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The key is in Armenia
June 21 2014
My contact with Glendale Mayor Zareh Sinanyan was very inspiring in
several terms. First, I like when the officials display modesty and
restraint in dealing with journalists. Or else, I remembered a head of
the department at the Yerevan municipality, who in response to a
journalists' question has said, "since I am the Head of the
Department, I can only get in contact with the heads, in other words,
with the editors." Secondly, of course, it was pleasant that the
American city is ruled by an Armenian-origin young man, who in 1988,
at the age of 14 left Soviet Armenia, and has gone through thanks to
his personal merits by becoming a City Council member and then a
mayor. Anyway, most importantly is his healthy attitude to
Armenia-Diaspora relations. In the Diaspora, as I see, there are two
extremes. "Traditional" Diaspora, if they are interested in Armenia,
then only in the context of national problems the way they are
perceiving these problems: the Armenian Cause, genocide, and demands.
>From this perspective it seems to them that is does not so matter what
kind of state Armenia is and what regime is here, just all of us
pursue these problems. Our these countrymen do not consider it
appropriate to talk about Armenia's political and economic
development, about legitimacy and controlability of authorities. Those
who have gone from here after 1990 (again, if they are interested in
the homeland), they are talking about these very issues. But, the
problem is that many of these "new Diaspora" are addressing our too
painful issues with malice, as if subconsciously trying to justify
their absence. "Build a good homeland, and I will return", is often
sounded "in-between the lines" of what they say. We, Armenians,
sometimes do not want to understand both the "traditional" and
"non-traditional ones", on the contrary, in the mind or even in the
public, we tend to blame them of why you were not and are not sharing
our sufferings. The bases of such reproach is purely emotional, they
must be eliminated. Zareh Sinanyan is free from all of these extremes,
and his point is that we, Armenians, should once be genuinely
"explained," but the explanation should not last for years. After
accepting each other's sins and confessing of own sins, we need to
move forward, having the undeniable provision in front of our eyes
that the key to solving all kinds of national problems is here, in the
Republic of Armenia.
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2014/06/21/165747/
From: Baghdasarian
June 21 2014
My contact with Glendale Mayor Zareh Sinanyan was very inspiring in
several terms. First, I like when the officials display modesty and
restraint in dealing with journalists. Or else, I remembered a head of
the department at the Yerevan municipality, who in response to a
journalists' question has said, "since I am the Head of the
Department, I can only get in contact with the heads, in other words,
with the editors." Secondly, of course, it was pleasant that the
American city is ruled by an Armenian-origin young man, who in 1988,
at the age of 14 left Soviet Armenia, and has gone through thanks to
his personal merits by becoming a City Council member and then a
mayor. Anyway, most importantly is his healthy attitude to
Armenia-Diaspora relations. In the Diaspora, as I see, there are two
extremes. "Traditional" Diaspora, if they are interested in Armenia,
then only in the context of national problems the way they are
perceiving these problems: the Armenian Cause, genocide, and demands.
>From this perspective it seems to them that is does not so matter what
kind of state Armenia is and what regime is here, just all of us
pursue these problems. Our these countrymen do not consider it
appropriate to talk about Armenia's political and economic
development, about legitimacy and controlability of authorities. Those
who have gone from here after 1990 (again, if they are interested in
the homeland), they are talking about these very issues. But, the
problem is that many of these "new Diaspora" are addressing our too
painful issues with malice, as if subconsciously trying to justify
their absence. "Build a good homeland, and I will return", is often
sounded "in-between the lines" of what they say. We, Armenians,
sometimes do not want to understand both the "traditional" and
"non-traditional ones", on the contrary, in the mind or even in the
public, we tend to blame them of why you were not and are not sharing
our sufferings. The bases of such reproach is purely emotional, they
must be eliminated. Zareh Sinanyan is free from all of these extremes,
and his point is that we, Armenians, should once be genuinely
"explained," but the explanation should not last for years. After
accepting each other's sins and confessing of own sins, we need to
move forward, having the undeniable provision in front of our eyes
that the key to solving all kinds of national problems is here, in the
Republic of Armenia.
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2014/06/21/165747/
From: Baghdasarian