ARMENIAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY HAS COME A LONG WAY...
We all can recall the time when a city councilman would show up at an annual banquet with a proclamation commending Armenians and their achievements. Those in attendance would welcome the politician with rousing applause and a standing ovation. And if the elected official managed to greet the audience with one or two mangled Armenian words, he or she would be hailed as a hero. Those times are a distant memory now. Members of Congress routinely attend Armenian events. Governors keynote April 24 commemorations and proclaim Armenian Genocide Day, despite the opposition of the Federal government. Virtually all U.S. presidential candidates issue statements that not only reaffirm the Armenian Genocide, but also express support for most Armenian issues. Clearly, Armenians have come a long way! The great progress they have achieved is owed to the activism of numerous Armenian-American organizations, and specifically to thousands of community members who have been involved in many political campaigns as volunteers, staff members, and financial contributors. Many others have run for political office ~ one, George Deukmejian, was elected governor of the great state of California. Other Armenian-Americans became high-ranking civil servants, members of Congress, state legislators, mayors, city councilmen, and distinguished members of the judiciary ~ Dickran Tevrizian became the first Armenian-American Federal Judge, and Justices Armand Arabian and Marvin Baxter served on the California Supreme Court.
Despite the community's great progress in recent years, much more could be accomplished with greater activism and organizational effort. Unfortunately, there are always those who remain on the sidelines and throw stones at those who are politically active, effectively discouraging others from getting involved in community affairs. They see the cup as half empty rather than half full. They contend that that there is no point in political activism either because politicians cannot be trusted or that there is an anti-Armenian conspiracy orchestrated by one group or another that would never allow Armenians to attain their objectives. These inactive Armenians refuse to spend the time, energy and money to further the Armenian agenda. Instead of using the achievements of more successful ethnic groups as a model to emulate, these nay Sayers either begrudge or denigrate them. Let's look at the example of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) which is getting ready to celebrate its 102nd anniversary in a couple of months in New York City. Among the distinguished guests who are invited to speak at AJC's conference are: Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations; Condoleezza Rice, U.S. Secretary of State; Francois Fillon, Prime Minister of France; Sergey Lavrov, Foreign Minister of Russia; Dominique Strauss-Kahn, President of International Monetary Fund; Lee Bollinger, President of Columbia University; Anne-Marie Slaughter, Dean of Woodrow Wilson School; and Taib Fassi Fihri, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Morocco.
I would not be surprised if in the not too distant future, major Armenian-American organizations would be hosting an equally distinguished list of dignitaries at their annual conferences or gala banquets. Indeed, in recent years, a number of Armenian groups such as the AGBU, ANCA, Armenian Assembly, Diocese, Prelacy, Children of Armenia Fund, and the USC Institute of Armenian Studies have held very prestigious events with important elected officials and celebrities as their guests.
Another yardstick with which one can measure the Armenian community's progress is the amount of money it raises and contributes to various projects in Armenia and the Diaspora. Dozens of Armenian-American organizations raise tens of millions of dollars annually for a variety of causes. One of the most prominent fund-raising events is the annual telethon of the Armenia Fund. This group has raised around $15 million during each of the last two years and millions more in earlier telethons.
As a point of reference, and in order to encourage Armenian-Americans to get even more involved in community affairs, it would be interesting to note the fund-raising successes of the American Jewish community.
According to Howard Rieger, the President of the United Jewish Communities (UJC), the North American Jewish Federation system raised $2.4 billion last year. This group now has more than $13 billion in endowment funds, which yield approximately $1 billion per year. Of course, it is understood that the American Jewish community is older, larger, more prosperous and better organized than the Armenian-American community. Yet, Armenians can accomplish much more than they have by expanding their base of support both at the grassroots and the leadership level.
To be sure, Armenian-Americans have come a long way in becoming a part of the American body politic. By getting better organized, more engaged in political activities and mobilizing those who are inactive, the Armenian community can increase its economic and political clout, both in national and international forums.
The day may soon arrive when some of the world's famous and powerful would come knocking on the door of Armenian organizations, to address the community's core issues, concerns and interests.
- By Harut Sassounian Publisher, The California Courier
"WE SHOULD RETURN GYUMRI ITS QUONDAM TITLE OF THE NORTH CAPITAL OF ARMENIA"
By Gegham Mkrtchian, translated by L.H.Presidential candidate, Prime Minister Serge Sarkisian conducted his pre-election campaign in Shirak province on February 15. After the meetings with the voters in the province's villages and towns Langik, ...APPEAL OF SUPREME SPIRITUAL COUNCIL ON RA PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
On February 14, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, presided during a meeting of the Supreme Spiritual Council in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. Following ...TER-PETROSIAN STILL HAS HOPES
By N. Muradian, translated by A.M.The latest meeting of Ter-Petrosian and his supporters also ended with a march in the streets of Yerevan. If on the previous meeting Ter-Petrosian was speaking of the opportunities of exchanging Meghri ...AHARON ADIBEKIAN: "THE DIVISION OF THE VOTES DEPENDS ON "DEPENDANTS"
By Nana Petrosian, translated by L.H.Sociologist Aharon Adibekian spoke of his own unmistakable polls in "Urbat" club on February 15, in parallel representing the results of the last poll conducted on February 8,9. According to the poll, ...ARMENIAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY HAS COME A LONG WAY...
By Harut Sassounian Publisher, The California CourierWe all can recall the time when a city councilman would show up at an annual banquet with a proclamation commending Armenians and their achievements. Those in attendance would welcome the politician with ...
US AMBASSADORIAL NOMINEE RESPONDS TO OBAMA INQUIRIES ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE POLICY
INDEPENDENCE -UPPERMOST VALUE FOR KARABAKH
By Kim Gabrielian, Stepanakert, translated by L.H.FOREIGN MINISTER OF ARMENIA DRAWS ATTENTION OF MINSK GROUP TO ABSENCE OF PROPER RESPONSE TO WARLIKE RHETORIC OF AZERBAIJAN
ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER'S VISIT TO WASHINGTON
TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY ATTACHES IMPORTANCE TO THE REGULATION OF RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA
Translated by L.H.
LEVON TER-PETROSIAN APPLIED TO CONSTITUTIONAL COURT
FLORENCE AVAKIAN DISCUSSES THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE ON AL JAZEERA TELEVISION
By Harry KoundakjianWHO CLOSED ARMENIAN ATOMIC POWER STATION?
Translated by L.H.FOR SALE: WEST'S DEADLY NUCLEAR SECRETS
Translated by K.A.APPEAL OF SUPREME SPIRITUAL COUNCIL ON RA PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
"WE SHOULD RETURN GYUMRI ITS QUONDAM TITLE OF THE NORTH CAPITAL OF ARMENIA"
By Gegham Mkrtchian, translated by L.H.TER-PETROSIAN STILL HAS HOPES
By N. Muradian, translated by A.M.LEVON TER-PETROSIAN'S INTERVIEW TO RIA-NOVOSTI
Translated by L.H.ARA ABRAHAMIAN AWARDED MARSHAL BAGHRAMIAN MEDAL
Translated by L.H.ARMENIAN CITIZENS OF GERMANY DISAPPOINTED
Translated by L.H.
- 362 Birth of Mesrop Mashtots. He invented the Armenian alphabet. He died in 440.
- 1811 Establishment of the Mkhitarist Congregation of Vienna (Austria). It is still located on Mechitaristengasse.
- 1830 Birth of poet Gevorg Dodokhyan in Gogenlo (Crimea, the Ukraine). He died in 1908.
- 1888 Death of Hovsep Shishmanyan (Tserents) in Tbilissi (Georgia). He wrote historical novels. He was born in 1882 in Constantinople.
- 1908 The Armenian National Council of Teheran is organized. In 1911 it was recognized by the government and called "Teheran's Armenian General Council".
- 1948 Death of Hakob Oshakan. He was born in 1883.
- 1951 Death of Nikoghayos Tigranian, composer and pianist.
- 1992 Artsakh forces control the important Azeri Turk military cross-road of Gharadakhlu.
- 2000 The remains of Armenias Hero, General Andranik are transferred to Armenia.
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