karakash

My friends from college used to argue with me about this issue all the time. They claimed I was Asian like some of them who were Chinese or Korean. I claimed I was white, I guess like a European. For what it's worth, certain courts in the US have held that Armenians are Caucasian/white. Doesn't it make sense. Armenia is in the Caucasas, Armenians are Caucasian...

You are right, Vartan is not from Armenia, but he has basically become an insider. The person who "wins" the next election is going to be from the same group as Kocharian's core of supporters. Serge will agree not to run, Vartan will win. Serge will keep his current job. Robert will sail off into the sunset.

Don't worry - i'm not attacking your thoughts. I am a guy. As for political aspirations, I want Frank Pallone's seat in the House when he becomes a Senator.

Definitely not. And I remember reading in a newspaper about an Armenian was saying that we shouldn't try to get the lands back because they are populated with Turks and that the current Armenian state would have more Turks in it than Armenians and somehow they would overtake the government... A far fetched notion. If anything, the Turks in those areas could be resettled having lived in occupied territories - borrowing language from the Arab Israeli conflict...

I must agree with the above. One cannot survive without the other. I am however pessimistic about the prospects for the diaspora, especially here on the East Coast. I've been to many Armenian churches and communities and they don't compare to communities on the West Coast or to the ones in the Middle East. Because of smaller numbers and a greater percentage of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th generation Armenians, the situation looks like it is getting worse. It seems like there has always been an influx of Armenians here on the East Coast to help sustain the community. From the 1960-1980s the ones from the Middle East and then the ones from Armenia after the earthquake, Artsax, and independence. What would have happened had the large group had not come to the US from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, etc. What about the Armenians from Baku and Armenia. The diaspora cannot sustain itself with 2nd and 3rd generation Armenians in for example a community like Worcester (one of the oldest on the East Coast) without new people. The older gneeration dies off, the younger ones marry odars most of the time, and without new immigrants, the churches suffer, communities reduce in size, and some people even say church services should be in English. Now I'm going off point. I'm not trying to be pessimistic but what's going to happen in 20 or 30 years on the East Coast without a new wave of immigrants.

How do you know I'm not a girl....jk. As for artistic abilities - I am related to Gomidas - but unfortunately I don't have his voice or musical brilliance...

The genocide may be a sad era for Armenians, but shameful? Armenians were victims. When you say that we should have seen it coming, it's almost as if you are saying that Armenians instigated it or brought it upon themselves. That's not how I understand what happened in 1915. The fact that every year we remember April 24 is a GOOD thing - and it should continue even after Turkey and the US recognize it and make some sort of retribution for it. I go to Times Square for the annual genocide rally every year. Some people might think it's a waste of time, but if the community stops doing it, it places itself on a very slippery slope to indifference. As for sparing your children - how can they be a "good Armenian" as some people would say if they don't know about the genocide. It's as if some Armenians are "embarassed" by it. I know Jews who talk about the Holocaust 24/7. I'm not saying we should do that, but not remembering 1915 is like placing another dagger in the backs of 1,500,000 innocent victims.

I'm an attorney. It's going to have to take a lot more "insisting" than that to convince me to change the name...lol Like I said before, it is the first eight letters of my last name which my school used to assign e-mails - karakash@XXX.edu. I have been out of that school for a while but I still like to use karakash. Any more personal questions? lol

why is it that you keep saying i'm hovsep. i have no idea who hovsep karakashian is, if one even exists. and why are you so worried about my last name.

I wonder how much this guy is involved with the Mormon Church and how much he is lining the pockets of certain people in order to have his projects implemented.

Sort of a third world country? I think it is... Things will get better over time. I'm sure there are individuals who can speed things up more than the current administration, but without the diaspora, nothing can be done.

I'm planning on it. I just started working - hopefully I can retire by the time I hit 40.

Anyone participating in this visit by Aram I to North America this month and next. www.armenianprelacy.org

You are absolutely right. The only problem is that the people that own such places are not your average businessmen. They are owned by the political elite and their friends. They grant themselves the right to operate such establishments and then funnel money to other projects.

There are many diasporan Armenians I know of currently investing in Armenia: Kirk Kerkorian, Vahak Hovnanian, Hagop Kouyoumdjian, James Tufenkian, and many more. I have firends who have quit their jobs in the US to permanently move to Armenia and work there. It is a growing trend.

Every time I go there it gets better. But that usually means I see more cafes and restaurants and fewer casinos... Many of our friends have bought property and or houses there. Property values are ridiculously high. Someone I know bought a house on Abovian three years ago for $40,000 and sold it this summer for $150,000. You have to wonder though - I think no matter who would have been in power since 1991, the situation was bound to get better. I don't think it could have gotten worse during the time of the energy crisis. I guess the difference is who is better able to accelerate the growth of the economy.

A diasporan would be great but it will not happen any time soon. After Kocharian it will be one of his allies - Oskanian or Sargisian. Their friends will be able to maintain their business interests for as long as possible. There are many opportunities for the leaders to be corrupt so obviously they are going to grab at them. Eliminating corruption is not going to happen overnight unless people are paid decent wages. Then they won't have the need to steal. Politicians will line their pockets no matter what - it happens here in the US as well. Bush creating the war so that his buddies can make some money. Nothing new. As for the majority, all those that could leave have already left. The rest are starving or have families sending money from LA or Moscow. I doubt they are happy now. There needs to be a lot of trickle down effect for the average Armenian to be happy these days.

Native Armenians will not allow a diasporan to rule the country. Neither will the mafia. The next president will be Serge or Vartan, both insiders. I'm guessing Vartan. Raffi Hovanissian cannot win, although I do admire him and his work.

I made a mistake. I have started a thread before - the one under Armenian Apostolic Church relating to the death of Archbishop Shahe Ajemian. As for "C'Mon Hovsep (Karakashian)!" - I am not Hovsep Karakashian and no one in my family is named Hovsep Karakashian. The reason I use karakash is because that is my email was in college - the first eight letters of my last name. I know it is Turkish in derivation, like many other Armenian last names. I have no idea who Khoja, Hagarag, AmericaHye, and Phantom22 are. I just started writing on this site a few months ago. No need to accuse me of being someone else...lol

Ok. Thanks for the information. I am new at this and haven't yet started my own thread.

What happened to the topic of the House IR committee and passage of the genocide resolutions. Why did people have to write so many negative things about Jews and others. What was the point of all that. I didn't sign on all weekend and now I'm back at work Monday morning and I see that the thread has been closed...

No, not yet. This is the first step - getting it out of the International Relations Committee.

H. Res. 316: Total vote was 40 YES, 7 NO, 3 ABSENT: NO - Burton, Paul, Flake, Barrett, Poe, Wexler, and Smith (WA). ABSENT - King, Faleomavega, McCaul YES - everyone else H. Con. Res. 195: Total vote was 35 YES, 11 NO, 4 ABSENT: NO - Burton, Paul, Flake, Barrett, Poe, Wexler, and Smith (WA) PLUS Fortenberry, Boozman, Tancredo, and Chandler ABSENT - King, Faleomavega, McCaul, NOT SURE YES - everyone else

Anyone have the breakdown of the votes? The ANCA's website indicates that it will post the actual votes but nothing as of yet.

The Thursday they reference is Thursday, September 15, yesterday. Look at the date of the article - it is Wednesday, September 14. It probably won't come to the floor for a while - weeks I would guess, maybe more.