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What Armenian Americans Think about Obama
By Khatchig Mouradian on May 15, 2009
And what needs to be done
On May 12, I wrote an article titled `Obama Alienates Armenian
Americans,' in which I presented the reaction of Armenian leaders and
commentators to what the community views as the continuous stream of
blows from the Obama Administration in recent weeks. In the two days
following the posting of the article on the Armenian Weekly website,
many readers posted their views on Obama's `betrayals' and their
suggestions about the road ahead.
The comments compelled me to write a second article, this time quoting
the readers, some of whom were very insightful. After all, who are the
leaders and commentators to listen to before formulating their
policies and writing their commentaries if not the community itself?
At the end of the article, I suggest a way for the Obama
Administration to begin remedying the situation.
`I told you so'
Several readers said they had never trusted Obama in the first place
and were surprised by the full support Obama had received from the
Armenian community during his presidential campaign.
`Is anyone really surprised?' asked one reader. `I am continually
surprised that people believed him. Obama wants everyone to think he's
different. But he isn't. He's just another politician who will say
anything he has to get elected.'
Another reader agreed. `I was amazed how the Armenian community was
supporting Obama and all my friends thought I was crazy every time I
told them that Obama will change his views shortly after becoming
president. Well, I am sad to say it happened.'
`I'm not one bit surprised that Obama has turned on the Armenians,'
said a third reader. `I'm sorry to all of you fellow Armenians who
actually voted for him, believing his empty promises of standing
behind Armenians, among all of his other promises. The man is a good
`campaigner' and that's it.'
After criticizing those who voted for Obama as well as the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA) for endorsing him, one person
said, `I just feel sorry for all of you that thought Barack Obama was
a `friend' to Armenians. I knew this was coming, and judging from some
of the previous posts here, I'm not the only Armenian with some
sense!' `I guess there were a lot of Armenians who drank the Obama
Kool-Aid. You have been scammed. He got what he wanted: votes,' said
yet another reader.
`Crushed'
Most Armenian Americans supported Obama during his campaign and are
now deeply disappointed.
`I am embarrassed to say that I was one of Obama's first supporters. I
purchased books and t-shirts to support Obama the candidate. I no
longer like Obama the president,' read one comment.
`President Obama, you systematically crushed our hopes,' read
another. `I feel duped, foolish, broken-hearted, and disgusted, all at
the same time. I think you missed your `calling': you should have been
an actor.'
`I have never been disappointed in anything more than President
Obama's not using the `g-word' on April 24th,' wrote one reader. `On
five occasions he pledged to recognize the Armenian Genocide but
failed as a president on recognizing the truth.'
Yet another reader summarized the situation as follows: `President
Obama, you lost the love and trust of 1.5 million American Armenians
and 6 million Armenians worldwide.'
Commenting on those who said they were disappointed by Obama, one
person wrote, `I am glad you saw the light on Obama. There may be hope
for you yet.'
`Barking up the wrong tree'
A sentiment that is widely felt in the Armenian American community
(and the Armenian Diaspora in general) is that the real actor to blame
is the Armenian government, which signed a memorandum of understanding
with Turkey on the eve of April 24, the Armenian Genocide
Commemoration Day.
`I blame all this entirely on the Armenian president Serge Sarkisian,'
wrote one reader on the website. `It is entirely his fault that Obama
is breaking all his promises. He signed that so-called `road map'
agreement two days before April 24. He is a spineless man who has
caved in to foreign pressure. He is not acting on the interests of the
Armenian people and thus, he is dangerous to have as our president.'
The reader added, `By jeopardizing our national security, he and our
foreign affairs minister have committed treason against the Armenian
state. What's worse, he is going to stay as our president for at least
another three years.'
`We American Armenians need to stop blaming Obama's administration,'
said another, `and shift our attention to Armenia and its
government. To gain credibility, respect, and monetary help, change
Armenia's mafia government.'
`Return the paraphernalia'
The suggestion Armenian Weekly readers made ranged from the sublime to
the ridiculously extreme. Most of them seemed to agree, however, that
there is a need to get even more active, and make the Obama
Administration feel the heat.
One person said, `It's time to send all Democrats a message. Do not
contribute to any Congressional races; get the word out about the
other ways in which the president is systematically breaking his
promises.'
Another asked his fellow Armenians to `wake up and change the way we
do things,' calling for `a demonstration against the president and the
State Department.'
A powerful call to action came from a reader who wrote, `There is no
question that we've been ditched by the Obama Administration which is
following State Department policy. I've just finished two letters-one
to the president and one to Speaker Pelosi on these issues. Exactly
right as stated in the article-the genocide resolution must now be
back on the table and Congress must not let parity between Azerbaijan
and Armenia be ignored. Letters, phone calls-everything.'we've got to
get back to work.'
A clearly disappointed Obama supporter had another idea: `I suggest we
pick a day where all Armenians that supported him send back their
Obama paraphernalia, together with it a note stating, `I hope the
Armenian issue doesn't mark the beginning of a huge back-slide of
compromised campaign promises.''
Making sense of it all
The Obama Administration's genocide denial, its failure to appoint any
Armenian Americans to a decent position in the administration, and its
proposal to break the military aid parity between Azerbaijan and
Armenia and decrease foreign aid to Armenia, not only alienated most
Armenian Americans but also placed the major Armenian American
organizations-all of which had supported Obama-in a very difficult
situation. After all, an entire community was mobilized to support
what was touted as the most `Armenian-friendly administration'
ever. And it was very difficult to challenge that label, with people
like Joe Biden, Samantha Power-and Barack Obama himself-on the team.
With its actions, however, it seems that the administration is trying
to become the administration that is the most unfriendly to Armenians.
Adding insult to injury, there has been no reaching out from the
administration to the Armenian American community in any shape or
form. Armenian Americans feel insulted and betrayed, and-regardless of
what the president thinks about policy issues-they deserve some
respect.
The administration has to reach out to the Armenian American
community. That is the only smart way ahead.
Courtesy-hairenik.com
By Khatchig Mouradian on May 15, 2009
And what needs to be done
On May 12, I wrote an article titled `Obama Alienates Armenian
Americans,' in which I presented the reaction of Armenian leaders and
commentators to what the community views as the continuous stream of
blows from the Obama Administration in recent weeks. In the two days
following the posting of the article on the Armenian Weekly website,
many readers posted their views on Obama's `betrayals' and their
suggestions about the road ahead.
The comments compelled me to write a second article, this time quoting
the readers, some of whom were very insightful. After all, who are the
leaders and commentators to listen to before formulating their
policies and writing their commentaries if not the community itself?
At the end of the article, I suggest a way for the Obama
Administration to begin remedying the situation.
`I told you so'
Several readers said they had never trusted Obama in the first place
and were surprised by the full support Obama had received from the
Armenian community during his presidential campaign.
`Is anyone really surprised?' asked one reader. `I am continually
surprised that people believed him. Obama wants everyone to think he's
different. But he isn't. He's just another politician who will say
anything he has to get elected.'
Another reader agreed. `I was amazed how the Armenian community was
supporting Obama and all my friends thought I was crazy every time I
told them that Obama will change his views shortly after becoming
president. Well, I am sad to say it happened.'
`I'm not one bit surprised that Obama has turned on the Armenians,'
said a third reader. `I'm sorry to all of you fellow Armenians who
actually voted for him, believing his empty promises of standing
behind Armenians, among all of his other promises. The man is a good
`campaigner' and that's it.'
After criticizing those who voted for Obama as well as the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA) for endorsing him, one person
said, `I just feel sorry for all of you that thought Barack Obama was
a `friend' to Armenians. I knew this was coming, and judging from some
of the previous posts here, I'm not the only Armenian with some
sense!' `I guess there were a lot of Armenians who drank the Obama
Kool-Aid. You have been scammed. He got what he wanted: votes,' said
yet another reader.
`Crushed'
Most Armenian Americans supported Obama during his campaign and are
now deeply disappointed.
`I am embarrassed to say that I was one of Obama's first supporters. I
purchased books and t-shirts to support Obama the candidate. I no
longer like Obama the president,' read one comment.
`President Obama, you systematically crushed our hopes,' read
another. `I feel duped, foolish, broken-hearted, and disgusted, all at
the same time. I think you missed your `calling': you should have been
an actor.'
`I have never been disappointed in anything more than President
Obama's not using the `g-word' on April 24th,' wrote one reader. `On
five occasions he pledged to recognize the Armenian Genocide but
failed as a president on recognizing the truth.'
Yet another reader summarized the situation as follows: `President
Obama, you lost the love and trust of 1.5 million American Armenians
and 6 million Armenians worldwide.'
Commenting on those who said they were disappointed by Obama, one
person wrote, `I am glad you saw the light on Obama. There may be hope
for you yet.'
`Barking up the wrong tree'
A sentiment that is widely felt in the Armenian American community
(and the Armenian Diaspora in general) is that the real actor to blame
is the Armenian government, which signed a memorandum of understanding
with Turkey on the eve of April 24, the Armenian Genocide
Commemoration Day.
`I blame all this entirely on the Armenian president Serge Sarkisian,'
wrote one reader on the website. `It is entirely his fault that Obama
is breaking all his promises. He signed that so-called `road map'
agreement two days before April 24. He is a spineless man who has
caved in to foreign pressure. He is not acting on the interests of the
Armenian people and thus, he is dangerous to have as our president.'
The reader added, `By jeopardizing our national security, he and our
foreign affairs minister have committed treason against the Armenian
state. What's worse, he is going to stay as our president for at least
another three years.'
`We American Armenians need to stop blaming Obama's administration,'
said another, `and shift our attention to Armenia and its
government. To gain credibility, respect, and monetary help, change
Armenia's mafia government.'
`Return the paraphernalia'
The suggestion Armenian Weekly readers made ranged from the sublime to
the ridiculously extreme. Most of them seemed to agree, however, that
there is a need to get even more active, and make the Obama
Administration feel the heat.
One person said, `It's time to send all Democrats a message. Do not
contribute to any Congressional races; get the word out about the
other ways in which the president is systematically breaking his
promises.'
Another asked his fellow Armenians to `wake up and change the way we
do things,' calling for `a demonstration against the president and the
State Department.'
A powerful call to action came from a reader who wrote, `There is no
question that we've been ditched by the Obama Administration which is
following State Department policy. I've just finished two letters-one
to the president and one to Speaker Pelosi on these issues. Exactly
right as stated in the article-the genocide resolution must now be
back on the table and Congress must not let parity between Azerbaijan
and Armenia be ignored. Letters, phone calls-everything.'we've got to
get back to work.'
A clearly disappointed Obama supporter had another idea: `I suggest we
pick a day where all Armenians that supported him send back their
Obama paraphernalia, together with it a note stating, `I hope the
Armenian issue doesn't mark the beginning of a huge back-slide of
compromised campaign promises.''
Making sense of it all
The Obama Administration's genocide denial, its failure to appoint any
Armenian Americans to a decent position in the administration, and its
proposal to break the military aid parity between Azerbaijan and
Armenia and decrease foreign aid to Armenia, not only alienated most
Armenian Americans but also placed the major Armenian American
organizations-all of which had supported Obama-in a very difficult
situation. After all, an entire community was mobilized to support
what was touted as the most `Armenian-friendly administration'
ever. And it was very difficult to challenge that label, with people
like Joe Biden, Samantha Power-and Barack Obama himself-on the team.
With its actions, however, it seems that the administration is trying
to become the administration that is the most unfriendly to Armenians.
Adding insult to injury, there has been no reaching out from the
administration to the Armenian American community in any shape or
form. Armenian Americans feel insulted and betrayed, and-regardless of
what the president thinks about policy issues-they deserve some
respect.
The administration has to reach out to the Armenian American
community. That is the only smart way ahead.
Courtesy-hairenik.com