WASHINGTON—Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) chairman Ken Hachikian called on Armenians worldwide to choose survival over surrender, in his remarks before federal, state, and local public officials, a broad array of coalition partners, and hundreds of community leaders gathered on Nov. 8 at the Pasadena Convention Center for the ANC-Western Region’s annual banquet.
The full text of Hachikian’s remarks is provided below.
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‘At the Crossroads’
As Armenians, we have reached a crossroads.
Two paths—two very different paths—lay before us.
Two starkly different roads for our nation. For our cause. And for our future
Standing here today at this cross road, we must make a choice.
One that will define our nation for decades, even centuries, to come.
A choice that begins in our hearts. And calls upon all our collective wisdom.
A choice of vision, born of long years of hard struggle.
A choice of courage, inspired by our enduring commitment to our nation’s future.
A choice to move forward. A choice, very simply, between survival and surrender.
For let there be no mistake, these are the true stakes.
The choice before us stands as a great burden.
But also as a sacred blessing. A chance to get it right for future generations.
A choice for all those gathered here inside these walls—and for all the sons and daughters of our nation, in Armenia and across the far reaches of our worldwide diaspora.
At this fateful moment, I am reminded of the words of the American revolutionary, Thomas Paine.
In his great work, The American Crisis, he offered powerful words that offer us keen insight and inspiration.
In the early days of the Revolution, he came across a well-known man who ran a tavern.
Standing in its doorway, with his young son by his side, this tavern-keeper argued against seeking independence, ending with the words:
“Give me peace in my day.”
“Give me peace in my day.”
A more generous parent, Paine wrote, should have said: “If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.”
Consider carefully his words from more than 200 years ago, on a continent far from Armenia, for they ring just as true today as when they were first written.
Just as compelling for Armenians as for Americans or for any free people.
“If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.”
“This single reflection,” Paine added, “is sufficient to awaken every man to duty.”
He understood that the true choice facing the American colonists was not peace or war, but rather where the burdens of the coming conflict—the inevitable oppression and aggression—visited upon them by the British would rest.
Whether upon the shoulders of his generation or upon those of generations to come.
These truly are “the times that try men’s souls.”
The tavern-keepers of our day argue that the path they advocate will lead to peace and prosperity, when, in reality, it only defers the day when our nation will pay the full price for their surrender.
They would have us accept—under foreign pressure—the “protocols” being forced upon the Armenian nation, even though they clearly threaten Armenia’s security, abandon the rights of all
Armenians, and cast doubt on the Armenian Genocide.
They would have us adopt the Madrid Principles, which trade the surrender of vast Armenian lands, today, in return for a vague promise that Azerbaijan may someday allow a decision on Artsakh’s future status.
They would have us reduce the Armenian Genocide from a crime against all humanity—one that must be recognized by the American government and resolved truthfully and justly by the international community and, of course by Turkey—to a simple bilateral dispute to be negotiated between states, states of vastly unequal power.
This is clearly the road to an unconditional surrender my friends, the path to appeasement, and the slippery slope of accommodation.
On this path, we would allow others to speak in our name.
We would let them set our aims to suit their interests, not our own. To put us in our place.
It is on this road that we would see the Armenian Diaspora, long the loyal watchdog of Armenian interests, reduced to a lapdog for the foreign powers that pursue their own advantage at the expense of the rights, the security, and the very future of the Armenian nation and people.
Let me be clear: It is on this road that we will witness the death of the Armenian Cause and, with it, the viability of the Armenian nation.
The choice, for us, for every single one of us, is clear.
We must reject retreat.
We must dispense with the illusions of easy answers.
We must reject the temptation that there is some quick shortcut to Armenia’s security, Artsakh’s freedom, or the realization of our national aspirations.
We must reject surrender—on the protocols, the Madrid Principles, justice for our nation, and freedom for our people—and choose instead a path forward based on hope and wisdom, not fear.
We must, in our homeland and here in America, reclaim the right to our voice and our values.
And back all this up with our activism, our political power, our energy, and our resources.
Just as you are doing tonight, and as we must all do in days and weeks ahead.
We must keep our national aspirations burning bright, our moral compass aligned toward justice, and our nation moving forward.
We must choose survival, not surrender.
Survival, not surrender.
There is no other choice.
I call upon you to join us in that struggle. We will persevere.
You’re damn right we will Ken. The battle continues.
Surrender never was an option. Mere survival isn’t either.
We must plan on not only surviving but THRIVING.
I support the perspective let the people of Armenia decide their relationships with other countries.
I share Mr. Hachikian concern for future generations. The welfare of my future generations is very much dependent on domestic policies and foreign affairs of the United States. Hardly anything that happens in Armenia can now impact our family. None of my relatives are in Armenia–they are all Americans. No one is going to move back to Armenia and certainly not to Kharpert. While I feel perfectly comfortable speaking for US humanitarian aid to Armenia , that doesn’t extend to prescribing what policies the people of Armenia should adopt as long as they are not at cross currents to my country, the USA.
For those who see themselves as Armenians first there is a direct way of influencing the policies of Armenia. Relocate to Armenia, become an active citizen and speak to your ideas and perspectives in the forums of that country. I can admire that course of action. It is genuine and noble.
I just find it disingenuous to live in the USA and make great emotional appeals for sacrifice on the part of those people who live in Armenia. The people of Armenia are not responsible for the aspirations of anyone beyond their own borders.
Bravo Hai_Rider! But an even easier and more just endeavor on the part of the Diaspora would be to support those Armenians that are genuinely fighting for a strong Armenia based upon its roots and values. Not the corrupt and soulless place it is fast becoming. My Father is one of those persons; sentenced to 5 years in prison for daring to speak out against the un-Armenian thugs who will sell the country without reservation if it means more wealth for themselves.
Where is one word from ANCA to support TODAY’s Armenian victims? They are being killed today – from hunger, oppression, and de facto forced expatriation. These things have not only happened in 1915.
It’s a shame and hypocracy that these American-Armenian leaders would let real patriots – actually fighting on the ground with everything at stake – suffer and perish alone. Without leaders like Ashot Manukyan, no amount of speeches abroad will save Armenia. Who does Ken think is actually fighting the stuggle?
To: Free Ashot Manukyan
First, my sincerest wishes for justice and freedom for your father and others who strive to bring good governance to Armenia, people who work to rid Armenia of the disgraceful corruption that has come to characterize the country of my ancestors.
I agree, that the internal issues of Armenia need to be addressed–that is a stronger economy, the rule of law, and democratic governance free of corruption. To speak honestly, 5 generations of our family have now lived in the USA–we are well removed from Armenia–I can not speak with a voice that should be given equal regard as one who lives his or her life as a citizen of that country . Certainly, I wish our ancesteral homeland the very best–all the aspects previously mentioned and of course, peace and good health for the people. It is hard for me to share the perspective of many in the diaspora that our focus should be the genocide of 1915 and the seeking of lost territory. It is hard to focus on the past when there are so many Armenians living today in the homeland that suffer from so much. I have the view that once Armenia is a healthy and viable state, neither the dependent of Russian or European/American or the diasporan largesse then it will be an effective voice to address these terrible past events. Weak and dependent states don’t have a negotiating position.
All I can assure you, is that Iwill continue speaking out to our congressional Senators and Representatives about how USA can work to help Armenia become the kind of nation we would all want. I encourage the actions of my government to help break the stranglehold around the neck of the people of Armenia.
Again, my prayers for the health, safety, and earliest release of your father.
Hye, wake up! We Armenians, the world over, including generations removed from Haiastan, are still the victims of the ongoing Turkish Genocide of the Armenian nation… Turkey’s stance, in all its efforts whether in USA or elsewhere, are still in the Ottoman mode – still eliminating, crushing, any and all that is Armenian. The ongoing ‘ploys’ by the Turks into today – obviously – pursuing their convoluted mentality – eliminating Armenians whose lands and cultures Turks took as their own.
Further, my family fled Dikranagerd, an ancient and highly developed society… as so many others, came to the USA and were facing their lack of knowledge of the language, the foods, the clothing, and more… As it is with others, my family’s support through all the years has been for a free Armenia… and my family’s continued support for those who are citizens of Armenia today who bear the burdens of any new nation – facing an impossible leadership, facing an impossible neighbor – Turkey.
Still, in the hundreds of year of Turkish domination – Turkish leaderships cannot, will not, tolerate the existence of Armenians -pursues my family – wherever I am. Manooshag
Hye, wake up! We Armenians, the world over, including generations removed from Haiastan, are still the victims of the ongoing Turkish Genocide of the Armenian nation… Turkey’s stance, in all its efforts whether in USA or elsewhere, are still in the Ottoman mode – still eliminating, crushing, any and all that is Armenian. The ongoing ‘ploys’ by the Turks into today – obviously – pursuing their convoluted mentality – eliminating Armenians whose lands and cultures Turks took as their own.
Further, my family fled Dikranagerd, an ancient and highly developed society… as many other survivors reached the USA and were facing their lack of knowledge of the language, the foods, the clothing, and more… As it is with others, my family’s support through all the years has been for a free Armenia… and my family’s continued support for those who are citizens of Armenia today who bear the burdens of any new nation – facing an impossible leadership, facing an impossible neighbor – Turkey.
Still, in the hundreds of year of Turkish domination – Turkish leaderships cannot, will not, tolerate the existence of the Christian Armenians. This pursues my family – wherever… Manooshag