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TOP STORIES
01/28/2005
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1) Pope Calls For Real Peace in Karabakh
2) Hovhannisian Addresses Possible Consequences of PACE Resolution
3) Ecologists Want Government Control of GM Food in Armenia
4) Eight Armenian-Americans File for April 5 Glendale City Council Elections
5) Return to the Promised Land: London Armenian Film Festival
6) Captivating Workbook Makes Math Fun for Kids
7) New Children's Book Teaches about Love and Morality in Armenian
8) Elizabeth Jones's Diary: Over the Edge of Reason
9) Vizhetzoom
1) Pope Calls For Real Peace in Karabakh
(AP, AFP)--Pope John Paul II told Armenia's president on Friday that the Holy
See supports all efforts for a peace settlement in Mountainous Karabagh
Republic.
The pope's call for "real and lasting peace" in the region was a major theme
of John Paul's talks with President Robert Kocharian, on a visit this week to
the Vatican and Italy.
"I hope that a real and stable peace will spring forth in the
Nagorno-Karabagh
region where you, Mr. President, come from," the pope said in a speech in
Russian read for him by an aide. He called for "the decisive rejection of
violence and a patient dialogue between the parties, under active
international
mediation."
John Paul, who visited Armenia in 2001, sent his greetings to Armenians all
over the world, describing them as people "always linked to their culture and
Christian traditions."
Kocharian was scheduled to meet later Friday with Italian Premier Silvio
Berlusconi, then travel to Venice for visits over the weekend to an Armenian
monastery and church. He held talks with Italian President Carlo Azeglio
Ciampi
on Thursday.
2) Hovhannisian Addresses Possible Consequences of PACE Resolution
YEREVAN (RFE/RL-Yerkir)--National Assembly Vice Speaker Vahan Hovhannisian
said
on Friday, that the resolution on Mountainous Karabagh, adopted by the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe earlier this week, is
completely void of the causes of the conflict in the region, making it
difficult to reach a final settlement.
"The most dangerous thing about the resolution is that it seems to devaluate
the work done by the Minsk Group," said Hovhannisian.
Peace proposals put forward by the French, Russian and US co-chairs of the
group since 1998 have been largely accepted by the Armenian side.
Hovannisian, a member of the government coalition's Armenian Revolutionary
Federation, also revealed that the Armenian government failed to heed his
party's warnings about Azerbaijan's efforts to expand the circle of
international organizations dealing with the conflict.
"We had long been warning that discussions [on Karabagh] in that forum, hold
little promise for us," he told reporters. "However, no attention was paid to
that. There was confidence that everything would be done within the framework
of the [OSCE's] Minsk Group." The non-binding PACE resolution accuses Armenia
of occupying parts of Azerbaijan.
He added that parliament speaker Artur Baghdasarian has agreed to an ARF
proposal to set up an ad hoc commission to coordinate the work of Armenian
delegations at various inter-parliamentary organizations. The proposal was
made
after the PACE debate on Karabagh last Tuesday, he said.
3) Ecologists Want Government Control of GM Food in Armenia
(RFE-RL)Environmental and consumer rights organizations are sounding the alarm
over the virtual absence of government controls on the spread of genetically
modified (GM) food in Armenia.
Biotech crops, widely cultivated in the United States but banned across
Europe, have been rapidly spreading around the world. According to some
studies, last year saw a 20 percent jump in their production levels
compared to
2003.
Armenia has no laws or government policies regulating imports and domestic
production of GM foodstuffs, the impact of which is still a matter of great
contention. Local environmentalists say the apparent government complacency
could lead to negative consequences.
"The danger facing both nature and human beings is enormous. We are violating
the most important laws of nature," warned Karine Danielian, a former
environment minister who now heads the Association for Sustainable
Development,
a non-governmental organization opposed to genetically engineered crops.
Anush Galstian of the Armenian Ecological Club, another NGO, shared
Danielian's concerns, arguing that the authorities do not even check the
genetic origin of crop seeds imported to the country. "We don't have
laboratories to conduct such studies," she said. "Nor do we have laws obliging
every importer of foodstuffs to go through such procedures."
"We have yet to clarify what we are importing and growing," Galstian added.
The Armenian Ministry of Environmental Protection did recognize the
problem in
2003 when it received a $156,000 grant from the United Nations to develop a
"national framework for biological security." Artashes Ziroyan, a ministry
official who runs the project, told RFE/RL that the document has already been
drawn up and will serve as a basis for a special law to be drafted by the
government.
Ziroyan could not say whether GM seeds are already used by Armenian farmers
and, if so, to what extent. According to Melsida Hakobian, chairman of the
Association of Consumers, the unusually big size of some vegetables sold in
the
markets indicates their GM origin.
"The farmers do not know what [genetic engineering] is," she said. "But
when we explain the risks involved, some of them start having second thoughts.
But other say proudly, 'See how big our tomatoes are'."
The possibly negative effects of biotech crops has prompted concern from
environmentalists and farming specialists around the world. The Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO), a UN agency based in Rome, held a special
conference on the problem this week. In a statement released afterward, FAO
called for thorough consultations and checks on the impact that GM food might
produce on natural resources such as soil and water, as well as of rural
livelihoods.
"The need to monitor both the benefits and the potential hazards of
released GM crops to the environment is becoming ever more important with the
dramatic increase in the range and scale of their commercial cultivation,
especially in developing countries," Louise O. Fresco, assistant
director-general of the agency's agriculture department, was quoted by the
Associated Press as saying on Thursday.
4) Eight Armenian-Americans File for April 5 Glendale City Council Elections
GLENDALE--(Glendale ANCA)--City Hall was buzzing with campaign talk late
Thursday afternoon as candidates stopped by to turn in their nomination
papers.
Only City Council, College Board of Trustees, and City Treasurer candidates
were required to meet the 5:00 pm deadline Thursday. Glendale School Board and
City Clerk candidates are given until February 1st to finish filing.
Nevertheless, numerous candidates were present from both City Clerk and School
Board races, getting their own completed paperwork out of the way.
As of 5:00 pm, 20 of the 25 candidates for City Council had completed their
paperwork and petitions. Among those who have completed paperwork is Anahid
Oshagan, the only Armenian-American woman running for City Council as well as
Ara Najarian, current member of the Glendale College Board of Trustees. Also
among the 20 names were all three City Council members who are up for
re-election: Mayor Bob Yousefian, Frank Quintero and Dave Weaver. Numerous
candidates had started their campaigns for the 4 open city council seats prior
to the filing deadline, hosting campaign kick-off parties and starting
campaign
websites. The fourth lowest vote getter in the April 5th election will be
elected to complete the final two years of former Councilmember Gus Gomez's
term, who left the seat on January 3, 2005 after being elected Superior Court
Judge for Los Angeles Country. Gus Gomez's wife, Glynda Gomez is one of 20
candidates competing for the open seats. The complete list of candidates (in
alphabetical order) includes: Vrej Agajanian, Aram Barsoumian, John Drayman,
Hovik Gabikian, Glynda Gomez, Shirley Yap Griffin, Chahe Keuroghelian, Joe
Mandoky, Larry Miller, Ara Nadjarian, Richard Seeley, Pauline Field, Garry
Sinanian, Anahid Oshagan, John Stevenson, Odalis Suarez, David Weaver and Bob
Yousefian.
All three current members of the College Board of Trustees who are up for
re-election filed their paperwork. In addition to the three current members,
Linda Sheffield also filed her papers. Ms. Sheffield's entrance into the
College Board race will force the college to contribute around $80,000 to the
City Of Glendale for Election costs. The current Board members who are up for
re-election are Dr. Armine Hacopian, Anita Quinonez Gabrielian, and current
Board President Victor I. King.
In the race for City Treasurer, Ronald Borucki, current City Treasurer as
well
as Phillip Kazanjian submitted their paperwork.
The City Clerk will verify the petitions to certify that the candidates have
been nominated by a minimum of 100 registered voters. The list of qualified
candidates and the order in which the names will appear on the ballot will be
announced on Feb. 2.
In the school board race, 5 people have already submitted their paperwork
including current President Greg Krikorian as well as current member Chuck
Sambar. In the contested City Clerk race only 4 of the 10 potential candidates
have submitted their final paperwork although that number is expected to go up
by the February 1st deadline.
5) Return to the Promised Land: London Armenian Film Festival
The first major season of Armenian cinema, and only the second ever in the UK
in 25 years
The London Armenian Film Festival will feature works from the country itself
and from the extensive global Armenian diaspora, offering an eye-opening
glimpse into a culture that is all too little known in Britain.
Armenians have been prominent players in international cinema for as long as
the medium itself, whether as actors, producers, writers or directors.
However,
the focus of this season is distinctive. Showcasing shorts, features,
documentaries and artists' film, Return to the Promised Land: the London
Armenian Film Festival presents works that deal directly, but in always
invigorating and imaginative ways, with Armenian history and identity. Themes
of exile, migration, place and belonging are constantly being revisited in
fresh and dynamic ways, as different communities consider what such important
issues mean to them. Such concerns change of course depending on whether the
film-maker lives in contemporary Armenia or in the many countries, especially
Canada, France and the United States, that have significant, and very
successful, diaspora populations.
Among this latter group, perhaps the work of Toronto-based auteur Atom Egoyan
which has bought Armenian issues to wider public attention, most notably in
his
features Calendar and Ararat, the latter being the most prominent film yet
made
on the Armenian Genocide and its huge repercussions on subsequent
generations.
This theme has also been dealt with by the Berlin-located director Don
Askarian, whose Komitas creates a poetic biography, reflective and
surprisingly
calm, of the life of the iconic composer Komitas, who was driven into silence
and insanity as a result of the horrors he witnessed.
But the works are also celebrations--of endurance, resistance, continuity and
of the extraordinary culture itself. Nowhere is this more abundantly clear
than
in the undisputed classic that is Sergei Paradjanov's The Color of
Pomegranates. Unique in world cinema, this cine-poem creates tableaux of
unsurpassed beauty and insight around the writings and times of the celebrated
poet Sayat Nova. In a cinematic sense, it can be said to contain the enduring
spirit of Armenian identity.
Multi-layered approaches like Paradjanov's have also influenced Canadian
resident Garine Torossian, one of the few Armenian women film-makers, who
brings a resolutely contemporary tone to her textured and articulate short
works around diaspora relationships to the homeland.
The festival will also screen lost gems and work by overlooked directors of
great skill. Tigran Xmalian, who opens and closes the season with his two
recent features, also runs the Capital's Yerevan Film Studios and is a key
figure in maintaining and developing an active film culture in Armenia today,
despite the serious economic pressures the country as a whole is facing.
Meanwhile, director Haroutiun Khachatryan creates meditative documentary
dramas
that feel closer in mood to the resurgent Iranian cinema. Less concerned with
conventional narrative, they look at landscapes and lives with a philosophical
and empathetic eye.
The festival also features works of Artavazd Pelechian, whose collective
works
might last no longer than three hours, but the short films of are among the
most astonishing in the history of cinema. His profoundly intense examinations
of human and cosmic themes, largely wordless, are edited with a mastery of
scale and rhythm which makes all life on earth swarm and bloom through the
celluloid.
The festival runs February 11 17 at London's Ciné lumière
Pierlequin
Lighter than Air
Armenia | 2000 | b&w | 102 mins | dir. Tigran Xmalian, with Vladimir Msrian,
Hrach Harutunian, Anush Khorenian
Xmalian's charming feature is a surreal, bittersweet love story to his
homeland and culture. Moving from the 1960s to the '90s and centered around
the
iconic figure of a clown who was beloved of Armenian audiences, Pierlequin
creates a world of tenderness and magic among the challenges facing
contemporary Armenia.
Gariné Torossian Artists' Film Program
Short Films Program | 90 mins
Toronto-based Gariné Torossian will present a selection of her strikingly
multi-layered shorts. Like Egoyan, Torossian's work is informed by migration
and she has turned to experimental film-making to conjure the primary
forces of
the Armenian diaspora.
Vodka Lemon
Armenia / France / Italy / Switzerland | 2003 | col | 89 mins | dir. Hiner
Saleem, with Romen Avinian, Lala Sarkissian, Ivan Franek | cert. PG
A laconic love story focused on a solitary widower and a woman tending a
roadside bar, Vodka Lemon is a droll and charming hymn to endurance and
fellowship, building its off-center world calmly and steadily, much in the
manner of Otar Iosseliani.
Calendar
Canada / Armenia / Germany | 1993 | col | 74 mins | dir. Atom Egoyan, with
Atom Egoyan, Arsinée Khanjian, Ashot Adamian | cert. 15
Provocatively, Egoyan takes the lead role in this fascinating meditation on
relationships - to one's lover, country, history, memory and to images. A
witty, playful and always intriguing exploration of his abiding themes, this
was, before Ararat, Egoyan's most explicitly 'Armenian' feature.
Armenian National Cinema
A broad consideration of the unique qualities of Armenian cinema, both within
the country and diaspora, and reflections on its place in soviet and world
cinema, and on the difficulties facing contemporary production in the country.
With Armenian cinema specialist Nora Armani, film-makers Gariné Torossian and
Tigran Xmalian and film critic Artsvi Bakhchinyan. Moderator: Gareth Evans,
editor of Vertigo magazine and festival co-programmer.
Artavazd Pelechian
Short Films Program | 120 mins
Among the most astonishing short works in the history of cinema, the
profoundly intense films of Artavazd Pelechian are visionary examinations of
human and cosmic themes. Largely wordless and rhythmic, they are edited with a
mastery of scale and rhythm which makes all life on earth swarm and bloom
through the celluloid.
Return to the Promised Land
Armenia | 1991 | b&w & col | 80 mins | dir. Harutiun Khachatryan
Katchatryan's audacious film is a strikingly photographed study of an
Armenian
farmer and his family surviving in a harsh landscape in an abandoned,
snow-clad
village. As the first crops come to life, the village children smile again and
dance to the tunes of the visiting tightrope walkers and musicians. However,
danger still lurks in the distance.
Preceded by 2 short films:
Terra Emota & Lux Aeterna
Arm/Fr | 1999 | 10 mins each | both dir. Levon Minassian and Serge Avedikian
Impressionistic dispatches from the fault line: an earthquake in 1988
devastated Gyumri, Armenia's second city. Levon Minassian was in the city at
the time and caught the destruction on film. Ten years later, he returns to
find a city still dealing with the legacy of such a disaster.
Last Station
Armenia / France / UK | 1995 | col | 93 mins | dir. Harutiun Khachatryan and
Nora Armani, with Nora Armani, Gerald Papasian, Armen Djigarkhanian
A stage couple from the Armenian diaspora travel the world performing a play
about their national identity and history. Shot on location with its real-life
protagonists, Last Station skillfully mixes documentary and fiction to explore
love, exile and the artistic dilemma of belonging.
The Color of Pomegranates
Armenia / USSR | 1969 | col | 78 mins | dir. Sergei Paradjanov, with Sofiko
Chiaureli, Melkon Aleksanyan, Vilen Galstyan | Director's Cut | cert. 12A
Paradjanov's extraordinary film, unique in world cinema, is a visual poem
loosely inspired by the life and death of Armenian poet-troubadour Sayat Nova.
A work of astonishing beauty, mystery and dreamlike authority.
Ararat, Genocide Remembrance and Armenian Cinema
A consideration of the legacy of the Armenian genocide and its cinematic
incarnations. Is it even possible to represent such a vast and traumatic
subject on film? With Nouritza Matossian (biographer of Arshile Gorky and
consultant to Ararat), critic Artsvi Bakhchinyan, genocide historian Ara
Sarafian and Nora Armani.
Ararat
Canada / France | 2002 | col | 115 mins | dir. Atom Egoyan, with Arsinée
Khanjian, Charles Aznavour, Elias Koteas, Marie-Josée Croze | cert. 15
Perhaps Egoyan's most personal work, this multi-layered examination of the
legacy of genocide is a dramatic and intriguing hall of mirrors, in which
history and memory, reality and fiction all prove unpredictable and fluid.
Komitas
West Germany | 1988 | b&w & col | 96 mins | dir. Don Askarian, with Samuel
Ovasapian, Onig Saadetian, Margarita Woskanjan
A portrait of the great Armenian composer who was traumatized into silence
following the 1915 Genocide, Komitas is an episodic and poetic meditation that
seeks to find a visual language, somewhere between Tarkovsky and
Paradjanov, to
convey the suffering of an entire people.
Lovember
Armenia | 2004 | b&w | 99 mins | dir. by Tigran Xmalian
In Xmalian's latest lyrical feature, an odd young couple - a nurse and a
street musician - meet first as the witnesses of accident. Troubles pursue
them
and they decide to challenge fate in an extraordinary way by giving birth
to a
new God. Dialogue-free, the film is threaded through with the music of
Prokofiev.
For more details, visit
<http://www.institut-francais.org.uk/>www.institut-francais.org.uk.
6) Captivating Workbook Makes Math Fun for Kids
By Ani Shahinian
Asbarez Staff Writer
Though most might not necessarily use the words "fun" and "math" in the same
sentence, Viken "Vik" Hovsepian and Michael Hattar have found a way to not
only
make mathematics understandable, but also attention-grabbing.
Their workbook, "Math is Fun," printed by Harcourt School Publishers, was
written for the sole purpose of encouraging students to explore math problems
they may encounter in everyday life. As the subject may not be the easiest for
many students, it is nevertheless the teacher's job to make it seem simple and
fun. "Math is Fun is for the use and benefit of young students who are
eager to
learn, as well as for entertainment of mathematics instructors in teaching the
subject," say the authors.
The booklet contains a select number of fascinating problems and puzzles that
Hovsepian and Hattar have compiled and created over the years--as they say
humorously, "with lots of sweat, lots of tears, lots of love, and maybe even a
little blood."
Viken Hovsepian, a graduate of UCLA, has taught many age groups--from 3rd
grade to the college level. He is currently a mathematics instructor and
department chair at Glendale Unified School District's Hoover High School, as
well as a Professor of Mathematics at Rio Hondo College and Pasadena City
College. He is one of the writers of the current k-12 California Mathematics
Framework and Math Content Review Panelist for the State of California.
Michael Hattar has also been a mathematics instructor from grades 8 through
college. He is the winner of numerous educator awards, and is currently a
Professor of Mathematics at Don Bosco Technical School, Mount San Antonio
College, and Rio Hondo College.
Imagine this: It's a regular school day at Hoover High School and you're
sitting in Mr. Hovsepian's math class. US billionaire and philanthropist Kirk
Kerkorian shows up as a guest in his classroom, accompanied by GUSD Board
President Greg Krikorian, Superintendent Dr. Michael Escalante, and Hoover
High
School Co-Principals Hasmik Danielian and Kevin Welsh. Kerkorian presents a
challenge to the students--without giving too many details, he mumbles
something to Hovsepian in Armenian about the possibility of an all expense
paid
trip to Europe, along with matching funds as a donation to Hoover High. The
catch: You'll have two payment options and must choose the best one,
present it
in writing, using mathematical analysis, in the next 10 minutes. Two students
win and pack their bags as they head off with Mr. Kerkorian.
Although this dream come true didn't actually happen, it is one of the
exciting mathematics fantasies included in the latest edition of the workbook.
For more information email: [email protected] or [email protected].
7) New Children's Book Teaches about Love and Morality in Armenian
LOS ANGELES--Author and educator Jeanette Kassouny's new children's book
"Mangagan Ashkharh Ou Pem" (Children's World and Stage) is the most recent in
her latest compilation of short stories.
Published in Los Angeles, "Mangagan Ashkharh Ou Pem" is targeted for children
and teenagers 7-14 years old. It contains 16 short stories and 7 plays, all of
which have subtle messages of ethics, morality, and love of Armenian culture
and heritage.
Jeanette Kassouny is an author and educator whose passion for children is the
inspiration behind her many teaching and literary accomplishments.
Kassouny's talent became evident early on when she began writing short
stories, several of which were published in many literary magazines. After
receiving a BA in Education from the American University of Beirut, she
embarked on her professional teaching and writing career, while also
serving on
the editorial committees of many prominent publications.
In addition to winning numerous prestigious teaching and literary awards,
Kassouny's compilation of short stories and plays has been published in
various
publications.
AIM Magazine says,"More quality and accessible Armenian can be found in
Kassouny's new book of plays. Even if you don't run an elementary school, get
this book and watch the kids acting out characters and scenes in Armenian."
"Mangagan Ashkharh Ou Pem" contains over 20 color illustrations created by
artist Dicran Kassouny.
Copies of the book are available at your local Armenian bookstores or from
the
author's website at: www.hourijk.com
Abril Bookstore (818) 243-4112
Sardarabad Bookstore (818) 500-0790
Berj Bookstore (818) 244-3830
8) Elizabeth Jones's Diary: Over the Edge of Reason
By Skeptik Sinikian
WARNING TO READER: What you are about to read is filled with a dose of
sarcasm
that is above the daily required intake. Should you feel any of the following
side effects: nausea, anger, desire to bang your head against a wall, call
your
elected officials immediately.
When thinking of the historic Armenian region of Artsakh, it is not uncommon
that one is confused by all of the alternative names floating around. For
years, Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) was the popular nom de guerre. This was
followed by a rejection of the Russified Nagorno in favor of the more
politically correct "Mountainous," or "Lernayin" in Armenian. Whatever name
you
chose, one that never came to mind was the epithet that US Assistant Secretary
of the State Elizabeth Jones used a few weeks ago during a policy briefing.
Apparently Jones referred to Mountainous Karabagh's leaders as "criminal
secessionists," and called for their removal from power. This is one of those
things that makes you go "hmmmm." Criminal Secessionists? This made me think
really hard. Criminal Secessionists? I knew I had heard that somewhere before.
Now, Ms. Jones, if you're reading this, you might want to take notes.
Criminal Secessionists. That's odd. The last time I checked the records, when
the Azeri government began massacring and beating Armenians in the streets of
Sumgait and Baku, the US was nowhere to be found to assist the people of
Artsakh. So when these folks actually took up arms to defend themselves, they
were God-given, inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness, or eating khash for breakfast. Double "hmmmm." So a system of
government, that was created to defend the rights of its citizens, abused its
powers and tortured the people of Artsakh, eventually leading to wholesale
murder. The Armenians of Artsakh peacefully voted to dissolve the
Stalinist-imposed borders in a referendum which passed overwhelmingly.
In other words, when in the course of human events it becomes necessary for
one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with
another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal
station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent
respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the
causes
which impel them to the separation.
Sound familiar? That's because it's from the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE!
But I guess revolution, wars of independence are all passé in the National
Geographic map age right? I mean, who's ever heard of countries splitting
apart
and creating new ones out of nothing. What's that you say? Yugoslavia's not
around anymore? It's split into HOW many countries? Hmmm...(scratching my
head).
I guess I don't have the education and superior intellect of Ms. Jones to
figure all of this out. Maybe our Government sold the rights to the
Declaration
of Independence to Microsoft, or Enron, and now any people that want to assert
their own rights to self determination have to purchase the use of these
rights. I guess that would be the only explanation as to why the Armenian
leaders of Artsakh are "criminal secessionists." I can hear the baritone off
screen voice of the announcer now. "People of Iraq. This liberation was
brought
to you by General Electric--"We bring good things to life"--AND the people at
Lockheed--"We bomb things back into the stone age."
Now here's some news for you Ms. Jones and all your Ivy League, prep school,
wannabe pundits and strategists. You cannot take a person's right to life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness away. Remember that the founding fathers
of this great nation were also considered "criminal secessionists" by a
certain
crown wearing, royal pain in the you-know-what named George. But gosh darn it,
we took up arms at Bunker Hill, Lexington and Concord, Valley Forge and
everywhere else we had, in order to ensure that our God-given rights were
preserved. So just remember this, the next time you point a finger at anyone,
you have three fingers pointing back at you!
God bless the Criminal Secessionists of United States of America and God
bless
anyone who stands for freedom and liberty!
You go Artsakh!
(Cue patriotic music..............now!)
Skeptik Sininkian is a Yankee Doodle do or die; he's a real live nephew of
his
uncle Samvel, born on the fourth of July. He can be reached at
SkeptikSinikian@
aol.com, or visit his outdated blog at
<http://www.sinikian.blogspot.com/>www.sinikian.blogspot.com.
9) Vizhetzoom
By Garen Yegparian
Yup, I'm doin' it, takin' the plunge, and hittin' one of the biggies,
ABORTION. Hell, it might even prompt someone to reply with a letter to the
editor!
You may have heard it in Armenian as vizhoom, but that's used for
"miscarriage" as well, which is a passive event as opposed to the active
intervention required for a vizhetzoom.
At least among those with any sense, decency, and compassion, I hope no
one is
left who questions that abortions should be readily available, safe, and
private.
Certainly there can be no question in cases of rape and incest. And certainly
in cases of minors, some parental involvement, engagement, and moral support
may be required. Equally certainly the lunatic fringe in this country
trying to
impose its sense of what's 'right' by banning abortion, ought to find a time
machine and return to the period that spawned the Victorian (I'm being nice, I
could have said Neandethalyou now those Europe-dwelling pre-humans who went
extinct) notions they espouse, just to see how they like life under those
circumstances. Finally, abortion ought not become a form of birth control for
lack of proper, inexpensive, and readily available means to the same end. This
unfortunate situation seems to have existed even in Armenia, and likely
most of
the former-Soviet zone. It may even persist there to this day.
Basically, abortion is here to stay and is not something that should even
be a
bone of contention.
However, there is one circumstance that has stumped me for at least a decade,
and for which I've still no solution. When we say it's a woman's body and it's
her right to choose, we neglect, overlook, or disregard one very real
conditiononly females of the human species can bear children (at least for the
foreseeable future, who knows what science will bring us temporally further
out), males cannot.
So the conundrum is when two consenting adults have conceived a child,
especially if both initially intended to rear it, what gives one partner the
right to unilaterally decide otherwise? What happens to the other's stake in
the matter? Remember, the male has no choice. He can't go off and get pregnant
and bear a child. In essence, there exists a biological compact between the
two. Conversely, it is absolutely true that it is an onerous imposition on the
female. Not being a lawyer, I don't know if case law exists on parallel issues
that might shed some light on this, at least in a US context.
In oral discussions of this topic, I've encountered many arguments minimizing
the import of this circumstance. However, it is an issue, no matter how
small a
slice of the whole abortion pie it may represent.
Let's hear it. What do you think?
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TOP STORIES
01/28/2005
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1) Pope Calls For Real Peace in Karabakh
2) Hovhannisian Addresses Possible Consequences of PACE Resolution
3) Ecologists Want Government Control of GM Food in Armenia
4) Eight Armenian-Americans File for April 5 Glendale City Council Elections
5) Return to the Promised Land: London Armenian Film Festival
6) Captivating Workbook Makes Math Fun for Kids
7) New Children's Book Teaches about Love and Morality in Armenian
8) Elizabeth Jones's Diary: Over the Edge of Reason
9) Vizhetzoom
1) Pope Calls For Real Peace in Karabakh
(AP, AFP)--Pope John Paul II told Armenia's president on Friday that the Holy
See supports all efforts for a peace settlement in Mountainous Karabagh
Republic.
The pope's call for "real and lasting peace" in the region was a major theme
of John Paul's talks with President Robert Kocharian, on a visit this week to
the Vatican and Italy.
"I hope that a real and stable peace will spring forth in the
Nagorno-Karabagh
region where you, Mr. President, come from," the pope said in a speech in
Russian read for him by an aide. He called for "the decisive rejection of
violence and a patient dialogue between the parties, under active
international
mediation."
John Paul, who visited Armenia in 2001, sent his greetings to Armenians all
over the world, describing them as people "always linked to their culture and
Christian traditions."
Kocharian was scheduled to meet later Friday with Italian Premier Silvio
Berlusconi, then travel to Venice for visits over the weekend to an Armenian
monastery and church. He held talks with Italian President Carlo Azeglio
Ciampi
on Thursday.
2) Hovhannisian Addresses Possible Consequences of PACE Resolution
YEREVAN (RFE/RL-Yerkir)--National Assembly Vice Speaker Vahan Hovhannisian
said
on Friday, that the resolution on Mountainous Karabagh, adopted by the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe earlier this week, is
completely void of the causes of the conflict in the region, making it
difficult to reach a final settlement.
"The most dangerous thing about the resolution is that it seems to devaluate
the work done by the Minsk Group," said Hovhannisian.
Peace proposals put forward by the French, Russian and US co-chairs of the
group since 1998 have been largely accepted by the Armenian side.
Hovannisian, a member of the government coalition's Armenian Revolutionary
Federation, also revealed that the Armenian government failed to heed his
party's warnings about Azerbaijan's efforts to expand the circle of
international organizations dealing with the conflict.
"We had long been warning that discussions [on Karabagh] in that forum, hold
little promise for us," he told reporters. "However, no attention was paid to
that. There was confidence that everything would be done within the framework
of the [OSCE's] Minsk Group." The non-binding PACE resolution accuses Armenia
of occupying parts of Azerbaijan.
He added that parliament speaker Artur Baghdasarian has agreed to an ARF
proposal to set up an ad hoc commission to coordinate the work of Armenian
delegations at various inter-parliamentary organizations. The proposal was
made
after the PACE debate on Karabagh last Tuesday, he said.
3) Ecologists Want Government Control of GM Food in Armenia
(RFE-RL)Environmental and consumer rights organizations are sounding the alarm
over the virtual absence of government controls on the spread of genetically
modified (GM) food in Armenia.
Biotech crops, widely cultivated in the United States but banned across
Europe, have been rapidly spreading around the world. According to some
studies, last year saw a 20 percent jump in their production levels
compared to
2003.
Armenia has no laws or government policies regulating imports and domestic
production of GM foodstuffs, the impact of which is still a matter of great
contention. Local environmentalists say the apparent government complacency
could lead to negative consequences.
"The danger facing both nature and human beings is enormous. We are violating
the most important laws of nature," warned Karine Danielian, a former
environment minister who now heads the Association for Sustainable
Development,
a non-governmental organization opposed to genetically engineered crops.
Anush Galstian of the Armenian Ecological Club, another NGO, shared
Danielian's concerns, arguing that the authorities do not even check the
genetic origin of crop seeds imported to the country. "We don't have
laboratories to conduct such studies," she said. "Nor do we have laws obliging
every importer of foodstuffs to go through such procedures."
"We have yet to clarify what we are importing and growing," Galstian added.
The Armenian Ministry of Environmental Protection did recognize the
problem in
2003 when it received a $156,000 grant from the United Nations to develop a
"national framework for biological security." Artashes Ziroyan, a ministry
official who runs the project, told RFE/RL that the document has already been
drawn up and will serve as a basis for a special law to be drafted by the
government.
Ziroyan could not say whether GM seeds are already used by Armenian farmers
and, if so, to what extent. According to Melsida Hakobian, chairman of the
Association of Consumers, the unusually big size of some vegetables sold in
the
markets indicates their GM origin.
"The farmers do not know what [genetic engineering] is," she said. "But
when we explain the risks involved, some of them start having second thoughts.
But other say proudly, 'See how big our tomatoes are'."
The possibly negative effects of biotech crops has prompted concern from
environmentalists and farming specialists around the world. The Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO), a UN agency based in Rome, held a special
conference on the problem this week. In a statement released afterward, FAO
called for thorough consultations and checks on the impact that GM food might
produce on natural resources such as soil and water, as well as of rural
livelihoods.
"The need to monitor both the benefits and the potential hazards of
released GM crops to the environment is becoming ever more important with the
dramatic increase in the range and scale of their commercial cultivation,
especially in developing countries," Louise O. Fresco, assistant
director-general of the agency's agriculture department, was quoted by the
Associated Press as saying on Thursday.
4) Eight Armenian-Americans File for April 5 Glendale City Council Elections
GLENDALE--(Glendale ANCA)--City Hall was buzzing with campaign talk late
Thursday afternoon as candidates stopped by to turn in their nomination
papers.
Only City Council, College Board of Trustees, and City Treasurer candidates
were required to meet the 5:00 pm deadline Thursday. Glendale School Board and
City Clerk candidates are given until February 1st to finish filing.
Nevertheless, numerous candidates were present from both City Clerk and School
Board races, getting their own completed paperwork out of the way.
As of 5:00 pm, 20 of the 25 candidates for City Council had completed their
paperwork and petitions. Among those who have completed paperwork is Anahid
Oshagan, the only Armenian-American woman running for City Council as well as
Ara Najarian, current member of the Glendale College Board of Trustees. Also
among the 20 names were all three City Council members who are up for
re-election: Mayor Bob Yousefian, Frank Quintero and Dave Weaver. Numerous
candidates had started their campaigns for the 4 open city council seats prior
to the filing deadline, hosting campaign kick-off parties and starting
campaign
websites. The fourth lowest vote getter in the April 5th election will be
elected to complete the final two years of former Councilmember Gus Gomez's
term, who left the seat on January 3, 2005 after being elected Superior Court
Judge for Los Angeles Country. Gus Gomez's wife, Glynda Gomez is one of 20
candidates competing for the open seats. The complete list of candidates (in
alphabetical order) includes: Vrej Agajanian, Aram Barsoumian, John Drayman,
Hovik Gabikian, Glynda Gomez, Shirley Yap Griffin, Chahe Keuroghelian, Joe
Mandoky, Larry Miller, Ara Nadjarian, Richard Seeley, Pauline Field, Garry
Sinanian, Anahid Oshagan, John Stevenson, Odalis Suarez, David Weaver and Bob
Yousefian.
All three current members of the College Board of Trustees who are up for
re-election filed their paperwork. In addition to the three current members,
Linda Sheffield also filed her papers. Ms. Sheffield's entrance into the
College Board race will force the college to contribute around $80,000 to the
City Of Glendale for Election costs. The current Board members who are up for
re-election are Dr. Armine Hacopian, Anita Quinonez Gabrielian, and current
Board President Victor I. King.
In the race for City Treasurer, Ronald Borucki, current City Treasurer as
well
as Phillip Kazanjian submitted their paperwork.
The City Clerk will verify the petitions to certify that the candidates have
been nominated by a minimum of 100 registered voters. The list of qualified
candidates and the order in which the names will appear on the ballot will be
announced on Feb. 2.
In the school board race, 5 people have already submitted their paperwork
including current President Greg Krikorian as well as current member Chuck
Sambar. In the contested City Clerk race only 4 of the 10 potential candidates
have submitted their final paperwork although that number is expected to go up
by the February 1st deadline.
5) Return to the Promised Land: London Armenian Film Festival
The first major season of Armenian cinema, and only the second ever in the UK
in 25 years
The London Armenian Film Festival will feature works from the country itself
and from the extensive global Armenian diaspora, offering an eye-opening
glimpse into a culture that is all too little known in Britain.
Armenians have been prominent players in international cinema for as long as
the medium itself, whether as actors, producers, writers or directors.
However,
the focus of this season is distinctive. Showcasing shorts, features,
documentaries and artists' film, Return to the Promised Land: the London
Armenian Film Festival presents works that deal directly, but in always
invigorating and imaginative ways, with Armenian history and identity. Themes
of exile, migration, place and belonging are constantly being revisited in
fresh and dynamic ways, as different communities consider what such important
issues mean to them. Such concerns change of course depending on whether the
film-maker lives in contemporary Armenia or in the many countries, especially
Canada, France and the United States, that have significant, and very
successful, diaspora populations.
Among this latter group, perhaps the work of Toronto-based auteur Atom Egoyan
which has bought Armenian issues to wider public attention, most notably in
his
features Calendar and Ararat, the latter being the most prominent film yet
made
on the Armenian Genocide and its huge repercussions on subsequent
generations.
This theme has also been dealt with by the Berlin-located director Don
Askarian, whose Komitas creates a poetic biography, reflective and
surprisingly
calm, of the life of the iconic composer Komitas, who was driven into silence
and insanity as a result of the horrors he witnessed.
But the works are also celebrations--of endurance, resistance, continuity and
of the extraordinary culture itself. Nowhere is this more abundantly clear
than
in the undisputed classic that is Sergei Paradjanov's The Color of
Pomegranates. Unique in world cinema, this cine-poem creates tableaux of
unsurpassed beauty and insight around the writings and times of the celebrated
poet Sayat Nova. In a cinematic sense, it can be said to contain the enduring
spirit of Armenian identity.
Multi-layered approaches like Paradjanov's have also influenced Canadian
resident Garine Torossian, one of the few Armenian women film-makers, who
brings a resolutely contemporary tone to her textured and articulate short
works around diaspora relationships to the homeland.
The festival will also screen lost gems and work by overlooked directors of
great skill. Tigran Xmalian, who opens and closes the season with his two
recent features, also runs the Capital's Yerevan Film Studios and is a key
figure in maintaining and developing an active film culture in Armenia today,
despite the serious economic pressures the country as a whole is facing.
Meanwhile, director Haroutiun Khachatryan creates meditative documentary
dramas
that feel closer in mood to the resurgent Iranian cinema. Less concerned with
conventional narrative, they look at landscapes and lives with a philosophical
and empathetic eye.
The festival also features works of Artavazd Pelechian, whose collective
works
might last no longer than three hours, but the short films of are among the
most astonishing in the history of cinema. His profoundly intense examinations
of human and cosmic themes, largely wordless, are edited with a mastery of
scale and rhythm which makes all life on earth swarm and bloom through the
celluloid.
The festival runs February 11 17 at London's Ciné lumière
Pierlequin
Lighter than Air
Armenia | 2000 | b&w | 102 mins | dir. Tigran Xmalian, with Vladimir Msrian,
Hrach Harutunian, Anush Khorenian
Xmalian's charming feature is a surreal, bittersweet love story to his
homeland and culture. Moving from the 1960s to the '90s and centered around
the
iconic figure of a clown who was beloved of Armenian audiences, Pierlequin
creates a world of tenderness and magic among the challenges facing
contemporary Armenia.
Gariné Torossian Artists' Film Program
Short Films Program | 90 mins
Toronto-based Gariné Torossian will present a selection of her strikingly
multi-layered shorts. Like Egoyan, Torossian's work is informed by migration
and she has turned to experimental film-making to conjure the primary
forces of
the Armenian diaspora.
Vodka Lemon
Armenia / France / Italy / Switzerland | 2003 | col | 89 mins | dir. Hiner
Saleem, with Romen Avinian, Lala Sarkissian, Ivan Franek | cert. PG
A laconic love story focused on a solitary widower and a woman tending a
roadside bar, Vodka Lemon is a droll and charming hymn to endurance and
fellowship, building its off-center world calmly and steadily, much in the
manner of Otar Iosseliani.
Calendar
Canada / Armenia / Germany | 1993 | col | 74 mins | dir. Atom Egoyan, with
Atom Egoyan, Arsinée Khanjian, Ashot Adamian | cert. 15
Provocatively, Egoyan takes the lead role in this fascinating meditation on
relationships - to one's lover, country, history, memory and to images. A
witty, playful and always intriguing exploration of his abiding themes, this
was, before Ararat, Egoyan's most explicitly 'Armenian' feature.
Armenian National Cinema
A broad consideration of the unique qualities of Armenian cinema, both within
the country and diaspora, and reflections on its place in soviet and world
cinema, and on the difficulties facing contemporary production in the country.
With Armenian cinema specialist Nora Armani, film-makers Gariné Torossian and
Tigran Xmalian and film critic Artsvi Bakhchinyan. Moderator: Gareth Evans,
editor of Vertigo magazine and festival co-programmer.
Artavazd Pelechian
Short Films Program | 120 mins
Among the most astonishing short works in the history of cinema, the
profoundly intense films of Artavazd Pelechian are visionary examinations of
human and cosmic themes. Largely wordless and rhythmic, they are edited with a
mastery of scale and rhythm which makes all life on earth swarm and bloom
through the celluloid.
Return to the Promised Land
Armenia | 1991 | b&w & col | 80 mins | dir. Harutiun Khachatryan
Katchatryan's audacious film is a strikingly photographed study of an
Armenian
farmer and his family surviving in a harsh landscape in an abandoned,
snow-clad
village. As the first crops come to life, the village children smile again and
dance to the tunes of the visiting tightrope walkers and musicians. However,
danger still lurks in the distance.
Preceded by 2 short films:
Terra Emota & Lux Aeterna
Arm/Fr | 1999 | 10 mins each | both dir. Levon Minassian and Serge Avedikian
Impressionistic dispatches from the fault line: an earthquake in 1988
devastated Gyumri, Armenia's second city. Levon Minassian was in the city at
the time and caught the destruction on film. Ten years later, he returns to
find a city still dealing with the legacy of such a disaster.
Last Station
Armenia / France / UK | 1995 | col | 93 mins | dir. Harutiun Khachatryan and
Nora Armani, with Nora Armani, Gerald Papasian, Armen Djigarkhanian
A stage couple from the Armenian diaspora travel the world performing a play
about their national identity and history. Shot on location with its real-life
protagonists, Last Station skillfully mixes documentary and fiction to explore
love, exile and the artistic dilemma of belonging.
The Color of Pomegranates
Armenia / USSR | 1969 | col | 78 mins | dir. Sergei Paradjanov, with Sofiko
Chiaureli, Melkon Aleksanyan, Vilen Galstyan | Director's Cut | cert. 12A
Paradjanov's extraordinary film, unique in world cinema, is a visual poem
loosely inspired by the life and death of Armenian poet-troubadour Sayat Nova.
A work of astonishing beauty, mystery and dreamlike authority.
Ararat, Genocide Remembrance and Armenian Cinema
A consideration of the legacy of the Armenian genocide and its cinematic
incarnations. Is it even possible to represent such a vast and traumatic
subject on film? With Nouritza Matossian (biographer of Arshile Gorky and
consultant to Ararat), critic Artsvi Bakhchinyan, genocide historian Ara
Sarafian and Nora Armani.
Ararat
Canada / France | 2002 | col | 115 mins | dir. Atom Egoyan, with Arsinée
Khanjian, Charles Aznavour, Elias Koteas, Marie-Josée Croze | cert. 15
Perhaps Egoyan's most personal work, this multi-layered examination of the
legacy of genocide is a dramatic and intriguing hall of mirrors, in which
history and memory, reality and fiction all prove unpredictable and fluid.
Komitas
West Germany | 1988 | b&w & col | 96 mins | dir. Don Askarian, with Samuel
Ovasapian, Onig Saadetian, Margarita Woskanjan
A portrait of the great Armenian composer who was traumatized into silence
following the 1915 Genocide, Komitas is an episodic and poetic meditation that
seeks to find a visual language, somewhere between Tarkovsky and
Paradjanov, to
convey the suffering of an entire people.
Lovember
Armenia | 2004 | b&w | 99 mins | dir. by Tigran Xmalian
In Xmalian's latest lyrical feature, an odd young couple - a nurse and a
street musician - meet first as the witnesses of accident. Troubles pursue
them
and they decide to challenge fate in an extraordinary way by giving birth
to a
new God. Dialogue-free, the film is threaded through with the music of
Prokofiev.
For more details, visit
<http://www.institut-francais.org.uk/>www.institut-francais.org.uk.
6) Captivating Workbook Makes Math Fun for Kids
By Ani Shahinian
Asbarez Staff Writer
Though most might not necessarily use the words "fun" and "math" in the same
sentence, Viken "Vik" Hovsepian and Michael Hattar have found a way to not
only
make mathematics understandable, but also attention-grabbing.
Their workbook, "Math is Fun," printed by Harcourt School Publishers, was
written for the sole purpose of encouraging students to explore math problems
they may encounter in everyday life. As the subject may not be the easiest for
many students, it is nevertheless the teacher's job to make it seem simple and
fun. "Math is Fun is for the use and benefit of young students who are
eager to
learn, as well as for entertainment of mathematics instructors in teaching the
subject," say the authors.
The booklet contains a select number of fascinating problems and puzzles that
Hovsepian and Hattar have compiled and created over the years--as they say
humorously, "with lots of sweat, lots of tears, lots of love, and maybe even a
little blood."
Viken Hovsepian, a graduate of UCLA, has taught many age groups--from 3rd
grade to the college level. He is currently a mathematics instructor and
department chair at Glendale Unified School District's Hoover High School, as
well as a Professor of Mathematics at Rio Hondo College and Pasadena City
College. He is one of the writers of the current k-12 California Mathematics
Framework and Math Content Review Panelist for the State of California.
Michael Hattar has also been a mathematics instructor from grades 8 through
college. He is the winner of numerous educator awards, and is currently a
Professor of Mathematics at Don Bosco Technical School, Mount San Antonio
College, and Rio Hondo College.
Imagine this: It's a regular school day at Hoover High School and you're
sitting in Mr. Hovsepian's math class. US billionaire and philanthropist Kirk
Kerkorian shows up as a guest in his classroom, accompanied by GUSD Board
President Greg Krikorian, Superintendent Dr. Michael Escalante, and Hoover
High
School Co-Principals Hasmik Danielian and Kevin Welsh. Kerkorian presents a
challenge to the students--without giving too many details, he mumbles
something to Hovsepian in Armenian about the possibility of an all expense
paid
trip to Europe, along with matching funds as a donation to Hoover High. The
catch: You'll have two payment options and must choose the best one,
present it
in writing, using mathematical analysis, in the next 10 minutes. Two students
win and pack their bags as they head off with Mr. Kerkorian.
Although this dream come true didn't actually happen, it is one of the
exciting mathematics fantasies included in the latest edition of the workbook.
For more information email: [email protected] or [email protected].
7) New Children's Book Teaches about Love and Morality in Armenian
LOS ANGELES--Author and educator Jeanette Kassouny's new children's book
"Mangagan Ashkharh Ou Pem" (Children's World and Stage) is the most recent in
her latest compilation of short stories.
Published in Los Angeles, "Mangagan Ashkharh Ou Pem" is targeted for children
and teenagers 7-14 years old. It contains 16 short stories and 7 plays, all of
which have subtle messages of ethics, morality, and love of Armenian culture
and heritage.
Jeanette Kassouny is an author and educator whose passion for children is the
inspiration behind her many teaching and literary accomplishments.
Kassouny's talent became evident early on when she began writing short
stories, several of which were published in many literary magazines. After
receiving a BA in Education from the American University of Beirut, she
embarked on her professional teaching and writing career, while also
serving on
the editorial committees of many prominent publications.
In addition to winning numerous prestigious teaching and literary awards,
Kassouny's compilation of short stories and plays has been published in
various
publications.
AIM Magazine says,"More quality and accessible Armenian can be found in
Kassouny's new book of plays. Even if you don't run an elementary school, get
this book and watch the kids acting out characters and scenes in Armenian."
"Mangagan Ashkharh Ou Pem" contains over 20 color illustrations created by
artist Dicran Kassouny.
Copies of the book are available at your local Armenian bookstores or from
the
author's website at: www.hourijk.com
Abril Bookstore (818) 243-4112
Sardarabad Bookstore (818) 500-0790
Berj Bookstore (818) 244-3830
8) Elizabeth Jones's Diary: Over the Edge of Reason
By Skeptik Sinikian
WARNING TO READER: What you are about to read is filled with a dose of
sarcasm
that is above the daily required intake. Should you feel any of the following
side effects: nausea, anger, desire to bang your head against a wall, call
your
elected officials immediately.
When thinking of the historic Armenian region of Artsakh, it is not uncommon
that one is confused by all of the alternative names floating around. For
years, Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) was the popular nom de guerre. This was
followed by a rejection of the Russified Nagorno in favor of the more
politically correct "Mountainous," or "Lernayin" in Armenian. Whatever name
you
chose, one that never came to mind was the epithet that US Assistant Secretary
of the State Elizabeth Jones used a few weeks ago during a policy briefing.
Apparently Jones referred to Mountainous Karabagh's leaders as "criminal
secessionists," and called for their removal from power. This is one of those
things that makes you go "hmmmm." Criminal Secessionists? This made me think
really hard. Criminal Secessionists? I knew I had heard that somewhere before.
Now, Ms. Jones, if you're reading this, you might want to take notes.
Criminal Secessionists. That's odd. The last time I checked the records, when
the Azeri government began massacring and beating Armenians in the streets of
Sumgait and Baku, the US was nowhere to be found to assist the people of
Artsakh. So when these folks actually took up arms to defend themselves, they
were God-given, inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness, or eating khash for breakfast. Double "hmmmm." So a system of
government, that was created to defend the rights of its citizens, abused its
powers and tortured the people of Artsakh, eventually leading to wholesale
murder. The Armenians of Artsakh peacefully voted to dissolve the
Stalinist-imposed borders in a referendum which passed overwhelmingly.
In other words, when in the course of human events it becomes necessary for
one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with
another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal
station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent
respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the
causes
which impel them to the separation.
Sound familiar? That's because it's from the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE!
But I guess revolution, wars of independence are all passé in the National
Geographic map age right? I mean, who's ever heard of countries splitting
apart
and creating new ones out of nothing. What's that you say? Yugoslavia's not
around anymore? It's split into HOW many countries? Hmmm...(scratching my
head).
I guess I don't have the education and superior intellect of Ms. Jones to
figure all of this out. Maybe our Government sold the rights to the
Declaration
of Independence to Microsoft, or Enron, and now any people that want to assert
their own rights to self determination have to purchase the use of these
rights. I guess that would be the only explanation as to why the Armenian
leaders of Artsakh are "criminal secessionists." I can hear the baritone off
screen voice of the announcer now. "People of Iraq. This liberation was
brought
to you by General Electric--"We bring good things to life"--AND the people at
Lockheed--"We bomb things back into the stone age."
Now here's some news for you Ms. Jones and all your Ivy League, prep school,
wannabe pundits and strategists. You cannot take a person's right to life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness away. Remember that the founding fathers
of this great nation were also considered "criminal secessionists" by a
certain
crown wearing, royal pain in the you-know-what named George. But gosh darn it,
we took up arms at Bunker Hill, Lexington and Concord, Valley Forge and
everywhere else we had, in order to ensure that our God-given rights were
preserved. So just remember this, the next time you point a finger at anyone,
you have three fingers pointing back at you!
God bless the Criminal Secessionists of United States of America and God
bless
anyone who stands for freedom and liberty!
You go Artsakh!
(Cue patriotic music..............now!)
Skeptik Sininkian is a Yankee Doodle do or die; he's a real live nephew of
his
uncle Samvel, born on the fourth of July. He can be reached at
SkeptikSinikian@
aol.com, or visit his outdated blog at
<http://www.sinikian.blogspot.com/>www.sinikian.blogspot.com.
9) Vizhetzoom
By Garen Yegparian
Yup, I'm doin' it, takin' the plunge, and hittin' one of the biggies,
ABORTION. Hell, it might even prompt someone to reply with a letter to the
editor!
You may have heard it in Armenian as vizhoom, but that's used for
"miscarriage" as well, which is a passive event as opposed to the active
intervention required for a vizhetzoom.
At least among those with any sense, decency, and compassion, I hope no
one is
left who questions that abortions should be readily available, safe, and
private.
Certainly there can be no question in cases of rape and incest. And certainly
in cases of minors, some parental involvement, engagement, and moral support
may be required. Equally certainly the lunatic fringe in this country
trying to
impose its sense of what's 'right' by banning abortion, ought to find a time
machine and return to the period that spawned the Victorian (I'm being nice, I
could have said Neandethalyou now those Europe-dwelling pre-humans who went
extinct) notions they espouse, just to see how they like life under those
circumstances. Finally, abortion ought not become a form of birth control for
lack of proper, inexpensive, and readily available means to the same end. This
unfortunate situation seems to have existed even in Armenia, and likely
most of
the former-Soviet zone. It may even persist there to this day.
Basically, abortion is here to stay and is not something that should even
be a
bone of contention.
However, there is one circumstance that has stumped me for at least a decade,
and for which I've still no solution. When we say it's a woman's body and it's
her right to choose, we neglect, overlook, or disregard one very real
conditiononly females of the human species can bear children (at least for the
foreseeable future, who knows what science will bring us temporally further
out), males cannot.
So the conundrum is when two consenting adults have conceived a child,
especially if both initially intended to rear it, what gives one partner the
right to unilaterally decide otherwise? What happens to the other's stake in
the matter? Remember, the male has no choice. He can't go off and get pregnant
and bear a child. In essence, there exists a biological compact between the
two. Conversely, it is absolutely true that it is an onerous imposition on the
female. Not being a lawyer, I don't know if case law exists on parallel issues
that might shed some light on this, at least in a US context.
In oral discussions of this topic, I've encountered many arguments minimizing
the import of this circumstance. However, it is an issue, no matter how
small a
slice of the whole abortion pie it may represent.
Let's hear it. What do you think?
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