It has taken me many years, and lots of self-control, to not respond
to the false allegations thrown at anyone living in the Glendale-La
Crescenta--La Canada area who has the audacity to question the
self-appointed Armenian leadership.
The dissenters to their ideology have been labeled as "Odars"
(others), bigots, anti-Armenian and racist. Anti-Semite and homophobe are
two new labels added to their attack jargon.
Armenians living in our area do not sing the same song. The majority
of Armenians are Grigorians. There are also Catholics, Protestants,
Mormons, atheists, Greek Orthodox, agnostics, Democrats, Republicans,
Greens, Socialists, Progressives and many other religious and political
beliefs and persuasions. The self-appointed Armenian leadership has
systematically suppressed any dissent in the Armenian community by
calling them anti-Armenian.
The majority of Armenians living in our area are immigrants from Iran,
Lebanon and the ex-Soviet Republic of Armenia. The lack of genuine civic
society and democracy in their home countries has created a sense of fear
and self-censorship. The so-called Armenian leadership, taking advantage
of these fears, has suppressed open and free public discourse by labeling
and in some cases using physical intimidation.
I would like to ask all the Armenians living in our area to come out
of the self-censorship closet and free themselves from the fears of
intimidation. Remember the words of Franklin Roosevelt, who said "We have
nothing to fear but fear itself." Some of the victims should consider
libel actions, to remind those people that we live in a democracy.
Shame on all those who use intimidation and name-calling to suppress
all those who dare to be different.
VAHAN ALADADI
Glendale
