Numbers Sway Us

 Vahe H. Apelian

According to Varoujan Bedrossian, a mathematician, the decimal system, that is the quantifying system based on 10, was very likely used way before the common era, probably because we have ten fingers. The decimal system was formalized in the late 18th century in France as the “Système Internationale”. This International System of Units is the modern form of the metric system and is the most widely used system of measurement. The notable exceptions are England and the U.S. Thankfully the foot is not the measure of the king’s foot anymore.

Numbers are numbers, they, form the basis for counting and measuring and thus give us a quantifying difference between objects.  But they also seem to have a hold on our imagination and have bearing on our social perceptions. Most do not abide by the implication of such social perceptions but note to paint a lighter side of our social norms.

 Let us consider Let us consider the number 1, the basic unit. One is in a class of its own as it is the fundamental unit. Is not for that reason we revere number 1 and allude to something or someone as one of a kind?

 Other prominent numbers that come to my mind are 3, 7, 9 and 10. 

I can surmise for the social prominence of some of these numbers. For example, the line that joins 2 points form the straight line  and is the shortest distance between two points. It also is the basis of Euclidian geometry. Add another point and the lines that join 3 points onto each other form the most stable plane and constitute the basic space geometry.  Add another point to the 3 points and have lines join those four points together de-stabilizes the plane and the plane will be compromised. Therein may be a reason for revering the magical power of number 3. It expands the reach of 2 numbers altogether and forms the fundamental unit of stable structure. It also seems to be the minimal number to ascertain the probability of something. 

Number 7 has a magical hold on our imagination. From a sunrise to the next constitutes a day. Seven of these consecutive events have come to form a week.  The seventh day is the sabbath, driven from Arabic word seventh and is a sacred day in the monotheistic culture. It does need to be the same day of the week. In the book of Revelation, the dragon has seven heads, as the ultimate beast. The seventh letter in the Armenian alphabet is the revered letter "Է" which is thought to mean the Being and is seen hung high on the altar of the Armenian Apostolic Church. God created the world in seven days, including the day God rested after six days of toil.

There is of course the infamous 8th ball. I think it means being in tight spot. But I read that it also has different connotations.

Number 9 also captures our imagination. Going from 9 to 10 is another count but a huge leap forward. That is why the prices of prepackaged items in grocery stores overwhelmingly end in 9, such as 9.99 but not 10. A gallon of gas we purchase never seems to round up. Nowadays, it may be $4.499/10 per gallon but never $4.50. The latter does seem way too expensive than the former. Does it not?  

Number 10 is the crowning number of our decimal counting system. It also has religious significance. Way before our decimal countdown system was officiated, God revealed to Moses ten commandments.  Centuries later, it is said that David Letterman’s greatest late-night show legacy was his nightly “Top 10” list. Being in the top 10 is being in a separate, mostly, in an enviable league. But we cannot discount number 12. Would we not rather gift a dozen of roses on a Valentine's Day?

Well before the decimal system, the ancient Babylonians, Greeks had their measuring system based on the number 60. Varoujan Bedrossian thinks that the ancient world picked 60 because it has the highest number of divisors. 60 is divisible by 2,3,4,5,6,10 yielding whole numbers not fractions. Measurement based on 60 is still carried to this day, as noted earlier. An hour is 60 minutes, a minute is 60 seconds. A circle is 6x60=360 degrees, and the sum total of the angles of a triangle is 3x60=180 degrees.

During the last few decades, number 6 has sneaked in and has been asserting itself. For example,……  

“Six degrees of separation”, I have often heard of the expression, but I do know what it really means. There was a play named the same. It might have come about after the play. According to Wikipedia, it “is the theory that any person on the planet can be connected to any other person on the planet through a chain of acquaintances that has no more than five intermediaries.”  

Another expression is “Six feet under”. The message there is pretty evident and has come about rather recently. Wikipedia notes:  “Although this expression alludes to what has long been the traditional depth of a grave, that is, approximately the same as the length of the coffin, it dates only from the mid-1900s.” The length of a coffin being six feet makes sense because the average height of an adult male in the U.S. is 5 feet 9 inches. Women on average tend to be shorter. Such a coffin would not have held President Lincoln’s body. Surely, there are exceptions to general norms. 

As to the depth of a grave. Wikipedia states: “To meet regulations the average single depth grave is about 3-4 feet deep. Six feet under seems to be only a figment of our imagination. 

And very recently its “Six Feet Apart", which is poised to dominate our social interactions henceforth. It is the distance between two individuals to keep a socially accepted distance. The process of staying apart is termed "social distancing". But this distance apparently has not come about arbitrarily. According to Wikipedia “The "6 feet of distance" rule comes from studies of respiratory physiology, said Dr. William Schaffner, infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University.”

We have come about expressions that allude to a number and have accepted them more as a social thing than something to abide by. But I hope that the six feet apart “social distancing” will have a short life and we will do away with it sooner rather than later. 

But we never found out. Six feet apart, much like six degrees of separation, may sway the public’s imagination for the coming many generations.

 

Numbers Do Sway Our Imagination

Vahe H. Apelian

Today, May 13, 2022, happens to be a Friday the 13^th. I do not know why we hold the Friday the 13^th as ominous. I understand that many elevators in buildings do not have a 13^th floor marked.

Number 13 is based on decimal numbering system. 

According to Varoujan Bedrossian, a mathematician, the decimal system, that is the quantifying system based on 10, was very likely used way before the common era, probably because we have ten fingers. The decimal system was formalized in the late 18th century in France as the “Système Internationale”. This International System of Units is the modern form of the metric system and is the most widely used system of measurement. The notable exceptions are England and the U.S. Thankfully the foot is not the measure of the king’s foot anymore.

Numbers are numbers, they, form the basis for counting and measuring and thus give us a quantifying difference between objects.  But they also seem to have a hold on our imagination and have bearing on our social perceptions. Most do not abide by the implication of such social perceptions but note to paint a lighter side of our social norms.

 Let us consider Let us consider the number 1, the basic unit. One is in a class of its own as it is the fundamental unit. Is not for that reason we revere number 1 and allude to something or someone as one of a kind?

 Other prominent numbers that come to my mind are 3, 7, 9 and 10. 

I can surmise for the social prominence of some of these numbers. For example, the line that joins 2 points form the straight line  and is the shortest distance between two points. It also is the basis of Euclidian geometry. Add another point and the lines that join 3 points onto each other form the most stable plane and constitute the basic space geometry.  Add another point to the 3 points and have lines join those four points together de-stabilizes the plane and the plane will be compromised. Therein may be a reason for revering the magical power of number 3. It expands the reach of 2 numbers altogether and forms the fundamental unit of stable structure. It also seems to be the minimal number to ascertain the probability of something. 

Number 7 has a magical hold on our imagination. From a sunrise to the next constitutes a day. Seven of these consecutive events have come to form a week.  The seventh day is the sabbath, driven from Arabic word seventh and is a sacred day in the monotheistic culture. It does need to be the same day of the week. In the book of Revelation, the dragon has seven heads, as the ultimate beast. The seventh letter in the Armenian alphabet is the revered letter "Է" which is thought to mean the Being and is seen hung high on the altar of the Armenian Apostolic Church. God created the world in seven days, including the day God rested after six days of toil.

There is of course the infamous 8th ball. I think it means being in tight spot. But I read that it also has different connotations.

Number 9 also captures our imagination. Going from 9 to 10 is another count but a huge leap forward. That is why the prices of prepackaged items in grocery stores overwhelmingly end in 9, such as 9.99 but not 10. A gallon of gas we purchase never seems to round up. Nowadays, it may be $4.499/10 per gallon but never $4.50. The latter does seem way too expensive than the former. Does it not?  

Number 10 is the crowning number of our decimal counting system. It also has religious significance. Way before our decimal countdown system was officiated, God revealed to Moses ten commandments.  Centuries later, it is said that David Letterman’s greatest late-night show legacy was his nightly “Top 10” list. Being in the top 10 is being in a separate, mostly, in an enviable league. But we cannot discount number 12. Would we not rather gift a dozen of roses on a Valentine's Day?

Well before the decimal system, the ancient Babylonians, Greeks had their measuring system based on the number 60. Varoujan Bedrossian thinks that the ancient world picked 60 because it has the highest number of divisors. 60 is divisible by 2,3,4,5,6,10 yielding whole numbers not fractions. Measurement based on 60 is still carried to this day, as noted earlier. An hour is 60 minutes, a minute is 60 seconds. A circle is 6x60=360 degrees, and the sum total of the angles of a triangle is 3x60=180 degrees.

During the last few decades, number 6 has sneaked in and has been asserting itself. For example,……  

“Six degrees of separation”, I have often heard of the expression but I do know what it really means. There was a play named the same. It might have come about after the play. According to Wikipedia, it “is the theory that any person on the planet can be connected to any other person on the planet through a chain of acquaintances that has no more than five intermediaries.”  

Another expression is “Six feet under”. The message there is pretty evident and has come about rather recently. Wikipedia notes:  “Although this expression alludes to what has long been the traditional depth of a grave, that is, approximately the same as the length of the coffin, it dates only from the mid-1900s.” The length of a coffin being six feet makes sense because the average height of an adult male in the U.S. is 5 feet 9 inches. Women on average tend to be shorter. Such a coffin would not have held President Lincoln’s body. Surely, there are exceptions to general norms. 

As to the depth of a grave. Wikipedia states: “To meet regulations the average single depth grave is about 3-4 feet deep. Already we see that two out of the three grave depths are deeper than 6 feet (or 1.8 meters). Triple depth is significantly deeper and double depth is noticeably deeper, being almost 7 feet”. Six feet under seems to be only a figment of our imagination. 

And very recently its “Six Feet Apart", which is poised to dominate our social interactions henceforth. It is the distance between two individuals to keep a socially accepted distance. The process of staying apart is termed "social distancing". But this distance apparently has not come about arbitrarily. According to Wikipedia “The "6 feet of distance" rule comes from studies of respiratory physiology, said Dr. William Schaffner, infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University.”

We have come about expressions that allude to a number and have accepted them more as a social thing than something to abide by. But I hope that the six feet apart “social distancing” will have a short life and we will do away with it sooner rather than later. 

But we never found out. Six feet apart, much like six degrees of separation, may sway the public’s imagination for the coming many generations.

As to Friday the 13th, those interest may read the attached: https://www.ibtimes.com/friday-13th-history-origins-myths-superstitions-unlucky-day-395108?fbclid=IwAR2pott_mpoJJmE8hPIXNS8G_fV9sdA_QASQnZZIu-s2u_HcLU7dEFrtoYs#:~:text=The%20origin%20of%20fears%20surrounding%20Friday%20the%2013,13%20is%20omitted%20in%20the%20list%20of%20laws

 

My First Job Interview

Vahe H. Apelian

Robert Glockler and I in Orlando, Florida 

My first job interview in America remains the more memorable among the many first-time experiences I had in the New World, after I landed in the J.F. Kennedy Airport on July 9, 1976, as another immigrant. The Bicentennial Celebration had barely ended. 

The interview was with the American Cynamid Corporation, which has long folded away. According to Wikipedia it was a leading American conglomerate that became one of the nation's top 100 manufacturing companies during the 1970s. Apprehensive as I was to be punctual and yet not too early, I lingered around the building and presented myself to the receptionist just few minutes before the appointment time. I was asked to wait, but the wait was getting longer than I thought it would. An ominous sign I thought to myself. Who, I wandered, would take genuine interest, and offer a job to a newcomer like me who is not a local graduate and has no local work experience? Let alone to the fact that I had no experience in the field I wanted to make a career – pharmaceutics – other than relevant education.

I was immersed in my thoughts when a very distinguished looking gentleman stepped out and met me. He apologized for the delay and escorted me to his office and had me seated on a chair across his desk. He then welcomed me in Arabic to my total surprise. I asked him how is that he has learned Arabic. Adding further excitement to my initial surprise, he told me that he was born and raised in Lebanon and that his father was a longstanding employee of the American University of Beirut (AUB), my alma mater.  We started chatting about Lebanon and AUB to break ice, but I remained distracted at the sight of his nameplate on his desk facing me. It spelled his name, Robert Glockler. The last name appeared very familiar to me, even though it is not a common name one would ordinarily encounter. Looking back, I wander if my natural inclination to wander off had not become all too evident by my distraction to my detriment.

Let me deviate from the interview in the next paragraph.

My late maternal uncle Dr. Antranig Chalabian had collaborated with Dr. Stanley Kerr’s in the publication of his book titled “The Lions of Marash”. The Kerrs resided in Trenton, NJ. It turned out they socialized with the Glocklers. Henry Wilfrid Glockler was an employee of the American University of Beirut and was deported at the onset of the World War I into the interior of the Ottoman Empire because he was a British subject and Great Britain had declared war against Turkey. He thus had become an eyewitness to the atrocities committed against the Armenian subjects of the Empire. He had his eyewitness accounts penned down. The manuscript that was written in 1918 had remained dormant in Henry W. Glockler’s archives. Upon the recommendation of Dr. Stanley Kerr, he had sent his manuscript to Antranig Chalabian who had it edited, found sponsors, and had the memoirs published as a book.

Having made a connection to the name on the nameplate I was facing, I digressed from the conversation and in the spur of the moment blurted out if he was, by any chance, related to Henry Glockler. From the looks of his face, it became apparent that he was caught by surprise. He told me that Henry was his father and wondered how was it that I had heard of his name. Without going into the details, not mentioning that I had accompanied my uncle to the printer’s shop, nor did I mention that I had read the book, I said instead that Antranig Chelebian is my uncle. He responded something to the effect that it was a small world indeed and that he had heard so much about him from his father.

“Interned in Turkey 1914-1918” by Henry Wilfrid Glockler was published in 1969 by Simon Simonian’s Sevan Press in Beirut. It is 154 pages long. The book is “Dedicated To the thousands of innocent Armenian men, women and children of Ourfa, Turkey, who perished amid the horrors of the infamous [Armenian] genocide of 1915-18.”

My interview with Robert Glockler took a new turn. The formalities for the job interview gave way to a new discovered familiarity. He invited me for lunch at the company’s cafeteria and I stayed with him in his office long after that.

Not too long after my interview, I got an invitation to the company’s research facility in Princeton, NJ. When I presented myself there, I found out that all the department heads were lined up to interview me for a job opening commensurate with my education and the level of experience I had. I am sure that Robert Glockler had made that possible for me. I do not know how my interview went. Almost right after the interview I noted to the company that I received a job offer from the Schering-Plough Corporation, that ceased to exist as well. This time around it was thanks to Henry Apelian, a relative, who was the director at the company’s international division. He had recommended and presented me for an interview. I was offered a job that set me in my career path.

My first job interview in America became a source of comfort for me. My immediate and extended family members were still in Lebanon. I was away from home and by myself, but I felt that I was not all alone.

Decades passed and my career during the following more than three decades spanned in pharmaceutical companies. 

In January 2013, I had an article posted in Keghart.com regarding my first job interview. I had titled the article “Memorable Interview’. A few months after the posting of the article, I received an email. At first glance it did not dawn on me as who could the sender be. The name  did not seem familiar. Reading the email, I was stunned to find out that it was from the very person with whom I had my first interview. The sender of the email was Robert Glocker. In the email, he had noted to me that friends had brought the article to the attention of his brother. His brother in turn had sent him the link. After reading the article he had tracked down my email and contacted me letting me know that he was very pleased to read my article.  

Having thus connected, we continued corresponding with each other. I found out that he had retired and moved to Florida with his wife. 

One thing led to another and in December 2014, we met in Orlando, where we had gone for an end of the year family vacation. It was Robert who drove to meet me. Our paths had crossed once and that was thirty-eight years ago. But we acted as if we were old friends who met with each other to catch up on things that had transpired in their lives during the past many and many years. I thus ended up spending a memorable day with Robert as old friends would.

Study Hard and Be a Law-Abiding Citizen

Vahe H. Apelian

Սեղմել Հայերէն տարբերակը, եթէ կը փափաքիք հայերէնով կարդալ պլակը

 

1962 Sourp (Saint) Nishan Armenian School Graduates with Teachers and Principle
Seated Catholicos Khoren Paroian, then Prelate.

Surely it is personal, but I felt extremely aghast seeing on the social media, a vibrant and a beautiful young Armenian girl who appeared somewhat hesitant carrying a bouquet of black flowers with the Turkish flag planted in the vase, ring the bell of the Armenian Embassy or Armenian ambassador’s residence and present the flower arrangement to the lady who opened the door. What was disturbing to me is the realization the senior AYF member who had directed this young girl to do this act, did not accompany her but stood away, in anonymity, filming the sad episode and posted it on the social media. 

What was much more disturbing to me was the claim of a highly placed member of the AYF/ARF ranks that she is proud of the youth doing such acts of "resistance". Yes, I cannot condone and remain indifferent and silent and not voice my indignation for leading our youth in such a manner. Sadly, that was not the single episode that AYF posted that disturbed me. (Read: "Armenian Ambassador Assaulted in Compressional Building", Mirror Spectator, May 3, 2022). Watch: AYF Eastern Region FB post, whose members are trailing Armenian Ambassador Lilit Makunts, calling her a traitor and shouting at her to leave the U.S. April 18, 2022 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsdVmA5Pamg)

I was not brought out that way although my entire youth and beyond was spent within ARF affiliated youth organizations. I was among the founding member of the YOARF - Youth Organization of ARF in 1972. These episodes reminded me of my teachers in the Armenian schools I attended from kindergarten to my acceptance to the American University of Beirut.

My teachers in the Armenian school were overwhelmingly Armenians who taught us all the subjects that a high school teaches to its students, especially that we had to pass government mandate examinations to progress in our academic pursuits. They taught us science, math, history, naturally including Armenian history, languages, and yes, Christian education as well. They may not have been “certified” teachers, as we expect from our teachers nowadays. They were not necessarily trained with pedagogical courses. Some were writers, editors of Armenian literary journals, Armenian college students, but they had our best interest in their hearts, much like a parent has.

They appealed to our better nature and to our hope. They would tell us that we may not see Armenia independent, that our children may not see Armenia independent either, but that it would become reality one day. Meanwhile, they urged us to study hard, and would tell us that we had to work much, much harder to be able to compete with the native locals. We did just that, applied ourselves hard. Not necessarily by continuing our schooling, but also by learning a trade as many of my classmates left school early on and apprenticed in a trade and became very successful in their trades.

Along with the work ethic they instilled in us, they told us to become a law-abiding citizen, and loyal to the government of our country, and respectful to its officials. In our little minds we would argue, what would happen in case of war and Armenians would be drafted in the armies of warring nations.

Acts of "Resistance"

Throughout those years and to this day I have not encountered a Diaspora Armenian depict his or her country’s president or PM the way some  Diaspora Armenians are depicting the PM of Armenia. Yes, we had justifiable reasons at times in the Diaspora to stand against the government of the countries of whom we consider ourselves no less an equal citizen. In 1960’s the Syrian government nationalized our schools and appointed party officials as principles in the schools we had built. In 1961, they imprisoned many Armenians, including my maternal uncle, an ARF leader, on charges of treason. During their trial, the Syrian newspapers, to their credit, did not label them traitors. And after a lengthy trial, those who were exonerated, like my maternal uncle, were welcomed by their Syrian coworkers, or business partners, neighbors, and friends.  

But I see a dichotomy in the Diaspora Armenian psyche. I cannot envision a Diaspora Armenian treating his or her country’s ambassador with such contempt I saw this young girl directed to present a bouquet of black flowers with a Turkish flag; or the young Armenian men walking a few feet behind the ambassador  of Armenia and calling her a traitor and telling her to move away. Yes, I have not yet encountered such acts by members of Diaspora Armenian youth organization against their countries’ ambassador in a foreign land,  be the ambassador of U.S., Syria, Lebanon, Russia or of any other country. But the Armenian youth is directed and instructed, if not weaponized, to single out and not to offer the same courtesy to Armenia's ambassador in the U.S. or in another country.

No doubt we are facing existential threats. We have different visions as to best address these existential threats. But there cannot be legitimacy in bringing change through “extra-parliamentary” opposition in the Diaspora. Nor Diaspora can galvanize itself against the inevitable to endure longer, when leaders of the community instill such hatred, by words and deeds, against the representatives of the Republic of Armenia and direct the youth to do the same.

 I quote Stepan Piligian, even though he may have stated it in a different context. But the message is unequivocal to me. I quote: “Simply put, if the democratic institutions of Armenia are not supported in this transition, then what is the point of sovereignty”. Yes, indeed, what is the point, be it a sovereign, free and independent Armenia if its democratic institutions are not safeguarded in Armenia and Diaspora does not lend support to forge "a better union" in Armenia as well. 

 

Let Us Extend Helping Hand - Ձառք Ձառա Ուտունք

Father Hamazasp Kechichian 

 

Գերոնքը էմըն տարա, - The spring every year,

Աշխէրհէս ըրվան, - all over the world,

Հայաթ կը բիրի։ - heralds life.

Ծաղկօծ ծառիրը, - Trees flowering,

Էվչող չըտտիրը, - birds chirping,

Կանաչ լառռօնքը, - the mountains greened,

էնօշ ծաղկօնքը, - sweet flowers,

Սիերտիդ կը բենուն, - invigorate your heart,

Նուր գուվօդ կու տուն։ - give new resolve.

Ըմմը մի հեմօր, - However, for us,

Ըղով ըրք տարա, - it has been three years,

Միր աչուեն չըտըսնեն - our eyes do not see,

Էնուշութիւնը գերընքվին - the sweetness of the spring

Չումքի մաճիրէն ըրք էմսըվին - Because we were refugees for three months, 

Թէսըրը հա էվըլնու ուրթիլուօն։ - misfortunes  are piling as time goes by.

Շուօտ մուօրդ անցով գընուօց, - Many people came by and left,

Վըրբ իթուօղ, տուօնը տէտէն, պէպկուօն - leaving the ancestral home father, and grandfather,

Հընտանա, դուօր դըռացա չըմընուօց: - relatives, next-door neighbor, did not remain.

Կանաչ Ծառիրը չարցուն, - The green trees dried up,

Պախչընէն օրման դարձուն։ - the orchards went wild,

Նա ին նա ճին հա գըտնէս, - not a soul, you find,

Կը խընտուօս թի թուօղը մուօրդ տըսնէս։- you rejoice should you see a person in the neighberhood.

Ընծաս մինք եո՞ հարթունք,- Where are we heading this way?

դըքըր ե՞րբ պըր դիմենունք։ - How long will we be able to endure?

Սապըր հա ինինք, ըմմը հիշտ չի- We are being patient, but that is not easy,

Մեվսըմը ծախիս գէն չունա, - whole season's sale fetches no income,

Պըր դետես բուն չըգըտնըվա։ - you want to work, but can’t find work.

Ճահիլնէն դուրիցի գեցեն, The young went away,

էսքերլըքէն, իհդիադէն խելըսիլը, կարդիլը, - either enlisted, avoiding the reserves, or for education5

եա բուն բեթվիլը, դետըլը հեմուօր։- eiither looking for a job, or for working,

Միրիրը տետիրը չըդիմեցուն - the mothers and the fathers could not cope,

Իրինց չուճուգնէն հառռօ մընիլիէն, - With their children being away)

Ճամբոյ իլուն իրինց իդիդիէն։ - they hit the road, after them.

Գեցողը հայուրթու, մընեցողը հա մընու, - Those for going, leave; those for staying, stay

Աստուօծ ալըննէն հիտ թըղ ըննու, - let God be with all ofthem.

Հայ էսինք, քէչ մըլի սապըր, աղուր պըր ըննու։ - We say to ourselves, let us stay put up a bit longer, things will be fine,

Աստուօծ լըսսի, ալէք բուն թըղ աղուրնու, (May God hear and let everythig be fine)

Ուվ կառնու թըղ եիտ դառնու. (Whoever can, let them return)

Չումքի առունց շըննըք առունց կենճիր, (Because without people, without the young)

Չուօց Քեսուօպը պըր պիհինք ըղիր։(How are we to keep Kessab?)

Ումուօտ կ՚ունենք, պըր ուղուրդա (We have hope that it will be alright)

Հառռունց զայիվ լօյս հա տըսնըվա։ (We see a dim light in the far)

Գուվուօդ սաղլըք քեսպըցիցը քեսպու, (Endurance, good health to the Kessabtis in Kessab)

Իրինց սայէն Քեսուօպ դառ մի հա մընու (Because of them, Kessab is remaining)

Պիտա ալէյիս բուն մը ինինք, (We should all do something)

Զօրթ մը իրինց եարտըմինք։ (And assist them a bit)

«Քէսուօպ Ղուրպուն ըննում քի» (“Kessab, I long for your”)

էսիլը իսուօր ալ հիրէք չի։ (Saying is not enough, anymore)

Պիտա տուշմըշըննունք, հուգ ինինք, (We should empathize, we should care)

Քի պարապուօր ձառ ըրկենցընինք։ (To extend an equal hand)

Քեսպըցէք կ՚ունէնք աշխուօրքիս միէկ (We have Kessabtsis all over the world)

Ըտնենք միէկըզմէկ, ճուղուտվենք, (Let us find each other, let us come together)

Ֆըրանսա, Պօրըթ, Ամիրքա (France, Beirut, America)

Իմարաթ, Աւըսթրալիա, Ͻանատա (Emirates, Australia, Canada)

Հայաստան, դըքըր Չինաստան։ (Armenia, all the way to China)

Ձառ ձառա ուտունք լելօկ, աղբար, (Let us give hands, brother, sister)

Քեսօպ հա դարկըվա (Kessab is being depopulate)

Վուօղը էնգուն կ՚ըննու, (Tomorrow will be late)

փուշմանիլը չէ ֆայտա։ (Regretting does not help)

Հեսնենք հընտենուօցը, քեսպըցիցը միր, (Let us reach out to our Kessabtsi relatives)

Եարտըմինք, սիէրտ ուտունք, (Let us assist, let us give them heart) 

Եօլ գըտնենք, բուն բենունք, (Let us find a way, let us start work)

Իշինք չուօց իրինց կռնուօկ ըննունք։ (Let us see how can we back them)

Քեսօպը միր պէպկըննիրէն մարաս ի քի, (Kessab of our grandfathers is a legacy)

Ընծի, միր էվլատնէն, (To us and to our children)

Միր վըզզէն պուօրտքն ի տիէր ըննիլ (It’s our our obligation to assume ownership)

Միր լիզվէն իլան ատաթնէն, (Of our language and our customs)

Հեսցընինք զիրինք միր թոռըննէն։ (Pass them on to our grandchildren) 

 

 

Translated: Vahe H. Apelian, May 17, 2017

 

Krikor Zohrab on Simon Zavarian: Heart Breaking News:

Krikor Zohrab

Բնագիրը՝ Գրիգոր Զոհրապի Սիմոն Զաւարեանի մահուան բօթը, կցուած է։

Attached is my translation of Krikor Zohrab (1861-1915) mourning the death of Simon Zavarian (1866-1913). The eulogy is also a study in contrasts. Krikor Zohrab loved luxury and lived lavishly but obviously had remained at owe at the modesty and devotion to the Armenian Cause,  Zavarian, his junior, embodied. Vahe H. Apelian

He was one of them, one of the select group of those who stepped forward on a day, and dashed forward to realize the unrealizable.

Herein lies the Great Art – to dash forward in everything and everywhere. Therein lies the Great Honor - to walk every moment against danger, against prison, against the gallows and walk unassured of the impending.

And for the next 20 years, this became the life of these young men. They have already aged.  This became a ravishing epic, and an unbelievable novel that is called the Armenian Revolution.

Simon Zavarian was one of them. Until the very end he worshiped the Truth, the ultimate of the gods. He remained true to good Conscience, the noblest of all religions. He had the unluckiest of all loves, the Love of his nation.

We always found him on call for his duty, so much so that he did not have time to think of his rights. The rights were for others, his was the duty. This was Zavarian in a nutshell. His sacred conviction rendered him to live the life of a destitute, without complaint but with joy and died just like that too. Our age likes the opposites. Against the products of undignifying capitalism driven careerism, suddenly brings forth a Zavarian.

Also, another singular contrast was that the man with a small body was the respectful embodiment of the Great Revolution. In his simplicity and modesty, he always remained away from the limelight and commotion. Labor became his motto to the very end, to the very last moment.

At the end, this life of austerity emaciated him. Outwardly he maintained the vigor, but the fatigue was palpable on his face. The physicians prescribed him rest, but he continued his work. The signs of an imminent calamity mounted, but Zavarian was engrossed in his work. However, one day, at the very end, he felt compelled to confide to a friend.

-           I feel very weak

He was dying but he never gave in to go to bed. On his way to his work, right in front of his office building, what came to symbolize his life, he succumbed. He died much like Ceaser of Rome, on his feet.

October 19, 1913

*****

ԲՕԹ

Մին էր անոնցմէ, այն կամաւորներու պզտիկ խումբէն՝ որոնք օրին մէկը անհնարին երազ մըիրականացնելու համար առաջ նետուեցան։

Ահա մեծ Արուեստը` առաջ նետուիլ, ամեն բանի մէջ եւ ամեն տեղ։ Ահա մեծ Պատիւը՝ ամենվայրկեան վտանգի դէմ, բանտին դեմ, կախաղանին դէմ քալել եւ քալել անվստահ։

Եւ այս եղաւ քսան տարի շարունակ կեանքը այս երիտասարդներուն, այսօր ծերեր արդէն.այս եղաւ սխրալի դիւցազներգութիւնը եւ անհաւատալի վէպը՝ որ Հայկական Յեղափոխութիւն կըկոչուի։

Սիմոն Զաւարեան մին էր անոնցմէ. անիկա աստուածներու գերագոյնը՝ Ճշմարտութիւնըպաշտեց մինչեւ վերջը, կրօնքներուն ազնուագոյնին կապուած մնաց՝ Խղճմտանքին. սէրերունամենէն դժբաղդը ունեցաւ՝ Ազգի սէրը։

Միշտ իր պարտականութիւնը կատարելու զբաղած գտանք զինքը՝ այնքան որ ատենչունեցաւ իր իրաւունքին վրայ մտածելու. Իրաւունքը ուրիշներունն էր. Պարտականութիւնը՝ իրենը.ահա՛ բոլոր Զաւարեանը։ Եւ սուրբ համոզումը անիկա ընչազուրկներուն կեանքովը ապրեցաւ, առանց տրտունջի, զուարթութեամբ եւ այդպէս ալ մեռաւ։ Մեր դարը հակադրութիւնները կը սիրէ կարծես. carrierism [1] ի ստորին դրամապաշտութեան արտադրոյթներուն դէմ յանկարծ Զաւարեանմը կը հանէ։

Տարօրինակ հակադրութիւն մը նաեւ որ այս մարմնապէս վտիտ մարդը մեծՅեղափոխականութեան պատկառանքն է։ Իր պարզութիւնը եւ համեստութիւնը ցոյցէ եւ աղմուկէհեռու մնաց ամեն ատեն. աշխատիլ՝ այս եղաւ իր նշանաբանը, աշխատիլ մինչեւ վերջը, մինչեւյետին րոպէն։

Վերջը վերջը այս զրկանքի կեանքը հիւծեր, մաշեցուցեր էր զինքը. արտաքուստ իր աշխոյժըկը պահէր տակաւին, բայց իր տառապանքը երեսին վրայ կը կարդացուէր։ Բժիշկները հանգիստ կըպատուիրէին իրեն. անիկա իր գործը շարունակեց. մօտաւոր աղէտի մը կանխայայտ նշանները բազմապատկուեցաւ. Զաւարեան իր աշխատասիրութեանը մէջ էր. օր մը սակայն, էն վերջերը, ա՛լպարտաւորցաւ խոստովանիլ բարեկամի մը.

- Շատ տկար կ’զգամ ինքզինքս։

Մահամերձ էր բայց չզիջեցաւ անկողին մտնել ու նորէն աշխատութեան գացած պահուն, ճիշդԱշխատանքի տան առջեւ, որ այսպէս խորհրդանիշը եղաւ իր կեանքին, մեռաւ Հռոմէացի Կեսարինպէս, ոտքի՛ վրայ։

19 Հոկտեմբեր 1913

UPPING THE BAR

Vahe H. Apelian

Google-ի Հայերէն թարգմանութիւնը կցոած է ներքեւը։

 

There is no need to go over when and in what context did the PM Nikol Pashinyan talk about “lowering the bar” regarding the negotiations over the status of Artsakh.

His statement became the tinder box that set forth the turn of events that led to the opposition organizing the demonstration that took place on May 1, on Labor Day, which is one of the official holidays of Armenia, a non-workday. The government offices may be closed on Monday given the holiday was on Sunday.

The opposition’s stand can be summed up using the slogan the proponents of the opposition in Los Angeles highlighted in their call for a car rally in support of the opposition in Armenia: “SAVE ARTSAKH. PROTECT ARMENIA. REMOVE NIKOL”.

Three decades of failed leadership culminated in the second Artsakh war on September 27, 2020, that resulted in the killing of some four thousand young men and maiming thousands of others. Sentimental slogans, accusatory nationalism - "I being more nationalistic than thou" - will get Armenia and Armenians nowhere. The stakes are high, and Armenia is caught between Azerbaijani hammer and Turkish anvil with no course other than to resolve the status of Artsakh by themselves.

After three decades of struggle, and after some 10,000 killed, between two Artsakh wars and many casualties in between, the options for Armenia are limited to one and that is what the present government of Armenia I believe is striving to achieve, a special status for Artsakh be it in Azerbaijan. Let us face it, there is no Kosovo like settlement for Artsakh. There is no Ossetia and Abkhazia type settlement for the former Soviet Nakorno Karabagh oblast either. There is no unification of Artsakh with Armenia. And yes, Artsakh is not part of the Russian Federation, nor will it be. There remains the only option for the Armenians, pool their resources to secure a special status for Artsakh in Azerbaijan, which will be an uphill struggle.

In opposing the Nikol Pachinyan’s government’s call for lowering the bar, what does the opposition offer? In opting to upper the bar, the opposition does not offer a road map. In fact, it offers nothing else other the slogan that the car rally in Los Angeles used as a rallying banner: “SAVE ARTSAKH.PROTECT ARMENIA. REMOVE NIKOL”. The Opposition intends to achieve the latter by extreme methods of civil disobedience that boarders to anarchy. In the case of the former two, all it offers are sentimental war cries.

Armenians are known to be indivualistic. They have scored remarkable achievements as individuals but have done poorly in collective working. It may be the time for the Armenians to forgo Mr. so and so, and dwell instead on the Armenian indivualism. Let each one of us ask for ourselves: How high would I have raised the bar for my countrymen that they could overcome? What policy would I have pursued had I been the PM of Armenia? What resources would I have offered to my countrymen to successfully thread along the road map I would offer them to secure the rights of our compatriots on their own ancient land? 

Finally let us brace ourselves for the uphill battle looming in front of us in the coming days and months and if not years. 

May God be with us.

 

 

Google translation:  

Պետք չէ անդրադառնալ, թե երբ և ինչ համատեքստում է վարչապետ Նիկոլ Փաշինյանը խոսել Արցախի կարգավիճակի շուրջ բանակցությունների «նիշն իջեցնելու» մասին։

Նրա հայտարարությունը դարձավ այն արկղը, որը ցույց տվեց իրադարձությունների շրջադարձը, որը հանգեցրեց նրան, որ ընդդիմությունը կազմակերպեց ցույցը մայիսի 1-ին՝ Աշխատանքի օրը, որը Հայաստանի պաշտոնական տոներից մեկն է՝ ոչ աշխատանքային։ Կառավարության գրասենյակները կարող են փակվել երկուշաբթի օրը, քանի որ արձակուրդը կիրակի էր:

Ընդդիմության դիրքորոշումը կարելի է ամփոփել՝ օգտագործելով Լոս Անջելեսում ընդդիմության ջատագովների՝ ի պաշտպանություն ընդդիմության ավտոերթի իրենց կոչում ընդգծված կարգախոսը. «ՓՐԿԵՔ ԱՐՑԱԽԸ. ՊԱՇՏՊԱՆԵՔ ՀԱՅԱՍՏԱՆԸ. ՀԱՆԵՔ ՆԻԿՈԼԻՆ»:

Երեք տասնամյակների ձախողված ղեկավարությունը հանգեցրեց 2020 թվականի սեպտեմբերի 27-ին արցախյան երկրորդ պատերազմին, որի արդյունքում սպանվեցին մոտ չորս հազար երիտասարդներ և հաշմանդամ դարձան հազարավոր ուրիշներ։ Սենտիմենտալ կարգախոսները մեղադրական ազգայնականություն, ես ավելի ազգայնամոլ լինելով, քան դու, Հայաստանին ու հայերին ոչ մի տեղ չեն հասցնի։ Խաղադրույքները մեծ են, և Հայաստանը հայտնվել է ադրբեջանական մուրճի և թուրքական կոճի արանքում՝ Արցախի կարգավիճակը ինքնուրույն լուծելուց բացի այլ ճանապարհով։ 

Երեք տասնամյակների պայքարից և մոտ 10000 սպանվելուց հետո, արցախյան երկու պատերազմների և միջանկյալ բազմաթիվ զոհերի միջև, Հայաստանի տարբերակները սահմանափակվում են մեկով, և հենց դրան է ձգտում հասնել Հայաստանի ներկայիս իշխանությունը՝ Արցախին հատուկ կարգավիճակ ստանալը։ Ադրբեջան. Եկեք ընդունենք, որ Արցախի համար Կոսովոյի նման կարգավորում չկա։ Նախկին խորհրդային Լեռնային Ղարաբաղի մարզի համար նույնպես Օսիայի և Աբխազիայի տիպի բնակավայր չկա։ Արցախը Հայաստանի հետ միավորում չկա. Եվ այո, Արցախը Ռուսաստանի Դաշնության մաս չէ, և չի էլ լինի։ Հայերի համար մնում է միակ տարբերակը՝ համախմբելով իրենց ռեսուրսները՝ Արցախի համար հատուկ կարգավիճակ ապահովելու համար Ադրբեջանում, ինչը դժվարին պայքար է լինելու։

Ընդդիմությունը, ընդդիմանալով նշաձողն իջեցնելու Նիկոլ Փաշինյանի կառավարության կոչին, ի՞նչ է առաջարկում. Ընտրելով վերին նշաձողը, ընդդիմությունը ճանապարհային քարտեզ չի առաջարկում: Փաստորեն, այն այլ բան չի առաջարկում այն ​​կարգախոսը, որը Լոս Անջելեսում ավտոերթի ժամանակ օգտագործվեց որպես հանրահավաքի պաստառ. ՓՐԿԵՔ ԱՐՑԱԽԸ. ՊԱՇՏՊԱՆԵՔ ՀԱՅԱՍՏԱՆԸ. ՀԱՆԵՔ ՆԻԿՈԼԻՆ»: Ընդդիմությունը մտադիր է վերջինիս հասնել քաղաքացիական անհնազանդության ծայրահեղ մեթոդներով, որոնք սահմանակից են անարխիային։ Նախկին երկուսի դեպքում այն ​​ամենը, ինչ առաջարկում է, սենտիմենտալ պատերազմական աղաղակներ են:

Հայերը հայտնի են որպես անհատապաշտ. Նրանք ուշագրավ ձեռքբերումներ են գրանցել որպես անհատ, բայց վատ են հանդես եկել կոլեկտիվ աշխատանքում: Միգուցե ժամանակն է, որ հայերը հրաժարվեն պարոն այսինչից և դրա փոխարեն կանգ առնեն հայկական անհատականության վրա։ Մեզանից յուրաքանչյուրը թող ինքն իրեն հարցնի՝ ես որքան բարձր կբարձրացնեի իմ հայրենակիցների համար այն նշաձողը, որ նրանք կարողանային հաղթահարել: Ի՞նչ քաղաքականություն կվարեի, եթե լինեի Հայաստանի վարչապետ. Ի՞նչ ռեսուրսներ կառաջարկեի իմ հայրենակիցներին, որպեսզի հաջողությամբ անցնեի այն ճանապարհը, որը ես կառաջարկեի ապահովելու մեր հայրենակիցների իրավունքները սեփական հինավուրց հողի վրա: 

Վերջապես եկեք պատրաստվենք առաջիկա օրերին մեր առջև սպասվող դժվարին ճակատամարտին: 

Աստված մեզ հետ լինի։