Like Hitler’s classification of peoples, Turkey looks upon Armenians in a manner that only a reactionary ruler or regime can. In an outburst of anger over various Armenian issues that gave them agonizing colic, they thought they could squeeze us into three straight jackets expecting us to behave according to the constraints of each. In a failed effort to divide and conquer, they have oriented Armenians into three categories to be dealt with independently: the Good Armenians, like the ones who are Turkish citizens and live in Istanbul to be treated with tolerance; the
So-So-Armenians, “who are our neighbors,” with pseudo-diplomacy; and the Bad Armenians of the diaspora, who are to be fought with impunity.
The immediacy of their behavior was prompted by the accumulation of frustrations born by their failure to impose their will on the events that had taken place in Washington and Stockholm. Both capitals had recognized the genocide—Washington, sort of. Aside from withdrawing his ambassadors to the U.S. and Sweden, the next thing Erdogan could do in revenge was to threaten to deport some 100,000 illegal Armenian residents [the number was inflated] who are in his jurisdiction, working as cheap domestic help, taking care of their babies and household. I prayed that he would!
Rescinding his decision under embarrassment did not change the fact that a leopard never changes spots; they did deport several hundred thousand women, children, and elderly after killing their male siblings in 1915, and there is no reason why they would not do it now.
Deportation and exiling is their modus operandi. That is how they have ruled Asia Minor, and that’s how they rule the land in the 21st century.
It is a historic fact that Armenian and the Christian minorities, and now the Kurdish major minority, have lived with the Seljuk sword hanging over their heads for centuries. The present era is no different; Erdogan continues to think like his predecessors and continues to implement the same policies of “Ya ver kurtul, ya vur kurtul” (Either pay and get rid of, or hit and get rid of a problem). So far, he is still pursuing the latter half of this classic policy—contemplating to deport 100,000 women who are there to serve future Mehmedjiks.
Kemalists have and Erdogan continues to oppress the Armenian community living in Istanbul; in the eyes of Erdogan these Armenians are the Good Armenians because they are submissive, obedient citizens, loyal to the authorities in power regardless of their political or militaristic agenda. They are second- or third-class citizens. The government, as much as it desires to, cannot oppress them more for fear of violating the provisions of the Lausanne Treaty of 1923, which mandates certain protection for the minorities (The Kurds I know are sorry for not being considered a minority by the same treaty).
Erdogan’s treatment of the Good Armenians is typical of all the Turkish regimes. I’ll never forget his impolite and condescending visit to Patriarch Mutafian during the former’s tenure as mayor of Istanbul. I’ll never forget his objections to repairing the Armenian schools and churches. I’ll never forget Turkey’s accusations of the Good Armenians shipping arms to Armenia, falsifying the fact that the shipments were humanitarian aid for the victims of the earthquake in Gyumri. I’ll never forget their false accusations of the Good Armenians for arming the Armenian freedom fighters in Karabagh. I’ll never forget his regime’s multiple arrests and eventual trial and conviction of Hrant Dink for “insulting Turkishness” with his writings. Of course, we won’t forget Hrant’s assassination in the hands of a thug, a contract killer who was acting in a criminally conducive environment created by Erdogan’s Islamist government. The murder was an expression of hate harbored against Armenians—the Good Armenians.
Hrant Dink wrote conciliatory, accommodating articles dealing with Armenian-Turkish relations, but I believe he would have written differently, in style and substance, if he had the freedom to express his true feelings.
This is only a fraction of the story of the Good Armenians.
The Bad Armenians are the Armenians of the diaspora, upon which the sun never sets. We inhabit the globe, and we are the victims of the 1915-23 genocide perpetrated by the Turkish government of Ittihad ve Terakki in collaboration with the ordinary Turk and the Kurdish tribes inhabiting Anatolia. We have survived and have become a formidable force in pursuing justice, human rights, and our rights to Western Armenia. We have stood fast in support of present-day Armenia and we have supported the liberation of Karabagh. And we shall continue with more fervor.
We have been instrumental in exposing the dark character and behavior of successive Turkish governments, and we have exposed the fanatic Islamic nature of a Turkey that politicizes its religion with “85,000 active mosques, one for every 350 citizens, compared to one hospital for every 60,000 citizens…and 90,000 imams. …it has thousands of madrasah-like Imam-Hatip schools, and about 4,000 more official state-run Qur’an courses” (Rachel Sharon-Krespin., MMRI, Washington, D.C.).
We have been instrumental in contributing to block Turkish entry to the European Union. We have fought them in Europe, we have fought them on their turf, and we have fought them in the United States Congress. We have passed the torch to a new generation of Armenians, like those in the AYF, the ANC, and other honorable, legitimate organizations. And the fight goes on with
each violation of our legitimate rights.
For Turkey, the Armenian cause is like a “pimple in their derriere; it hurts if they sit down and it hurts when they stand-up” (Baghdadi proverb).
The So-So-Good Armenians are the neighbors of Turkey, and some feeble-minded diasporan organizations that advocate brotherly rapprochement with Erdogan’s Turkey, neglecting the rightful solution of the very essential disputes that separate us. More on that some other time.
Finally, shame on the oligarch-infested and corrupt government of Armenia for not taking care of those 100,000 citizens who had to beg for their livelihood from the Turk.
If there are Good Armenians, So-So-Good Armenians, and a majority of Bad Armenians, the same applies to the Turks, with a difference: the majority is neither good nor so-so.
Dr. Henry Astarjian
Latest posts by Dr. Henry Astarjian (see all)
- Astarjian: A Quadruple Historic Bypass - February 2, 2015
- Astarjian: Hypocrisy or Ineptitude? - September 28, 2013
- Armeno-Kurdish Relations: Love Fest or Divorce Settlement Meetings? - August 19, 2012
I have a very very bad news to Turks..
Diaspora will take you to hell… If you think Diaspora will go away.. THINK AGAIN… you will never get rid of us.. it will be the Diaspora that Turkey will kneel in front of and ask for forgiveness… Because of the Genocide, million upon million of Armenians scattered all over the world.. Turkey will never be free of Diaspora and it scares them dearly.. and I am glad it does.. they should be scared……
Thank you for the article Dr. Astarjian.. Very interesting and entertaining….
Gayane
One of the clearest, honest, and concise description of the real root of the Armenian Genocide, the Janissaries, the 600 year subjugation via direct plunder, taxation of goods and people, manipulation of merchant classes, and overall divide and conquer strategy. The Turks viewed the Armenians as second class citizens not because of the religion (i.e. they allied with Christian Germany in WWI and took orders from them) but because they conquered Armenia and therefore, it has been a master-servant relationship in their eyes 600 years ago, 400 years ago, 200 years ago, 95 years ago, 20 years ago, and 1 day ago. You might say kind things to your servant when he performs well, but he is not your equal and he is ‘less’ than you. Until that perception is broken, nothing will change except the names of the leaders.
Good article matching with clan hate speeches here. Unfortunately based on fairy tales and fantasies not facts. I can write long list of historical facts but I doubt anybody will care in this site. So enjoy your hate and hope anybody spreads hate get drown in hate… Turkey will kneel to diaspora Armenians? why? how? . Bye the way Mr powerful diaspora Armenian, instead of cursing Armenian government which is located in landlocked geography and living in serious poverty, why don’t you rich diaspora armenians help your brothers back home. Is your love of green more important than your brotherhood. Than what kind of brotherhood and help are you talking about? Are you trying to elevate and develop your only country or just trying to satisfy your hatred which will cost to your home country dearly? If the author made any serious financial help to Armenia, please post it, so I can see you are real…if not keep talking, Talk is cheap…
Sireli Dr. Astarjian,
This art. of yours is an excellent piece of work. Thanks.
By the way, are you Haop Guloyan’s brother in law?
About moslem Armenians, pls. take notice, that there is a whole Arm. moslem tribe in Syria. I have a special report about them. If interested, pls. let me have your e-mail address, so that I can mail it to you.
Sirov,
G apelian
Did you know that many Jews who were the early settlers in Palestine, hoping to form a Zionist state in the 1920’s were forced to convert to Islam; and, according to an article in a Jewish newspaper still practice some form of Judaism and they still live with the Palestinians. Do you think the Jewish people can ever get these people back? Also, many of them were subjected to atrocities by the Ottomans or arabs at that time. Also, the ancient ruins show that some of the first Jews were converted to Christianity and then to Islam.
Also, didn’t the Turks become the servants to the Germans, who were very racist, as evidenced still later on in the Nazi ideology. Nazis considered themselves the master race, social darwinism, etc. Would not the Nazis later have enslaved and even killed the Turks? Science and technology was perverted to serve a theory of subjective bias and racism. Ataturk followed positivism, a philosphy that arose in the industrial age. He thought science and technology would make Turkey modern. However, the existentialists arose after WWII, with a philosophy of anti-positivism, which they hated. Existentialists wrote about “being and nothingness,” (the authentic life and the inauthentic life of denial), “I think, therefore I am,” (life as consciousness), “the myth of sysiphus,” (the absurdity of life), Camus and “the Foreigner” (French prejudice against arabs), Satre, “No Exit,” (people are hell), and on and on. Life has a subjective, biased, human dimension. It is not just objectivity. FEELINGS ARE IMPORTANT.
Reality is not “this is a chair”. BTW surrealism is “this is not a chair” (2+2=5).
Reality is subjective, human, biased, subject to our feelings, our thoughts.
People can change, they can redeem the sins of their fathers by deciding to be good and start a new life. Man is free, nothing is predestined by God or your genes, you make choices to be good or bad. These were all new thoughts to counter the positivism and racial theories using pseudo-science to support them at the time.
Also, there was the system of dhimmitude that considered people of the book as second class citizens. Israelis say what shocked the muslims the most was that Israelis acted like equals, not like dhimmis, and that muslims are not used to this.
The “model citizen” versus the one living in freedom and equality, with human rights and freedom.
Dear COMPATRIOTS,
Please pay much attention to what Omar writes. He knows where to pick on us..in a way he is trying to show both his “Khers” wrath…while also vamping his poison that is built up in any Dr. Astarjian described Turk, the Class that rules contenporary Turkey in parallel to predecessors’ mode(VOJ) style, if you will.
1.He is corerct WE DO NOT DO MUCH IN DIASPORA-ASIDE FROM FORMALITY LIKE “FUND” RAISINGS, ,PERSONAL aid-myself I do that going back and forth to RA.On a very small scale.Indeed yesterday a new hospital(cardilogy0 was inaugurated in Yerevan -wrk of AGBU-and its adherents…such like…and sporadic organized vists byour youth and/or church officialdom.ALL indeed with good faith,but N O T E N O U G H .
22.I had thought to delve further int into Dr. Astarjian’s and coment . have done so in the past.Like most here wll do.It’s O.K. carry on.Nothing wrong with that.
But by trying to “LO LO gartal” to a hard -liner turk,means preaching him her to be good and behave…we are not gaining much…
We must-if we are serious-try to RE-ORGANIZE in a fashion that the Diaspora become a REAL FORCE DE FRAPPE-STRIKING FORCE, NO NOT IN THE SENSE OF MILITARISM.OUR young tried that 30 yrs ago..General Kenan Evrenthen turkish chief of staff,retorted…”Armenians want Land,coe a nd take it’….
This has not changed…thaks ,also to those(Most Diasporans do not wish to admit) by Turkey’s allies as yet supporting her in ALL MANNER>.
So what a lady up above hinted at ,that we Are there in diaspra and wll fight on for our ancestors rights-to that effect- is crerct.BUT NOT IN THE ‘fund-ling”rasing way…
OR PERSONAL, ESTABLISHMENT”s-as above- way.BUT WITH A POWERFULL NATIONAL INVESTMENT TRUST FUND” ,FOR WICH THIS SERVANT-FOOT SOLDER OF THE ARMENIAN PEOPLE ,IF YOU WILL, HAS BEEN ADVOCATING FOR 32 YEARS NOW..
WE EED TO HAVE A “NEW STATUTE FOR THE DASPORA” THE OLD ONE 160/170 YEAR OLD “SAHMADATRUTYUN” DRAWN UP IN CONSTANTINOPLE BY OUR CLERGY AND ITS FRIENDS IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH A DIASPORA NOW VERY MUCH ADVANCED IN SCIENCES,ETC., ETC., IT IS GOOD FOR THE CERGY,LET THEM CARRY ON WITH THAT..WE MUST BRING ABOUT THE RANK AD FILE OF OUR more than a 100,000 PCA’s “roffessional colelagues Associatons’ 5 on the scene already,10 more to be formed-THIS IS WHERE THE “Nirhogh hsga” the slumbering Giant is—–OUR HUMAN RESOURCES and through them our economic power.ABOVE NAT’L INVESTMENT TRUST FUND IN GENEVA, CH-NT SUBJECT TO RA GOVERNMENT OR ANY OTHER GOV.
For those $43 million-Just recently given by IMF goes to the Ra Government’s Treasury and is spent fr the infrastructure of the roads this and that..partially also -as in the WEST to…
But that is not the core of the issue.Other gvernments are also helping ARMENIA..that is the official way…ALL OVER THE GLOBE.We cannot stop or change that unless there is another French or American REvolution..
Forget about that..
We must rely on our own RESOURCES-i.e. well organized through PCA’s and then through LOANS FROM THE NAT’L INVESTMENT TRUST FUND_WITH OFFICES IN YEFREVAN, HELP THE SMALL ,MIDDLE S IZE TRADES, PLANTS AND ALSO THE AGRICULTUERAL FIELD. MORE THAN HALF OF POPULATION THERE LIVES UNDER POVERTY NORMS…
As to other objectives ince the Multi -Bill;ion dollars Fund comes into being…is TO ORGANIZE THE RE-PATRIATION ,first from NEAR ABROAD…those that elft 8/10 YRS AGO …FOR BREAD…srry to say…
You see, if we aspire to have a heathy Nation,first in our State/Nation RA/Artsakh above must be carefully considered…
Otherwise we may go on as before and in a Status Quo that hasbeen there for over 90/100 yeras…IN SHORT,WE NEED TO MOBILIZE…
RIGHT NOW there are 3/4 of Newly emerging VOICES, or people/establisments LIKE I AM ADVOCATING..one in frace, called “HAYBACHDBAN” THAT HAS DECLARED ITSELF “NATIONAL WESTERN ARMENIA PARLIAMENT’, THE OTHER A ONE MAN CRUSADE BY HARUT SASSOUNIAN-LIKE MINE, AND YET ANOTHER BY VARGES EGHIAYAN ..we are trying to bring about the NEW MOVEMET, the mobilization in my words..EACH WITH A DIFFERENT,albeit all with good intetions and “proposals”s Mine is just a “Projections on a New Statute for t he Armenian Diaspora””
I trust Mr. Omar will immedatey report this to his superiors.Fact is,HEY ARMENIANS LISTEN T THIS ONE!!
SINCE ABOUT A MONTH OR S AGO THAT ARUT STARTED THIS NEW ONE..THE TURKISH DIASPORA IS taken up the call and they are organizing-unlike ours- SUPPORTED BY THEIR GOVERNMENT!~!!!!
you sxee we are real s l o w ..WE ARE HAPPY -AS AN EXAMPLE- THAT A YOUNG ARMENIAN has been invited to aprticpate in a debate in Ankara…Mr. hatchig Mouradian… and his friends in the Rak and File feel very much important.ell Turkish diplomacy knows how to caress the FRAGMETED ARMENIANS…THEY WILL IN A VERY NEAR FUTURE SEND THEIR “INTELELCTUALS TO KNEE AT TSITSERNAAERT AND BEG FORGIVENESS.. and this will by and by become more often visits and also their ttitude towards our Genocide Recognition be attended to..
ONLY DO NOT ASK THE TURKIS PRESENT OR FUTURE GOVERNMENT FOR RESTITUTION.
WHAT RESTITUTION, WHAT LANDS? O.. TAKE AGHRI DAGH(ARARAT AND ANI AROUND IT BACK AS YOUR SYMBOLS(THEY KNOW OUR AREMIDS WLL BE VERY MCH satified with that 0 and tell their neighbour Fench,English American ,Russian etc., friends “see we hav e won” Turkey ahs become more attentive a nd is going to give bac to us some toher chunks of lands..(this of course is not the core of the issue.
THIS SOLDIER-foot soldier HAS BEEN ADVOCATING “blood money”” MAIN ISSUE..
GO THINK ABOUT THAT ARMEIANS!! THIS IS WHAT THE JEWS DID AND RECEIVED,MUCH MORE FEASIBLE,ESPECIALLY NOW AS THE LATTER PRECEDENT EXISITS.
TURKEY IS NOT GERMANY THEY WILL NOT PAYSOME WLL SAY.I AND MY FRIENDS KNOW THAT VERY WELL..
THEY WILL COME UP THAT THEIR GOV. TREAUSRY COFFERS ARE EMPTY ,NOW AN ECOPNOMIC CRUNCH IS GOING ON ALL OVER THE GLOBE..
MY ANSWER TO THAT IS -THE BRTISH AMERICAN ILD COMPNAIES THAT NSTEAD OF RUNNING-DRAWING INSTALLING THE OIL PIPE LINE FROM BAKU TO CHEYHA BTC LINE VIA ARMENIA…THE SORTES ROUTE, THEY OVERPASSED LATTER//HAVE YOU EVER ASKED YOURSELF OR THE GOV.OF THOSE CO.S WHY??
aren’t we trustworthy? THENCE WHEN WE FINALLY WIN OUR CAUSE/CASE,these oil companies in extension their gvernments-indeed latter- should ut pressure siad companies to pay from the OIL TRANSIT DTIES-PESENTLY BEING PAID TO GREAT TURKEY…A CERTAIN % to armenians genocide survivors heirs-through agbu overseas-diaspora9and ra governmetn as there are survivors heris in both..
WE MUST THINK CORECTLY AND FIND WASY TO BRING CULRIT TO THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE_OUR BAR ASSCIAITONS- PREPAREING FILE A DN WITH OLD TURKISH -ARABIC LANGUAGE DEEDS ETC., claim THAT WE LIVED THERE -VIZ OUR ANCESTORS AND THEIR LAND PROPERTY RICHES WERE CONFISCATED ..most important their lives swere tkane..by the ottoman turkish gov. and thence they must pay “blood mney”…
Stay awake,theya re preparing to by and by “sugar coated”way come to terms BUT NO PAYMET NO NOTHING FOR SUCH IS THEIR MINDSET….
Dear Compatriots,
FIRSSTLY DO PLEASE FORGIVE MY VERY BADLY-ERRONEOUSLY FAST TYPED ABOVE POST.I DO APOLAGIZE. NOW HEREUNDER IN BRIEF FORMAT:-
Unless we really mean business,DO LET US GO ON WITH THESE -like posts.Otherwise my ADVOCAY IS THE FOLLOWING:-
1.We must re-organize the Diaspora with Central councils in each Armenian community and then from these to delegate our ELITE-based on 3-delgates from each proffessional colleageus association,alongside our politica party rep.s to form a Supreme Diaspora Council-with 5 Departments-1.Legal-political in Strasbourgh-alongside RA delegate,2.Economic ,in Geneva-with 16 offices of each Proffession Group, c-ordinator of the future “National Investment Trust Fund’ by initial input by our 5/6 Magnates -LATTER APPOINTING THEIR MNETARY EXPERTS thereat.
3.Executive in N.Y<> next to RA ‘s U.N. Deegate.4.The Social Services and & Reatriation,in Moscow.5.The spiritual in St. Etchmiatdzin(in conjunction with Great House of Cilicia)-
2) Main objective is to bring about our main stream PCA’s over a 100,000 Prof.Colleagues Associates(our Resourcfes0.
3.Through these -and initial input for establising Nat’l Invest.Trust Fund” ,i.e. working capital -to be invested by their experts in Gov. bonds that bear interest,some 4/6% per annum,return to all investors 2/3% as dividends,Rest to be added to Capital.Loan given through “Fund” Offices-actually a Financal instituion in Yerevan to Farmers,sall and medium size trades etc.,
4. ALSO.When Fund is large enough contemplate through special Committe in Geneva CH to commence a huge Repatriation to RA/Artsakh by creating firstly JOBS there, such as Farming ,small industrial complexes, then have the near 2 million that l;eft Armenia go resettle there.
Otherwise by trumpeting “ARI TUN’-this mainly directed to the young(who already since 15 yrs ago to RA/Artsakh) on one two week stints or a few families re-settling in RA/Arsakh,cannot seriously be considered as Repatriation.
I sould like to add a very important point or two here below.
The DIASPORA MINSTRY, that came to life,after from many Diasora community country voices were raised for creation of same,lags very much behind.Since it is not representative of the 5 main Diasoras.Namel the North and s.American , The EU, The Russian and the Middle Easter,.
These should each have their elected person to occupy that post in Yerevan for a ONE YEAR period on a rotative basis.Their knowledge of local language,say French or English,spanis russian ARAbic AS WELL AS THE KNOWLDGE OF THE SAID AREAS CULTURE, EDUCATION AND PARTICULARITIES VAIRES IMMENSELY.Each one is cognizant what their community needes ad what their community can inject into the fabric of ALL ARMENIA DIASORA MINSITRY,thus paving the way for a much more closely cooeration and integrating all in the HUB of Armenity(Armenidad)present Republic of Armenia.
To add ,that tose young going there on vists ,-as to their wish and also RA Gov. consent ought to undergo at least one month military-cadet like ,with analogue Youth wo are enlisting as “zoragochik” cadets or to serve a 2 year service.This is essential since in most diasporaic countries Military service is no more obligatory.It is with pay and out Young men Young women do not undergo military-even cadet like- services…
best and
HamaHaigagani SIRO
Omar…
You said…
Bye the way Mr powerful diaspora Armenian, instead of cursing Armenian government which is located in landlocked geography and living in serious poverty, why don’t you rich diaspora armenians help your brothers back home
I apologize for my comment but Are you an idiot???? What planet do you live on ? Because of YOUR govt, Diaspora was born… Because YOUR govt, Armenia is having such hard times…. You think you are all strong and mighty hiding behind the strong Turkey .. ANCIENT ARMENIA…. and think you can bark what Diaspora can do for Armenia? You speak like a true ignorant Turk because you think Diaspora is rich and it does not’ do anything to help our brothers and sisters… .. How dare you to come here and insult those hard working people who put penny to penny to make sure their families are taken care of and do not go hungry..you act like a caring neighbors.. someone who will help Armenia to be the country that they should be.. HUGE B.S… our neighbor is such as hateful, blood thirsty Turkey.. I rather not have you as my .. I don’t need a two faced, conyving lying leeches as my neighbor…
By generalizing that Diaspora is rich and we only care about ourselves.. you are in wrong SIR… and i hope Turks like you who speak the false “Truth” drawn in Hell themselves.. just like to wished that curse upon Diaspora…
and Omar.. Turkey will kneel to Diaspora… and it is already doing it… why do you think Turkey is trying to separate Diaspora from mother ARmenia??? ask yourself…because IT IS AFRAIRD OF DIASPORA… get that through your think head…
SHANTAGIZOUM (sorry but I can’t figure out if this is an Armenian word or a name… please clarify)….
It was very very hard to understand your comment.. Maybe because of the format used…..but the thought and the idea you were trying to portray was very broken and not cohesive… I do apologize for mentioning this but I was trying really hard to understand what you were tryingt o say…
However, one thing I was able to get is that you agree that Diaspora is not doing enough…. am I correct in saying that??
Even though I am one and my family is one family, our help is tremendeous to the 6 families we support with the little that we have… I agree with you that Diaspora can do much more..but only if are more organized and unified..Diaspora not only can help our people and but we need to help our Country freeing from cheats, liers, thieves and most of all from the hateful and denialist Turkey.. When you have millions upon millions Armenians all over the world, it is not an easy task bringing everyone together and expect everyone to be on the same page right away..but one already knows why we are all over the world..If Turkey did not bring this Genocide upon Armenians, we would not have the challenge that we have currently…. we would not have Diaspora..we would not have Armenia without a strong, honest govt…We would have had our power and our lands (TURKEY)… we would not have the hardship, the heartaches, the sleepless nights because we worry about our country and families….OMAR’s ANCESTORS and now OMAR’S CURRENT GOVT. were and are the MAIN guilty party to cause all this choas.
Thank you
Gayane
Why is it that Hayastantsi Armenians are never as hostile to Turkey as those in the diaspora? Perhaps they also know very well that the Russians have not been so kind to Armenians during the last 200 years and that Armenians are murdered in Moscow on a weekly basis. The diaspora has this festering psychology that has created a hateful monster, and it’s not healthy at all. My grandparents lost their entire families who were left behind in Turkey, but never, ever said they hated Turks…and we were not allowed to say it either. Yes, they were pained by it, but didn’t want us to be poisoned with hatred or fear. Until a new attitude can develop, Armenians will continue to bang their empty cups loudly against the wall, demanding someone – anyone – to fill it…but until they can tone down the decible level, no one will be interested. Trust me. It doesn’t work that way….
I don’t, at some points, agree with the writer.
1) Hrant Dink wouldn’t have written anything differently in his articles had he had a chance to express his thoughts and feelings freely. He would have been able to word them more clearly, true, but his attitude toward the issue would be the same because he lived here. Because this country was the only place he could feel home and despite how misunderstood he was by the nationalists here because they lack a functioning brain, he did not hate Turkey. He was heartbroken for people who he thought he could trust, now are calling him a liar and he had to stand strong to convince them that part of their history is not is not all about glory but caused great pain to people who had been nothing but family to them. This attitude of his have always reminded me of one of my favorite Bible quotes, Matthews 18:21-22.
How governments treat citizens of a country is domestic politics and politics never cover idea of every individual in a country, about issues being dealt. If anyone here thinks what Erdogan said about deporting the so-very-exaggerated number of Armenians back to their homeland was applauded, supported and appreciated by every Turk then you are HIGHLY mistaken. Such an unfortunate moment in modern Turkey’s history.
2)”…Armenia for not taking care of those 100,000 citizens who had to beg for their livelihood from the Turk.”
Um.. that’s called working and it’s one of the noblest things on earth those Armenians are doing. It’s hard to live in a country with economical difficulties and even harder to go and work in some other country where you are considered as a foreigner, far away from your family and friends. Despite every difficulty they are facing, they didn’t choose the easy way which would be stealing but are working with their honor. After all those interviews I read with some of the immigrant workers, I had a feeling that they are, at some degree, happy to be here where scents, sights and tastes feel familiar. I hope they’ll stay. I hope their children will grow up here. Call me a dreamer but I’m so badly wishing for Turkey to ease the process for them to apply and get citizenship. Because only when Armenian population here reaches a respectful number, then their voice can be heard. I, as a Turk, can’t get the authorities change a broken street lamp on my street without having a support from others living in the same neighborhood. A street lamp! That’s how simple it is and you are talking about repairment of schools and churches?!?! Do you know how many historical buildings I pass everyday which had been left to their own fate? You can just politely ask Turkish authorities to do something and expect them to fulfill your demand right away. Sadly, that’s not how things work here.
What most of the commentors here don’t know is that we are blinded. Since Ataturk gave a big fight to build up a country from whatever remained from Ottoman Empire and the youth of generation of this nation died (not just Turks but Armenians too believe it or not) in battle fields, the dramatic side of the war is still being taught in textbooks. Until a few years ago, accusations against some nations for being traitors giving birth to hatred was not uncommon to see either. Hence, everyone is sensitive about the unity of the land and everyone is angry at Armenians who rebelled and closing their eyes and plugging their ears to facts such as it was an Armenian who gave shape to modern Turkish and worked for years as a supervisor in Turkish Literature Foundation and another Armenian who arranged the national anthem. But I find comments like Gayane’s a bit provocative. I feel horrible for what happened in 1915 and so badly hoping that none of my ancestors were involved because it was despicable and even the possibility makes me feel ashamed as a human being. I’m asking for forgiveness, true but I’m not kneeling in front of anyone. When I knock on your door and you refuse me then it means everything you’ve been fighting for, never really served any purpose at all. It means the only way I can reach you, is changing the past which is not anything an ordinary human being is capable of. It means we can’t have a normal conversation ever without hatred interrupting, it means we can’t ever stop seeing each other as enemies, it means we’ll always give up on better days for what has already been done.
While this article was decent, there is one major concern. The beginning of this article references Hitler’s treatment of others and the realities of Nazi Germany. I personally am beginning to get fed up with constant references to Hitler and the Nazis. The Armenian Genocide, pogroms, unfair taxation, and general second class citizenship experienced at the hands of the Ottomans and Young Turks precede that of Nazism. When constant references to Hitler are made, it places the suffering of the Armenians in a secondary class of oppression. What the Jews suffered under the Third Reich is in no way more worthy of attention, study, and condemnation than that of the Armenians under the Ottomans and Turks.
So while I was impressed by the article, this observation of mine about Hitler and Nazi references must be addressed. I think it reduces our suffering and elevates theirs, which is the problem with Western education today.