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04/29/2005
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1) LA Rallies for US Recognition of Armenian Genocide
2) MIT's Daron Acemoglu wins 2005 Clark Medal
3) Turkey Tries to Manipulate Situation Once Again
4) `Listen Turkey, Ararat and Massis are Ours'
5) Pilibos Armenian School Commemorates 90th Anniversary of Armenian Genocide
6) Sara Anjargolian: Photographs from Armenia
7) Fellow Armenians
8) California's Last Action Hero Fights against Turkey's True Lies
9) Honkin' Flags
10) March and Rally in Little Armenia
11) Another Year
1) LA Rallies for US Recognition of Armenian Genocide
LOS ANGELES--Around 1500 people gathered at the US Federal Building on Friday
demanding official US recognition of the Armenian genocide and a just
resolution to the Armenian Case. The Rally for Justice and Truth, which took
place at 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, was organized by the United Human Rights Council
(UHRC).
The presence of numerous youth inspired Raffi Hamparian, who spoke on behalf
of Armenian National Committee to tell the crowd: "Some nations have treasures
of gold; some nations have treasures of oil. The Armenian nation has its
youth,
and the youth will deliver justice to the victims of 1915."
Lifelong community activist and Glendale Board of Education member Greg
Krikorian addressed the great input Armenians have had in defending the most
valuable of American ideals.
"We as Armenians and Americans have spilled our blood defending the most
precious ideal of freedom of this great nation of America...have served shoulder
to shoulder with US armed forces in WWI, the Korean War and Vietnam War, and
most recently in the Persian Gulf. And though we have dedicated our lives to
this nation, this nation still can't recognize the Genocide...We do not only
want
recognition. We have not marched for 90 years just for that. We demand
reparations, which include the return of Western Armenian lands; the only
debate that remains is the amount of reparations."
He stressed that Armenian Americans have sacrificed and committed too much to
accept a word--recognition.
Speaking on behalf of UHRC Myrna Douzjian spoke in Armenian, saying "Turkey
blatantly continues its criminal policy with its policy of denial; after all,
to deny a crime is to perpetuate the atrocity."
She stressed that several parliaments throughout the world have adopted
legislation officially recognizing the Genocide, the latest being Poland.
"However, as Armenian Americans we still await our elected officials, our
Senators and Representatives to 'recognize' a just cause, to denounce the
genocide of Armenians, and to exert pressure on Turkey to pay reparations to
Armenians."
Douzjian said that Armenian Americans, citizens of the United States expect
the Administration in Washington, DC to uphold justice and principals of human
rights. "We, justifiably expect the White House to pressure Turkey to come to
terms with its past and accept its genocide of Armenians and pay reparations
for its crime. Only then can we consider the Armenian-Turkish matter
resolved."
2) MIT's Daron Acemoglu wins 2005 Clark Medal
(Combined Sources)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Daron
Acemoglu, an ethnic Armenian, is the 2005 recipient of the John Bates Clark
medal, awarded every other year to the nation's top economist under the age of
40 for making a significant contribution to economic thought and knowledge.
The American Economic Association, which presents the medal, cited Acemoglu,
37, for his "valuable contributions to several distinct fields, starting with
labor economics and successively moving to macroeconomics, institutional
economics and political economy."
His most recent work has focused on the role of political institutions in
economic development. Acemoglu's current work explores the links among
political structure, legal and market institutions, and a nation's long-run
rate of economic growth. It takes into account the differing effects of
institutions established by colonial powers in North America, South America,
and Africa on economic development in countries in those regions.
Acemoglu, who came to MIT in 1993 and received his PhD from the London School
of Economics, is the fifth member of the present Economics Department to
receive the Clark Medal. He was promoted to full professor in 2000, and was
named the Charles P. Kindleberger Professor of Applied Economics in 2004.
The Clark Medal, eminent in its own right, has proven a predictor of future
Nobel laureates: of the 29 Clark medalists, 11 have gone on to win the Nobel.
3) Turkey Tries to Manipulate Situation Once Again
YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--Responding to Ankara's calls for the creation of a
Turkish-Armenian commission of historians to look into the events of
1915-1918,
Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamlet Gasparian denounced the use of
fresh
excuses to avoid an unconditional normalization of bilateral relations and
insisted that its archives are open to Turkish historians willing to research
the extermination of over one million Armenians in the Ottoman Empire.
"If there is a real desire and will to normalize our relations, then excuses
become unnecessary," the spokesman said.
"We want to once and for all state that the reality has long been known to
everyone," Gasparian added in a statement. "So let us put aside propaganda and
talk frankly."
In a letter to President Robert Kocharian earlier this month, Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggested that historians from both countries
jointly determine if the mass killings and deportations of Ottoman Armenians
indeed constituted a genocide.
Kocharian responded to Erdogan on Tuesday, effectively rejecting the
offer. He
said that Ankara should instead drop preconditions for establishing diplomatic
relations with Yerevan and opening the Turkish-Armenian border. He also called
for the creation of an intergovernmental commission that will tackle all
issues
of mutual concern.
Erdogan was quick to reject the idea, insisting that the formalization of
Turkish-Armenian ties is impossible without an end to the Armenian campaign
for
international recognition of the Genocide. "There is a very important issue
that must be settled before making political decisions, and this issue
concerns
problems stemming from history," he told reporters in Ankara on Wednesday.
Erdogan, however, appeared less categorical in an interview with the
"Milliet"
daily published on Friday. "On the one hand, political relations could be
established. On the other hand, the work [on the archives] could continue.
There is no Chinese Wall between us," he said.
In separate comments this week, Erdogan mentioned that the Turkish government
would accept any judgment from the proposed commission of historians.
"Let scholars study archive documents and if it turns out that we have to
question our history, we would do so," he said. He also said that his
government has declassified its Ottoman-era archives and urged Armenia to
follow suit.
"Our archives have long been open to any researcher from any country,"
countered Gasparian. "Many foreign scholars have used them to date and none of
them was Turkish. If they [Turkish historians] want, they can come and have a
look."
The director of Armenia's National Archives, Amatuni Virabian, gave a similar
pledge last February. "I am ready to receive and show them all those
genocide-related documents that we have," Virabian told a news conference,
adding that there are about 12,000 such documents. He said they mostly contain
information on tens of thousands of genocide survivors who found refuge in
Armenia before it was incorporated into Soviet Russia in November 1920.
President George W. Bush, who--once again--refused to use the word "genocide"
in his April 24 message to the Armenian community in the United States,
praised
Erdogan for making the offer. Bush's stance was hailed by the Turkish Foreign
Ministry.
4) `Listen Turkey, Ararat and Massis are Ours'
Recognition, restoration, reparation-demanding System Of A Down plays to
capacity crowd at Souls 2005
By Jenny Kiljian
System Of A Down, set to drop a new album in two weeks, did anything but hype
at the sold-out Souls 2005 concert in Los Angeles on April 24. Playing only
three songs from their highly anticipated release of Mesmerize/Hypnotize, the
band instead rallied the perspiration-soaked, frenzied crowd at the Universal
Amphitheatre to pay homage to the 1.5 million victims of the Armenian
genocide,
waged by the Ottoman Empire from 1915-1918 and still denied by the present-day
government of Turkey.
As at the previous two Souls concerts, the program began with a video-clip
from Peter Jennings' 1999 report on the Armenian genocide from `The Century,'
in which the veteran anchor interviews genocide survivors and historians in a
montage that can be taken as a clear-cut indictment:
`It is sometimes called `the Armenian holocaust.' And one of its
perpetrators,
Talaat Pasha, is known to Armenians as the Turkish Hitler,' says Jennings.
`Look at what is happening now to the ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, and you can
follow a line that leads, finally, here: to the near annihilation of the
Turkish Armenians in 1915. It was, quite simply, the first genocide of the
20th
century.'
After the visibly riled audience had marinated over the images of Talaat
Pasha
and the corpses of massacred Armenians, the band, clad entirely in black,
began
their 25-song set with the blistering new single, `B.Y.O.B.,' an acronym for
`Bring Your Own Bombs.' The disco-imbued track, which takes President Bush to
task for the war in Iraq, last week reached No. 9 on Billboard's Modern Rock
Tracks chart.
The quartet of Armenian descent--Serj Tankian, lead vocals; Daron Malakian,
guitars and vocals; bassist Shavo Odadjian, and drummer John Dolmayanhave been
committed to ongoing efforts to raise awareness of the Armenian genocide, and
other global abuses of human rights, including the genocide in Sudan.
Before steamrolling the audience with `Holy Mountains,' another ditty from
Mesmerize, guitarist Malakian uttered one sentence that sent chills through
the
predominantly Armenian crowd, a message that will likely reach ears in
Ankara`Listen Turkey,' he shrilled. `Ararat and Massis are ours!'
`We didn't start this band to change the world,' he announced prior to
launching into `Aerials.' `We didn't start this band to change your mind. We
started this band to make you ask questions.'
Malakian (who penned Steal This Album's romantic ballad `Roulette') then
melted hearts with `Julietta,' a classic Armenian love song made popular by
contemporary singer Harout Pamboukjian. The band also delighted the audience
with their take on George Michael's 1980s hit `Everything She Wants.'
As Malakian occasionally made a mad dash across the length of the stage,
Odadjian paced around his quarter, staring bug-eyed at the crowd, and
twitching
his head to the music. Dolmayan pummeled the audience in alternating bouts of
frenetic double-bass, crash and splash cymbals. Tankian, his eyes often
solemnly closed, raised his arms to the sky as if he were praying or divining
mystical energy.
After a medley of songs that covered their entire discography, the band ended
the rollicking set with `P.L.U.C.K.' (Politically, Lying, Unholy, Cowardly
Killers), in which Tankian insistently chants the refrain `Recognition,
Restoration, Restoration,' placing the blame of `a whole race genocide'
squarely on Turkey.
But System had another surprise up their sleeves before making their exita
guitar-driven version of the anthemic patriotic song `Sardarabad,' whose
lyrics
advise Armenians of all generations to identify themselves with the historic
1918 battle, when a shoestring Armenian regiment defended the Ararat Valley
against the invading Turkish Army, eventually defeating them and forcing them
to retreat. The Armenian element in the crowed proudly waved their tricolor
flags and roared along with Tankian, who has cited revolutionary music as his
inceptive influence, and was a member of the Armenian Youth Federation
(AYF) in
his teenage years (see sidebar).
Proceeds from Sunday's show benefited several organizations, including
Amnesty
International; the Armenian National Committee of America; the Center for the
Prevention of Genocide (CPG); and Axis of Justice, Tankian's political action
group with Tom Morello.
`I know they are Armenians and I know they are promoting awareness of the
Armenian genocide, but more importantly they're promoting awareness of all
genocide, past present and future,' said 25-year-old Chris Sirounian, a
long-time fan who also attended the two previous Souls concerts. `It allows
everyone who listens to System to realize what is happening in the world
today,
with their music, or booths outside the venue, about atrocities such as those
in Darfur. You don't have to be Armenian to understand what System is
saying in
their music.'
System Of A Down will be out in support of Mesmerize, the first of two discs
they will release this year. That set arrives May 17 via American Recordings,
while the second album, Hypnotize, is due in the fall. Fresh off a three-show
European tour, they're now running around the United States on a 10-date
`guerilla club tour,' playing small venues and debuting a couple of songs from
Mezmerize. The band will appear as musical guests on the NBC network's
Saturday
Night Live on May 7, and treat the multiple millions of viewers to `B.Y.O.B.'
and `Chop Suey,' the smash single from Toxicity.
The band also announced a summer tour, their first in three years. While
specific dates have yet to be confirmed, the band will kick off the two-month
trek in early August, and will play in arenas throughout North America. The
Mars Volta is on the bill as special guests on all of the tour dates; a third
act, yet to be announced, will open the shows.
Asbarez Armenian Daily Newspaper editorial assistant Ani Shahinian
contributed
to this report.
Serj Tankian Gets `Down' to the Nitty Gritty
Critics chided System Of A Down's eponymous first disc for apparently relying
too heavily on expletives to generate anger and resolve in listeners. Whether
in response to the criticism or because they matured as individuals and
musicians, their music has mushroomed into a sensual, percussive, intelligent
satire of the establishmentreplete with nose-thumbing lyrical underpinnings.
In trying not to pigeonhole these spectrum-hopping musicians, these same
critics have now been parroting each other faster than they can say
`derivative.' Dozens have likened Tankian's contralto coloratura on the new
albums to 1980s icon, the late Queen frontman Freddy Mercury.
The busy activist took some time out of the band's newly nomadic schedule to
answer some questions for the Armenian Weekly.
Armenian Weekly: How did you and the band come up with the idea for Souls?
Serj Tankian: Souls was a way for us to commemorate April 24, use the
event to
garner media attention to the Armenian genocide and its denial, and raise
funds
for worthy organizations and projects working to teach about genocide and
holocaust, legislative action, survivor documentation, etc. It was also a way
for us to communicate directly with our fans about the Genocide.
AW: When did you decide it would work better on April 24, as the first Souls
was in November of 2003?
ST: We decided to do that last year, since it would be more symbolic and
stand
in unison with all the efforts of our Armenian community worldwide in
commemoration.
AW: What has the response been like from the Armenian community, and from
non-Armenians?
ST: Amazing on both ends.
AW: Have you received any negative reactions from Turkish-Americans or ethnic
Turks?
ST: Not really. I think people know what we stand for, whether it's our
opposition to the war in Iraq, which most Turks agree with [us], or our
opposition to Turkey's denial of the Genocide, which some Turks agree, or
disagree with.
AW: Have you received any feedback from the music industry and your fellow
musicians about your message, the Souls concert and your music?
ST: Many journalists in our industry, and fans alike, have thanked us for
informing them about the Genocide. We get emails of students in high schools
and colleges who are doing their thesis on the Genocide and are teaching their
fellow students and, in some cases, their teachers, as well.
AW: What is the latest news from Axis of Justice? Do you think your radio
show
could be syndicated eventually?
ST: Axis continues its work daily. Our Los Angeles chapter is very active
now.
We have weekly homeless feeding events in Venice with Food Not Bombs, and do
many philanthropic events/donations/benefit concerts, etc. Our Web site,
www.axisofjustice.org, is a good source for alternative news, and our radio
show will find its way into syndication eventually. We're on XM satellite, as
well as KPFK in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara.
AW: Are there any new songs from Mesmerize/Hypnotize that deal with human
rights issues?
ST: Yes, there are. However, most of it is open to interpretation as we would
rather people internalize art than be preached to. That said, the music is not
limited to social or political content. Most of the songs touch upon personal
narrative, theorizing, and humor is probably the most prevalent component.
AW: How do you think your music has impacted the causes of other, possibly
non-Armenian, human rights groups, such as those working for the recognition
human rights violations in Darfur, Rwanda, Cambodia, and Bosnia? Have the
people who were victimized in these atrocities ever reached out to you for
guidance, or to say that your music has inspired or affected them?
ST: We've actually reached out to different organizations that represent the
victims in the cases of Darfur, Rwanda, and Cambodia. All three had booths
outside our Souls 2005 show along with Axis of Justice, Amnesty International,
and the Armenian National Committee of America.
AW: How have you and the band been impacted by the past three years of Souls
shows, and by the life on the road?
ST: We just started touring again recently, but will be out for a while
according to my schedule. Last year's Souls show was one of our most emotional
ever. It was different than anything else we've ever done with our music.
AW: Do you think you'll take Souls out of Los Angeles, at least to do an East
Coast show?
ST: We thought about doing that this year actually. We were originally
planning to have Souls in New York City, but the logistics of our schedule
directed us otherwise.
AW: Could you touch on your Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) experience and
tell us how it motivated and impacted you?
ST: Being in AYF throughout my youth opened my eyes to activism and the
importance of fighting injustice. It's very important not to be myopic in
cases
of activism, though. Because all injustice, as the world, is one.
Souls 2005 set list:
`B.Y.O.B.'
`Science'
`Kill Rock `n' Roll'
`Suggestions'
`Psycho'
`Chop Suey'
`Mr. Jack'
`Needles'
`Deer Dance'
`Aerials'
`Holy Mountains'
`Spiders'
`Streamline'
`Bounce'
`Atwa'
`Forest'
`Cigaro'
`Highway Song'
`War?'
`Prison Song'
`Roulette'
`Toxicity'
`Suite-Pee'
`Sugar'
`P.L.U.C.K.'
5) Pilibos Armenian School Commemorates 90th Anniversary of Armenian Genocide
--School Celebrates 35 Years of Success and Growth
LOS ANGELES--After weeks of planning and organization, Rose & Alex Pilibos
Armenian School commemorated the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide on
April 10. Primarily organized through the combined efforts of students and
faculty members, the event drew large attendance from parents and members of
the local community. During the cultural program, the school also celebrated
its 35th anniversary, as a form of rebirth from the genocidal atrocities that
Armenians faced during the early years of the 20th century.
Leading the program was master of ceremonies and Student Council
Vice-President David Euredjian. Prior to the beginning of the program, a
special flag ceremony was conducted by the Homenetemen Los Angeles chapter
scouts. The cultural program primarily featured students from the elementary
and junior high schools. Through the guidance of faculty members, the students
had prepared for the cultural program through various presentations. The
program featured Armenian folk dance and music. Wearing traditional Armenian
dance costumes, students from the junior high school elegantly performed
Armenian cultural dances.
A choir organized by the music department sang various Armenian and American
patriotic songs. The program also featured Armenian and English poetry that
touched upon the gruesome and catastrophic images of the Armenian genocide.
1989 school alumnus Melanie Kiledjian-Baghdaian was the keynote speaker.
Baghdaian reaffirmed the importance of how Armenians have survived and thrived
throughout the world--asserting that the Ottoman Empire failed in its attempt
to wipe out all Armenians. She further stated that Pilibos Armenian School
stands as proof that Armenians have overcome challenges in history and have
been able to grow and thrive through rebirth.
Departing from conventional speeches, school Principal Dr. Viken Yacoubian
surprised students and attendees with his performance of three songs. The
evening concluded with a traditional Armenian dance that highlighted a mood of
rebirth.
As a bastion of Armenian-American education, Pilibos Armenian School stands
out as a premier diaspora institution. The evening proved yet again that
Pilibos students are at the forefront of Armenian culture, history, and
tradition. Not only were the students key in the organization of the event,
but
essentially they placed their heart and soul in this program. Attendees left
the gymnasium with a renewed sense of their Armenian identity.
6) Sara Anjargolian: Photographs from Armenia
By Adriana Tchalian
Sara Anjargolian is something of a find in the Armenian community. She is a
Los Angeles-based photographer, writer, and attorney. She is also a busy
woman.
She recently spent several years in Armenia as a Fulbright scholar, until
settling in Los Angeles in 2005. Anjargolian is now working as a policy
advisor
and a deputy city attorney for Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Degadillo.
Anjargolian's upcoming exhibition, titled Return: Photographs from Armenia,
features her photographs from her time there. As the title suggests, the
exhibition chronicles her "return" to her native soil, one beset with all the
difficulties of a nation in transition. The exhibition is set to take place at
Harvest Gallery, 938 North Brand Boulevard, in Glendale, California. It will
run from Friday, May 6 through Sunday, May 8, with a special artist's
reception
on Friday, May 6, from 6 to 10 p.m.
During her years in Armenia, she worked at Bars Media, a documentary film
studio based out of Yerevan. According to Anjargolian, "My time at Bars Media
allowed me to gain a truer, deeper understanding of the challenges facing
Armenia today both through the process of documentary filmmaking and by
working
very closely with the local artists and filmmakers on the studio staff."
Anjargolian also taught at the American University of Armenia Law Department,
where she later served as Assistant Dean and Associate Professor. "While at
AUA, the status of women in Armenia and their changing roles in Armenia's
transitional society became a focus, and I ended up creating the first women's
rights course at the law department. Although the course was very well
received, it attracted only the women at the law department," she explains.
Anjargolian is a photographer in the tradition of female American documentary
photographers such as Frances Benjamin Johnson, Jessie Tarbox Beals, Marion
Post Wolcott, Graciela Iturbide, and most famously, Dorothea Lange. Her work
turns a sympathetic lens to its subject. Anjargolian's approach is reminiscent
of Dorothea Lange's famous photographs of Depression-era migrant workers in
California.
Lange's compassionate portrayals of impoverished laborers increased public
awareness of their plight and were instrumental in the institution of
government-funded relief programs. In much the same way, Anjargolian's
sensitive portrayals of Armenian citizens, laborers, and people young and old
focus attention on the issues and challenges facing modern-day Armenia. The
photographs take us from the hustle and bustle of a crowded soup kitchen to
the
determined faces of a throng preparing for a political protest.
Anjargolian's work often frames a deceptively simple scene. Woman with
Rooster, Meghri (2003), for instance, depicts an elderly woman sitting
contemplatively on a bench, with a rooster on her lap and some steps in the
distance. The starkness of the scene effectively conveys a sense of pain,
alienation and longing. But with one hand placed directly underneath her chin
and the other resting gently on the rooster, the woman also casts a familiar
silhouette. Viewers may be reminded of Rodin's famous statue, The Thinker
(1880).
Anjargolian never gives in to the temptation to romanticize her subjects.
Protest, Yerevan (2003), which features masses congregating on the steps of
the
Matenadaran Manuscript Museum in an opposition demonstration against President
Robert Kocharian, presents an unglamorous portrait. It depicts thousands of
demonstrators standing together in the cold. A man and a woman in the very
front look directly into the lens. The photograph represents the power and
directness of Anjargolian's work.
The Los Angeles City Attorney's office is currently sponsoring an exhibition
celebrating Armenian art and culture at Los Angeles City Hall. It features a
selection of Anjargolian's work in an exhibit titled Homecoming: Photography
from Armenia. The exhibition is being held at the Office of the City Attorney,
200 North Main Street, 8th Floor, in Los Angeles and ends its run on
Wednesday,
May 4th.
To learn more about Anjargolian and her work, visit www.SaraAnjargolian.com.
For further information about her upcoming exhibit at Harvest Gallery, call
818.546.1000 or visit www.harvestgallery.com.
7) Fellow Armenians:
As part of my birthday celebration last Sunday, I went to the 90th
Commemoration of the Armenian genocide at Saint Patrick's Cathedral in New
York
City. I was so impressed by how well it was organized. It was pure joy to see
so many new faces among the thousands of men, women, and children who had
gathered on this beautiful Spring day to remember those who perished and honor
those who survived. I felt proud watching our church fathers sharing a
platform
on this solemn occasion which also brought together other, non Armenian,
representatives of the Christian faith. Quietly, I prayed that someday members
of the Muslim, Buddhist, and Jewish religions would also join such efforts,
and
more of us would support theirs, since they too have experienced massacres. I
shall never forget the powerful sermon of the black preacher who related the
biblical story of Abel and Cane brothers with the responsibility of ending
violence in today's world. He reminded everyone that every drop of blood
spilled has a voice out there and said that if violence became the norm the
potential of creation will be exhausted. The program also included a
congressman who asked that we demand of President Bush to acknowledge the
Genocide for what it was, nothing less. As always, Peter Balakian spoke with
great eloquence and it was refreshing to hear a young man conclude the
event in
Armenian.
HOWEVER, towards the end I walked away outraged, offended, and deeply
disappointed at the organizers of this event who ignored to include ONE
Armenian WOMAN to share the stage with all the men, even if for a single
moment.
On this occasion of remembrance, please take a moment to question: Was the
Genocide perpetuated against Armenian men only? How is it possible to mark the
90th Armenian Genocide Commemoration (in one of the world's most important
cultural centers and most influential cathedrals) without the participation of
women? And, equally significant, what are the implications of such exclusions?
If you are having difficulties to find answers please try to:
Imagine where we would all be today without the Armenian women who survived
the rapes, the bullets, the swords, the starvations, the slavery and the
orphanages.
Imagine how few of us would have attended Sunday's commemoration had Armenian
women not kept the household together in the aftermath of the Genocide, often
in the absence of men who were working the fields or the sweat shops and
numbing their pains, humiliations and memories.
Imagine where our churches, organizations and schools would be today if
Armenian women did not bake the breads, served the meals and continued to work
tirelessly to help build such institutions and to keep their doors open.
Imagine how many Armenian women's fingers bled embroidering the fancy
garments
that have decorated our altars for decades.
Imagine where Armenian modern culture would be without the women who
inspired/encouraged/comforted our freedom fighters, and our predominantly male
novelists, poets, song writers, painters, sculptors and filmmakers.
Think hard for a moment what kind of a message we, Armenians, sent on April
24, 2005 to the thousands of believers in attendance, (not counting those who
would watch it on TV) to the distinguished guests, to our emerging generation,
and to the rest of the world including the Turkish authorities whom we blame
for denial.
As I wondered in how many other corners of the world similar rituals were
performed, I also asked myself if we have the right to expect justice. I don't
know about you but the God I communicate with and the Genocide my grandmother
taught me to remember do not recognize sexism, gender inequality and silencing
of women or rendering them invisible.
As the 90th Commemoration of the Genocide continues, I call on Armenian women
and men throughout the world to send a clear message to our community leaders
that says: NOT IN MY GRANDMOTHER'S NAME! Tell them we refuse to be passive
listeners at Genocide or other commemorations that are the exclusive domain of
a patriarchy who denies the proper acknowledgment of the role of Armenian
women
in civic and community life. Remind them that Armenian women are tired of
being
the instruments and facilitators of such conservative agendas, and applauding
us on Mother's Day is not sufficient. Tell them we refuse to be reduced to
background music in our churches and that it is not enough to be the
subject of
male pens, prayers, brushes, chisels, and cameras. We demand to see more women
heading advocacy groups and organizations (not just serve as assistants,
secretaries and fund raisers). The emerging generation deserves to have
Armenian women as chairs and faculty of university departments, as editors of
journals, and in cultural and political leadership positions!
Join me, brothers and sisters, in reminding our leaders that inclusion of
women is a precondition of achieving justice and to (re) envisioning a world
without incomprehensible violence and genocides.
Thank you for your attention.
Blessings,
Neery Melkonian
Critic/Curator, NYC
8) California's Last Action Hero Fights against Turkey's True Lies
At first I thought I was reading a column from the satirical online
newsletter,
The Onion (www.onion.com). But I was wrong. It was as real as my five o'clock
shadow which usually starts setting in around noon. I looked at the headline
again and then again just to be sure. `Turkish Group Protests Schwarzenegger
Film.' Sure enough, it was from Associated Press. If that's not a relatively
reliable news source then my name is Skeptoglu Pasha!
Here's the basic gist of the article. According to the Associated Press...
Wait;
let me use a term that is too often wrongly associated with Genocide-related
issues. The Associated Press `claims' that `a Turkish group uniting
hundreds of
businesses and organizations demanded Tuesday that Arnold Schwarzenegger's
movies be banned from Turkish television to protest the California governor's
use of the term genocide to describe the massacre of Armenians by Turks during
World War I.'
The article goes on to quote a statement from Sinan Aygun, head of the Ankara
Chamber of Commerce. "We condemn and protest movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger,
who declared April 24 a day to commemorate the Armenian genocide and accused
Turks of genocide by acting under the influence of the Armenian lobby, and
without researching historical truths. We don't want his films shown in
Turkey."
But wait! There's more. My favorite part of the article is where they
describe
Ergun Kirikovali's comments. Kirikovali is a spokesperson for the American
Turkish Association of Southern California. `Kirlikovali said the Turkish
people are particularly upset with Schwarzenegger, whom they believed was `one
of our guys,' because of his Austrian ancestry. `He turned around and stabbed
us in the back,'' Kirlikovali said.
I'm in the same boat as you are. I can't figure out what Ergun means--`One of
our guys' because of his Austrian ancestry? What Austrio-Turkish link is this
man referring to? Maybe Ergun was referring to the great relationship
shared by
the Austrians and the Turks when Turkish armies invaded Europe and tried to
burn down Austria's capital of Vienna, not once, but TWICE during the 16th and
18th centuries. Nothing says `Best Friends Forever' like coming over to
someone's house and setting it on fire!
OR, maybe he means the Austrio-Turkish alliance of World War I? That might
make sense. By the time the Great War started, many Austrians had already
forgotten that less than 200 years before, the Turks had tried to forcefully
convert the European continent to Islam and raped/murdered anyone who refused.
And after all, Turkey didn't seem to mind the old, shall we say, friendly
rivalry of the past and readily joined the Central Powers of Germany and
Austrio-Hungary. The same guys who turned a blind eye as the Young Turks and
Kemalists butchered thousands of children and women. Could that be the
connection?
Wait! I think I got it. It's probably the fact that Arnold's father, Gustav,
was a volunteer member of the Sturmabteilung, or SA--the notorious Nazi storm
troopers also known as brownshirts. Maybe this is the reason Ergun referred to
him as `One of our guys.' Hmmm...this is very interesting. Someone should tell
poor Ergun that Arnold detests his father's fascist past and has openly
disagreed with the elder Schwarzenegger's racist views.
Well, I hope that the Governator is not losing any sleep just because an
entire nation of `Terminators' has decided to boycott `Kindergarten Cop' and
`Eraser.'
Quick side note: Is it right for the Turks to make Danny DeVito a victim of
their ineptitude just because he starred in `Twins' with Arnold?
Anyway, I'm just glad that Arnold didn't buckle under any pressure from this
so-called Turkish consortium and signed Senator Chuck Poochigian's bill that
permanently designates April 24th in California as a day of Remembrance for
the
victims of the Armenian Genocide.
The question that someone should ask (but nobody will have the guts to) is:
`Why did it take so long?' What the heck were Governors Deukmejian, Wilson,
and
Davis doing the whole time? It's disturbing that it took so long, and an
Austrian weightlifter, turned actor, turned politician, turned governor to
finally get something meaningful passed in California. Thank God for Arnold.
The man will stand up to anything from assassin robots sent back in time to
alien mercenaries and Muslim terrorists. This guy will go toe-to-toe with
anyone!
But I'll tell you who really suffers amidst this whole ordeal that the Turks
have unleashed on Arnold--the children. Yes, the poor children of Turkey who
because of the actions and miscalculations of their parents, will now never
know the joy of such Arnold classics as `Hercules in New York' or `Total
Recall.' Little Ergun, Jr. and his sister will never be able to appreciate the
Oscar worthy performance of Arnold as Conan the Barbarian in the movie by the
same title. But who needs Arnold running around with a giant sword covered
only
in animal furs on his buttocks when you have a government full of barbarians
right there in Ankara.
The lesson to be learned here is one that Arnold taught me at a young age
after watching dozens upon dozens of Arnold Schwarzenegger movies. No matter
what you do, where you run, how hard you try--you can run, but you cannot
hide.
Your past will always find you. And when it does, you better hope you are
either ready to face it, or you have a) a massive futuristic laser gun, b) a
large sword, c) lots of grenades or d) a funny midget sidekick.
Remember to write or call the Governor's office and thank him for his
gesture.
You can be so selfish and thankless sometimes. Here's the number you lazy bum.
Write this down... 916-445-2841. Until next week, `Hasta la vista, baby!'
Skeptik Sinikian's learned everything he needed to know about life from
Hollywood movies and cartoons. His top three favorite Arnold movies, in no
particular order, are `Red Sonia,' `End of Days,' and `Predator.' Share your
favorite Arnold movie moment with him at [email protected] or visit his
blog at <http://www.sinikian.blogspot.com/>www.Sinikian.blogspot.com.
9) Honkin' Flags
By Garen Yegparian
What's up with the honking cars wrapped and festooned with the yerakooyn?
Every April 24, the streets of our ghettos and areas near our gatherings and
marches are witness to this phenomenon.
This year, I personally witnessed a number of cases of truly unnecessary and
reckless driving by the loud flagmobiles. Armenians, and not just the drivers,
are the most likely to be hurt, so how do we benefit?
Last year, the Burbank Police Department had initiated a meeting with the
Burbank Armenian National Committee to discuss this matter. They were
concerned
not just about safety, but also negative reactions from other citizens to this
behavior. No doubt, other police departments share the same concerns.
Most Armenians who have commented to me about this action find it somehow
inappropriate to the solemn nature of the day.
So where is this coming from? I suspect that deep down, it stems from a noble
impulse. The mostly young drivers want to display their pride and make a
statement on April 24. Of course, this is likely coupled with the 'need' to
show off their wheels. That this particular manifestation is largely
counterproductive probably escapes them. It could be harmless, but
unfortunately, it has all the makings of a disaster-in-the-making, at least
from a public relations perspective.
Fundamentally, though, I blame our institutions, especially our youth
oriented
ones, for not engaging positive initiative that leads to this behavior. These
energies, harnessed to the service of our cause year-round, would be a
tremendous boon.
So hear this AYF, Homenetmen, AGBU Scouts, and yes even the church. Get busy
and recruit these guys. Perhaps next year you might couple their energies
with
those of older car enthusiasts and a proper, safe, and dignified car parade
could become an integral part of our Genocide commemorative activities.
10) March and Rally in Little Armenia
By Garen Yegparian
In its fifth year, the march and rally in little Armenia attracted over 6,000
participants.
The cooler, overcast weather made life easier for the vast majority of
black-T-shirt clad participants. The serious mood set by the shirts was
mirrored by the marchers' behavior.
They started eastward at the intersection of Hobart and Hollywood, turned
south at Normandie, west at Sunset, north at Western, then back to the
starting
point and the stage erected on Hobart. Along the way, the now traditional
slogans chanted supported the relatively few banners and placards in conveying
the message of the day to observers. Unfortunately, technical problems
intervened with the sound system not functioning. A few hasty comments over a
bullhorn became the unremarkable end of an otherwise respectable gathering.
The organizers, United Young Armenians, were probably unaware that Dean Cain
who played Superman, accompanied by producers Ralph Winter and Kevin
Matossian,
was at the gathering and interviewed by the reporter for Channels 2 and 9. His
interest was sparked through his Armenian contacts. Wanting to support efforts
for recognition of the Genocide, he participated in the early part of the
Little Armenia gathering.
Some of the contentiousness preceding this event spilled over onto the
coverage of it. The best example of this related to the numbers in
attendance.
Despite Los Angeles city staff's estimates of 4,000 participants, and the
number as estimated above by this writer, participation of 100,000 was
reported
in Armenia, while the marchers were still walking.
Staff also reported a case of Armenian Power (the gang) thugs beating up a
Mexican by-stander. A number of cases were observed of Armenian drivers, often
in flag-draped cars, cutting police ribbons and moving other obstacles and
entering the route of the parade, then driving at breakneck speeds on the
empty
streets.
11) Another Year
By Garen Yegparian
It was a "0" year, you know, 60th, 70th, 80th anniversary. For some reason,
these seem to become big deals in the human mind. Though it does seem to have
helped the turnout at some Genocide commemorative activities, things were,
otherwise, pretty typical, usual, boring, even counterproductive in some
cases.
Once again I made it a point to attend as many events as possible in the Los
Angeles area. In the process, I may well have missed two of the most
interesting ones--the System Of A Down concert and, performing at the Hard
Rock
Cafe in Universal City, Gor Mkhitarian, Echocell, and Slow Motion Reign. I
won't pretend to be able to address the March for Humanity, for better or
worse, as I was neither observer nor participant, but have heard both raves
and
pans of the whole effort.
Being a Burbank boy, I did attend the Burbank ANC's activities, so let's
cover
them first. The best was an April 16 presentation of J. Michael Hagopian's
film
Voices from the Lake at the Burbank public library. Over 80 people, a
significant portion under 30, attended, bringing some non-Armenian friends. On
April 19, for the first time, a short march of some 100 Homenetmen scouts and
others from McCambridge Park's eternal flame (in memory of American veterans)
led to the city hall's steps. There, some 200 people gathered for a brief
program after the City Council issued its annual proclamation about the
Genocide and recognized the ANC for its "Books for Burbank" program that
netted
hundreds of Armenian books for the public library.
Not a bad showing, but hardly exceptional overall. However, it might be worth
considering the aggregate benefit of events organized at the local level like
those above, in Glendale--organized as official City events, and elsewhere.
The
question forces itself. Is it better to have one, maybe two, large,
LA-basinwide events or numerous smaller ones? The value of the former lies in
potential media coverage and of the latter in more individuals engaged in the
process and inviting personal, non-Armenian friends to join.
The Armenian Clubs of Glendale high schools, again organized an event on
April
21, in a very short time I was informed. For all that, the program was
good. It
lacked inclusion of another instance of Genocide, ethnic cleansing, or
massacres which was a good "ecumenical' touch included during last year's. A
young Armenian rapper R Mean's, inclusion was a strong, contemporary touch and
rounded out the traditional dance and musical fare. Like last year, attendance
was poor. It's too bad that teenagers go through all that effort and are not
sufficiently rewarded by our community's (and others') attendance.
The now annual youth rally, held April 22 by the AYF and ARF Shant Students
Association, drew a good crowd, though less than last year's. The program was
good, including R Mean again, and an excellent rendition of some very haunting
songs of longing for our homeland, "Keleh Lao" among them. Samantha Power's
presentation was poignant and to the point, tying in the Darfur genocide. She
pointed to the effectiveness our lobby is in DC, by relating that the ANCA's
website had been hacked and crashed from Khartoum, Sudan, presumably for
addressing the Darfur issue. Interestingly, in some younger minds she was
eclipsed by Greg Krikorian's fire-and-brimstone speech. What stood out most
starkly though was the band Freeway People. They closed the program--what a
disaster.
The singer began with a prayer, redolent of Christian rock's extremism and
the
songs continued in the same vein. They then performed a few numbers with most
of the lyrics unintelligible, though what slipped through matched the earlier
stench. Many people left the hall at this point. A look at the lyrics on
the CD
they distributed gratis in the foyer, confirmed their extremist bent. Just to
remove all doubt, I visited their website. It was replete with links to
various
religious websites. Among the most telling, Paz Naz is the Pasadena Church of
the Nazarene's web presence. This church is a fundamentalist one, back from
the
days when it wasn't even fashionable to be fundamentalist Christians. A
minister I queried likened them to the Church of the Brethren, familiar to
many
Armenians as "beeraderner"-- clearly a twisting of the English word.
The worrisome part of this group's presence is, as a friend pointed out,
"They
sound a lot like System Of A Down." Their musical appeal will help them
disseminate the toxic version of Christianity such groups espouse, ultimately
alienating many of our youth from involvement in Armenian affairs. In fact, a
member of the audience recognized T-shirts worn by fans of this band as the
ones worn by individuals distributing leaflets with the same type of
propaganda
at the AYF's Turkish consulate demonstration in 2004. The organizers made a
TREMENDOUS mistake by inviting Freeway People to perform.
April 23's "united" march from the Dikranian School to the Turkish consulate
was nothing but pathetic. Monitors almost outnumbered participants. Altogether
some 200 people walked, with a surfeit of banners, given the attendance.
The demonstration at the consulate itself was successful. Once again, numbers
increased over last year, though estimating how many attended is very
difficult
because of the demonstration's nature. Anything up to 2000 is probably
accurate. Three TV news cameras and one helicopter were there. At least one
station aired coverage. The closing comments were weak again. Somehow the
connection to why we're there, a direct link to the consulate's symbolic value
in our demands from Turkey just wasn't made. It seems to me this leaves
demonstrators less than satisfied for participating.
April 24 marked the fifth march and rally in Little Armenia (see elsewhere),
though an arguable numeric success, was again a divisive factor. To my
understanding, the organizers refused to work with everyone else. Net result,
while they got better turnout, it was counterproductive. The proof of the
organizers ill intent is the ludicrous news they conveyed to Armenia that
100,000 people participated in the Little Armenia gathering. Clearly a case of
one-up-manship. Also, a lead organizer is none other than one of the electoral
idiots who played the spoiler in the Glendale elections, derailing other,
substantive Armenian candidates' ability to get elected. Obviously this man
has
poor judgment, at best. So what can be said of his motives for organizing this
event? And his partner in crime has other issues, more on that as I can
substantiate what I've heard.
The "united" gathering at Glendale High School's football field, supported by
all community organizations, for all the hype, was a flop. Only 3000 were in
attendance. Cooling weather drove many to leave early, adding to the lousy
results. It seems to have replaced the gathering at our monument in
Montebello--a bad decision. It was the same parade of electeds and their
platitudes, without the symbolic value of the monument. This doesn't go over
too well when many in attendance, to this day, have trouble with English, thus
making it just an obligation to attend, rather than an inspiration. Reports
reached me of a few hundred people gathering in Montebello at the very same
time, though I cannot confirm this.
What all this tells me is that people want to go to the monument. People want
to walk in honor of our martyrs. People obviously want to see results for
their
efforts. So how do we proceed?
Conclusion: Unless we gather at the monument in Montebello and march, bike,
and/or drive in a huge procession to the Turkish consulate for a
big-shut-down-Wilshire-Boulevard demonstration, (or vice-versa) the large
gatherings we organize are almost meaningless. So let's do it next year,
everybody rallies at the monument, lays flowers then proceeds to the consulate
to demonstrate. Remember, April 24 is a Monday next year--such a gathering
will
have major impact.
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TOP STORIES
04/29/2005
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1) LA Rallies for US Recognition of Armenian Genocide
2) MIT's Daron Acemoglu wins 2005 Clark Medal
3) Turkey Tries to Manipulate Situation Once Again
4) `Listen Turkey, Ararat and Massis are Ours'
5) Pilibos Armenian School Commemorates 90th Anniversary of Armenian Genocide
6) Sara Anjargolian: Photographs from Armenia
7) Fellow Armenians
8) California's Last Action Hero Fights against Turkey's True Lies
9) Honkin' Flags
10) March and Rally in Little Armenia
11) Another Year
1) LA Rallies for US Recognition of Armenian Genocide
LOS ANGELES--Around 1500 people gathered at the US Federal Building on Friday
demanding official US recognition of the Armenian genocide and a just
resolution to the Armenian Case. The Rally for Justice and Truth, which took
place at 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, was organized by the United Human Rights Council
(UHRC).
The presence of numerous youth inspired Raffi Hamparian, who spoke on behalf
of Armenian National Committee to tell the crowd: "Some nations have treasures
of gold; some nations have treasures of oil. The Armenian nation has its
youth,
and the youth will deliver justice to the victims of 1915."
Lifelong community activist and Glendale Board of Education member Greg
Krikorian addressed the great input Armenians have had in defending the most
valuable of American ideals.
"We as Armenians and Americans have spilled our blood defending the most
precious ideal of freedom of this great nation of America...have served shoulder
to shoulder with US armed forces in WWI, the Korean War and Vietnam War, and
most recently in the Persian Gulf. And though we have dedicated our lives to
this nation, this nation still can't recognize the Genocide...We do not only
want
recognition. We have not marched for 90 years just for that. We demand
reparations, which include the return of Western Armenian lands; the only
debate that remains is the amount of reparations."
He stressed that Armenian Americans have sacrificed and committed too much to
accept a word--recognition.
Speaking on behalf of UHRC Myrna Douzjian spoke in Armenian, saying "Turkey
blatantly continues its criminal policy with its policy of denial; after all,
to deny a crime is to perpetuate the atrocity."
She stressed that several parliaments throughout the world have adopted
legislation officially recognizing the Genocide, the latest being Poland.
"However, as Armenian Americans we still await our elected officials, our
Senators and Representatives to 'recognize' a just cause, to denounce the
genocide of Armenians, and to exert pressure on Turkey to pay reparations to
Armenians."
Douzjian said that Armenian Americans, citizens of the United States expect
the Administration in Washington, DC to uphold justice and principals of human
rights. "We, justifiably expect the White House to pressure Turkey to come to
terms with its past and accept its genocide of Armenians and pay reparations
for its crime. Only then can we consider the Armenian-Turkish matter
resolved."
2) MIT's Daron Acemoglu wins 2005 Clark Medal
(Combined Sources)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Daron
Acemoglu, an ethnic Armenian, is the 2005 recipient of the John Bates Clark
medal, awarded every other year to the nation's top economist under the age of
40 for making a significant contribution to economic thought and knowledge.
The American Economic Association, which presents the medal, cited Acemoglu,
37, for his "valuable contributions to several distinct fields, starting with
labor economics and successively moving to macroeconomics, institutional
economics and political economy."
His most recent work has focused on the role of political institutions in
economic development. Acemoglu's current work explores the links among
political structure, legal and market institutions, and a nation's long-run
rate of economic growth. It takes into account the differing effects of
institutions established by colonial powers in North America, South America,
and Africa on economic development in countries in those regions.
Acemoglu, who came to MIT in 1993 and received his PhD from the London School
of Economics, is the fifth member of the present Economics Department to
receive the Clark Medal. He was promoted to full professor in 2000, and was
named the Charles P. Kindleberger Professor of Applied Economics in 2004.
The Clark Medal, eminent in its own right, has proven a predictor of future
Nobel laureates: of the 29 Clark medalists, 11 have gone on to win the Nobel.
3) Turkey Tries to Manipulate Situation Once Again
YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--Responding to Ankara's calls for the creation of a
Turkish-Armenian commission of historians to look into the events of
1915-1918,
Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamlet Gasparian denounced the use of
fresh
excuses to avoid an unconditional normalization of bilateral relations and
insisted that its archives are open to Turkish historians willing to research
the extermination of over one million Armenians in the Ottoman Empire.
"If there is a real desire and will to normalize our relations, then excuses
become unnecessary," the spokesman said.
"We want to once and for all state that the reality has long been known to
everyone," Gasparian added in a statement. "So let us put aside propaganda and
talk frankly."
In a letter to President Robert Kocharian earlier this month, Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggested that historians from both countries
jointly determine if the mass killings and deportations of Ottoman Armenians
indeed constituted a genocide.
Kocharian responded to Erdogan on Tuesday, effectively rejecting the
offer. He
said that Ankara should instead drop preconditions for establishing diplomatic
relations with Yerevan and opening the Turkish-Armenian border. He also called
for the creation of an intergovernmental commission that will tackle all
issues
of mutual concern.
Erdogan was quick to reject the idea, insisting that the formalization of
Turkish-Armenian ties is impossible without an end to the Armenian campaign
for
international recognition of the Genocide. "There is a very important issue
that must be settled before making political decisions, and this issue
concerns
problems stemming from history," he told reporters in Ankara on Wednesday.
Erdogan, however, appeared less categorical in an interview with the
"Milliet"
daily published on Friday. "On the one hand, political relations could be
established. On the other hand, the work [on the archives] could continue.
There is no Chinese Wall between us," he said.
In separate comments this week, Erdogan mentioned that the Turkish government
would accept any judgment from the proposed commission of historians.
"Let scholars study archive documents and if it turns out that we have to
question our history, we would do so," he said. He also said that his
government has declassified its Ottoman-era archives and urged Armenia to
follow suit.
"Our archives have long been open to any researcher from any country,"
countered Gasparian. "Many foreign scholars have used them to date and none of
them was Turkish. If they [Turkish historians] want, they can come and have a
look."
The director of Armenia's National Archives, Amatuni Virabian, gave a similar
pledge last February. "I am ready to receive and show them all those
genocide-related documents that we have," Virabian told a news conference,
adding that there are about 12,000 such documents. He said they mostly contain
information on tens of thousands of genocide survivors who found refuge in
Armenia before it was incorporated into Soviet Russia in November 1920.
President George W. Bush, who--once again--refused to use the word "genocide"
in his April 24 message to the Armenian community in the United States,
praised
Erdogan for making the offer. Bush's stance was hailed by the Turkish Foreign
Ministry.
4) `Listen Turkey, Ararat and Massis are Ours'
Recognition, restoration, reparation-demanding System Of A Down plays to
capacity crowd at Souls 2005
By Jenny Kiljian
System Of A Down, set to drop a new album in two weeks, did anything but hype
at the sold-out Souls 2005 concert in Los Angeles on April 24. Playing only
three songs from their highly anticipated release of Mesmerize/Hypnotize, the
band instead rallied the perspiration-soaked, frenzied crowd at the Universal
Amphitheatre to pay homage to the 1.5 million victims of the Armenian
genocide,
waged by the Ottoman Empire from 1915-1918 and still denied by the present-day
government of Turkey.
As at the previous two Souls concerts, the program began with a video-clip
from Peter Jennings' 1999 report on the Armenian genocide from `The Century,'
in which the veteran anchor interviews genocide survivors and historians in a
montage that can be taken as a clear-cut indictment:
`It is sometimes called `the Armenian holocaust.' And one of its
perpetrators,
Talaat Pasha, is known to Armenians as the Turkish Hitler,' says Jennings.
`Look at what is happening now to the ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, and you can
follow a line that leads, finally, here: to the near annihilation of the
Turkish Armenians in 1915. It was, quite simply, the first genocide of the
20th
century.'
After the visibly riled audience had marinated over the images of Talaat
Pasha
and the corpses of massacred Armenians, the band, clad entirely in black,
began
their 25-song set with the blistering new single, `B.Y.O.B.,' an acronym for
`Bring Your Own Bombs.' The disco-imbued track, which takes President Bush to
task for the war in Iraq, last week reached No. 9 on Billboard's Modern Rock
Tracks chart.
The quartet of Armenian descent--Serj Tankian, lead vocals; Daron Malakian,
guitars and vocals; bassist Shavo Odadjian, and drummer John Dolmayanhave been
committed to ongoing efforts to raise awareness of the Armenian genocide, and
other global abuses of human rights, including the genocide in Sudan.
Before steamrolling the audience with `Holy Mountains,' another ditty from
Mesmerize, guitarist Malakian uttered one sentence that sent chills through
the
predominantly Armenian crowd, a message that will likely reach ears in
Ankara`Listen Turkey,' he shrilled. `Ararat and Massis are ours!'
`We didn't start this band to change the world,' he announced prior to
launching into `Aerials.' `We didn't start this band to change your mind. We
started this band to make you ask questions.'
Malakian (who penned Steal This Album's romantic ballad `Roulette') then
melted hearts with `Julietta,' a classic Armenian love song made popular by
contemporary singer Harout Pamboukjian. The band also delighted the audience
with their take on George Michael's 1980s hit `Everything She Wants.'
As Malakian occasionally made a mad dash across the length of the stage,
Odadjian paced around his quarter, staring bug-eyed at the crowd, and
twitching
his head to the music. Dolmayan pummeled the audience in alternating bouts of
frenetic double-bass, crash and splash cymbals. Tankian, his eyes often
solemnly closed, raised his arms to the sky as if he were praying or divining
mystical energy.
After a medley of songs that covered their entire discography, the band ended
the rollicking set with `P.L.U.C.K.' (Politically, Lying, Unholy, Cowardly
Killers), in which Tankian insistently chants the refrain `Recognition,
Restoration, Restoration,' placing the blame of `a whole race genocide'
squarely on Turkey.
But System had another surprise up their sleeves before making their exita
guitar-driven version of the anthemic patriotic song `Sardarabad,' whose
lyrics
advise Armenians of all generations to identify themselves with the historic
1918 battle, when a shoestring Armenian regiment defended the Ararat Valley
against the invading Turkish Army, eventually defeating them and forcing them
to retreat. The Armenian element in the crowed proudly waved their tricolor
flags and roared along with Tankian, who has cited revolutionary music as his
inceptive influence, and was a member of the Armenian Youth Federation
(AYF) in
his teenage years (see sidebar).
Proceeds from Sunday's show benefited several organizations, including
Amnesty
International; the Armenian National Committee of America; the Center for the
Prevention of Genocide (CPG); and Axis of Justice, Tankian's political action
group with Tom Morello.
`I know they are Armenians and I know they are promoting awareness of the
Armenian genocide, but more importantly they're promoting awareness of all
genocide, past present and future,' said 25-year-old Chris Sirounian, a
long-time fan who also attended the two previous Souls concerts. `It allows
everyone who listens to System to realize what is happening in the world
today,
with their music, or booths outside the venue, about atrocities such as those
in Darfur. You don't have to be Armenian to understand what System is
saying in
their music.'
System Of A Down will be out in support of Mesmerize, the first of two discs
they will release this year. That set arrives May 17 via American Recordings,
while the second album, Hypnotize, is due in the fall. Fresh off a three-show
European tour, they're now running around the United States on a 10-date
`guerilla club tour,' playing small venues and debuting a couple of songs from
Mezmerize. The band will appear as musical guests on the NBC network's
Saturday
Night Live on May 7, and treat the multiple millions of viewers to `B.Y.O.B.'
and `Chop Suey,' the smash single from Toxicity.
The band also announced a summer tour, their first in three years. While
specific dates have yet to be confirmed, the band will kick off the two-month
trek in early August, and will play in arenas throughout North America. The
Mars Volta is on the bill as special guests on all of the tour dates; a third
act, yet to be announced, will open the shows.
Asbarez Armenian Daily Newspaper editorial assistant Ani Shahinian
contributed
to this report.
Serj Tankian Gets `Down' to the Nitty Gritty
Critics chided System Of A Down's eponymous first disc for apparently relying
too heavily on expletives to generate anger and resolve in listeners. Whether
in response to the criticism or because they matured as individuals and
musicians, their music has mushroomed into a sensual, percussive, intelligent
satire of the establishmentreplete with nose-thumbing lyrical underpinnings.
In trying not to pigeonhole these spectrum-hopping musicians, these same
critics have now been parroting each other faster than they can say
`derivative.' Dozens have likened Tankian's contralto coloratura on the new
albums to 1980s icon, the late Queen frontman Freddy Mercury.
The busy activist took some time out of the band's newly nomadic schedule to
answer some questions for the Armenian Weekly.
Armenian Weekly: How did you and the band come up with the idea for Souls?
Serj Tankian: Souls was a way for us to commemorate April 24, use the
event to
garner media attention to the Armenian genocide and its denial, and raise
funds
for worthy organizations and projects working to teach about genocide and
holocaust, legislative action, survivor documentation, etc. It was also a way
for us to communicate directly with our fans about the Genocide.
AW: When did you decide it would work better on April 24, as the first Souls
was in November of 2003?
ST: We decided to do that last year, since it would be more symbolic and
stand
in unison with all the efforts of our Armenian community worldwide in
commemoration.
AW: What has the response been like from the Armenian community, and from
non-Armenians?
ST: Amazing on both ends.
AW: Have you received any negative reactions from Turkish-Americans or ethnic
Turks?
ST: Not really. I think people know what we stand for, whether it's our
opposition to the war in Iraq, which most Turks agree with [us], or our
opposition to Turkey's denial of the Genocide, which some Turks agree, or
disagree with.
AW: Have you received any feedback from the music industry and your fellow
musicians about your message, the Souls concert and your music?
ST: Many journalists in our industry, and fans alike, have thanked us for
informing them about the Genocide. We get emails of students in high schools
and colleges who are doing their thesis on the Genocide and are teaching their
fellow students and, in some cases, their teachers, as well.
AW: What is the latest news from Axis of Justice? Do you think your radio
show
could be syndicated eventually?
ST: Axis continues its work daily. Our Los Angeles chapter is very active
now.
We have weekly homeless feeding events in Venice with Food Not Bombs, and do
many philanthropic events/donations/benefit concerts, etc. Our Web site,
www.axisofjustice.org, is a good source for alternative news, and our radio
show will find its way into syndication eventually. We're on XM satellite, as
well as KPFK in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara.
AW: Are there any new songs from Mesmerize/Hypnotize that deal with human
rights issues?
ST: Yes, there are. However, most of it is open to interpretation as we would
rather people internalize art than be preached to. That said, the music is not
limited to social or political content. Most of the songs touch upon personal
narrative, theorizing, and humor is probably the most prevalent component.
AW: How do you think your music has impacted the causes of other, possibly
non-Armenian, human rights groups, such as those working for the recognition
human rights violations in Darfur, Rwanda, Cambodia, and Bosnia? Have the
people who were victimized in these atrocities ever reached out to you for
guidance, or to say that your music has inspired or affected them?
ST: We've actually reached out to different organizations that represent the
victims in the cases of Darfur, Rwanda, and Cambodia. All three had booths
outside our Souls 2005 show along with Axis of Justice, Amnesty International,
and the Armenian National Committee of America.
AW: How have you and the band been impacted by the past three years of Souls
shows, and by the life on the road?
ST: We just started touring again recently, but will be out for a while
according to my schedule. Last year's Souls show was one of our most emotional
ever. It was different than anything else we've ever done with our music.
AW: Do you think you'll take Souls out of Los Angeles, at least to do an East
Coast show?
ST: We thought about doing that this year actually. We were originally
planning to have Souls in New York City, but the logistics of our schedule
directed us otherwise.
AW: Could you touch on your Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) experience and
tell us how it motivated and impacted you?
ST: Being in AYF throughout my youth opened my eyes to activism and the
importance of fighting injustice. It's very important not to be myopic in
cases
of activism, though. Because all injustice, as the world, is one.
Souls 2005 set list:
`B.Y.O.B.'
`Science'
`Kill Rock `n' Roll'
`Suggestions'
`Psycho'
`Chop Suey'
`Mr. Jack'
`Needles'
`Deer Dance'
`Aerials'
`Holy Mountains'
`Spiders'
`Streamline'
`Bounce'
`Atwa'
`Forest'
`Cigaro'
`Highway Song'
`War?'
`Prison Song'
`Roulette'
`Toxicity'
`Suite-Pee'
`Sugar'
`P.L.U.C.K.'
5) Pilibos Armenian School Commemorates 90th Anniversary of Armenian Genocide
--School Celebrates 35 Years of Success and Growth
LOS ANGELES--After weeks of planning and organization, Rose & Alex Pilibos
Armenian School commemorated the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide on
April 10. Primarily organized through the combined efforts of students and
faculty members, the event drew large attendance from parents and members of
the local community. During the cultural program, the school also celebrated
its 35th anniversary, as a form of rebirth from the genocidal atrocities that
Armenians faced during the early years of the 20th century.
Leading the program was master of ceremonies and Student Council
Vice-President David Euredjian. Prior to the beginning of the program, a
special flag ceremony was conducted by the Homenetemen Los Angeles chapter
scouts. The cultural program primarily featured students from the elementary
and junior high schools. Through the guidance of faculty members, the students
had prepared for the cultural program through various presentations. The
program featured Armenian folk dance and music. Wearing traditional Armenian
dance costumes, students from the junior high school elegantly performed
Armenian cultural dances.
A choir organized by the music department sang various Armenian and American
patriotic songs. The program also featured Armenian and English poetry that
touched upon the gruesome and catastrophic images of the Armenian genocide.
1989 school alumnus Melanie Kiledjian-Baghdaian was the keynote speaker.
Baghdaian reaffirmed the importance of how Armenians have survived and thrived
throughout the world--asserting that the Ottoman Empire failed in its attempt
to wipe out all Armenians. She further stated that Pilibos Armenian School
stands as proof that Armenians have overcome challenges in history and have
been able to grow and thrive through rebirth.
Departing from conventional speeches, school Principal Dr. Viken Yacoubian
surprised students and attendees with his performance of three songs. The
evening concluded with a traditional Armenian dance that highlighted a mood of
rebirth.
As a bastion of Armenian-American education, Pilibos Armenian School stands
out as a premier diaspora institution. The evening proved yet again that
Pilibos students are at the forefront of Armenian culture, history, and
tradition. Not only were the students key in the organization of the event,
but
essentially they placed their heart and soul in this program. Attendees left
the gymnasium with a renewed sense of their Armenian identity.
6) Sara Anjargolian: Photographs from Armenia
By Adriana Tchalian
Sara Anjargolian is something of a find in the Armenian community. She is a
Los Angeles-based photographer, writer, and attorney. She is also a busy
woman.
She recently spent several years in Armenia as a Fulbright scholar, until
settling in Los Angeles in 2005. Anjargolian is now working as a policy
advisor
and a deputy city attorney for Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Degadillo.
Anjargolian's upcoming exhibition, titled Return: Photographs from Armenia,
features her photographs from her time there. As the title suggests, the
exhibition chronicles her "return" to her native soil, one beset with all the
difficulties of a nation in transition. The exhibition is set to take place at
Harvest Gallery, 938 North Brand Boulevard, in Glendale, California. It will
run from Friday, May 6 through Sunday, May 8, with a special artist's
reception
on Friday, May 6, from 6 to 10 p.m.
During her years in Armenia, she worked at Bars Media, a documentary film
studio based out of Yerevan. According to Anjargolian, "My time at Bars Media
allowed me to gain a truer, deeper understanding of the challenges facing
Armenia today both through the process of documentary filmmaking and by
working
very closely with the local artists and filmmakers on the studio staff."
Anjargolian also taught at the American University of Armenia Law Department,
where she later served as Assistant Dean and Associate Professor. "While at
AUA, the status of women in Armenia and their changing roles in Armenia's
transitional society became a focus, and I ended up creating the first women's
rights course at the law department. Although the course was very well
received, it attracted only the women at the law department," she explains.
Anjargolian is a photographer in the tradition of female American documentary
photographers such as Frances Benjamin Johnson, Jessie Tarbox Beals, Marion
Post Wolcott, Graciela Iturbide, and most famously, Dorothea Lange. Her work
turns a sympathetic lens to its subject. Anjargolian's approach is reminiscent
of Dorothea Lange's famous photographs of Depression-era migrant workers in
California.
Lange's compassionate portrayals of impoverished laborers increased public
awareness of their plight and were instrumental in the institution of
government-funded relief programs. In much the same way, Anjargolian's
sensitive portrayals of Armenian citizens, laborers, and people young and old
focus attention on the issues and challenges facing modern-day Armenia. The
photographs take us from the hustle and bustle of a crowded soup kitchen to
the
determined faces of a throng preparing for a political protest.
Anjargolian's work often frames a deceptively simple scene. Woman with
Rooster, Meghri (2003), for instance, depicts an elderly woman sitting
contemplatively on a bench, with a rooster on her lap and some steps in the
distance. The starkness of the scene effectively conveys a sense of pain,
alienation and longing. But with one hand placed directly underneath her chin
and the other resting gently on the rooster, the woman also casts a familiar
silhouette. Viewers may be reminded of Rodin's famous statue, The Thinker
(1880).
Anjargolian never gives in to the temptation to romanticize her subjects.
Protest, Yerevan (2003), which features masses congregating on the steps of
the
Matenadaran Manuscript Museum in an opposition demonstration against President
Robert Kocharian, presents an unglamorous portrait. It depicts thousands of
demonstrators standing together in the cold. A man and a woman in the very
front look directly into the lens. The photograph represents the power and
directness of Anjargolian's work.
The Los Angeles City Attorney's office is currently sponsoring an exhibition
celebrating Armenian art and culture at Los Angeles City Hall. It features a
selection of Anjargolian's work in an exhibit titled Homecoming: Photography
from Armenia. The exhibition is being held at the Office of the City Attorney,
200 North Main Street, 8th Floor, in Los Angeles and ends its run on
Wednesday,
May 4th.
To learn more about Anjargolian and her work, visit www.SaraAnjargolian.com.
For further information about her upcoming exhibit at Harvest Gallery, call
818.546.1000 or visit www.harvestgallery.com.
7) Fellow Armenians:
As part of my birthday celebration last Sunday, I went to the 90th
Commemoration of the Armenian genocide at Saint Patrick's Cathedral in New
York
City. I was so impressed by how well it was organized. It was pure joy to see
so many new faces among the thousands of men, women, and children who had
gathered on this beautiful Spring day to remember those who perished and honor
those who survived. I felt proud watching our church fathers sharing a
platform
on this solemn occasion which also brought together other, non Armenian,
representatives of the Christian faith. Quietly, I prayed that someday members
of the Muslim, Buddhist, and Jewish religions would also join such efforts,
and
more of us would support theirs, since they too have experienced massacres. I
shall never forget the powerful sermon of the black preacher who related the
biblical story of Abel and Cane brothers with the responsibility of ending
violence in today's world. He reminded everyone that every drop of blood
spilled has a voice out there and said that if violence became the norm the
potential of creation will be exhausted. The program also included a
congressman who asked that we demand of President Bush to acknowledge the
Genocide for what it was, nothing less. As always, Peter Balakian spoke with
great eloquence and it was refreshing to hear a young man conclude the
event in
Armenian.
HOWEVER, towards the end I walked away outraged, offended, and deeply
disappointed at the organizers of this event who ignored to include ONE
Armenian WOMAN to share the stage with all the men, even if for a single
moment.
On this occasion of remembrance, please take a moment to question: Was the
Genocide perpetuated against Armenian men only? How is it possible to mark the
90th Armenian Genocide Commemoration (in one of the world's most important
cultural centers and most influential cathedrals) without the participation of
women? And, equally significant, what are the implications of such exclusions?
If you are having difficulties to find answers please try to:
Imagine where we would all be today without the Armenian women who survived
the rapes, the bullets, the swords, the starvations, the slavery and the
orphanages.
Imagine how few of us would have attended Sunday's commemoration had Armenian
women not kept the household together in the aftermath of the Genocide, often
in the absence of men who were working the fields or the sweat shops and
numbing their pains, humiliations and memories.
Imagine where our churches, organizations and schools would be today if
Armenian women did not bake the breads, served the meals and continued to work
tirelessly to help build such institutions and to keep their doors open.
Imagine how many Armenian women's fingers bled embroidering the fancy
garments
that have decorated our altars for decades.
Imagine where Armenian modern culture would be without the women who
inspired/encouraged/comforted our freedom fighters, and our predominantly male
novelists, poets, song writers, painters, sculptors and filmmakers.
Think hard for a moment what kind of a message we, Armenians, sent on April
24, 2005 to the thousands of believers in attendance, (not counting those who
would watch it on TV) to the distinguished guests, to our emerging generation,
and to the rest of the world including the Turkish authorities whom we blame
for denial.
As I wondered in how many other corners of the world similar rituals were
performed, I also asked myself if we have the right to expect justice. I don't
know about you but the God I communicate with and the Genocide my grandmother
taught me to remember do not recognize sexism, gender inequality and silencing
of women or rendering them invisible.
As the 90th Commemoration of the Genocide continues, I call on Armenian women
and men throughout the world to send a clear message to our community leaders
that says: NOT IN MY GRANDMOTHER'S NAME! Tell them we refuse to be passive
listeners at Genocide or other commemorations that are the exclusive domain of
a patriarchy who denies the proper acknowledgment of the role of Armenian
women
in civic and community life. Remind them that Armenian women are tired of
being
the instruments and facilitators of such conservative agendas, and applauding
us on Mother's Day is not sufficient. Tell them we refuse to be reduced to
background music in our churches and that it is not enough to be the
subject of
male pens, prayers, brushes, chisels, and cameras. We demand to see more women
heading advocacy groups and organizations (not just serve as assistants,
secretaries and fund raisers). The emerging generation deserves to have
Armenian women as chairs and faculty of university departments, as editors of
journals, and in cultural and political leadership positions!
Join me, brothers and sisters, in reminding our leaders that inclusion of
women is a precondition of achieving justice and to (re) envisioning a world
without incomprehensible violence and genocides.
Thank you for your attention.
Blessings,
Neery Melkonian
Critic/Curator, NYC
8) California's Last Action Hero Fights against Turkey's True Lies
At first I thought I was reading a column from the satirical online
newsletter,
The Onion (www.onion.com). But I was wrong. It was as real as my five o'clock
shadow which usually starts setting in around noon. I looked at the headline
again and then again just to be sure. `Turkish Group Protests Schwarzenegger
Film.' Sure enough, it was from Associated Press. If that's not a relatively
reliable news source then my name is Skeptoglu Pasha!
Here's the basic gist of the article. According to the Associated Press...
Wait;
let me use a term that is too often wrongly associated with Genocide-related
issues. The Associated Press `claims' that `a Turkish group uniting
hundreds of
businesses and organizations demanded Tuesday that Arnold Schwarzenegger's
movies be banned from Turkish television to protest the California governor's
use of the term genocide to describe the massacre of Armenians by Turks during
World War I.'
The article goes on to quote a statement from Sinan Aygun, head of the Ankara
Chamber of Commerce. "We condemn and protest movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger,
who declared April 24 a day to commemorate the Armenian genocide and accused
Turks of genocide by acting under the influence of the Armenian lobby, and
without researching historical truths. We don't want his films shown in
Turkey."
But wait! There's more. My favorite part of the article is where they
describe
Ergun Kirikovali's comments. Kirikovali is a spokesperson for the American
Turkish Association of Southern California. `Kirlikovali said the Turkish
people are particularly upset with Schwarzenegger, whom they believed was `one
of our guys,' because of his Austrian ancestry. `He turned around and stabbed
us in the back,'' Kirlikovali said.
I'm in the same boat as you are. I can't figure out what Ergun means--`One of
our guys' because of his Austrian ancestry? What Austrio-Turkish link is this
man referring to? Maybe Ergun was referring to the great relationship
shared by
the Austrians and the Turks when Turkish armies invaded Europe and tried to
burn down Austria's capital of Vienna, not once, but TWICE during the 16th and
18th centuries. Nothing says `Best Friends Forever' like coming over to
someone's house and setting it on fire!
OR, maybe he means the Austrio-Turkish alliance of World War I? That might
make sense. By the time the Great War started, many Austrians had already
forgotten that less than 200 years before, the Turks had tried to forcefully
convert the European continent to Islam and raped/murdered anyone who refused.
And after all, Turkey didn't seem to mind the old, shall we say, friendly
rivalry of the past and readily joined the Central Powers of Germany and
Austrio-Hungary. The same guys who turned a blind eye as the Young Turks and
Kemalists butchered thousands of children and women. Could that be the
connection?
Wait! I think I got it. It's probably the fact that Arnold's father, Gustav,
was a volunteer member of the Sturmabteilung, or SA--the notorious Nazi storm
troopers also known as brownshirts. Maybe this is the reason Ergun referred to
him as `One of our guys.' Hmmm...this is very interesting. Someone should tell
poor Ergun that Arnold detests his father's fascist past and has openly
disagreed with the elder Schwarzenegger's racist views.
Well, I hope that the Governator is not losing any sleep just because an
entire nation of `Terminators' has decided to boycott `Kindergarten Cop' and
`Eraser.'
Quick side note: Is it right for the Turks to make Danny DeVito a victim of
their ineptitude just because he starred in `Twins' with Arnold?
Anyway, I'm just glad that Arnold didn't buckle under any pressure from this
so-called Turkish consortium and signed Senator Chuck Poochigian's bill that
permanently designates April 24th in California as a day of Remembrance for
the
victims of the Armenian Genocide.
The question that someone should ask (but nobody will have the guts to) is:
`Why did it take so long?' What the heck were Governors Deukmejian, Wilson,
and
Davis doing the whole time? It's disturbing that it took so long, and an
Austrian weightlifter, turned actor, turned politician, turned governor to
finally get something meaningful passed in California. Thank God for Arnold.
The man will stand up to anything from assassin robots sent back in time to
alien mercenaries and Muslim terrorists. This guy will go toe-to-toe with
anyone!
But I'll tell you who really suffers amidst this whole ordeal that the Turks
have unleashed on Arnold--the children. Yes, the poor children of Turkey who
because of the actions and miscalculations of their parents, will now never
know the joy of such Arnold classics as `Hercules in New York' or `Total
Recall.' Little Ergun, Jr. and his sister will never be able to appreciate the
Oscar worthy performance of Arnold as Conan the Barbarian in the movie by the
same title. But who needs Arnold running around with a giant sword covered
only
in animal furs on his buttocks when you have a government full of barbarians
right there in Ankara.
The lesson to be learned here is one that Arnold taught me at a young age
after watching dozens upon dozens of Arnold Schwarzenegger movies. No matter
what you do, where you run, how hard you try--you can run, but you cannot
hide.
Your past will always find you. And when it does, you better hope you are
either ready to face it, or you have a) a massive futuristic laser gun, b) a
large sword, c) lots of grenades or d) a funny midget sidekick.
Remember to write or call the Governor's office and thank him for his
gesture.
You can be so selfish and thankless sometimes. Here's the number you lazy bum.
Write this down... 916-445-2841. Until next week, `Hasta la vista, baby!'
Skeptik Sinikian's learned everything he needed to know about life from
Hollywood movies and cartoons. His top three favorite Arnold movies, in no
particular order, are `Red Sonia,' `End of Days,' and `Predator.' Share your
favorite Arnold movie moment with him at [email protected] or visit his
blog at <http://www.sinikian.blogspot.com/>www.Sinikian.blogspot.com.
9) Honkin' Flags
By Garen Yegparian
What's up with the honking cars wrapped and festooned with the yerakooyn?
Every April 24, the streets of our ghettos and areas near our gatherings and
marches are witness to this phenomenon.
This year, I personally witnessed a number of cases of truly unnecessary and
reckless driving by the loud flagmobiles. Armenians, and not just the drivers,
are the most likely to be hurt, so how do we benefit?
Last year, the Burbank Police Department had initiated a meeting with the
Burbank Armenian National Committee to discuss this matter. They were
concerned
not just about safety, but also negative reactions from other citizens to this
behavior. No doubt, other police departments share the same concerns.
Most Armenians who have commented to me about this action find it somehow
inappropriate to the solemn nature of the day.
So where is this coming from? I suspect that deep down, it stems from a noble
impulse. The mostly young drivers want to display their pride and make a
statement on April 24. Of course, this is likely coupled with the 'need' to
show off their wheels. That this particular manifestation is largely
counterproductive probably escapes them. It could be harmless, but
unfortunately, it has all the makings of a disaster-in-the-making, at least
from a public relations perspective.
Fundamentally, though, I blame our institutions, especially our youth
oriented
ones, for not engaging positive initiative that leads to this behavior. These
energies, harnessed to the service of our cause year-round, would be a
tremendous boon.
So hear this AYF, Homenetmen, AGBU Scouts, and yes even the church. Get busy
and recruit these guys. Perhaps next year you might couple their energies
with
those of older car enthusiasts and a proper, safe, and dignified car parade
could become an integral part of our Genocide commemorative activities.
10) March and Rally in Little Armenia
By Garen Yegparian
In its fifth year, the march and rally in little Armenia attracted over 6,000
participants.
The cooler, overcast weather made life easier for the vast majority of
black-T-shirt clad participants. The serious mood set by the shirts was
mirrored by the marchers' behavior.
They started eastward at the intersection of Hobart and Hollywood, turned
south at Normandie, west at Sunset, north at Western, then back to the
starting
point and the stage erected on Hobart. Along the way, the now traditional
slogans chanted supported the relatively few banners and placards in conveying
the message of the day to observers. Unfortunately, technical problems
intervened with the sound system not functioning. A few hasty comments over a
bullhorn became the unremarkable end of an otherwise respectable gathering.
The organizers, United Young Armenians, were probably unaware that Dean Cain
who played Superman, accompanied by producers Ralph Winter and Kevin
Matossian,
was at the gathering and interviewed by the reporter for Channels 2 and 9. His
interest was sparked through his Armenian contacts. Wanting to support efforts
for recognition of the Genocide, he participated in the early part of the
Little Armenia gathering.
Some of the contentiousness preceding this event spilled over onto the
coverage of it. The best example of this related to the numbers in
attendance.
Despite Los Angeles city staff's estimates of 4,000 participants, and the
number as estimated above by this writer, participation of 100,000 was
reported
in Armenia, while the marchers were still walking.
Staff also reported a case of Armenian Power (the gang) thugs beating up a
Mexican by-stander. A number of cases were observed of Armenian drivers, often
in flag-draped cars, cutting police ribbons and moving other obstacles and
entering the route of the parade, then driving at breakneck speeds on the
empty
streets.
11) Another Year
By Garen Yegparian
It was a "0" year, you know, 60th, 70th, 80th anniversary. For some reason,
these seem to become big deals in the human mind. Though it does seem to have
helped the turnout at some Genocide commemorative activities, things were,
otherwise, pretty typical, usual, boring, even counterproductive in some
cases.
Once again I made it a point to attend as many events as possible in the Los
Angeles area. In the process, I may well have missed two of the most
interesting ones--the System Of A Down concert and, performing at the Hard
Rock
Cafe in Universal City, Gor Mkhitarian, Echocell, and Slow Motion Reign. I
won't pretend to be able to address the March for Humanity, for better or
worse, as I was neither observer nor participant, but have heard both raves
and
pans of the whole effort.
Being a Burbank boy, I did attend the Burbank ANC's activities, so let's
cover
them first. The best was an April 16 presentation of J. Michael Hagopian's
film
Voices from the Lake at the Burbank public library. Over 80 people, a
significant portion under 30, attended, bringing some non-Armenian friends. On
April 19, for the first time, a short march of some 100 Homenetmen scouts and
others from McCambridge Park's eternal flame (in memory of American veterans)
led to the city hall's steps. There, some 200 people gathered for a brief
program after the City Council issued its annual proclamation about the
Genocide and recognized the ANC for its "Books for Burbank" program that
netted
hundreds of Armenian books for the public library.
Not a bad showing, but hardly exceptional overall. However, it might be worth
considering the aggregate benefit of events organized at the local level like
those above, in Glendale--organized as official City events, and elsewhere.
The
question forces itself. Is it better to have one, maybe two, large,
LA-basinwide events or numerous smaller ones? The value of the former lies in
potential media coverage and of the latter in more individuals engaged in the
process and inviting personal, non-Armenian friends to join.
The Armenian Clubs of Glendale high schools, again organized an event on
April
21, in a very short time I was informed. For all that, the program was
good. It
lacked inclusion of another instance of Genocide, ethnic cleansing, or
massacres which was a good "ecumenical' touch included during last year's. A
young Armenian rapper R Mean's, inclusion was a strong, contemporary touch and
rounded out the traditional dance and musical fare. Like last year, attendance
was poor. It's too bad that teenagers go through all that effort and are not
sufficiently rewarded by our community's (and others') attendance.
The now annual youth rally, held April 22 by the AYF and ARF Shant Students
Association, drew a good crowd, though less than last year's. The program was
good, including R Mean again, and an excellent rendition of some very haunting
songs of longing for our homeland, "Keleh Lao" among them. Samantha Power's
presentation was poignant and to the point, tying in the Darfur genocide. She
pointed to the effectiveness our lobby is in DC, by relating that the ANCA's
website had been hacked and crashed from Khartoum, Sudan, presumably for
addressing the Darfur issue. Interestingly, in some younger minds she was
eclipsed by Greg Krikorian's fire-and-brimstone speech. What stood out most
starkly though was the band Freeway People. They closed the program--what a
disaster.
The singer began with a prayer, redolent of Christian rock's extremism and
the
songs continued in the same vein. They then performed a few numbers with most
of the lyrics unintelligible, though what slipped through matched the earlier
stench. Many people left the hall at this point. A look at the lyrics on
the CD
they distributed gratis in the foyer, confirmed their extremist bent. Just to
remove all doubt, I visited their website. It was replete with links to
various
religious websites. Among the most telling, Paz Naz is the Pasadena Church of
the Nazarene's web presence. This church is a fundamentalist one, back from
the
days when it wasn't even fashionable to be fundamentalist Christians. A
minister I queried likened them to the Church of the Brethren, familiar to
many
Armenians as "beeraderner"-- clearly a twisting of the English word.
The worrisome part of this group's presence is, as a friend pointed out,
"They
sound a lot like System Of A Down." Their musical appeal will help them
disseminate the toxic version of Christianity such groups espouse, ultimately
alienating many of our youth from involvement in Armenian affairs. In fact, a
member of the audience recognized T-shirts worn by fans of this band as the
ones worn by individuals distributing leaflets with the same type of
propaganda
at the AYF's Turkish consulate demonstration in 2004. The organizers made a
TREMENDOUS mistake by inviting Freeway People to perform.
April 23's "united" march from the Dikranian School to the Turkish consulate
was nothing but pathetic. Monitors almost outnumbered participants. Altogether
some 200 people walked, with a surfeit of banners, given the attendance.
The demonstration at the consulate itself was successful. Once again, numbers
increased over last year, though estimating how many attended is very
difficult
because of the demonstration's nature. Anything up to 2000 is probably
accurate. Three TV news cameras and one helicopter were there. At least one
station aired coverage. The closing comments were weak again. Somehow the
connection to why we're there, a direct link to the consulate's symbolic value
in our demands from Turkey just wasn't made. It seems to me this leaves
demonstrators less than satisfied for participating.
April 24 marked the fifth march and rally in Little Armenia (see elsewhere),
though an arguable numeric success, was again a divisive factor. To my
understanding, the organizers refused to work with everyone else. Net result,
while they got better turnout, it was counterproductive. The proof of the
organizers ill intent is the ludicrous news they conveyed to Armenia that
100,000 people participated in the Little Armenia gathering. Clearly a case of
one-up-manship. Also, a lead organizer is none other than one of the electoral
idiots who played the spoiler in the Glendale elections, derailing other,
substantive Armenian candidates' ability to get elected. Obviously this man
has
poor judgment, at best. So what can be said of his motives for organizing this
event? And his partner in crime has other issues, more on that as I can
substantiate what I've heard.
The "united" gathering at Glendale High School's football field, supported by
all community organizations, for all the hype, was a flop. Only 3000 were in
attendance. Cooling weather drove many to leave early, adding to the lousy
results. It seems to have replaced the gathering at our monument in
Montebello--a bad decision. It was the same parade of electeds and their
platitudes, without the symbolic value of the monument. This doesn't go over
too well when many in attendance, to this day, have trouble with English, thus
making it just an obligation to attend, rather than an inspiration. Reports
reached me of a few hundred people gathering in Montebello at the very same
time, though I cannot confirm this.
What all this tells me is that people want to go to the monument. People want
to walk in honor of our martyrs. People obviously want to see results for
their
efforts. So how do we proceed?
Conclusion: Unless we gather at the monument in Montebello and march, bike,
and/or drive in a huge procession to the Turkish consulate for a
big-shut-down-Wilshire-Boulevard demonstration, (or vice-versa) the large
gatherings we organize are almost meaningless. So let's do it next year,
everybody rallies at the monument, lays flowers then proceeds to the consulate
to demonstrate. Remember, April 24 is a Monday next year--such a gathering
will
have major impact.
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