February 1986 Page 2 |
Previous | 2 of 12 | Next |
|
|
This page
All
|
Loading content ...
Page 2 Hye Sharzhoom February 1986 Letters to the Editor A change in strategy for a struggling team been an inspiration to me. Never take your heritage for granted. Cherish it; share it. Editor: Bored by the long stretch of football games I watched during the past month, 1 turned to analyzing their underlying tactics and strategies. It occurred to me that there are three ways that a team can move the ball towards its ultimate goal—a touchdown. The first is running the ball—a straightforward approach that is steady but slow. It is methodical and consistent in gaining yardage; but because it takes so long, it requires much energy. It is exhausting and is frequently outdone by the passing offense, which is the second way to move the ball down the field. This second method is marked by longshot, quick-result passes and creative flea-flicker plays in which yardage is gained in large chunks. Success, when it comes, is usually swift but its risks are high. Inevitably the stronger teams do not exclusively use one type of offense but rely on both, which is itself the third strategy to score points. Longshot, high-risk plays are executed with the hope of immediate success, while the running offense is employed as a more secure and constant means of gaining ground. The Armenian Cause is like a football contest, but its players are different. On the one side are the underdogs, the Armenian communities in the diaspora; on the other are the heavy favorites, the Turkish government and global indifference to the Armenian case. Each side uses its own ball: the skin of truth for us, the spiral of influence for them. Each team's touchdown is scored differently: for us, scoring is the recognition of the Genocide, and the return of our ancestral lands; for them, it is geopolitical strength and history suppression. During the past several decades, the worldwide Armenian community has been using the running attack—upright, honest, hardworking, open, driving a straight course, nothing tricky. We have established organizations, built churches, opened schools, educated new generations, written books, founded newspapers, entered the political area. And though this process has provided some fundamental structures and institutions, it has also taken a very long time and been relatively ineffectual in achieving our goal. Armenians the world over have shied away from using the passing attack; we have passed little, and that only recently. The absence of a passing game is a big weakness in our offense. In this connection, the explosive plays of our radical fringe, the terrorists, while achieving rapid results at one time, have become easily predictable and led to fourth and long situations. In the beginning, when terrorism was novel, it *worked; there was immediate international attention, and Turkey was forced to jump out of its easy chair and into ah aggressive defensive modei But after the first few years, its effectiveness wore down. Terrorism became commonplace, and further terrorist acts only nullified previous progress. So there is clearly a deficiency in our offense—we need some long passes and flea-flicker plays. What can we do? We want to avoid the some ordinary, routine, and unproductive patterns. We need to create new plays, trick plays, and to go for broke. How do we do this? We must first deviate from our traditional thinking. We must be creative, let our minds wander. As children we are gifted with the inherent ability to imagine and create; but as we grow older, that creativity is stifled by the tides of life, and risky ideas are sacrificed for the sake of security. Here are some ideas I hasten to offer, lest I, too, be stricken with conceptual conservatism. —Play havoc with Turkey's economy. Disrupt Turkey's economic equilibrium. Infiltrate, for example, Turkey's ecological systems and upset their normal mechanisms. Send Turkish agriculture and real estate investments into a pitfall. —Expose the Turkish government for its present breaches of humanity, its oppression, its torture of dissidents. By pushing Turkey into disfavor with U.S. and international opinion, people may begin strongly objecting to and discouraging the billions of dollars of U.S. aid flowing into Turkey. Other governments or international organizations, such as the Unitied Nations or Amnesty International, may begin to exert additional pressure on the Turkish government. —And what about an Armenian satellite in space? It isn't too far-fetched or too early to begin thinking about super-bowl technology or even cities or communities in space. Who knows what other opportunities that might create? The possibilities are limitless. Don't get me wrong. I am not condemning our running offense, for it is that steady, unwavering approach that allowed us to obtain security and dignity when we were scattered about to different lands as persecuted, penniless refugees. But our running offense is beginning to get old and our players are getting exhausted. We are tired of fighting for the same empty results with the same old methods. When we cannot even manage to pass House Joint au.3 ettPd-nw Editor: Randy Baloian Assistant Editor: Karen DeOrian Staff: Don Ara Arax Vince Gambero Aram K. Messerlian Contributors: Mark £. Agabashian Zepur Aristakessian Cecelia Garabedian Baloian David Gabrielian Bob Vartabedian Edna J. Fetter Advisors: Barlow Der Mugrdechian Mark Malkasian Hye Sharzhoom is the official publication of the CSUF Armenian Students Organization and the Armenian Studies Program, and is funded by the Associated Students. Articles may be reprinted provided that Hye Sharzhoom is acknowledged. Hye Sharzhoom welcomes prose, poetry, articles, manuscripts, and other material from its readers. For further information oncerning the newspaper or the Armenian Studies Program, contact the Armenian Studies Office (209) 294-2669 or the Ethnic Studies Office (209)294-2832. Armenian Studies Program CSU, Fresno Fresno, CA 93740 Strangely, several of the surnames in my family tree appear on Mr. Elish Shekoyan's map of Fresno. My ancestors came to Chicago from Harput in 1913. I: shall be interested in corresponding with persons in your area who may share the same surnames—Sarkissian. (Another has a slightlyaltered spelling, therefore it probably is not the same name). Also, if anyone there is majoring in psychology, and needs my insight into the effects of the adoption process on one's sense of self- esteem or identity, I would be glad to assist. Sincerely, Mary L. Foess Central Elementary School Division St. Room 3 Vassar, MI 48768 Resolution 192, which is such a small step considering our collective goal, it means that we are in dire need of changes. Not minute, irrelevant changes, but changes that deal oh an international level, changes that exert a little leverage in our favor, changes that are directly involved with the future of our nation and its ultimate end zone. Only when our passing offense—our organizations, our intelligentsia, our professionals, our politicians, our people— has achieved significant gain in one area or another, has opened a door, an opportunity for the world to listen, should we utilize our running offense to apply the final touch. My intent here is not to make a static analysis between a football game and a national struggle, but rather to highlight their similarities and differences, successes and failures, and the tactics and strategies with which to wage them. 1 want to open channels, call for new perspectives. The (rOOfi WotW ^ thrust of my message, after all, is merely — that—to stimulate new thinking, however coarse or discomforting. Sometl Dear Editor: important as a national movem< justice and self-determination merit We always enjoy reading Hye Shar- effort we have to make. zhoom. We feel strongly in your efforts This letter is directed toward t and encourage you to continue. Enclosed menian diaspora: its workers, its 1< please find a small donation towards your its terrorists, its academicians, a efforts, those in pursuit of the independe our nation. It is from a young man same category—spirited, angerec frustrated by the Armenian situatii intent is to disturb, to anger, to pr aggressive thinking, to question tl ditional Armenian frame of mind, Armenians out of their terrible er Dear Editor seats, and to put them on the playin where the adversary threatens with I enjoy reading Hye Sharzhoom very passing day. much. Please continue the good work you Let us widen our peripheral i have started. We need this. Our third and allow our minds to explore, create dil fourth generation American-Armenians courses, pursue different avenues, bi are not into the Armenian stream and every tunnel does not have a light need to be brought into it! Your paper is end. And if we are to find our lig doing this, and I am very proud of you! must look for it in every direction. Continued good luck. Use enclosed check where most needed. Sim Sincerely, S Los Angele Mrs. Grace Gostanian Fresno, CA Sincerely, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Drew Fresno, CA In search of Armen Dear Editor: Dear Dr. Kouymjian: I have just finished reading the most Words cannot express how muclrecent issue of Hye sharzhoom and was enjoying your newspaper//ve5/jarz/gratified at learning of the tremendous with each issue I am learning more good work you are doing at CSU Fresno, my Armenian heritage: your hi You are setting a good example of how feelings, and aspirations for the ft Armenian scholars can and should work While an understanding of history ntogether and with the community to de- we must live in the present andvdop a rich pr0gram which at the same tinuously prepare for our future. I time serves scholarship and the Armenian from reading your paper that someDeo_je Armenians fear assimilation and a Enci'osed is a small donation as a show among the third generation grandch of my support and to let you know that I of immigrants. admire your work and wish you all good Because I was not raised by my n;success in the future parents, my adoptive family's an> was quite different from my true heri Sincerely, Only 16 months ago did I learn c precious Armenian blood; I had go years without knowing! Currently, working with much energy and det nation to gain as much knowled, possible about Armenian religion, hi; and, especially, my personal geneal£djtor. In a sense, I was a victim of a differen of assimilation—namely, the ado j have received Hye Sharzhoom for the process. Nearly all adult adoptees hapast five years and have always enjoyed it. knowledge of their real ancestry; a The articies \n y0Ur paper are always of of the past is but a mere shadow, alhigh quahty pieaSe use this small donation invisible at that. Open adoption re<for support 0f Hye Sharzhoom and the for adult adoptees exist in fewer thaArmenian Studies program at CSU Fresno, states. I believe this condition d adult adoptees our basic constitut Sincerely, rights and, more profoundly, our ht rights. My "search" is fascinating; Lori Garjian week I learn more. Your publicatioi Tenafly, N.J. Dennis R. Papazian Professor of History University of Michigan-Dearborn
Object Description
Title | 1986_02 Hye Sharzhoom Newspaper February 1986 |
Alternative Title | Armenian Action, Vol. 7 No. 2, February 1986; Ethnic Supplement to the Collegian. |
Publisher | Armenian Studies Program, California State University, Fresno. |
Publication Date | 1986 |
Description | Published two to four times a year. The newspaper of the California State University, Fresno Armenian Students Organization and Armenian Studies Program. |
Subject | California State University, Fresno – Periodicals. |
Contributors | Armenian Studies Program; Armenian Students Organization, California State University, Fresno. |
Coverage | 1979-2014 |
Format | Newspaper print |
Language | eng |
Full-Text-Search | Scanned at 200-360 dpi, 18-bit greyscale - 24-bit color, TIFF or PDF. PDFs were converted to TIF using Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro. |
Description
Title | February 1986 Page 2 |
Full-Text-Search |
Page 2
Hye Sharzhoom
February 1986
Letters to the Editor
A change in strategy for a struggling team
been an inspiration to me. Never take
your heritage for granted. Cherish it; share
it.
Editor:
Bored by the long stretch of football
games I watched during the past month, 1
turned to analyzing their underlying tactics
and strategies. It occurred to me that
there are three ways that a team can move
the ball towards its ultimate goal—a
touchdown.
The first is running the ball—a straightforward approach that is steady but slow.
It is methodical and consistent in gaining
yardage; but because it takes so long, it
requires much energy. It is exhausting
and is frequently outdone by the passing
offense, which is the second way to move
the ball down the field.
This second method is marked by
longshot, quick-result passes and creative
flea-flicker plays in which yardage is gained
in large chunks. Success, when it comes, is
usually swift but its risks are high.
Inevitably the stronger teams do not
exclusively use one type of offense but rely
on both, which is itself the third strategy
to score points. Longshot, high-risk plays
are executed with the hope of immediate
success, while the running offense is
employed as a more secure and constant
means of gaining ground.
The Armenian Cause is like a football
contest, but its players are different. On
the one side are the underdogs, the
Armenian communities in the diaspora;
on the other are the heavy favorites, the
Turkish government and global indifference to the Armenian case. Each side uses
its own ball: the skin of truth for us, the
spiral of influence for them. Each team's
touchdown is scored differently: for us,
scoring is the recognition of the Genocide,
and the return of our ancestral lands; for
them, it is geopolitical strength and history
suppression.
During the past several decades, the
worldwide Armenian community has been
using the running attack—upright, honest,
hardworking, open, driving a straight
course, nothing tricky. We have established organizations, built churches, opened schools, educated new generations,
written books, founded newspapers, entered the political area. And though this
process has provided some fundamental
structures and institutions, it has also
taken a very long time and been relatively
ineffectual in achieving our goal.
Armenians the world over have shied
away from using the passing attack; we
have passed little, and that only recently.
The absence of a passing game is a big
weakness in our offense. In this connection, the explosive plays of our radical
fringe, the terrorists, while achieving rapid
results at one time, have become easily
predictable and led to fourth and long
situations. In the beginning, when terrorism was novel, it *worked; there was
immediate international attention, and
Turkey was forced to jump out of its easy
chair and into ah aggressive defensive
modei But after the first few years, its
effectiveness wore down. Terrorism became
commonplace, and further terrorist acts
only nullified previous progress.
So there is clearly a deficiency in our
offense—we need some long passes and
flea-flicker plays. What can we do? We
want to avoid the some ordinary, routine,
and unproductive patterns. We need to
create new plays, trick plays, and to go for
broke. How do we do this? We must first
deviate from our traditional thinking. We
must be creative, let our minds wander.
As children we are gifted with the inherent
ability to imagine and create; but as we
grow older, that creativity is stifled by the
tides of life, and risky ideas are sacrificed
for the sake of security.
Here are some ideas I hasten to offer,
lest I, too, be stricken with conceptual
conservatism.
—Play havoc with Turkey's economy.
Disrupt Turkey's economic equilibrium.
Infiltrate, for example, Turkey's ecological
systems and upset their normal mechanisms. Send Turkish agriculture and real
estate investments into a pitfall.
—Expose the Turkish government for its
present breaches of humanity, its oppression, its torture of dissidents. By pushing
Turkey into disfavor with U.S. and
international opinion, people may begin
strongly objecting to and discouraging the
billions of dollars of U.S. aid flowing into
Turkey. Other governments or international organizations, such as the Unitied
Nations or Amnesty International, may
begin to exert additional pressure on the
Turkish government.
—And what about an Armenian satellite
in space? It isn't too far-fetched or too
early to begin thinking about super-bowl
technology or even cities or communities
in space. Who knows what other opportunities that might create? The possibilities
are limitless.
Don't get me wrong. I am not condemning our running offense, for it is that
steady, unwavering approach that allowed
us to obtain security and dignity when we
were scattered about to different lands as
persecuted, penniless refugees. But our
running offense is beginning to get old and
our players are getting exhausted. We are
tired of fighting for the same empty results
with the same old methods. When we
cannot even manage to pass House Joint
au.3 ettPd-nw
Editor:
Randy Baloian
Assistant Editor:
Karen DeOrian
Staff:
Don Ara Arax
Vince Gambero
Aram K. Messerlian
Contributors:
Mark £. Agabashian
Zepur Aristakessian
Cecelia Garabedian Baloian
David Gabrielian
Bob Vartabedian
Edna J. Fetter
Advisors:
Barlow Der Mugrdechian
Mark Malkasian
Hye Sharzhoom is the official publication of the CSUF Armenian Students
Organization and the Armenian Studies
Program, and is funded by the Associated
Students. Articles may be reprinted
provided that Hye Sharzhoom is acknowledged.
Hye Sharzhoom welcomes prose, poetry, articles, manuscripts, and other material from its readers. For further information oncerning the newspaper or the
Armenian Studies Program, contact the
Armenian Studies Office (209) 294-2669
or the Ethnic Studies Office (209)294-2832.
Armenian Studies Program
CSU, Fresno
Fresno, CA 93740
Strangely, several of the surnames in
my family tree appear on Mr. Elish
Shekoyan's map of Fresno. My ancestors
came to Chicago from Harput in 1913. I:
shall be interested in corresponding with
persons in your area who may share the
same surnames—Sarkissian. (Another
has a slightlyaltered spelling, therefore it
probably is not the same name). Also, if
anyone there is majoring in psychology,
and needs my insight into the effects of the
adoption process on one's sense of self-
esteem or identity, I would be glad to
assist.
Sincerely,
Mary L. Foess
Central Elementary School
Division St. Room 3
Vassar, MI 48768
Resolution 192, which is such a small step
considering our collective goal, it means
that we are in dire need of changes. Not
minute, irrelevant changes, but changes
that deal oh an international level, changes
that exert a little leverage in our favor,
changes that are directly involved with the
future of our nation and its ultimate
end zone.
Only when our passing offense—our
organizations, our intelligentsia, our professionals, our politicians, our people—
has achieved significant gain in one area
or another, has opened a door, an opportunity for the world to listen, should we
utilize our running offense to apply the
final touch.
My intent here is not to make a static
analysis between a football game and a
national struggle, but rather to highlight
their similarities and differences, successes
and failures, and the tactics and strategies
with which to wage them. 1 want to open
channels, call for new perspectives. The (rOOfi WotW ^
thrust of my message, after all, is merely —
that—to stimulate new thinking, however
coarse or discomforting. Sometl Dear Editor:
important as a national movem<
justice and self-determination merit We always enjoy reading Hye Shar-
effort we have to make. zhoom. We feel strongly in your efforts
This letter is directed toward t and encourage you to continue. Enclosed
menian diaspora: its workers, its 1< please find a small donation towards your
its terrorists, its academicians, a efforts,
those in pursuit of the independe
our nation. It is from a young man
same category—spirited, angerec
frustrated by the Armenian situatii
intent is to disturb, to anger, to pr
aggressive thinking, to question tl
ditional Armenian frame of mind,
Armenians out of their terrible er Dear Editor
seats, and to put them on the playin
where the adversary threatens with I enjoy reading Hye Sharzhoom very
passing day. much. Please continue the good work you
Let us widen our peripheral i have started. We need this. Our third and
allow our minds to explore, create dil fourth generation American-Armenians
courses, pursue different avenues, bi are not into the Armenian stream and
every tunnel does not have a light need to be brought into it! Your paper is
end. And if we are to find our lig doing this, and I am very proud of you!
must look for it in every direction. Continued good luck. Use enclosed
check where most needed.
Sim
Sincerely,
S
Los Angele Mrs. Grace Gostanian
Fresno, CA
Sincerely,
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Drew
Fresno, CA
In search of Armen
Dear Editor:
Dear Dr. Kouymjian:
I have just finished reading the most
Words cannot express how muclrecent issue of Hye sharzhoom and was
enjoying your newspaper//ve5/jarz/gratified at learning of the tremendous
with each issue I am learning more good work you are doing at CSU Fresno,
my Armenian heritage: your hi You are setting a good example of how
feelings, and aspirations for the ft Armenian scholars can and should work
While an understanding of history ntogether and with the community to de-
we must live in the present andvdop a rich pr0gram which at the same
tinuously prepare for our future. I time serves scholarship and the Armenian
from reading your paper that someDeo_je
Armenians fear assimilation and a Enci'osed is a small donation as a show
among the third generation grandch of my support and to let you know that I
of immigrants. admire your work and wish you all good
Because I was not raised by my n;success in the future
parents, my adoptive family's an>
was quite different from my true heri Sincerely,
Only 16 months ago did I learn c
precious Armenian blood; I had go
years without knowing! Currently,
working with much energy and det
nation to gain as much knowled,
possible about Armenian religion, hi;
and, especially, my personal geneal£djtor.
In a sense, I was a victim of a differen
of assimilation—namely, the ado j have received Hye Sharzhoom for the
process. Nearly all adult adoptees hapast five years and have always enjoyed it.
knowledge of their real ancestry; a The articies \n y0Ur paper are always of
of the past is but a mere shadow, alhigh quahty pieaSe use this small donation
invisible at that. Open adoption re |