A window to Richard's Mind.

Why am I so nationalist? Why do I border on 'extremism'?

I will tell you.

I attend services at a Diocese (Ramgavar) church in Wisconsin. At my church, more than half of the people who attend services have blond hair and blue eyes with odar last names. The only person that speaks Armenian is our priest, Der Yeprem.

This is far from the reason why I am so nationalist, however, but a major point nonetheless.

Most of it has to do with my family. My family disgusts me. Out of the 6 families here from my father's generation, all married odars, even my father. Of the 6 families, only 2 attend the Armenian church. My family and my Godfather's. The others attend Irish Catholic and.... LUTHERAN.

It makes me sick. Nobody from my father's generation speaks Armenian. I have witnessed the complete assimilation of my family into American culture in all of about 1 1/2 generations and it makes me sick. I can't stand for it. How can they carry the name Antaram and be Amerigatsis? My family has abandoned our heritage. I can't express in words the rage and sadness inside of me.

What has my family done? How much did my forefathers give to escape the Turks, only to forget. One of my cousins can't even find Armenia on the map, most don't even know what odar means.

Fortunately, I was able to discover my heritage. I read the book THE CROSS AND THE CRESCENT. I suggest everyone read it.

As for me, I refuse to even date non-Armenians. I will not have children until I am fluent in Armenian.

It is important that we as a Diaspora not lose our identity. Being Armenian should only come second to being a Christian. It is the cornerstone of our culture. We must hold ourselves to higher standards in all aspects of life. Our identity is something that we will always have. As long as I live I will promote these feelings, for I fear that we are losing our identity.

Hopefully this gives some insight into what I write and what I believe. Most of you in California don't have to deal with this, but isolated ones like us do.

Bravo TigrannesIII,

Only one remark. Do not fuse Church with politics.

Good one! You definettly TigrannesIII! : )
Keep youeself as proud as you are now.
And may the God bless you!
When we have people like TigranesIII, then our identity and heritage will never be lost.


Artur www.kavkazonline.net

Rich,

My day is filled with joy when I hear people like you speak.

Great post--except that part about marrying odars . My view on marriage is, it is extremely hard to find the right person. To narrow it to just Armenians is a tough hurdle. I agree it is a noble goal, just may be not practical when it comes to truly falling in love. Of course, I would have never married someone that tried to white-wash my heritage.

Now as for my son, I really hope he marries an Armenian. A little fatherly steering is going to help... If someday he wants to change his last name to his true Armenian last name, that would be incredible. Being that I was raised with ZERO Italian influence, I thought about it when I was younger, but my dad didn't deserve that knife stuck in him.

It sickens me also that I am one of the few in my family of my age/generation that care. The rest of them take it for granted or just don't even think about it. I think I'm the only one under 40 that cares about preserving at least some of the traditions.

I have one cousin, God bless her, that around age 40 dumped her career in auditing, to go back to UCLA and pursue Armenian Art History. I have tremendous respect for her. Her goal is to open an Armenian art history museum in Los Angeles similar to those in Boston and Detroit.

It's not strictly a Ramgavar or even an Armenian issue, it happens to every ethnic group in about the third generation. Being fourth generation American, it's an uphill battle for me. But at least I can transfer the pride to my family's fifth and sixth generations before I die.

Don't worry, Mike. As you put it, she came with ARF approval

Tigrannes,

I know how you feel about the frustration of members of your family not keeping it's roots. know where your coming from because my dad was the same way!

I had to rely on my mum for telling me about our history, and she is the odar! All I know about our history is from her! He did'nt even learn the language or anything! That was HIS resonsobility as far as I'm concerned, and not hers, and he didnt stick to it.

Anyway I'm happy with myself because I know who I am and where I'm going.

It doesnt mean just because I'm not fully armenian it doesnt mean i am not armenian.

But I dont understand some thing in your post, and in a pervious post "my family are a bunch of drunken hicks" does it mean you dont like your mum because she is odar? I am just asking you, please dont get the wrong idea! Have you ever asked her or talked to her about this?

Kazza,

My mom is basically an assimilated Armenian. She cooks better pilaf than most. My dad never learned the language, but I blame that on his parents who were fluent. My mom's family is essentially a bunch of drunken hicks, who I wish to stay away from me and my siblings.

I take no offense.

Oh cool. I envy that a little (in a healthy way!) my mum means well but she doesnt know much. Oh, and I never let her near the pilaf because she always boils the living daylights out of it.

Dear Tigrannes!!
you can't even imagine how happy I am to hear you thoughts!!!You are deffinetly a real Armenian!!!!!
I wish there were more Armenians like you!!
Here in Russia, most Armenian men marry Russian women and that doesn't make me sad, IT MAKES ME MAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Most of those lucky women are basicly real whores (sorry..).... But that's the fact!
so that's why I strongly support your choice to date an Armenian!WAY TO GO!!!!

Good luck!