One day out of the entire year motivates Armenians to get off their butts and do something for their people: April 24th. On the 24th of every April, Armenians the world over - but especially in the Los Angeles area - take to the streets to protest the Turkish embassy for recognition of the Genocide. The younger generation especially goes out to protest.
If you're planning on doing the same, I have some tips for you:
1. April 24th is not a happy day. In fact, it marks the tortures and deaths of over 1,500,000 of our ancestors. Understand this thoroughly.
2. Don't wear your latest hot pink top or fluffy mini skirt to the protest. This isn't your bachelorette party, it's a solemn occasion. Ask yourself, "Can I wear this to a funeral?" If the answer is no, then pick something else. You will have 364 other days in that year to wear what you want.
3. April 24th is not an invitation to flirt or act like an idiot: you are there to remember those who have passed and protest to get our Genocide recognized. Laughing, playfully hitting some Armenian guy/girl, yapping on your cell phone, and in general acting like a moron is not fine. Leave your normal tendencies behind on that day, because it's not about you.
4. Turn down your music. We notice your 20" rims and limousine tint, even if we can't make out what car you're driving because of the 293 flags that you have on it. We get it: you care about the cause. Blasting Tupac so loud that people in China can hear you? Uh, no. Also, don't endanger the lives of everyone on the road: we protest to honor those who have passed and to make sure they are not forgotten, not to create a path of carnage with our cars.
5. Related to number 4, leave your fancy crap at home. Why do people attend with their LV purses, $500 cell phones, fancy jewelry, expensive clothing, and other obviously extra items? I'm not saying go to it naked, but leave your crap at home: this isn't show and tell.
If I sound a little bitter, it's because I am. Every year I see this and every year it seems to get worse. I understand: you're too young and not very bright. Kudos to you for deciding to dedicate one day out of your life to a cause greater than your own, but don't use it as an excuse to make a mockery out of everything we're fighting for. When the day comes that the Armenian Genocide is universally recognized - and that day will come - you can crash random funerals in your Infiniti G35 blasting 50 Cent - acting like and wearing whatever you please. Until then, please reconsider.
Added Note: Some people misunderstand the last two sentences. I am not suggesting that it is okay to continue with this behavior after the Genocide is recognized, because after that point - and even now - the main point of going to memorials, whether in Yerevan or Montebello or elsewhere, is to remember and mourn those who have passed. The ending is meant to be sarcastic.
13 comments:
"One day out of the entire year motivates Armenians to get off their butts and do something for their people"
That is the real sad part. That Armenians make it so central to their identity and relegate other, more imperative, Armenian causes as not a priority.
Who ever wrote this...Thank you.
This reminds me of Foreign Minister Oskanian when he said 'we will celebrate the 90-th anniversary of Yeghern'.
People are so ignorant! The day after April 24th, I go back to school get a absent slip. The stupid Mexican lady looks at me and goes and i quote "Oh it was the Armenian holliday" in this condesending tone. I just gave her this look that made her freeze in her place grabed my slip out of her hand and walked away. What I really wanted to do was slap her across the head and knock some sense into it (but we cant always do what we want).
Just goes to show that with each passing year the whole idea of remebering and rededicating ourselves to the struggle for justice fades and transforms into a whole different thing far removed from the reality of what happened, where and who are ancestors were and what they represented. Where are the schools, the parents and the community leaders? Better yet, the question that must be answered by the dispersion is how serious it really is in finally getting those responsible to admit to their crimes.
Although your observations and comments regarding our behavior on April 24, Genocide Rememberance Day, are correct, they bring to my mind another thought:
Armenians who wait for April 24 so that they can define themselves as Armenian are doomed.
At some point we have to come to terms with the possibility that Turkey may not accept responsibility for its past atrocities. How then will the Armenian people and Culture adapt? How can we find a way to heal ourselves and not rely on our oppressors forgiveness? We need to be able to move on - we must never forget and we must never let the Turks forget, but we also have to be able to continue and put this behind us.
Way to go. Instead of engendering any sypmathy the Armenian community in Los Angeles has caused anger and hostility towards themselves with their illegal and aggressive behavior. A good idea would be NOT to stage a protest during peak traffic hours, a good idea would be NOT to harass people with irratic, dangerous driving. This is the second year in a row the lack of consideration and abusive attitude has swayed my opinion towards their cause.
Guess you forgot to mention about eating sunflower seeds meanwhile, as if they are at a jaunt. Sad it is.
Some people decide to blast their music and wear the top of the line designer wear to make a statement and maybe this is their way of exercising their rights as granted by the Constitution of this country. Who are you to say that their way of communicating and idea or practicing political advocacy should conform to your norms. Maybe your way of observing the day of remembrance is repugnant to them, I think we should respect everyones way of communicating a particular speech even though we may not agree with the means in which they do it in.This is the greatest thing about this country which is that Freedom of Speech allows dissenting opinions as such we have the denying views of the Turkish government and the concurring views of almost all other nations and institutions. At the end the truth prevails.
You must be the same person who found the Joey Medina video to be racist.
Do you ever go to a funeral wearing hot pink, 6 inch heels, blasting No Doubt, with your ass half open? The First Amendment certainly gives you that freedom!
It's silly for me to even attempt to make you understand my point, because you truly missed it.
Rhyne, the last comment was not "the person who found the Joey Medina clip racist"..because that person was me! : ) I havent made any of these comments. And I stand by my earlier comment 100%. We have enough negative attention in the media, and I still find Medina's joke racist. Don't get me started on the Brow Down video!
Thank you. I live in Little Armenia and as a non Armenian it was hard for me to figure out what was going on. Is it a party? Is it a sporting event? Is it a celebration? No! It's a serious commemoration that somehow makes young people drive around aggressively in giant SUVs with music blaring and flags waving. Please be appropriate young people.
I hope one day Armenians can rely on themselves to make their future a reality.
That's what i am trying to do on an EVERYDAY basis.
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