No, this is not about living room footrests.
Nor is it about the so-called “neo-Ottomanism” of Turkey’s foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoglu.
It is about an unbroken tradition of Ottoman (possibly even earlier Turkish, but still at least terminologically stolen, err, borrowed from the Persians) origin.
Who knew that the Ottoman Military Marching Band, “Mehter Takimi,” still existed? Further, it seems its core was comprised of the janissaries (yeneecheree, and more on this later). After that bloody corps was eliminated, this traditional marching band, one of the earliest in history, almost disappeared. Its revival commenced in 1911, survived the transition from Ottoman to Republican Turkey, and since 1953 (in “celebration” of the fall of Constantinople to the Turks) has been fully reconstituted as a band of the Turkish Armed Forces. Most of this is from Wikipedia.
Isn’t it interesting that the core of Kemal Ataturk’s “republic,” the armed forces, is maintaining the band of a state with which the current Turkish state doesn’t easily associate itself, for obvious genocidal reasons in all likelihood?
Even worse, the janissaries, in their day, were among the most egregious murderers of Armenians and other non-Muslims in the Ottoman Empire. You’ll remember they were an elite corps composed of the children of murdered Christians raised as extremist Muslims.
So why this issue now? Well, this latter-day representative of murderers is coming to town, for the second time, on Oct. 3. They have pulled a permit from the City of Los Angeles to march and perform along Hollywood Boulevard starting at Highland. They (35 individuals according to the permit) plan to assemble at 4 p.m., start marching at 4:30, end at 6:15, and disband (no pun intended) at 6:30.
This is a despicable thing. It is occurring during Armenian culture month, and just before the visit to the area by Catholicos Aram I. It is occurring in one of the biggest concentrations of Armenians living in the LA basin. It is “related to the Anatolian Cultures & Food Festival in Costa Mesa” according to the permit—yet another manifestation of Turkish theft of indigenous culture. Plus, as mentioned above, this would be the marching band’s second appearance in the area this year, the first having been in April at the festival. Clearly, I shamefully missed being aware of that one.
It is important, terribly so, to give these representatives of Turkey and its government an unwelcoming greeting they’ll never forget. Who remembers our success two decades ago when the Red Army Band’s performance at the Shrine Auditorium was cancelled by the organizers because of our demonstration? Something like that is what we need. It would be even better if the permit were revoked! It a failure of our community that such a permit was issued without our awareness and input. But now, our organizations must make every effort to prevent this event from becoming a success. Otherwise, we will be in a situation comparable to the early- and mid-1980s’ New York City. Back then, the Turks, using “Children’s Day” (a legitimate holiday in Turkey, falling on April 23) as their cover, started organizing a parade, which is now annual and draws in thousands, providing that genocidal state lots of positive publicity. Let’s not allow Oct. 3, 2011 to become the wedge that creates a similar situation in Los Angeles.
Also, the Pacifica Institute, about whom I’ve written before, and which may well be connected to Turkey’s Gulen movement, and which is involved in constituting charter schools in the U.S. to spread Turkish propaganda, is a sponsor of the food festival.
Some may wonder why we should care about a mere manifestation of Turkish culture, which is the way organizers are passing this off (based on the press releases on their website). Aside from the obvious fact that culture is often used as a political tool, I always remember Leo Sarkissian’s admonition that our policy had always been: if it’s local Turks conducting an activity, that’s one thing; if it is a state-based group from Turkey, then we respond.
Clearly, Mehter Takim meets the second criterion. Let’s get to work and not let the Turkish government achieve another propaganda coup.
Garen Yegparian
Latest posts by Garen Yegparian (see all)
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While cultural promotions are the rights of all peoples, why do you, Garen, believe that olny an Armenian cultural event is allowable? Last time I checked, Armenians had not yet owned all of the state of California. You’re advocating disruptions of this leagal band parade (they have their permits, as you state yourself). I One can only feel sorry for you. This isn’t the first time that you’ve written an article that floated like a laed balloon! Keep one thing in mind…if you instigate and aggitate disruption of this event (and the Armenian community decides [incorrectly] to follow you), and if violence should then break out, with people being injured (or worse) on both sides, then the consequences will be on your head! Can all of you posters see the century-old problem here? It’s rather evident.
Oh Robert. In trying to feign concern for violence, you sound like a very violent and angry person. It appears the Genocide Apple does not fall far from the tree.
You even make reference to “the century-old problem here.” And what would that problem be? I suppose you believe Armenians had it coming 100 years ago. I suppose you believe that it is too bad your family members, 100 years ago, didn’t finish the job. They were very effective, though.
The Turks were successful in killing 1.5 million Armenians and marching another 500,000 off of their land…forever. And you are upset with Garen Yegparian???
Like the perpetrators of the Armenian Genocide, you, as a denier and apologist, are equally despicable. Hitler could have used a guy like you in his press office.
Please use your next effort on this page to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide and I will take back all I have just written.
Peter, and other Armenian posters. We need to propagate a unified message.
1. It was not ‘killings’: it was murder. You are allowed to kill legally, as in killing for self-defense. You are not allowed to murder unarmed civilians, particularly children and babies (born and unborn).
2. 1.5 Million only applies to 1915-1923. Total is about 2 million.
300,000-500,000 (estimated) Hamidian Massacres.
30,000 Adana Massacre.
Multitudes of others much lower in number of murdered, that are not publicized
because they pale in comparison.
One continuous orgy of massacres and abductions of our boys, girls, and young
women from the day Seljuk Turks invaded our sacred Armenian Highlands,
and despoiled it.
Let’s all speak with one voice and unified message when it comes to AG.
Robert:
Turkey was not a country till 1923, you didn’t have an alphabet till that time and it was greatly “borrowed” from the Greek and Latins. What is this Turkish culture you speak of? You are a country that wishes not to discuss anything prior to 1923 and have left a black eye on your current citizens of Turkey because of the Ottoman Era. This band represents a time of the Turkish History that Eastern Europeans to the gates of Vienna, middle east and Northern Africa will never forget. The yoke and vicious sword of the Ottoman even destroyed your fellow moslem brothers in the Arabic countries.
This Ottoman Military band is NOT a postive representation of Turkey and their current media hype that it is a land of multi cultures.
How about honoring the language of the Kurds? (a forbidden language to speak in Turkey)
How about recognizing that Hagia Sofia was a Church before these blood hound Ottoman’s shamelessly converted it to a Mosque and today a museum with no mention of the people that built it.
So how about promoting the builders of Topaki Palace, the beautiful ancient cathedrals of Turkey. Or perhaps the Alevis? Then there is the Pontic Greeks another indigenous group.
Your Ottoman Military band and costumes is largely influenced from the tribes of Central Asia Mongolia that invaded Armenia/Greek Byzantium a democratic Christian Kingdom that you couldn’t wait to destroy.
This is the plans of the AKP party and the Gulen Movement to create a Golden Generation via your schools to inherit the restored Ottoman Universal Caliphate.
Are these clowns in this band even American? They have no rights in America.
http://www.turkishinvitations.weebly.com
The Janissaries weren’t comprised of the sons of”murdered” Christians, but were created by Sultan Murad I from Christian boys levied through the devşirme system from conquered countries in the 14th century and was abolished by Sultan Mahmud II in 1826. Read about the Auspicious Incident!!
@Armen – You ask “what Turkish culture?” Are yo overlooking the fact that the Ottoman Empire ruled over large swaths of the Middle East and Eastern Europe for centuries? The fact that they conquered lands and peoples in a manner similar to so many Christian empires seems to escape your narrow historical viewpoint.
Armenian have now been relegated to protesting marching bands and food festivals…How pathetic – just like their begging, cap in hand, for Obama to utter the G word on April 24th. No wonder we haven’t gotten anywhere in almost 100 years of beating our chests and demanding justice from the same powers who decided to side with Kemal Ataturk and the Turkish Republic. What a waste of time and money.
My poor, poor “razmik.” If you want to disguise your Turkishness, next time you write — trying to pass yourself off as an Armenian — I would recommend two things:
1. Tone down the praise for Kemal Ataturk & the Turkish Republic;
2. Get an English coach.
Congratulations Mr. Yegparian! Mission accomplished. The band will not perform due to the Armenian threats and the show is now cancelled.
I guess you will have a peaceful night when you go to bed and have so much peace inside because you did your best not to allow a pseudo band to perform (or were you thinking we have still Mehter band in the Turkish army?) The funny thing is that you may be born as a US citizen, may have gone to the best schools in the country and raised yourself as an intellectual but you are far from being a civilized person who respects the existence of the others, which is because you guys are Armenian first of all, not American – that is why this oriental way of showing off your power was what you wanted to have in the first place. I hope one day the rest of the American nation will see your true faces and ask who you guys are indeed. Armenian or American? I bet you have nothing to do with being an American; otherwise you would definitely know that this is a country of freedom and you wouldn’t bother to impose your hidden agendas on the institutions of this country. So…. Mehter band will not perform – what is next? Turkey will recognize the Armenian Genocide and the borders will be re-opened and we will have peace???? (Oh I forgot… Since every one of you is an Armenian ultra-nationalist, you dream about wiping out the entire Kurdish population from the eastern part of Turkey and re-establish your Armenian Kingdom – then the peace will come of course!) What an achievement for the glorious Armenian people on the LA then! The Mehter band is gone and the peace is soon.
Mike, I am sorry for your troubles. You appear to be very emotionally frazzled by all of this.
Your ancestors committed a great crime and neither they, nor you, will admit to it…and do the things that will allow all of us to move on.
Genocide, unrecognized, will not go away…no matter how many tears you cry about those mean Armenians who stopped the lovely parade to which you were so looking forward.
Unfortunately, for your genocidal ancestors, their children and grandchildren (like yourself) seem ill-equipped to handle the stress of the truth.
Peter Musurlian
Mike;
But none every so brutal and bloodthristy as the Ottoman barbarian. To this day Europeans and the Middle East won’t let you forget about it. One things for sure…ROT-Republic of Turkey can FORGET about ever being in the European Union, until your country can regain it’s convenient amnesia.
Mike or is it Mehmet?
The sooner your country starts to recognize it’s history and how the ROT was formed, the sooner you and your people will have a dark cloud lifted from you. No one will forget, Europe doesn’t want you, Russia tolerates you and whiped you in the Turko – Russo wars, even your middle eastern brothers don’t trust you. AND NOW, your only trading partner Israel appears to be threw with you as well. Gulen’s fantasy of establishing a neo Ottoman Empire via his Golden Generation is laughable. The Ottomans are not masters of the world or education. Turkey is the lowest on education internationally. Your Military Band is a reminder to the world of an evil period and evil empire. According to your post, you believe it would be acceptable for the Nazis to have a military band and march through a Jewish neighborhood. Oh, that is right Turkey dislikes America and Israel and regularly burns our flags in protests. America doesn’t need symbolism of the Ottoman Evil Empire.