as i see it - Pt. IV

[ara baliozian]

----------------------------------------

 

Nationalism is not activism ; I do no harm to anybody. The source of all wars and even our

genocide has been the cupidity of our ennemies. They wanted to eliminate us and take

our properties.

Louise

 

there is some degree of activism in all -isms. nationalism is no exception!/ ara

 

[ara baliozian]

what is so bad about being Armenian nationalist at the same time be a good human being, aren't you one Ara?

your sole presents here in this forum is a fine example! or you are here to give insomnia to some?!!.

change the monologue........hardly anybody reads you anymore

when French are nationalist, Americans, Germans, turks.....then there is a threat to world peace.

 

i wish you would join those who have given up reading me. thank you! / ara

[Louise]

there is some degree of activism in all -isms. nationalism is no exception!/ ara

------------------------------------

 

 

As long as your parents and grand-parents have transmitted to you the love of Armenia, even if themselves have never been there, and you too have never been there, if you feel interested in what happens in Armenia, if you feel a sort of foreigner in the country which has made welcome to your parents, even if you like that country,if you have received the culture of that country, but when you meet an Armenian, you feel happy (Willian Saroyan has explained that feeling when he met an Armenian in Rostov in a beer parlor), even if you are sometimes disappointed, still you have a feeling of sympathy for Armenian people, do you call that nationalism ? or is there another word ?

 

[ara baliozian]

------------------------------------

As long as your parents and grand-parents have transmitted to you the love of Armenia, even if themselves have never been there, and you too have never been there, if you feel interested in what happens in Armenia, if you feel a sort of foreigner in the country which has made welcome to your parents, even if you like that country,if you have received the culture of that country, but when you meet an Armenian, you feel happy (Willian Saroyan has explained that feeling when he met an Armenian in Rostov in a beer parlor), even if you are sometimes disappointed, still you have a feeling of sympathy for Armenian people, do you call that nationalism ? or is there another word ?

 

i see nothing remotely questionable in loving your homeland and your fellow armenians.

that's not nationalism.

nationalism is a political ideology.

what you describe is simply being human.

and i am all for being human. / ara

[ara baliozian]

p.s. as for cupidity:

please, do not think that's a uniquely turkish failing and we armenians are immune.

because to do so amounts to confusing military inferiority with moral superiority. / ara

 

[Louise]

p.s. as for cupidity:

please, do not think that's a uniquely turkish failing and we armenians are immune.

because to do so amounts to confusing military inferiority with moral superiority. / ara

-----------------------------------------

 

The Armenians had not the right to have weapons. But even if they had the right,

they would not go looting . Their wealth came from their work.

[Shahan Araradian]

spoken as a true nationalist -- and what is nationalism if not the source of many wars and massacres, including our own genocide?/ara

Nationalism is what it is.

 

It is a reality of the world today, and since the 1880s.

 

You adapt or you perish.

 

Armenians chose to adapt. And in the new world, in order to survive as a people, a homeland is a REQUIREMENT!

 

The goal of Armenian nationalism is the self-determination of the Armenian people on their historic homeland.

 

Even if nationalism is the source of many wars and massacres including the genocide, that is the direction the world has taken. And if Armenians wanted to survive, which we did, then we chose the route of nationalism as well and our forefathers (the nationalists of the ARF and some other groups) REACHED their objective of creating an Armenian nation, a physical Armenian homeland in 1918.

 

Your insulting Armenian nationalism is an insult to the right for Armenia itself to exist.

[Shahan Araradian]

They fascinate me because they pulled the rug from under potentates, that is to say, bloodsucking mediocrities parading as leaders of men and representatives of God on earth. The means they employed were different but the end result was the same.

Depends on how you define "medocrity."

 

It's not a secret in life that it's the C students who rule on the B students who rule on the A students.

 

So if your definition of "mediocrity" relates to academia or "intellectual" pursuits, then you will always be surprised to find the "mediocrities" (the C students) ruling the "intellectuals" (the A students).

 

There is a very low correlation between being "intellectual" and surviving/thriving in life, and this is a result of simple mathematics: the computational complexity of one mind is limited, but that of a group of minds working together (or hierarchically organized by a "master mind") SCALES to solve any problem of any complexity.

[ara baliozian]

Sunday, July 15, 2007

******************************************

PAPER TIGERS

****************************

Writers tend to take themselves seriously; and the more mediocre they are the more seriously they take themselves. It follows, if you tell a hopeless mediocrity he is not another Shakespeare, you are liable to make an enemy for life.

*

It may matter to writers what they write but to the vast majority who read him or to the millions who don’t, it makes absolutely no difference. Something similar could be said about our controversies. Since the majority is silent, each side may think it is on his side when in fact the world is too busy with far more important matters to give a damn one way or the other.

*

Of the one million Armenians in America (Canada and the U.S. combined) my guess is only less than 1% read our weeklies and most of the 1% read only to see their names in the paper. Now then, go ahead and take yourself seriously.

*

When friends ask me if I am working on a new project, I tell them I have given up writing. I don’t consider writing for the Internet writing. But if it is writing, it is more like writing on water.

#

 

[ara baliozian]

the computational complexity of one mind is limited, but that of a group of minds working together (or hierarchically organized by a "master mind") SCALES to solve any problem of any complexity.

 

the great discoveries (including in the field of math) were made by single minds, not by committees, groups, or crowds.

where would these "groups" and the world be today if they had suppressed and ignored their original and creative minds?/ara

[ara baliozian]

Nationalism is what it is.

 

It is a reality of the world today, and since the 1880s.

 

You adapt or you perish.

 

Armenians chose to adapt. And in the new world, in order to survive as a people, a homeland is a REQUIREMENT!

 

The goal of Armenian nationalism is the self-determination of the Armenian people on their historic homeland.

 

Even if nationalism is the source of many wars and massacres including the genocide, that is the direction the world has taken. And if Armenians wanted to survive, which we did, then we chose the route of nationalism as well and our forefathers (the nationalists of the ARF and some other groups) REACHED their objective of creating an Armenian nation, a physical Armenian homeland in 1918.

 

Your insulting Armenian nationalism is an insult to the right for Armenia itself to exist.

 

If we adopted nationalism in order to adapt, then we didn't succeed very well, did we? because our nationalism resulted in genocide.

 

the most progressive cultures today are non-nationalist or multicultural -- the U.S., Canada, Australia, and last but far from least, the EU...

 

as for self-determination being the goal of our nationalism: self-determination or freedom happens to be quintessentially universal and a fundamental human right.

 

a final note on armenian nationalism: our so-called nationalism is a misnomer: it is nothing but disguised tribalism./ ara

 

[ara baliozian]

-----------------------------------------

 

The Armenians had not the right to have weapons. But even if they had the right,

they would not go looting . Their wealth came from their work.

 

all assertions of moral superiority are racist.

 

if you want to have a more accurate view of armenian morality in the Ottoman Empire i urge you to read writers like Baronian and Odian who are viewed even by armenians themselves as objective observers of their contemporary scene. / ara

[Louise]

all assertions of moral superiority are racist.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I agree,

I will try to get these books that you advise me to read:

From Baronian Hagop

Les mendiants honorables

 

From Yervant Odian

Une mission a Dzabelvar

 

Only those two are translated in French

 

Albert Jacquart has written :" Le grand Livre contre le racisme," but in that book, he refers to the slaves, to Geronimo's brothers, to the Jews, and the Armenians as victims of racism.

When I thought of looting, i remembered the story of Armenuhi Kevonian "Les Noces Noires de Gulizar"

That book is not a fiction, it is a true story.

Louise

 

 

 

[Shahan Araradian]

the great discoveries (including in the field of math) were made by single minds, not by committees, groups, or crowds.

where would these "groups" and the world be today if they had suppressed and ignored their original and creative minds?/ara

This is true. But to IMPLEMENT a complex idea requires MANY minds.

 

In most endeavors, only 5-10% of work is that innovative "burst" of creativity in ONE person's mind. But the rest of the effort -- that 90-95% -- of turning that idea into reality is done by a GROUP of human minds (and often, those minds are NOT are NOT are NOT led by the person who originally had the idea!).

 

The burst of creativity requires an A+ mind, an A+ student.

 

Leadership requires a C student, who leads B students, who in turn lead A students.

 

That's the reality of the world. All human institutions work that way: from the largest multi-national corporations that trade on the stock market (which started out as SMALL companies) to not-for-profit organizations.

Edited July 16, 2007 by Shahan Araradian

[Shahan Araradian]

If we adopted nationalism in order to adapt, then we didn't succeed very well, did we? because our nationalism resulted in genocide.

True, but we created Armenia in the process.

 

the most progressive cultures today are non-nationalist or multicultural -- the U.S., Canada, Australia, and last but far from least, the EU...

Armenians are not trying to create a multi-cultural country!! Armenians are trying to create a homeland FOR ARMENIANS!! (Of course, that doesn't mean we don't allow foreigners to live in our country, but the idea is to create an ARMENIAN homeland!)

 

as for self-determination being the goal of our nationalism: self-determination or freedom happens to be quintessentially universal and a fundamental human right.

"Human rights" and all that jazz don't fly in the real world.

 

In the real world, it's kill or be killed. Our neighbors don't care about "human rights" as evidenced by the Armenian Genocide and the attempted genocide by Azeris in Artsakh. For existential matters, it is GUNS that talk.

 

a final note on armenian nationalism: our so-called nationalism is a misnomer: it is nothing but disguised tribalism./ ara

You are delirious. Armenian nationalism is Armenian nationalism.

 

Read Գարեգին Նժդեհ (Karekin Njteh / Garegin Njdeh).

Edited July 15, 2007 by Shahan Araradian

[ara baliozian]

Monday, July 16, 2007

*****************************************

MAFIA-DEMOCRACIES

***********************************

Many great writers were misunderstood and neglected because they were ahead of their time. That’s not my problem. Nothing I say is difficult to understand, or original, or new. My ideas are not mine but the common currency of literature, including our own. They have been around for centuries, even millennia. My great liability is that I write about our problems and no one gives a damn about us, not even us. The only thing we seem to care about is Turks and their stonewalling and indifference – an indifference that we understand very well because we share it.

*

In his most recent book, TO THE CASTLE AND BACK (New York, 2007), Vaclav Havel calls the present political and economic structures of former Soviet countries “Mafia-democracies.” Now, why I didn’t think of that? Mafia-democracies! That’s like saying the law of the jungle.

#

 

[ara baliozian]

To Shahan:

about armenian tribalism, i urge you to read Nikol Aghbalian (a Tasnak leader): allow me to quote from memory:

"Like Turks and Kurds, we are tribal people."

Gostan Zarian: "Our political parties have been of no political use to us. their greatest enemy is free speech."

I hope you will forgive me if i say i find both Aghbalian and Zarian more credible than you! / ara

[ara baliozian]

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

**********************************************

AN ARMENIAN CREDO

*************************************

I believe in one God who may or may not be on my side.

I believe as a human being I can be wrong, and I have been wrong more than once.

I believe it is also conceivable that like most human beings I have been wrong more often than right.

I also believe as an Armenian it is my patriotic duty to do my utmost to learn from my mistakes. Whether I have been or shall be successful in this endeavor is not up to me to decide but up to more impartial and objective observers.

#

 

[ara baliozian]

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

***************************************

AD HOMINEM

******************************

At no time have I been remotely tempted to silence fellow Armenians who hold views opposite to mine, not because I am tolerant by nature or morally superior to anyone, but because I never had the power to do so. Which is why I suspect all power. If I don’t trust myself with power, I see no reason why I should trust anyone else, least of all the scum of the earth parading as la crème de la crème.

#

 

[ara baliozian]

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

***************************************

AD HOMINEM

******************************

At no time have I been remotely tempted to silence fellow Armenians who hold views opposite to mine, not because I am tolerant by nature or morally superior to anyone, but because I never had the power to do so. Which is why I suspect all power. If I don’t trust myself with power, I see no reason why I should trust anyone else, least of all the scum of the earth parading as la crème de la crème.

#

 

[ara baliozian]

#

Thursday, July 19, 2007

**************************************

THEM AND US

*****************************

Puzant Granian: “There is a Turk in all of us.”

*

Whenever I read one of my critics, especially those who belong to the Ottoman school of criticism, I am reminded of Zarian’s dictum: “An Armenian’s tongue can be sharper than a Turk’s yataghan.”

*

It seems to me we worry too much about Turks and not enough about the Turk within us.

*

Since we can’t engage in real massacres, we engage in verbal ones.

*

I once received an e-mail that said: “I am proud to be an Armenian!” Signed “Anonymous.”

*

Someday if the Turks forget what it means to be a Turk, I have every reason to suspect the consultant they will hire will be an Armenian.

#

 

[Louise]

#

Thursday, July 19, 2007

**************************************

THEM AND US

*****************************

Puzant Granian: “There is a Turk in all of us.”

*

Whenever I read one of my critics, especially those who belong to the Ottoman school of criticism, I am reminded of Zarian’s dictum: “An Armenian’s tongue can be sharper than a Turk’s yataghan.”

*

It seems to me we worry too much about Turks and not enough about the Turk within us.

*

Since we can’t engage in real massacres, we engage in verbal ones.

*

I once received an e-mail that said: “I am proud to be an Armenian!” Signed “Anonymous.”

*

Someday if the Turks forget what it means to be a Turk, I have every reason to suspect the consultant they will hire will be an Armenian.

#

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

A verbal violence kills nobody

 

TheTurks are proud to be Turks. They repeat it a school every morning,

even in the armenian schools, the children are forced to say that.

[Shahan Araradian]

To Shahan:

about armenian tribalism, i urge you to read Nikol Aghbalian (a Tasnak leader): allow me to quote from memory:

"Like Turks and Kurds, we are tribal people."

Gostan Zarian: "Our political parties have been of no political use to us. their greatest enemy is free speech."

I hope you will forgive me if i say i find both Aghbalian and Zarian more credible than you! / ara

So you think Ձեղակրօնութիւն is "tribalism"? Are you familiar with Ձեղակրօնութիւն???

 

«Մինչ հայը իր ցեղի մէջ մարդկայնութիւն, թուրքն իր հոգում՝ գայլութիւն է մշակում:» - Գարեգին Նժդեհ, Ձեկակրօնութիւնն Իբր Յաղթանակի Զօրոյթ

 

THIS is the fundamental difference between the Turk and the Armenian. Armenians believed in "humanity," "benevolence," "good will," and being passive (concepts from Christianity) and the LACK of the willingness to kill by the Armenian for his land (at least before 1918, and at least before Արցախ); and the UNDERSTANDING and YEARNING by the Turk to KILL for his land as the ONLY means to hold it.

 

What ELSE was the ARF than that NATIONAL force that united that so-called "tribe"?

 

«Դաշնակցութեան շուրջն է դառնում հայոց ճակատագիրը:» - Գարեգին Նժդեհ, ԱՄԵՐԻԿԱՀԱՅՈՒԹԻՒՆԸ գիրքի Գլուխ IX՝ Դաշնակցութիւն

Edited July 20, 2007 by Shahan Araradian

[ara baliozian]

Friday, July 20, 2007

********************************************

HEROES AND REVOLUTIONARIES

*********************************************

Good Turks who risked their own lives to save Armenians during the Genocide: we have all heard about them. Revolutionaries who saved Armenian lives: that’s different. I have heard of revolutionaries who published voluminous memoirs much admired by fellow revolutionaries and hamagirs (fellow travelers). I am also personally acquainted with a good number of partisans who excel in delivering fiery speeches and publishing even more fiery commentaries and editorials. All that on the positive sides. On the negative side: I have heard of revolutionaries who killed (or is it executed?) or attempted to kill or threatened to kill fellow Armenians on the grounds that they were not patriotic enough – according to standards of patriotism established by them. Were they always rights on grounds of infallibility or fair on grounds that fairness is their middle name? (Imagine if you can a justice system based on standards and criteria established by the prosecution without benefit of judge and jury). I also remember to have read somewhere in Gourgen Mahari’s memoirs what General Antranik said about them (revolutionaries) – something to the effect that they deserve not medals but the hangman’s rope.

Who are our revolutionaries and what has been their role in our history? Their partisans will say one thing, their detractors another. If you ask me, I will say I am better at asking questions than at answering them because, unlike some of my fellow Armenians, I don’t know everything. My only tentative answer is that I trust neither partisans nor their detractors because they both suffer from an advanced case of selective memory. They may think or believe they speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, but they speak only a fraction of it, which is how propaganda is defined: a fraction of the truth.

#

[ara baliozian]

So you think Ձեղակրօնութիւն is "tribalism"? Are you familiar with Ձեղակրօնութիւն???

 

«Մինչ հայը իր ցեղի մէջ մարդկայնութիւն, թուրքն իր հոգում՝ գայլութիւն է մշակում:» - Գարեգին Նժդեհ, Ձեկակրօնութիւնն Իբր Յաղթանակի Զօրոյթ

 

THIS is the fundamental difference between the Turk and the Armenian. Armenians believed in "humanity," "benevolence," "good will," and being passive (concepts from Christianity) and the LACK of the willingness to kill by the Armenian for his land (at least before 1918, and at least before Արցախ); and the UNDERSTANDING and YEARNING by the Turk to KILL for his land as the ONLY means to hold it.

 

What ELSE was the ARF than that NATIONAL force that united that so-called "tribe"?

 

«Դաշնակցութեան շուրջն է դառնում հայոց ճակատագիրը:» - Գարեգին Նժդեհ, ԱՄԵՐԻԿԱՀԱՅՈՒԹԻՒՆԸ գիրքի Գլուխ IX՝ Դաշնակցութիւն

 

No, tseghagronoutiun is not tribalism but racism, that is, fascism -- because it elevates the race (a morallymurky and scientifically phony notion at best) to the level of religious faith.

 

Nejdeh was a good man and a very intelligent Armenian, but he was also a child of his time, and in his time fascism was the religion of many progressive nations. But even more to the point, Nejdeh's ideas enjoyed some degree of popularity in some circles, but they totally failed to convert the nation as a whole. / ara