Southern Californians remember the Armenian genocide

Many of Southern California's more than 300,000 Armenians will today gather at memorial services, protests and other events to mark the 93rd anniversary of the Armenian genocide. The striped Armenian flag was already seen fluttering from cars earlier this week as local Armenians prepared for the emotional  and controversial observance of the more than million people who died under Ottoman rule in what is now modern Turkey.

The anniversary  has long been denounced by many Turks and others, who dispute the larger number of deaths or that the genocide even occurred. Last year, the most recent effort to have the U.S. government officially recognize the genocide triggered a bitter battle on Capitol Hill. The animosity lives on, and one of today's events includes a human rights protest outside the Turkish consulate.

There are also new tensions. On Wednesday, a memorial assembly at Grant High School in Van Nuys lead to a shouting match between Armenian and Latino students. Several students were sent home and additional school district police officers patrol the campus for the remainder of the week.

Today's memorials, however, remain a source of pride for Armenians, including a young generation far removed from the pain and suffering of nearly a century ago.

"A lot of people ask me why we care so much, especially the youth because we are a few generations out from the genocide," twenty-year-old Caspar Jivalagian told the Times Molly Hennessy-Fisk last year year. "Every Armenian we have it in us, under our skin."

--Jesus Sanchez

Photo: 2007 photo by Carlos Chaves / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Ed]

I find it very odd that ALL Armenians talk about the genocide as if they were personally touched by it. I know an Armenian girl whose family is actually from Iran, but she talks about the genocide. It would be like my Jewish friend claiming he was touched by the Holocaust, even though his family is from Brooklyn, New York, and has lived there since the late 1800s.

[hayk]

An answer to the naive comment above: The reason that ALL Armenians have that anger and pain "in their blood" is because those ALL Armenians ended up living elsewhere in the world as a result of the genocide...

There is nothing comparable with your example...

Wouldn't you be tauched if your grandfather/mother would told you how their families were slaughtered in front of their eyes, babies, pregnant women, elderly...???

Got it???

[Ed]

To hayk, Armenians have been living in other parts of the world WELL BEFORE the genocide. Now who's the naive one?

[Garen]

Ed,

In a genocide, individuals are mass murdered simply because of their ethnicity or religion. It is therefore totally understandable that Armenians all over the world feel sensitive about the subject. And by the way, I would not be surprised at all if your Jewish friend from Brooklyn was touched by the Holocaust - after all her fellow Jews were targeted in Nazi Germany just because of their religtion.

[Kris]

Of course Armenians have lived elsewhere, as have every other nationality. The difference, Ed, is that they were FORCED to live elsewhere after the genocide. If you live in Los Angeles and move away, that's your choice. If Canadians came into Los Angeles, made you walk all the way to Mexico and killed and raped your family, your children, your friends, and then turned LA into Canadian soil, that would be comparable. Please have a knowledge of the subject before you spit out ignorant dribble on something so sensitive.

[John]

Genocide or not...most of those pride Amermenian flags wave from cars nicer then mine! Whats its like to be feel the suffering of old wounds while driving around in an Audi A4 or BMW 5 series?

[cmilater]

I feel for the Armenians, even though I am hispanic

We should all care about one anothers feelings and respect their opinions and comments, we all live in the United States, land of the free, if they wish to hold a memorial, have a march, speak out loud, by all means do it and I back them up 100%. The jewish communities do it, the hispanics do it, and so do the blacks.

There is nothing wrong with people rejoicing and having a memorial for loved ones that may or may not have known, but we live all together side by side and we should all support one another.

These are just my thoughts

[Ed]

Garen,

My Jewish friend's family was from Brooklyn, NY, and prior to that, Russia. Many of them immigrated to the US way before the Holocaust, and the ones that stayed behind, stayed in Russia. None were killed in the Holocaust, so it would be false of him to say that his family was affected by the Nazi Holocaust.

I know what a genocide is, thanks.

[alex]

i'm a cuban american who lives and works in glendale ca. i have a ton of armenian friends of whom i love and adore and they the same me. i find it a horrible shame that we fail to universally recognize this atrocity. i am also disgusted by the animosity that seems to arrise between different cultures during these times of recognition. one need not be an armenian nationalist to simply respect their heritage and the holidays they observe. i urge all who read this to put aside your petty differences and disputes and realize the larger problems at hand.

we all need hard lessons in tolerance and humility.

[Diana]

Ed,
The impacts of Genocide continue to ripple through Armenian communities today. This is a ninety-three year old occurrence, but only until thirty to forty years ago did Armenian communities start becoming noticeably active in Genocide recognition efforts. Some say that it took our community this long because survivors and their children had to deal with and survive the physical and emotional distress which followed the Genocide. So it was not until years later that communities and future generations became active in Genocide recognition efforts. And each time the Genocide Resolution does not make it through our Federal Legislature due to political pressures, and every time the Turkish government is successful in lobbying against Genocide recognition it galvanizes the community more and more. Something so simple, recognition of an atrocity where 1.5 million were murdered, has become so complicated. It should not be so difficult to understand why Genocide recognition continues to be an important focus for the Armenian community.

[Frank]

Am I touched by the american and mexican war? Do I feel that I am in connection with it? No, because it happened along time ago, and yes we mexicans celebrate it on a special day, but we use that day to party not to acknowlege that america, back then owes us mexicans something. I don't think there is much ,if any mexican in other parts of the world, besides south america that rally for cino de mayo in that country. Don't think your special just cause your race had a tragic thing happen a long time ago. Most all races had something tragic happen back in the day, and it's ok to celebrate a day to comemorate that, but if you know it may not go lightly around a city with another majority race may think it's not important, for what ever reason, then dont get offended. They just don't understand.

[stepan]

Wow, Ed are you for real? ALL Armenians were touched by the genocide and if the generations have been so far removed that for some reason a person has not, they can empathise due to having a similar ethnic background. How many blacks were affected by slavery? All or none? It doesnt matter, dark skinned people from all over the world feel that pain.

You need to get a clue.

[Lisa]

Thank you Hayk for explaining to Ed the importance of never forgetting this tragic event. It's our obligation as Armenians to educate others on this subject. I am first generation Armenian-American and my Great-Grandparents and their children had to settle in other parts of the world as a result of the Genocide. Many Armenians lost their lives in the most brutal ways and others lost everything they ever owned, yet to this day, Turkey denies ever committing these crimes.

My Great-Grandparents were wealthy in Turkey, but after the Genocide couldn't reclaim their property, so they had to start all over from scratch in new lands. This is a crime that has a direct effect on me four generations down the line. If we don't continue to speak out on this injustice, who will?

Imagine that happening to you today. What if in America, you were stripped of everything you ever had and in order to avoid becoming a victim of murder, you had to escape to Mexico with nothing more than your spirit & soul (no car, no clothes, no money, absolutely nothing), how do you build a new life for yourself like that in a land where you don't even speak the language? How do you support your children, your family? This is something you have personally suffered, but what do you think is the impact on your children, grand-children, great-grand children? Do you think there is absolutely no emotional or financial impact on them from the crime committed against you?

Anyone who has any curiousity as to why we still fight for justice over 90 years later, I hope this helped give you a better understanding of the situation.

[Andrew]

"Today's memorials, however, remain a source of pride for Armenians, including a young generation far removed from the pain and suffering of nearly a century ago."

That says it all, they dont even know why they are rallying

"Every Armenian we have it in us, under our skin."

These are merely fools looking for attention and sympathy for some stuff most of them never witnessed.

FACT: More Armenians live in the Hollywood and Glendale areas than in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia.

Some People were just born dumb.

** Note to LA Times, please don't just delete my comments. Everyone has a right to be heard**

[Anahit]

i was at school yesterday wen the riot happenned...and i was ther in the assembly about the genocide and they should haven't laughed becuz its very disrespectful and its not right....they didn't let us get out of school till 3:30 it was scary...

[eguzki]

Ed,
Why are you so concern about Armenians talking about the genocide their people suffered? Why is that bothering you so much? Let people heal! It will help too if the U.S recognized the genocide as such...

[Eliza]

In response to Ed's comment. Every Armenian is very passionate about this issue because to this day, Turkey refuses to admit that the genocide ever took place. It would be like Germany refusing to acknowledge the Holocaust. The Armenian community has not been able to get a closure. If Turkey had acknowledged the genocide, I believe the two communities would have had very different relations with each other. But the refusal to admit the genocide is like pouring salt on an open wound. We might be a few generations away from the genocide, but each Armenian has a personal story passed down from a grandparent or a relative about this horrendous event in history. I hope this helps you understand why so many Armenians, to this day, will not forget the genocide and feel personally affected.

[Diana]

When did driving a nice car make you less of a human being or someone incapable of having an emotional experience.

Genocide recognition is not about getting sympathy, it's about doing what's morally right. It's about ending the last phase of Genocide, denial.

Every race of people deal with the impacts of events targeting their race differently. When did protesting, waiving flags and exercising you're right to free speech become such a bad thing?

[Anahid Yahjian]

Ed,

I find it interesting that the parallel of your belief would entail being just as astonished that any Sudanese immigrant who left Sudan prior to the current Genocide of Darfur would feel anger and pain.

It's thanks to people like you that atrocities like the Genocide in Darfur are still taking place in this day and age.

Good job.

[Vartan]

I don't get Ed's deal. He uses some Iranian-Armenian girl who- while not directly affected by the genocide, not surprisingly feels deeply about it- as the hallmark to measure all Armenians. The vast majority of Armenians in America WERE touched by it and are not Iranian-Armenian, who are definitely a minority amongst the Armenian population of America. You just know a lot because there are many in LA, but there are a lot of ALL kinds of Armenians in LA. This point is utterly moot and I can't believe he's depending his confusion that an Armenian would feel deeply about the genocide just because a small minority of them were not direct affected by it. That makes no sense, I just think he has a problem with Armenians and just looking for an excuse to express it.
And one more difference- the Holocaust is recognized, the genocide is not. The two incidents and reactions to it are not comparable in this sense.

[Sona]

You know I came to this article to see how my fellow Armenians went about the 93rd commemoration of the Armenian Genocide and I told myself I wouldn't read the postings only because I knew if I read it, I would be exposed to the comments of the few ignorant folks in this world. Unfortunately I did read it and I can't tell you how frustrated it makes me feel.

Andrew - You question why there aren't that many people left in Armenia? Do you know what article you are posting to? You’re not posting on the Armenia is doing great site, if that were the case then maybe it would make sense. FACT: Armenians settled and started living in other parts of the world primarily because of the GENOCIDE.

Jesus Sanchez - the writer of the article notes towards the end that "Today's memorials, however, remain a source of pride for Armenians, including a young generation far removed from the pain and suffering of nearly a century ago. " I'm sorry to say but a good writer keeps commentary out of their writing and only states facts. I didn’t know that writers these days were getting psychology degrees too. Mr. Sanchez you would know they are "Far removed from the pain" because you did a mental evaluation of them? FACT: The reason the "youth" walk, protest and try to be heard is because they are SO FAR from being removed emotionally from this matter. We Armenians have a very strong family connection, seeing our parents and grad parents trying to get resolution on this matter and not getting one has only caused us to be EVEN more determined, EVEN more engaged, and EVEN more determined!

Ed- I'm not even going to comment more on your ignorant statements because I think enough was said by my fellow Armenians and if that doesn’t help you I don’t know if anything could

John - you made the comment "most of those pride Armenian flags wave from cars nicer then mine! “ I'm sorry but where does it say children and grand-children of victims of a Genocide were supposed to live poor and not drive nice cars? Do you realize how dumb your comment is? I am 25 years old and have worked since the age of 15. I have worked hard for everything that I own, and yes I do drive that 5 series BMW that you talk about, but you better believe it when I say I worked for every penny of it. Instead of partying in Cabo or Cancun like my fellow college folks were doing, I was cramming to get good grades, to graduate with honors, to get into a good masters program to work for a fortune 100 Company. So please keep your jealous comments to yourself and if not, please don’t post them on an article having to do with the suffering of my race. You should be ashamed!

[Suzy Hogtanyan]

To my grandparents, thank you.

Thank you for your on going labor so we can live

We honor your survival today

Vartanush Chraghyan
Aram Chraghyan
Silvard Hogtanyan
Miran Hogtanyan

[Cengiz Tekin]

This Armenian "Genocide" is a very complex issue and complete acceptance by the Turks that many Armenians seek will never be had. Simply put, there was no organized directive from the Turkish government (a fallen empire that has been replaced by the current modern Turkish government). to exterminate Armenians.

This excerpt from Turkish student association of Stanford touches on the issue:

"A state is responsible for the protection of all its citizens, even if they are insurgents. The death of innocent people cannot be justified by any argument. The Ottoman state certainly deserves the blame for letting this happen. However, the evidence tells that it is the inability of the state to control its provinces, rather than its intended plan, that lead to the atrocities. The government authority in most of that area in question was limited to a network of alliances with Turkish and Kurdish warlords, over which it had limited control. These and other similar facts cannot make the huge human toll disappear, or in any way justify it, but they are important nonetheless if we are to understand what really happened."

There were atrocities and crimes against humanity committed during these times.
There is not evidence however, that these occurred as part of a large scale conspiracy directed at Armenians and originated by the Ottoman State.

Most of all, the current Armenian positions on the issue essentially forbid an intellectual discussion on the matter. They claim there was a genocide and anybody who seeks to discuss the history of it in detail is branded as a "denier".

It is such a shame that this issue can not be discussed without all of the dogma.

Most of all, before accusing me of being a barbaric denier and propagandist, please understand that I acknowledge that there were indeed atrocities committed against Armenians in what is now modern Turkey. I do not necessarily think that means "genocide". It is an opinion you may not agree with, but it is my right to have it.

And, bless the souls of the those who perished. The human suffering that occurred is deeply saddening. We all bleed red. I hope that the future will hold greater understanding between Armenian and Turkish people. When you take away this issue, they are culturally connected people who ultimately have so much in common.

[Thorbipod]

I'm tired of hearing about these old historical events. Am I also going to hear about how your great-great-great-great grandmother killed my caveman grandparents with a rock in the prehistoric days? Would I hold a grudge against your descendants forever? I mean c'mon get over it and start living in today's world.

[EM]

I live in Seattle WA, where there are not that many Armenians. I mentioned to one of my co-workers about the genocide he looked at me with a blank face and asked what Genocide? This is excatly why we do this every year!!!

[Eliza]

To Cengiz Tekin:

You mention "There were atrocities and crimes against humanity committed during these times. There is not evidence however, that these occurred as part of a large scale conspiracy directed at Armenians and originated by the Ottoman State."

It's very convenient to use all other words except the word genocide. You can call it atrocities but when a government systematically carries out a plan to displace and murder and entire group of community based on ethnicity and religion, that's genocide. The word genocide did not exist until recently. And just because the word itself was not in the vocabulary, does not mean the act was not an act of genocide. Armenians were driven out of their historic homeland, where they had lived since the time of Noah's ark landed on Mt. Ararat. The government of Young Turks carried out the plans to get rid of Armenians, similar to the type of planning involved in carrying out the Holocaust by the Nazi Germany. Just because the government of Turkey has refused to acknowledge the genocide, does not mean there is no evidence to support the claim.

Eliza

[CarissaV]

I am Armenian, I was born on April 24, and today is my birthday. This will never be a happy occaion for me until the Turkish government owns up to its past and accepts full responsibility for its history: No more finger-pointing, no more whining, no more impunity. Yet Turkey wimps out year after year, instead of stand tall and say, "Our government leaders were responsible for the Armenian Genocide." How can anyone respect the country that invented ethnic cleansing?

[Dan]

You know it's a shame Armenian-Americans, have somehow been put into a position in this country where it is somehow acceptable to denigrate their day of remembrence. Do any of the haters here have the guts to say some of the following things:
1) Black people should forget about slavery
2) Jews should get over the Holocaust.
3) Mexicans shouldn't celebrate Cinco de Mayo.
4) Japanese should stop complaining about their internment.

I don't think anybody here would have the guts to say any of the above because if you did, you'd be labeled a bigot and a racist. But if it's about the Armenian Genocide, then you're not?

[Anita]

To Thorbipod:
We are not talking about cavemen times. We are only talking about something that happened not even a century ago. While I understand your lack of knowledge in history, almost every American student doesn't even know where their country is located on the map, much less about the history of its own world, I still don't understand who gave you the good ambassador's role in uniting these two cultures.

[Sam]

To Ed and others:

"Our strength consists in our speed and in our brutality. Genghis Khan led millions of women and children to slaughter—with premeditation and a happy heart. History sees in him solely the founder of a state. It’s a matter of indifference to me what a weak western European civilization will say about me. I have issued the command—and I’ll have anybody who utters but one word of criticism executed by a firing squad—that our war aim does not consist in reaching certain lines, but in the physical destruction of the enemy. Accordingly, I have placed my death-head formation in readiness—for the present only in the East—with orders to them to send to death mercilessly and without compassion, men, women, and children of Polish derivation and language. Only thus shall we gain the living space (Lebensraum) which we need. Who, after all, speaks to-day of the annihilation of the Armenians?"

-Adolf Hitler

This is why we march every year. We may be generations apart from our fallen grandparents, but the wound is still there. The ignorance and lack of recognition still exists 93 years later...this is why we still march...for them..for us...for the future...

[Ziranapogh]

This comment is to Mr. ED,

First of all, when any part of your body aches so does the rest of your body. An Armenian does not have to have been directly affected by the turkish Genocide of the Armenians at the turn of the last century to feel his/her ancestor's pain. We Armenians are all part of a larger family scattered all over the world primarily due to the atrocities committed against our people by the turks in our ancestral homeland. You identified yourself as a jew and of all the people you should clearly understand why we Armenians feel the way we feel about this unresolved issue regardless of where we come from. This crime, the FIRST GENOCIDE of the 20th Century, will not have gone unpunished for 93 years if we lived in a just and unhypocritic world and I dare say what happened to your people 30 years later may not have happened as a result. Furthermore, it's a well-known fact your people regardless of where they come from and whether or not they were affected by the Holocaust, make the Holocaust known to the world through all available means and rightfully so. Please do us a favor and stop talking like a hypocrite.

Lastly, 80% of the Armenian ancestral homeland is still under turkish occupation in Asia Minor or so-called Anatolia. We will liberate those territories inch by inch even if it takes a 1000 years. All the respect to the fallen innocent and long live the Armenian nation and the protectors of the Armenian nation.

[Anita]

To Cengiz Tekin:
While German government also denied in the beginning of their intentions about the Jews and also blamed on the "inability of the state to control its provinces, rather than its intended plan, that lead to the atrocities", they finally accepted what happened and paid very dearly. Germans never provided documentation that specified how to carry out killings in concentration camps, or shooting innocent men, women and children. However, since accepting, Germans are still paying to those who survived the Holocaust. The Turkish government will not accept this, because they would have to part with some of their land and money that would have been paid to the surviving families. And I believe that is the reason Turks evade this subject, while having a good laugh about it. But don't worry, it's the young generation that so many here criticize about going on to rallies and fighting for acceptance, and those who have the nicer cars, than some of the lazy, jealous Americans, who will have the ability to pay and lobby this all the way to the top of governments who refuse to accept the genocide. And one more thing, Turkey will never be a part of Europe, as it so fevereshly desires until the gov't accepts what has been done. There will be time, when Armenians on this day will come together, but not to have a meeting in front of the Turkish consulate, but out in the parks, celebrating their HISTORY, their VICTORY, and their PERSISTENCE.

[Ed]

Again, people, I'm just pointing out, that I know an Armenian girl whose family is from Iran, and whose family lived there MANY GENERATIONS until moving here to the US after the Islamic Revolution there, AFTER 1979, DECADES after the genocide, yet she talks about it like she personally had family members who experienced the genocide. Well NEWSFLASH, the genocide didn't happen in Iran, Iran was NOT part of the Ottoman Empire in the mid 1910s, yet she talks about it like her family had experienced it first-hand. That's all I'm pointing out, yet *I* am the one being called ignorant. What, is she OBLIGATED for some reason to somehow empathize? And I get that feeling from other ethnic Armenians whose familes weren't even living in the Ottoman Empire during the genocide. 1.5 million Armenians died in the genocide... don't tell me that all Armenians living today are related to those 1.5 million people.

I would say the same thing about a Jew who might claim to be a victim of the Holocaust even though their family had been living in the US for more than a 100 years.

To Anahid and the Darfur comment, um, it should be obvious to you that what's going on in the Sudan is way more recent than when the Armenian genocide happened, hence a Sudanese in the US feeling a connection.

[Roger]

Frank: Cinco de Mayo celebrates the Mexican victory over the French, not the Americans. It has become known in this country as an opportunity for a party (not that there's anything wrong with that) and it is a relatively minor event/holiday in Mexico compared to other holidays, such as that country's Independence Day (September 16th). Nonetheless, it provides a wonderful opportunity for a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride, just as July 14th (Bastille Day) does for those Americans proud of their French heritage. Now, if only my Canadian friends could convince me that their country's Independence Day needs equal time..........

[Cengiz Tekin]

Eliza,

Atrocities can exist without genocide. Because atrocities occurred, it does not mean that the Turkish government directed it to happen. There are prominent historians such as Bernard Lewis and Stanford Shaw who maintain that there was no official policy of genocide. In government documents that address issues of soldiers and civil servants misconduct, it is in the context of how to punish and discipline them for their transgressions.

The fact is, the atrocities are accepted fact. That they they originated from government policy is in question. This is a valid question, and if you have some sort of evidence that these atrocities originated as a directive from the Ottoman State, then please present this evidence.

I will concede however, that the failure of the government to halt the atrocities is notable. It may speak more to their ineptitude than murderous intentions, but it was a horrific shortcoming regardless.

These issues are simply not black and white. Saying either that it occurred or it did not occur does not provide us with a more enlightened view of history. My position is, let us discuss this matter. Set aside the dogma!

And please understand - I do not hate Armenians, and I do not wish to disrespect those who wish to honor the fallen victims of the atrocities. My only desire is to increase the level of discourse in an attempt to achieve a higher collective understanding of the issue.

[Eliza]

Note to Andrew and his commentary:
Yes, people have a right to say what's on their mind. This does not mean that everyone's opinion deserves to be heard or given any consideration or respect. Your arguments are childish, uninformed and racist.

Here are some responses to your uniformed arguments.

"Today's memorials, however, remain a source of pride for Armenians, including a young generation far removed from the pain and suffering of nearly a century ago."

That says it all, they dont even know why they are rallying -- WRONG. --> Armenians know exactly what they're rallying for. And unlike others who don't even know their ethnic background and their history, Armenians know their history and have a sense of ethnic pride. And we will not let the world forget about the atrocities committed against them based on our religion and ethnicity.

"Every Armenian we have it in us, under our skin."

These are merely fools looking for attention and sympathy for some stuff most of them never witnessed. -- WRONG. --> Armenians are looking for justice and recognition, not attention and sympathy. One of the things that makes us human is our sense of empathy. We don't need to witness the Holocaust to have sympathy, nor do we need to see the genocide in Darfur to feel the pain of other human beings.

FACT: More Armenians live in the Hollywood and Glendale areas than in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia.

Some People were just born dumb. --> Obviously, you fall under this category.

[Dina]

Wow, that comment about the Jews is ridiculous. I am Jewish, and I am from Brooklyn. My great-grandmother emigrated to NY from Russia in the late 1800's. However, her brother, along with the rest of his family did not, and almost all of my family in Russia and Poland was exterminated int eh Holocaust. Just because someone's direct family was not killed, doesn't mean that you can say they weren't touched, that's just ridiculous. It would be wise of you to respect others regardless of whether you think someone in their family was killed in a genocide or not-I empathize with any ethnic group that has had to endure hardship simply because of who they are, regardless if someone in their family had died.

As for the Armenian genocide, I know it is old news and that in this day and age anything old is not worth knowing, but what you need to remember is that if you forget the lessons from history, the mistakes tend to repeat themselves. The purpose of these memorials is to never forget. And that is a noble thing.

[Ed Shaz]

Thank You for this opportunity.

I grew up listening to my grandparents and great aunt.
They were 5 to survive out 34 immediate family members.

There was no exaggeration or embellishment.
They tried to moderate their discussion when we were young,
but were cognizant of the fact that they were aging and owed a debt of knowledge
to family members and nation.

Their stories were in details which never wavered the way an emotionally contrived narrative will over time.

The ache in my grandfathers' voices, the nightmares, the sheer anguish
in my grandmothers, decades later, bore witness to a horror on a human scale.

In this day and age, we rebuke religious and ethnic intolerance.
At least 1,500,000 men women and children were burned, starved, stabbed, shot, and raped to death for professing Christianity and Armenian blood.

In this day and age, we have entitlement programs for folks who have been through some event, and call it PTSD.

These people arrived through Ellis Island, worked like animals, kissed the American soil, and instilled intense ethics, work ethic, honesty,
and morality into the next generations.

They asked how they could pay more tax.
They gave what they had to whomever was in need.

My aunt became an outstanding physician,
and treated the poor of all stripes for 60 years.

I have ached my whole life for the massive unspeakable suffering
those people endured. If it weren't so long ago, with such poor technology and media, and if the Turks hadn't destroyed millions of records, and if hadn't been deep in the Middle East, you'd know a horror like we know the Holocaust.

But, where there are two Armenians, there is Armenia.

We live as good citizens wherever we are.

But by a single creed:

"The Truths which I learned of God in my youth I can Not disavow, and to change them for fear of man is not possible.
For to us, the Holy Gospel is Father, and the Church Universal is Mother.
From this Faith-No one can shake us"

And they didn't....

[Anahid Yahjian]

Unfortunately, Ed, your ignorant comment drowns in the high volume of far more educated ones in this forum.

You sound like someone whose roots end right where they begin. Perhaps if you nurtured them a bit you would understand why it is imperative for people to never forget how history tainted them. Then again, maybe it's people like you who end up being the reason history is repeated.

It'll be great to speak to you again in 10 years so you can tell us how Darfur's genocide no longer holds importance and that the people who died in Iraq today should be forgotten.