Vaհe H Apelian
Today, I read Boston 25 News that “after years of grappling with a migrant crisis the state has closed all emergency state shelters and motels, Gov. Maura Healey said Friday.” I did not understand and still do not understand who the migrants are to have created a crisis obviously because they are being housed in hotels and motels. Surely, anyone who has stayed in a hotel or a motel in Massachusetts, understands that it is a costly proposition one has to contend with for a reason, such as for an overnight stay while vacationing, travel on business etc. But to house a family in a hotel or a motel for shelter entails a long term stay and surely is inordinately costly way to house a family. If there is any party who absolutely has no problem with this housing method, are the owners of the motels and hotels who are guaranteed occupancy and assured payment.
AI overview tells me that “ A migrant is someone who moves from one place to another, either within their own country or across borders, often for reasons such as seeking better economic opportunities, education, or to join family. They are not necessarily fleeing persecution or violence like refugees. The term can encompass a wide range of situations and motivations for movement.” Governor Healy owes us an explanation, who are the migrants and why are they housed in hotels and motels?
Upon further reading, I read that “Confronting more than $1 billion in annual costs tied to the state’s emergency assistance family shelter system, the Healey administration rolled out a suite of new reforms Fridau//” Whoever these migrant needy families are, they surely tax the state of Massachusetts $1 billion annually.
Reading about the current migrant crisis, I was reminded of the early migrant Armenians who came to United States to better their lives. They surely were not met by a government that housed them in a hotel or a motel. I imagine staying in a hotel or a motel was not even in their wildest dreams.
The state of Massachusetts was a magnet for early Armenian migrants. I imagine they were migrants and not immigrants. Many just secured a passage on a trans-Atlantic ship and got off of the ship when the ship anchored in a U.S. seaport and many headed to Worcester, MA because for them “Worcester is America”. (An actual quote Dr. Hagop Martin Deranian used as a title for his book.)
It occurred to me to check with Mark Arslan, who provided me his extensive data base he has painstakingly prepared. After familiarizing myself with the data base and the search options he has provided, I checked where these early Armenian migrants sheltered themselves when they came to Worcester, MA where Southbridge Street seemed to have become popular street for these early Armenian migrants.
I read that ten Armenians, not all necessarily had the same family name, housed themselves in 50 Southbridge Street. They were all males. Their names were: Kalust, Haroutiun, Mourad, Tavit, Manoug, Parsegh, Aghajan, Levon, Krikor, Kevork.
In 114 southbridge Steet, five Armenian males lived within a short frame of time. Their names were: Bedros, Hagop, Haroutiun, Antranig, Hampartsoum.
In 130 Southbridge Street, six Armenian males with that short frame of time. Their names were: Margos, Asadour, Toros, Haroutiun, Soukias, Garabed.
These three cohabitation addresses are just examples of a common trend. Mark Arslan’s extensive database has over 180,000 such entries. Similar situation can be encountered in all the cities they went.
They were mostly males, who would work hard, to establish themselves to form families of their own and they did. Dr. Albert Apelian in his fictional novel “Ash-Kar” wrote about these men’s drive to have families of their own and about their marriages.
I am reminded of the proverbial Chinese saying that says if you give a fish to person, you feed him one day and if you teach the person how to fish, you help him feed himself a lifetime.These early Armenian males in all likelihood did not have someone to teach them. They thought themselves and left an enduring legacy to emulate.
How about these migrants who have catapulted a crisis in the State of Massachusetts? Something is amiss somewhere.
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