Keeping independence in perspective

Similar to many of our youth today, my awakening to Armenian patriotism occurred during my teenage years. The awareness of our history and the unresolved criminal acts against our people consumed my thoughts as my grandparents’ personal experiences came to light. During those years, Armenian political activism, especially among young Armenians, was in its infancy as a public process. Our appetite for knowledge overcame all barriers — even before the convenience of the internet. 

I would occasionally frequent a store in Boston called Jack’s Joke Shop, known for carrying every type of book, gadget or mechanism related to humor. One day, while browsing, my eyes caught something in the Armenian tri-color pattern. It’s interesting how we are conditioned to recognize those three colors — red, blue and orange — from almost any angle or configuration. As I walked closer, I noticed circular lapel and sweater buttons that read “Armenian Power” against a tri-color background. My initial excitement quickly gave way to doubt: I was in a joke shop dedicated to humor and satire. Did they consider Armenians and self-identity a joke? Should I protest to store management? 

I decided to purchase most of the buttons, recognizing that once worn, they could have a positive impact. At my next AYF meeting, I distributed handfuls of the pins to friends. A few months later, I went back to the store and saw the same buttons with the words “Free Armenia.” Management wasn’t very helpful in identifying the source, but I bought as many as I could for distribution. I thought to myself, “Now, we’re making progress. Power is vague, but a demand for freedom was clear and direct.” It was a different time. Today, such items would be lost among hundreds of other objects. We have come a long way in public visibility.

My experience at the joke shop raised a question that would guide my political thinking for years: What are we trying to free? There was an Armenian state within the Soviet Union representing a portion of our historical lands, but it seemed closed off to the diaspora. Very few people visited Soviet Armenia, and with the Cold War raging, perceptions of the Soviet Union were very negative. 

In the 1970s, most Armenians in the U.S. had roots in Western Armenia. Our family history and political consciousness centered around the Turkish atrocities, deportations and dispossession of the Genocide. Most of our activist energy focused on recognition and holding Turkey accountable for those crimes. We proudly demanded the return of Armenian provinces, particularly those identified by President Wilson, but questions remained. How would this liberation happen? The idea of legal reparations seemed distant and revolutionary activity was romantic but unrealistic. It became clear that our role was to educate and energize the diaspora and establish an infrastructure for advocacy. 

We were thankful to be a small part of this excitement, yet questions remained. What about Soviet Armenia? What mechanism would Armenians have without a seat at the United Nations? At that time, our political identity was modest. We would protest at the United Nations, but Armenia was not represented. Who was listening? At the United Nations or Rockefeller Center in New York, the Armenian flag was never present. A proud people were viewed as stateless by most global nations. While there was an anti-Soviet movement among so-called “captive nations,” many Armenians were content that at least the eastern territory existed, albeit under Soviet rule. 

The lack of a clear path fueled much debate. During that period, the AYF sponsored regional seminars for chapter representatives to focus on organizational issues. One meeting was held in the basement of the Papken Suni Social Club in Watertown. The local ARF had arranged for AYF attendees to have lunch with several senior ARF members, many of whom had lived in the First Republic and participated in the government. This luncheon proved enlightening for me and many others. I was fortunate to sit with Dr. Khatanassian, an impressive man with white hair and a goatee. He was articulate and knowledgeable about the region’s geopolitical patterns.

We asked him about the path to our Hai Tahd goals, Soviet Armenia and occupied western Armenia. His answer stunned us and proved to be prophetic. With a calm but confident demeanor, he stated that Armenia would become free as a result of the collapse of the Soviet Union. Silence fell over the room. His reasoning was simple: the Soviet system of centralized planning and repression of freedoms was unsustainable. It was his view that economic pressure would demand liberalization, opening a floodgate of decline. This was about 18 years before the walls of the Soviet empire began to collapse. 

His question to us was whether Armenia would be prepared to take advantage of the void and begin the difficult process of transitioning to a market economy and building a free state. I must admit that some of the participants did not take him seriously, given our focus on the Turkish crimes. He emphasized that once the current republic was free, Armenia would be a recognized base to pursue recognition and reparations. It was an incredible vision, one that has remained vivid in my memory. 

In 1991, his vision became reality. Today, we celebrate the 34th year of that miracle. In 1918, a similar void emerged from the Bolshevik Revolution and civil war in Russia. The Czarist regime ended, but the Bolsheviks had not yet consolidated power. Armenians bravely defeated nationalist Turks bent on completing the work of their Ittihad brothers, and out of the ashes of genocide, a territorial foundation was established. In 1991, Armenians once again recaptured political and religious freedom. For the diaspora, Armenia’s independence and the embrace of the tri-color were instant unifiers. 

At least half of the American diaspora had once shunned the tri-color as partisan, but the 1918 flag’s adoption by the new Republic established a remarkable reality. Perhaps more importantly, it boosted identity in the diaspora. Armenia joined the United Nations, finally taking its place among nations. Nation-building began with global participation. Democracy can be complicated, particularly when starting from scratch, but we have much to be proud of over the last 34 years. We often focus on our shortcomings, but it is healthy to take a moment to recognize this miracle.

Despite ongoing challenges and regional threats, we are indeed fortunate to live in this era. Generations of Armenians dreamed of independence for centuries, and we are living it. Let’s do the math. Aside from a brief period from 1918-20, Armenia last experienced independence in 1375 with the fall of Cilicia. Independence in the western highlands ended in 1045 with the fall of the Bagratuni dynasty. Since Cilicia’s fall, roughly 650 years — or approximately 26 generations — have passed. Excluding the post-Genocide republic, we are privileged to be among only two or three generations to experience a democratic, independent state. 

We should take a moment to internalize what a rare and unique opportunity we have before us. My prayer is that the diaspora and the Republic will continue building stronger ties. The diaspora’s contribution over the last 34 years has been heartwarming. Armenians in Armenia do not seek charity; they seek opportunities to participate in nation-building denied to our people for centuries. Diasporan Armenians can now help realize the dreams of their parents and grandparents: seeing a prosperous, free Armenia. Connection to the homeland strengthens our identity, particularly for children in an increasingly secular, material world.

This year, as I celebrated the independence of our homeland, I reflected on those two buttons from Jack’s Joke Shop. They weren’t a joke; they were a message for ourselves and the world. The “power” that we garnered was the will to build a nation and accept the challenges of our time. I have always loved the slogan “Free Armenia” or Azad Haiastan. It captured the imagination of so many in the pre-1991 days. We have politically matured now to address human rights and injustice. 

Today, we hear Getzeh Haiastan (“Long live Armenia”). It is all connected. Azad Haiastan became more than a slogan. Many of my peers used it as a greeting. After AYF gatherings ended, ungers would say goodbye with a handshake or hug while proclaiming Azad Haiastan. With the achievement of Azad Haiastan, we must always protect its independence. It starts by each of us never taking for granted this gift and the sacrifice required to pass it to each generation. Share the joy!