore; and in New York at St. Vartan Cathedral and the Prelacy. The book
also may be purchased for $15 (add $3 for shipping) from H. and K. Manjikian
Publications, P.O. Box 2734, Toluca Lake, CA 91610-0374; e-mail
[email protected].
9) I SEE LONDON, I SEE FRANCE...I SEE SADDAM'S UNDERPANTS
BY SKEPTIK SINIKIAN
Earlier this week, Britain's tabloid newspaper, The Sun, published a photo of
infamous Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in wearing nothing but his lily-white
briefs. That is correct. The man who incurred the wrath of not just one, but
TWO Presidents named Bush, was photographed in his detention cell wearing only
a "vardeeg." According to various news sources, the photo has angered US
military officials who have issued condemnation and feel that Saddam's boudoir
photo will now incur even greater anti-American sentiment in Iraq.
Never mind the thousands of people who have died and continue to die every
day
because of this unjustified war. Forget the fact that America has no intention
of pulling out of Iraq any time soon. You can invade/occupy/liberate a nation.
You can turn a blind eye while rioters loot the National Historic Museum in
Baghdad. But do NOT dare take pictures of their former leader wearing his
tidy-whitey "Fruit of the Looms." My favorite part of this whole story has
been
the quotes issues by the White House. One spokesman, Trent Duffy, said that
the
President "has been briefed on that situation and he strongly supports the
aggressive and thorough investigation that is already under way." BRIEFED! I
almost fell out of my chair. (By the way, if US Senator Barbara Boxer prepares
this "brief" for the President, would that make it the Boxer Brief?)
The spokesman went on to say that the President "wants to get to the
bottom of
the investigation." Personally, I believe this photo is as close to the
"bottom" as one can get. I don't know what the specifics behind this photo
are,
but I hope that making Saddam strip down to his underwear is not part of
Bush's
ongoing search for the elusive weapons of mass destruction. The strange
part of
this story is that after months upon months of searching for weapons of mass
destruction and finally coming up empty handed, I thought it was the President
who had been caught with his pants down. It's funny how the real world
operates. Don't you think?
Here's some more bizarre news that I thought I'd share with you this week. I
just read that the Department of Defense's March 30, 2005 progress report on
the post September 11 upgrading of its needs for foreign language
professionals
showed the Pentagon (41 months after the attacks) just now getting around to
learning how many of its people already speak a foreign language. According to
this document, it was not until May 2004 that a formal decision was made to
"assess (foreign) language needs" and form a "steering committee." And it
won't
be until December 2005 that they will create a database of personnel with
foreign language skills.
Don't you feel safe knowing that our nation's top military and intelligence
officials are working hard to keep us safe? Here's a suggestion for folks who
are paid big tax dollars to keep our country safe. How about we forget about
whether Saddam wears boxers or briefs and concentrate on training our
intelligence and military personnel to learn a few new languages. If we're so
concerned with our security, wouldn't it be wise to encourage more of our
youth
to learn foreign languages? It's funny how when I was younger, I remember how
my non-Armenian friends used to make fun of the immigrant kids who had just
come over from various countries in the Middle East or the former Soviet
Union.
They used to make fun of their accents and make them feel extremely
uncomfortable. OK, maybe not
"being-photographed-in-your-underwear-uncomfortable" but you get the idea. And
here we are today, short staffed in our nation's intelligence and defense
sectors on bilingual native speakers.
I'm not encouraging the hiring of bilingual staff in order to spy on other
people necessarily. I believe that with a diverse staff our governmental
agencies and security forces would also be able to approach situations with a
greater sensitivity towards other cultures. Maybe if they had people who
understood both the language and the culture of a particular nation or people,
then we'd be spared moronic stories in the news about soldiers flushing pages
of the Koran down the toilet at the detention camps in Guantanamo Bay or naked
human pyramids in Abu Ghraib or even Saddam Hussein in poses that would make
even Paris Hilton blush.
When we show no sensitivity towards other cultures and show no respect
towards
the traditions of the Arab nations we are trying to instill democracy in, then
our credit line to preach American values--life, liberty, the pursuit of
happiness, etc.--is very limited. Given our current behavior, Americans
preaching about respect and tolerance is like the Hunchback of Notre Dame
telling someone to sit up straight! We will only be able to achieve peace
if we
understand and respect each other.
Until next time, remember to wear clean underwear because you never know
who's
lurking around the corner with a camera.
Skeptik Sinkian wrote this column "Commando" style (wearing no underwear). He
is willing to pose for the British tabloids but as of yet, no one has accepted
his offer. He can be reached for comment at [email protected] or
<http://www.sinikian.blogspot.com/>www.sinikian.blogspot.com
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