How I stood in these trying times?

 N THESE TRYING TIMES: Attached are my postings on my Facebook page pertaining to prime minister Nikol Pachinyan’s visit to Turkey to attend the inauguration of the newly elected president of Turkey, Erdogan. The PM’s visit was not a historic visit although in the age of social media it was earth shattering for the Armenian world. Was the visit a diplomatic necessity for the Republic of Armenia or was it not a diplomatic necessity and consequently a failure? That will be for the future historians to debate. Attached is how I stood. Vahe H. Apelian

Courtesy Garo Konyalian

June 3, 2023 

GODSPEED: I wish the prime minister of Armenia Godspeed as he embarks on his journey to Turkey.

***** 

June 4, 2023

MAY GOD HELP: God help the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pachinyan and give me him fortitude, courage in pain and in adversity, as he deals with powerful, arrogant, SOBs. Asdouatz hedt varchabed - Աստուած հետդ վարչապետ։

*****

June 5, 2023

WAS IT A DIPLOMATIC FAILURE? The PM’s visit was not a historic visit although in the age of social media it was earth shattering for the Armenian world.  

Was PM Pachinyans's visit a diplomatic necessity for the Republic of Armenia or was it not a diplomatic necessity? That will be for the historians to comment or debate. Nikol Pachinyan’s diplomatic venture lasted two days. The First Republic's diplomatic venture led by Avedis Aharonian, lasted six weeks, from June 13 to August 31, 1918. IF the PM Nikol Pachinyan’s visit led to one less border skirmish and one less Armenian soldier being killed, it was a diplomatic success in my book, although it’s an IF. 

But there is more that is going on here, much more than the PM’s diplomatic visit. IT also has nothing to do with the diplomatic visit for IT will be going on with the same pace or vigor, even if the PM had not paid a diplomatic visit. 

We are being tested as never before at least since 1915. We are in a process of change. I quote Anatole France: " All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of our-selves; we must die to one life before we can enter into another!" We are dying for one life to enter another and that life will be as good and as bad as we make it. We have to be cognizant of the necessity to confront and adapt to the inevitable change.

It may not have happened, but it profoundly rings true that when "When Winston Churchill was asked to cut arts funding in favor of the war effort, he simply replied, ‘then what are we fighting for?" It the end the Armenians are also fighting to safeguard their lives, honor, possession and culture. “Peace in the region” is a policy and like any other policy it will regretfully but likely excise lives, property loss.

There is no policy for us that does not have a cost to bear. 

Whatever is the cost of “peace in the region” Armenia’s policy, it cannot take our culture and dignity away if we do not give them away. Patronizing or sermon like, this may sound. but it remains true in my book that no one can take away your culture and dignity if you do not give them away.

 *****

 

June 6, 2023

WAR STRATEGY: “What king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.”—Luke 14:31-32. Thank you Hagop Toroyan Hagop Toroyan for alluding to this biblical passage. 

This time around the king of 3 million confronting the King of 80 million. In plain English “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace."

 *****

June 6, 2023

THEY FAILED US - In no uncertain terms the two heads of the Armenian Apostolic Church failed the Armenian people they are called upon to pastor during this existential period of the Armenian history. I was expecting that the two religious heads of the Apostolic church, would pray for the safety and security of the PM and ask God to grant him fortitude as he confronts the enemy on behalf of the people. In my view, in this historic junction, they miserably failed both as religious leaders and, in their quest, to also act as civic, if not political leaders in charge marshalling the destiny of their flock, the Armenian nation.

*****

June 6, 2023

THAT IS AN ECHO NOT AN ACT – Echo is defined as “a sound or series of sounds caused by the reflection of sound waves from a surface back to the listener.” A person's or an organization's, be it civic or religious, claim for the self determination of the Armenians of Artsakh is not an act on behalf of the people of Artsakh. It is simply a sentimental echo.