Hating Armenians Must Be OK
http://asbarez.com/105804/hating-armenians-must-be-ok/
Friday, October 5th, 2012
BY GAREN YEGPARIAN
That's what I'm starting to conclude, that Armenian-hating, at least
in the political realm, has been sanctioned by some unknown powers.
The unfortunate medium, bearer, victim of this obnoxious phenomenon
seems to be one of the best public officials ever fielded by our
community, LA City Councilmember Paul Krekorian.
I'll start with the most recent example, and proceed backwards chronologically.
Please take a look at the accompanying picture. It depicts Paul in a
Turkish fez. The `artist' is unknown, but the sign has been seen in
his council district, and even outside, in Burbank, where this picture
was taken. How obnoxious! A symbol of those who committed mass murder
against our nation, a symbol so odious that even Kemal Atatutk, who
continued the Genocide, felt compelled to expunge from Turkish
society, is now being attached to an Armenian! Can you imagine the hue
and cry that would ensue if a swastika was attached to a picture of a
Jewish elected official? Yet no one seems to mind this.
Let's move back in time some two years, to when Paul was first running
for LA City Council. A political mail piece appeared that depicted LA
City Hall surrounded by barbed wire sought to evoke Holocaust era
imagery, somehow hoping to attribute this inappropriate intentions to
Paul. Fortunately, decent folks in the Jewish community disavowed
this. Its basis was so flimsy as to be laughable. Some idiot had
posted anti-Semitic comments on the Asbarez blog. This was the
`evidence' of reprehensible positions being connected to Paul and the
ANCA. Very few objected to this vile manifestation.
Going back another four years, you may recall the essentially
anonymous political mailer that attempted to tie Paul and the ANCA to
attacks on Turkish diplomats three decades ago. Once again, such a
debased tactic caught very little opprobrium. Although in a
post-election interview, the candidate that was supposed to benefit
from this hit piece contended it cost him the race. And, of course,
next to no one condemned this attack.
So you see why I'm starting to believe that somewhere, in some
political circle(s), it has become OK to hate Armenians and use that
hate to attack candidates and elected officials of Armenian heritage.
An anti-Armenian, anti-Paul Krekorian display
It's time to start making noise about this. Those living in LA and
Burbank ought to go to their respective city council meetings and
demand that such hate speech not be allowed to appear on the streets
of their cities. While this may not be doable because of
constitutional free speech protections, it would sure stir up enough
attention and response by the community at large to convey to the
offenders the message that odious pictures such as this one are
unacceptable in this day and age.
http://asbarez.com/105804/hating-armenians-must-be-ok/
Friday, October 5th, 2012
BY GAREN YEGPARIAN
That's what I'm starting to conclude, that Armenian-hating, at least
in the political realm, has been sanctioned by some unknown powers.
The unfortunate medium, bearer, victim of this obnoxious phenomenon
seems to be one of the best public officials ever fielded by our
community, LA City Councilmember Paul Krekorian.
I'll start with the most recent example, and proceed backwards chronologically.
Please take a look at the accompanying picture. It depicts Paul in a
Turkish fez. The `artist' is unknown, but the sign has been seen in
his council district, and even outside, in Burbank, where this picture
was taken. How obnoxious! A symbol of those who committed mass murder
against our nation, a symbol so odious that even Kemal Atatutk, who
continued the Genocide, felt compelled to expunge from Turkish
society, is now being attached to an Armenian! Can you imagine the hue
and cry that would ensue if a swastika was attached to a picture of a
Jewish elected official? Yet no one seems to mind this.
Let's move back in time some two years, to when Paul was first running
for LA City Council. A political mail piece appeared that depicted LA
City Hall surrounded by barbed wire sought to evoke Holocaust era
imagery, somehow hoping to attribute this inappropriate intentions to
Paul. Fortunately, decent folks in the Jewish community disavowed
this. Its basis was so flimsy as to be laughable. Some idiot had
posted anti-Semitic comments on the Asbarez blog. This was the
`evidence' of reprehensible positions being connected to Paul and the
ANCA. Very few objected to this vile manifestation.
Going back another four years, you may recall the essentially
anonymous political mailer that attempted to tie Paul and the ANCA to
attacks on Turkish diplomats three decades ago. Once again, such a
debased tactic caught very little opprobrium. Although in a
post-election interview, the candidate that was supposed to benefit
from this hit piece contended it cost him the race. And, of course,
next to no one condemned this attack.
So you see why I'm starting to believe that somewhere, in some
political circle(s), it has become OK to hate Armenians and use that
hate to attack candidates and elected officials of Armenian heritage.
An anti-Armenian, anti-Paul Krekorian display
It's time to start making noise about this. Those living in LA and
Burbank ought to go to their respective city council meetings and
demand that such hate speech not be allowed to appear on the streets
of their cities. While this may not be doable because of
constitutional free speech protections, it would sure stir up enough
attention and response by the community at large to convey to the
offenders the message that odious pictures such as this one are
unacceptable in this day and age.