Sen. John McCain

“I believe that genocide was committed against the Armenian people, and I think there is ample documentation of that,” McCain said.

McCain added, “However, the Armenian government people and also Turkish government people, I think also, while not forgetting the past, and the Armenian government and people never could forget the past, feels that perhaps a gradual improvement with Turkey is in order. I support that view.”

McCain, who is running for re-election in the 2010 Senate race, has generally avoided using the term “genocide” when referring to 1915 and has been indifferent or opposed to Armenian Genocide resolutions in Congress. He refrained from characterizing the destruction of Armenians as “genocide” during his 2008 presidential campaign as well.

To read more about McCain’s previous statements on the Armenian Genocide and other issues of importance to Armenian Americans, visit http://www.anca.org/press_releases/press_releases.php?prid=1602.

WASHINGTON—The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) this week unveiled “Countdown to Erdogan,” a month-long campaign of grassroots activism aimed at encouraging the U.S. Congress, the media, and ultimately the White House to put America on the right side of the Armenian Genocide.

The ANCA website (www.anca.org/countdown) will launch a new action item every day, ranging from online activism and call-in days to social networking, coalition-building, community outreach, and hands-on activities, all aimed at educating and inspiring President

Obama, on Dec. 7, to tell Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that American stands for a truthful and just resolution of the Armenian Genocide. Each week will also include at least one action item geared to end the ongoing genocide in Darfur, as part of the ANCA’s broader commitment to fostering U.S leadership in ending the cycle of genocide.

The first week of the campaign will address the U.S. Senate, the second the U.S. House, followed by the media on the third week, and then a final push in the final seven days directly to the White House. Obama is set to meet with Erdogan on Dec. 7.

On the first day of the campaign, activists were urged to send a free ANCA WebFax to their senators and encourage them to co-sponsor the Armenian Genocide Resolution, H.Res.316, spearheaded by Senators Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and John Ensign (R-Nev). A special Call-in Day for senators is set for Thurs., Nov. 12.

“As we all know far too well, when President Obama met this April in Ankara with Prime Minister Erdogan, he got it wrong, breaking his clearly and repeatedly stated promise to recognize the Armenian Genocide,” said ANCA executive director Aram Hamparian, in a letter to campaign participants. “Even worse, in the weeks that followed, he compounded his broken pledge by joining with Turkey in pressuring Armenia, a landlocked and blockaded country, into accepting a ‘historical commission’ that calls into question this very crime against humanity. This time, on American soil, President Obama has a chance to make it right—to honor his pledge and be, as he stated during the campaign, the president the American people deserve.”

The “Countdown to Erdogan” campaign launch coincides with recent statements by Erdogan denying both the Armenian and Darfur Genocides. In recent remarks, he asserted that “It’s not possible for a Muslim to commit genocide.” His statements came in response to international pressure on Turkey to arrest Sudanese dictator Omar al-Bashir during a scheduled visit, later postponed, to Ankara. “We are comfortable [with the visit of al-Bashir],” Erdogan explained.

Davutoglu was self righteous in defending Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus and its intervention in the Balkans. He was adamant about Turkey’s desire to enter the European Union, in reality invading Europe without firing a shot—something which they had failed to do in the past.

He said they had done all this in pursuit of peaceful solutions to existing disputes with the goal of establishing “co-existence between the nations of the region,” of course under Pax Turkiana, akin to the Ottoman Empire which colonialized, disrupted, and destroyed life in all the countries of the region, some parts of Europe and North Africa.

He did not mention anything about the Ottoman Turkish atrocities on Arab land, specifically in Baghdad, Damascus, and Aleppo, where they sucked dry the blood of people.

He did not mention anything about Cemal (Jemal) Pasha who sent Arab intellectuals and nationalists to their death on the gallows, so much so that he was nicknamed Jamal El Saffaah (the exterminator).

He did not mention anything about Turk’s attempts to ethnically cleanse Asia Minor of the Kurds, who have inhabited that land together with the Armenians for millennia. He did not mention the Turkish oppression of the Alevis in Konia. He, of course, left the Armenian Genocide to the historians. He said, and I am paraphrasing, “I am a professor of history. I know that in order to establish the truth, there should be fact-finding on this historic event. Our government has opened the archives of the era, and it is open to the historians for research.” Yeah, sure, and I was born yesterday! Tons of State Department documents, tons of New York Times reports, and tons of solid evidence are not enough, they have to form a committee to look into history. If it was ever possible to do a DNA test, the blood of the government of Turkey, the blood of many ordinary Turks, and the blood of some Kurds would read, beyond any shadow of a doubt, a strong positive.

Davutoglu did not say that they have already sanitized the archives that are available to the historians. I don’t blame him for invoking the Turkish Fifth Amendment.

This is Turkey: a small area flaunting European lifestyle with an Oriental charm, and a vast territory with Oriental backwardness void of European way of life, while pushing Islamic fundamentalism and fanaticism. Turkey’s strategy is to look European. Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya. Cheap food, cheap liquor, even cheap flesh, which appeal to penny-pinching Europeans.

This pseudo-European image is what influences international opinion and decision-makers who have not gone to Adana, Ayntab, Marash, Diarbakir, Shirnak, Mardin, or other parts of Anatolia, where illiteracy, religious fanaticism, chauvinism, xenophobia, backwardness, and intellectual stagnation speak of the death of Kemalism. People there yearn for the good old days of the Ottoman caliphate, where the Turk was able to bask in ignorance, where he could kill a Christian, or better yet, an Armenian, for the glory of Allah and possession of belongings. This is the Turkey that did with Ughur Mumji and Hrant Dink and countless other decent journalists. This is Turkey, a NATO partner, a candidate for the European Union, a political mediator in the Middle East, and a peacemaker. Turkey, “You can cheat some of the people some of the time, but not all of the people, all of the time.”

Yes, Turkey, which was a rat in the past destroying the attic, has now mutated to look like a bat from below, and a rat from above.

The honorees received special commendations from members of Congress, state senators, and the L.A. City Council. Congressman Brad Sherman presented Sassounian with a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol. Among the many congratulatory letters received by the ANC was a message from Kerkorian: “I have known Harut for many years, and I am proud of the good work he has done for Armenia and on behalf of the Armenian community worldwide. I congratulate the ANC for honoring him.”

In introducing this columnist, ANC Board Member Pattyl Aposhian-Kasparian said: “What is it about Harut Sassounian that draws such a large number of admirers from all walks of life to follow the stroke of his pen? The word activist or visionary hardly explains it. Tireless leader and devoted teacher to generations of Armenian Americans start to scratch the surface. The attraction to Harut lies in his passion with a direct magnetic draw to his courage, exuberance, and resolve.

“Harut is a highly respected name in many circles. He has helped define the political fabric of our time, championed free speech, and fought on local, national, and international grounds for justice. His persistence has received national media attention and has gently pushed open the gates of reform.

“His first major activism proved successful at the UN in the 1970’s. From that day forward, Harut has served as a timeless moral voice—an author, publisher, speaker, community activist, and leader.

“Through his columns, Harut is one of the first to diagnose a problem and write a prescription. Countless examples come to mind: The campaign against the L.A. Times and its managing editor, Douglas Frantz; lobbying against Time magazine for inserting a Turkish denialist DVD; blocking the nomination of Ambassador Hoagland after the dismissal of Ambassador Evans; initiating a letter writing campaign to counter the denial of the Armenian Genocide by the British ambassador to Armenia; and opposing plans by PBS stations to air a panel discussion with denialists of the Armenian Genocide. And the list goes on to cover more than 30 years of activism.”

In accepting the award, I made the following remarks: “Our collective efforts on behalf of the Armenian Cause stem from the tragic fact that a terrible injustice was committed against our people more than 90 years ago.

“The genocide and the loss of our homeland went unnoticed by the international community for many decades, until our people, led by our political organizations, rose from the ashes of decimation and defeat, and struggled to regain their rights. As a result, the Armenian Genocide is universally recognized and is no longer a forgotten episode.

“Nevertheless, today’s Turkish government, the successor of the regime that committed the genocide, continues to deny this massive crime, benefiting to this day from our looted assets and properties.

“This injustice cannot and must not go on! We need to do everything in our power to restore justice. We demand the return of the stolen properties and occupied territories to their proper owners—the Armenian nation.

“To accomplish this monumental task, we need the participation of every Armenian, as well as the support of all those who side with truth and justice.

“As we have seen in recent months, Armenia’s leaders are under tremendous international pressure to make major concessions to both Turkey and Azerbaijan. Armenia is too small and too weak to be able to withstand such powerful pressures all by itself! Diasporan Armenians, on the other hand, are under no such constraints.

“It is incumbent on all of us to lend a helping hand to reduce the pressures on Armenia. Armenians in all countries, particularly those in the United States, Russia, and Europe, should lobby their respective governments to counter their unjust and one-sided support for Turkey and Azerbaijan.

“We should make this effort, regardless of whether our help is requested or even appreciated by the Armenian government.

“Of course, our lobbying efforts would be much more effective, if carried out in a cooperative and coordinated manner both within the diaspora and between the diaspora and Armenia.

“We should also not hold back any political, economic, or humanitarian assistance from our people in the homeland because of disagreements with Armenia’s leadership.

“Regimes and leaders come and go, but the nation is eternal!

“Let us remain vigilant, engaged, and united in our purpose. Let us carry on the torch of our cause, until justice is restored to our long-suffering nation.”

Ungers and Ungerouhis greeted each other with sincere hugs and kisses. We seldom see each other as we did in those halcyon days of our youth, so Sharon’s thoughtful idea for a party for members and spouses came as a welcome suggestion. “Bring pictures,” she said, and several did.

Sharon’s preparation for our reunion was lavish, from the initial welcoming of delicious chocolates and drinks to the eye-popping mezza table loaded with sarma, basterma, shrimp, lahmajun, tourshee, boeregs and more, filling every inch of her huge diningroom table. I wish we had sung Harach Nahadag like we did at the opening of every meeting, but non-AYFers were also present and it didn’t seem right.

We dined on a multi-course dinner of a variety of entrees and salads. Do you really think we should have had room left for the chocolate cake, paklava, and other desserts paraded before us, including a variety of grapes that looked like they were on steroids?

Our hostess still possesses a svelte figure just as when she was the quiet pretty AYF teenager sitting in our knotty pine meeting room in the Raffi Agoump on Ferry Avenue. Sharon is now a registered nurse at Royal Oak’s Beaumont Hospital. Her son, Paul, is a major in the USAF. Her mother, Helen Nazarian Pompeian, was a member of the Pontiac “Ani” ARS Chapter before moving to Rochester, Minn. years ago to save her teenage son Edward’s life from kidney failure. They still reside there.

Edward and wife Jayne traveled the distance for our reunion. He has become a successful businessman in Rochester, but more importantly he is the founder of Transplant House, which had its humble beginnings years ago in a motel Edward bought to house those who come to the world-famous Mayo Clinic in need of organ transplants.

Transplant House grew to acquire a mansion, and this month the dedication of a huge new facility will take place near the clinic, making room for the growing number of patients needing transplants. All this because of Edward Pompeian’s thankfulness to the medical facility that correctly diagnosed his near-fatal ailment.

This is the fabric of which many other Aharonian Chapter members are made. Edward Haroutunian became an attorney and a powerful voice in Wayne County (Detroit) and the State Republican Party. Charles Meledosian is a self-employed accountant. Greg Arakelian became an engineer, so did Richard Kirk and Arthur Azoian, now deceased. Arpi Dakesian Dunn worked for a supermarket chain. Rosemary Arakelian Prior is the administrator for the Manoogian Home for the Aged. Judy Azoian Hickey is a hairdresser, as was her sister Sadie Azoian before her marriage to tailor Vahan Basmajian, who gave us the news that he was selected to make blazers and trousers for the 44-member University of Michigan football team.

Sandra Azoian Hutchinson was a financial analyst for EDS. Judy Haroutunian Mead earned her UofM degree in music, married a professor, and lives in Calgary. Bedros Avedian is a real estate investor, Ethel Kevorkian (deceased) was a hairdresser. Janet Kirk Mardigian is on the Diocese Executive Board.

And me? I became your scribe.

Many of us are grandparents. Some have aged better than others, but our spirit is high. We remembered our parents and marveled at their adaptability to their new country, America, and the love and security they gave us.

Vartkes Haroutunian, who was our advisor for several years, would have loved to be here.

Once again we circulated the story on the Aharonian Chapter’s ill-fated fundraiser of selling Christmas trees. Greg Arakelian and I were the only chapter members who would volunteer to stand outside in the deep, cold snow next to my Dad’s store on Ferry Ave. hawking trees to swell our chapter treasury. What a fiasco that turned out to be.

Our agoump was a white wood structure, a former church, with cement steps allowing entry to the front floor and the vestibule, where the old Coke dispenser was. The walls were lined with photos of Tashnag leaders, and it seemed like their eyes followed you as you walked to the stairs that led to the lower level AYF room. A recent drive by the building—to sate my curiosity—showed that it had returned to serving as a house of worship, but with a substantial addition.

We reminisced about those wonderful days in the old neighborhood and all the Armenians who lived nearby. We all knew each other. It was a secure and warm feeling to be part of an Armenian environment. Who knew it would change.

That group of AYFers back in the late 50’s was comprised of members in their teens, with me the eldest as president. You could not find a better bunch of young Armenians. It was unthinkable that any one of them would get into trouble and they never did. They showed up for every meeting and I was emphatic about them doing educational reports.

A lot of good-natured teasing went on about the iron fist I wielded. I reminded them that’s how we won the educational trophy.

Whoever was assigned one always had it done and proudly rose to read it. We kept piling up the points and each chapter’s standing was printed in the Armenian Weekly. That alone was encouragement to forge on. Other chapters tried to catch up with us but failed.

To this day, those teens fondly recall our little Mid-West group of 15 members beating out the likes of the powerhouse chapters like Boston, Detroit, and Providence. We earned the educational trophy but I like to think that it became part of “my kids’” character building.

As long as one of us is left standing, the Pontiac Aharonian Chapter will live on.

Granted, it’s not the golden extravaganza but nonetheless, still a milestone and by today’s marital standards, somewhat unique.

The last thing in the world I would want is a function hall with loud, boisterous music and a guest list that causes me some backlash. I had enough of that planning four weddings for my three children.

“How about a trip to some exotic place?” came the suggestion. “We could do Aruba, Bermuda, even Hawaii. Maui must be great in winter.”

We’re talking February and the sound of sun and fun on some exotic island certainly seemed appealing. My wife was on to something good.

“Everybody does Maui,” she shot back. “Let’s think of Kauai. It’s heaven on earth.”

 I did some research on Kauai and found it to be touted as “the garden island” for its unspoiled natural paradise, its dramatic scenery, vast mountains, and cascading waterfalls colored by rainbows.

Walking barefoot along a turquoise Pacific amid silver white sand would reveal untold pleasures. The thought of doing an eight-day junket in Paris and London offered sound debate. We took that trip for our 30th anniversary 15 years ago and loved it so much, we vowed to return.

Someone else recommended the Emerald Isle for its medieval castles and luscious green countryside. We often talked about it but have never gone. The same could be said for a Scandinavian junket where the eyes of Copenhagen and Oslo are peering at me.

“Try us,” they seem to beckon. “The spectacular fjords and fairy tale villages make us a scenic delight.”

Listening to others talk about their ideal vacation sites is a lot like watching a horse race. We’re going nowhere fast. The truth behind the matter is quite simple. I can have fun anywhere. Give me a warm beach with a golden sunset and I’m in heaven.

The money we’ve spent putting our children through college and subsidizing their weddings are the necessities of life. With family, the priorities are often them rather than us.

“You owe it to yourself,” my neighbor insisted. “The bills will always be there. Sometimes, you have to do what’s right for you. Live for today. Travel. See the world.”

The guy had a point. Spend it while you can and worry about tomorrow when it comes. Selfish as this may sound, I’d rather die a pauper and have enjoyed my retirement years to the maximum than leave it all to my heirs.

I was browsing inside a bookstore and came across a book on how to enjoy Europe on $10 a day. The book was selling for $20. A visit to AAA produced a stockpile of alluring pamphlets. So what would it be?

A visit to my granddaughter’s bedroom revealed the obvious. Disney creatures by the droves. There was the Little Mermaid and Minnie, Cinderella and stuffed Dalmatians. Had I not known better, I might have found myself inside the Magic Kingdom.

“If I had one wish,” she divulged, “it would be Disneyworld. Some of my friends have gone but not me.”

The girl with the deep blue penetrating eyes melted my heart.

My children have never enjoyed a visit to Disneyworld, not to mention their own. My two eldest grandchildren will be eight and six by the time February rolls around—a perfect age. What’s more, their parents will be observing a 10th anniversary.

So we got to thinking, to heck with Hawaii and Europe. Out with Bermuda and the Scandinavians. Maybe we should recalculate this trip and include the family. What better way to enjoy such a 45th than with my loved ones?

“Make the arrangements,” I told my daughter-in-law. “Everything goes. Put the frills aside and let’s focus on the thrills.”

And so it went. A week’s stay inside the theme park at the Caribbean. Special meal plans with character dinners. Roundtrip fares to Orlando for six, maybe seven, if my daughter hops aboard. Shuttle service to and from the different venues. And more likely than not, a treasure chest of souvenirs and mementoes.

What started out as a quiet trip for two to an unknown destination has since been transposed into a carnival atmosphere amid throngs of visitors, long lines and exorbitant prices. Let yourself go, I remind myself.

In the end, I can join those seven little dwarfs singing, “I owe, I owe, it’s off to the poor farm I shall go.”

Selahattin Demirtas

These were the words articulated at the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) by Selahattin Demirtas, the deputy chairman of the parliamentary group of Democratic Society Party (DTP)—the voice of Kurds in the Turkish Parliament. Demirtas had taken the floor at the parliamentary session on Oct. 21 to speak about the protocols signed between Armenia and Turkey.

“No national security considerations can be an excuse for the annihilation of a population by means of forced displacement and massacres,” he said. “Governments, in an effort to clear themselves of the guilt, resorted to denial and to distortion of historical facts to conceal the truth. They rewrote the history. In school books, Armenians are portrayed as hostile figures, exaggerating the incidents of violence by Armenian activists and never telling the truth about the massacred Armenians.”

The meeting minutes, available on the website of the TGNA, reveals the interruptions by other deputies, member of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), the opposition party Republican People’s Party (CHP), and an independent deputy, who called out loud: “What are you talking about? Say what you want to say openly!” or “Shame on you!” or “Don’t slander” or “What about the Turkish diplomats assassinated?”

“The word ‘Armenian’ has been used as an insult in this country,” continued Demirtas. “Even the president of the Republic of Turkey was accused of having secret Armenian ancestors, as if this was a sin. They did this to humiliate him. And what a shame that the president himself answered this ‘accusation’ in such a way as to confirm the humiliating connotation of the word, by trying to prove that this was not true.”

Demirtas suggested the formation of a history committee, consisting of independent historians from both sides, that would aim at revealing historic truths. “Without doing this, no real policy of peace can be pursued in foreign or domestic policy and no real resolution can be reached by ignoring the tragedy, by acting as if the loss of lives was a result of unwanted adverse circumstances. I know that what I say upsets those who remain loyal to the status quo. However for us to avoid recognizing historical truths just for the sake of the status quo would mean betraying our conscience and taking a politically unethical stance. So Turkey should lead the way to uncover the historical facts instead of continuing to carry the burden of a tragedy caused by the Committee of Union and Progress. In order for truly friendly relations between the two countries, it should be acknowledged that this is the only way for mutual trust.”

This was a first for the Turkish Parliament. There may be parts in Demirtas’ speech where one would disagree. But for me, these points of disagreement are less important than the declaration— in the Turkish Grand National Assembly—of the systematic extermination of Armenians in 1915. And it was a Kurdish MP who made this happen. The Kurds, some of whom actively took part in the Armenian Genocide, were also the first in Turkey to talk and write about the genocide of the Armenians and Assyrians.

Demirtas’s words weren’t in the headlines the next day as one would expect; those days were unusually exciting, as a group of PKK guerillas had just crossed the border and given themselves up to Turkish security forces as a gesture to support the government’s peace initiative. TV channels and newspapers were full of scenes of rejoicing and celebrations by thousands of Kurds, old and young, women and men, all welcoming the peace group. The guerillas waved their hands to the crowds, who were joyously demonstrating for peace. A few days passed with puzzlement on the part of the Turkish public and the opinion makers. However, the puzzlement did not last long. A wave of anger surged with columnists condemning such “scenes of outright defiance,” “celebrations of PKK’s victory,” or “shameless display of support to PKK.” Then came the demonstrations of the “mothers of martyrs” and others condemning the PKK. The panel discussions on TV featured even democrat and liberal figures criticizing the DTP for rallying Kurds to celebrate the PKK guerillas’ return and provoking Turkish nationalism.

Just when Demirtas was giving his speech about the Armenia-Turkey protocols, I was called by Agos newspaper to comment on the coming of the PKK group as a peace delegation. I sent them a message saying, in short, that I did not trust Turkey. I explained that given the age-old authoritarian nationalistic policies pursued by governments, instigating hostility and hatred in the minds of people, no real peace policy would be possible. The majority of the Turkish people themselves would not let this dream come true. Although this was what I thought, I still had the hope that this time I might be wrong, that some good things could happen in this country. The pictures in the newspapers, the images on  TV of old men and women welcoming the PKK members at the Habur border gate—dancing, waving hands, laughing, and cheerin—were so impressive that one could not help but hope.

But Turkey did not put me down and once more not my dreams but my fears came true. The government suspended the peace program and said that the coming of PKK members from European countries was cancelled due to the Kurds’ provocative welcoming demonstrations. Shortly after this news, Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned leader of the PKK , announced that they too had suspended the process.

Now all advocates of peace are waiting for a new sign indicating the resumption of the peace process. Turkey’s lack of any tradition of reconciliation and it’s deeply rooted authoritarian habits of resorting to violence instead of understanding did its job again.

A Kurdish intellectual’s comprehensive work about the genocide

Speaking about the Kurdish intellectuals and activists who first talked and wrote about the Armenian Genocide in Turkey, I have to mention the book of Recep Marasli, who was one of the victims of the horrible tortures at Diyarbakir Prison in the 1980’s and who served 15 years in various prisons.
 
In the preface to his book Ermeni Ulusal Demokratik Hareketive 1915 Soykirimi (The Armenian National Democratic Movement and 1915 Genocide) (Peri Publishing House, 2008, Istanbul), Marasli writes how he first wrote about the Armenian Genocide in 1982, when he was in the Alemdag Prison. It was the first and worst years of the military rule. At the same time, it was a time when Turkish diplomats were assassinated one by one by the Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia, and anti-Armenian sentiments were at their peak in Turkey, provoked by the insulting headlines in Turkish newspapers. In the Diyarbakir Prison, those inmates suspected of being of Armenian origin were subjected to special violence, and there were incidents of forced circumcision. During these days, Recep Marasli with a number of his fellow prisoners secretly prepared and circulated a pamphlet about the Armenian Genocide in the Alemdag Prison. This pamphlet would later serve as the outline of his present book. He thinks it may well be the first structured writing about the Armenian Genocide in Kurdish circles in modern Turkish history. Some of the Kurdish inmates found it irrelevant to the circumstances of the day (as the central issue for them was the Kurdish Question); some even thought that Marasli was of Armenian origin. This pamphlet was a turning point in Marasli’s efforts on the topic. Marasli and his comrades circulated the leaflets in prison every April 24th to commemorate the genocide, and Marasli started to read everything he could find about the genocide. Afterwards, he integrated the contents of the first pamphlet in his defense statement, which was submitted during his trial in Diyarbakir Military Court for his membership in the Kurdish political organization Rizgari. He developed this piece of writing later on during his imprisonment, served in the prisons of Eskisehir and Aydin, and finally produced this comprehensive 544-page book about the Armenian Genocide, its historical background, its mechanism, and its aftermath—the
Turkification policies in the republican period up to the present day. At the end of the book, there is a very interesting list of the old and new names of Kurdish, Armenian ,and Assyrian settlements which I think is a precious resource in this respect.

To go back to our starting point, Selahattin Demirtas’ address in the TGNA was something one can never expect from a Turkish member of parliament, at least under present conditions. I think much has to be done to explore the factors that bring the grandchildren of the peoples of the old Armenia and Kurdistan closer to each other now. Such exploration and efforts to build on the  findings would help a lot in paving the way for a more democratic Turkey that would bring justice to all.

It’s for all those who have served its ranks dutifully and enjoyed the very benefit of its tutelage, whether it was the educational front, political arena, athletics, or the social side.

Just when you thought the best years of your life are about to end, guess again. Fact is, they’re just beginning.

Consider this a piece for all those on the threshold of a new world, wondering what the AYF ever did for them. I can tell you in three easy words—give it time!

For some of us, we never really graduated. Oh yes, when our time came, we said goodbye, but never really left. The AYF has grown into an after-life. As an alumnus, I get to start all over again with others like myself inside an adult community, those I held membership with over my years in the Somerville “Nejdeh” Chapter and others along the way.

It was a good group as I recall. Being a late bloomer, I had just celebrated my 19th birthday and was well entrenched in college life when the invitation came. Come join, it said, and meet a whole new cadre of friends.

Now, here I am on the cusp of turning 70 and even to this day, the people I encountered back then—a half century ago—still impact my life.

Out of it came teachers, attorneys, accountants, writers, musicians, and business types. I see them week end and out in one form or another, making a legitimate mark on society with skills they learned in the AYF. That was the case with me and others like me who never took success for granted.

The kid they called Arsen was a pretty decent pianist. He couldn’t put a ball inside the hoop but could he ever tickle those ivories. He wound up becoming the organist at my church at a time when we were in dire need of one, and spent his working time giving lessons and teaching music.

Bob and Sandy were model members and became attracted to one another. He carved his niche in the accounting world while she devoted herself to education. Both are coming up on 45 years of marital bliss and devoted a ton of energy to FACS (Friends of Armenian Culture Society), which brings us Armenian Night at the Pops each June.

Another named Vahe was the chapter icon at the time—a sort of “father” figure who kept the membership in line and knew all about AYF protocol. We wound up at Boston University together and used our AYF skills to rejuvenate the Armenian Club there, before entering our professional careers.

He spent his working life as a Star Market executive and I ventured off into journalism after a long stint as the chapter scribe.

Today, we live a couple miles apart, socialize on occasion, and dote over our children and grandchildren. Somehow, the conversation always reverts back to “the good old days” and where we would be had it not been for the AYF.

People look at me now and say, “Not the same organization that it was years ago.” Well, I beg to differ. Principles never change. Individuals might, but not the breadth and scope of the AYF.

I think that belonging to an Armenian youth organization builds character, introduces us to positive outlets, builds a foundation toward maturity, and obviously increases ethnic awareness.

I cannot imagine what my life would have been without it. Certainly, I would not be writing this piece now or been so passionate about my heritage.

I think back to those halcyon days when less meant more, when an educational meant just as much as a basketball victory, and discipline was maintained. Our only crime at an Olympics was booking a room and keeping the door open to all who needed a place.

My last day in the organization was traumatic. It was like leaving home and venturing out on my own. For someone who joined the junior ranks at 10 and left after an extension, that was 18 years of membership.

My advice to you is keep the AYF flame burning in your hearts. Stay in touch with other alumni from your chapter. Strike up a correspondence with other members you encountered elsewhere. Get together periodically. Rekindle the experience and benefit from it in your jobs and family cycles.

Attend an Olympics or other events where alumni are apt to gather and give something back, whether it’s financially or morally.

In reality, the good old days wouldn’t be so old if more people lived them.

The tour will feature guided visits through the Armenian countryside to the cathedrals of Etchmiadzin, Gayane, and Hripsime. Visit the Sardarabad Memorial, the Lori region, the monasteries of Haghbat and Sanahin, the Paruyr Sevak Museum, Khor Virap, Oshagan, Ambert Fortress, Lake Sevan, the Haghartsin Monastery in the Dilijan region, Tsaghkadzor, various museums, and much more.

The first class accommodations include airfare, lodging at the Marriott Armenia Hotel with a daily buffet breakfast, deluxe coach transportation around the countryside (English and Armenian speaking guides provided), daily excursions with entry fees to scheduled events, roundtrip transfer to and from Yerevan’s airport, a group farewell dinner, as well as other meals during the course of the tour. An optional excursion to Karabagh is provided at an additional price.

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And on came the rain, like the flood of 40 days. I looked for the ark on Mount Ararat and could see no trace of the boat, much less the mountain.

The day began with breakfast at Artbridge, joined by videographer Araz Artinian, a young woman who left Montreal as a repatriate three years ago and dedicated her life to helping Armenia. One project was raising $250,000 to rehabilitate the 50 art and music schools of Yerevan.

Araz, whom I have known since childhood like a second daughter, raised the money in six months with a big assist from Vivacell and the Hovnanians.

Her second project represents a study of 21 centuries of Armenian history, using children in costumes from 12 different districts.

The day was pretty much a wash so I decided to consume the time with interviews. After Araz came Artsvi Bakhchinyan, a 38-year-old research specialist on diasporan matters who, like others, appeared extremely bitter toward Armenia’s economic shortcomings.

Hard to believe that with a doctorate, Artsvi is earning but $135 a month to support a family of five. One thing won’t be deprived, he told me: his dignity.

That afternoon found me inside the Boxing School of Armenia where I spent 90 minutes talking to the young pugilists and their coaches. Not a soul there knew English so it was either speak their language or none at all. I managed to get some meaningful comments and a cache of environmental shots for an article.

That evening,  we dined on some of the most scrumptious sarma I ever tasted with Jan and Liza. Our walk home was dashed by more rain. Being April 23, out went my partner Joe (Dagdigian) to join a youth march to the Genocide Memorial at Tsitsernagapert—a three-mile hike through puddles and muck.

I shall join the commemoration next day which is one reason why we chose this date for our visit. Whether or not we’ll ever spot Ararat again remains to be seen.  Use of an iPod filled with Armenian music has made the solo walks that much more tolerable.

Being here with Joe is slowly disciplining me in language skills and the country’s rich heritage. It’s 11 o’clock and he has yet to return from the driving rain.

Day 6

It is April 24th in Armenia and this is what I call the genocide experience of a lifetime. No wonder the shops and schools are closed for the day. It takes that long to place flowers at the memorial.

If there are one million Armenians living in Yerevan, I would say they were represented en masse at Tsitsernagapert—all generations from every  walk of life.

They arrived in droves on a bright, sunny day with a crisp breeze and a faint glimpse of Ararat. It took me two hours to reach the monument from home and another 90 minutes to cover the half-mile from the road to the monument, given the scope of the crowd.

It turned into a photographer’s paradise as the faces each told a story. Youngsters. Adults. Seniors. Age was no criterion when it came to paying your respects to the 1.5 million victims of 1915.

The arduous wait and being jostled by the crowd may have irked an ordinary tourist but not a conscientious Armenian commemorating history.

The most beautiful church music I ever heard on speakers helped pass the time prudently en route.

My arches were ready to burst. Because I couldn’t get a taxi back, I had no other choice but to leg out the three-mile distance to the apartment for what turned into a seven-mile hike round trip.

A cold beer and warm shower hit the spot, along with some fresh choreg and cheese I had purchased. Just sitting and reminiscing over such a monumental day was a moment that will be forever etched in time.

(To be continued…)