Very Exciting Times
What drama! DC and Turkey are some hot spots for debate it seems.
So to follow up on the passing of two genocide resolutions last week, Serj Tankian from System of a Down has made it his mission to pressure Speaker Hastert to put the resolutions to a vote. Initially he wanted to meet with Hastert while in Chicago before the System concert, but apparently Hastert will not be there. So instead, Serj initiated a protest. Enter ANCA and AYF. The AYF is now organizing a demonstration in Chicago outside of Hastert's district office to take place on Tuesday, to which Serj will attend... along with many other fans it seems. This should be an interesting event. Can't wait to see how Hastert (and the media) responds.
On the other side of the world, we have Turkish scholars holding a conference to discuss the Armenian genocide. Here's an interesting article in the Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/23/AR2005092302365.html?sub=AR
Schedule months ago, the conference was cancelled under pressure by the Turkish government, even after they claim to be the ones opening up the debate to "factual" discussions. So the conference was rescheduled to last Thursday... until court ruling banned the conference to take place at certain universities listed to sponsor the event, one of which was where it was scheduled to take place. Intentionally or unintentionally, one of the university listed to sponsor was not banned. Next thing you know, Prime Minister Erdogan comes out "a hero" and condemns the rulings... probably to portray himself the freedom loving democratic leader just before EU talks on Turkey. Regardless, the conference was rescheduled for Saturday and has been taking place. Protesters have been chanting outside, but if I understand correctly, some have protested FOR the conferences as well. Regardless, the best part is that many Turkish scholars have been standing up and intelligently discussing the facts that it was a genocide and that Turkey must take responsibility for their history.
I have no other news other than what I read on AP, but I SOOO wish I could be there. Just to witness this debate take place within Turkish borders must be surreal.
As I said, exciting times. We'll see if the AYF/SOAD demo in Chicago makes a dent in Hastert's conscience, but without a doubt, it will draw more attention to an already hot topic.
On the personal front, my house was invaded by the "barskahye mob" (my parents' friend) for my mother's surprise birthday party. I haven't seen a smile on her face like that in years. It was nice to see, but BOY was there some singing lasts night (some of the strongest barskahye accents known to man). I love it though. My aunt and grandmother came in from LA, relatives from NY, sister and brother-in-law, a good friend from Cincinnati, and lots of my parents' dearest friends. They used to be the King and Queen of parties. I remember as kids we used to have adults in our house all the time. We would often to go to sleep to the sound of my parents' friends playing piano and singing songs, chattering, etc. It was a long time they didn't do that, mostly because my mother was taking care of my grandmother. And although these were mom & dad's friends, I grew to think of some of them as my own friends as well and got to catch up with a lot of them. Every other one of them said to me, "So I hear you are moving to Armenia? When are you going?" If it wasn't that, it was, "you grew up to be just like your mother," of course meaning it as the highest compliment. There was a lot of grey hair, but the best part about last night was that not one of those people seemed old at heart, and that's inspiring. This morning, as cliché as it sounds, I woke up to the sound of laughter from the kitchen. If only that could be every day of our lives. I suppose I'm fortunate enough to have it at all.
So to follow up on the passing of two genocide resolutions last week, Serj Tankian from System of a Down has made it his mission to pressure Speaker Hastert to put the resolutions to a vote. Initially he wanted to meet with Hastert while in Chicago before the System concert, but apparently Hastert will not be there. So instead, Serj initiated a protest. Enter ANCA and AYF. The AYF is now organizing a demonstration in Chicago outside of Hastert's district office to take place on Tuesday, to which Serj will attend... along with many other fans it seems. This should be an interesting event. Can't wait to see how Hastert (and the media) responds.
On the other side of the world, we have Turkish scholars holding a conference to discuss the Armenian genocide. Here's an interesting article in the Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/23/AR2005092302365.html?sub=AR
Schedule months ago, the conference was cancelled under pressure by the Turkish government, even after they claim to be the ones opening up the debate to "factual" discussions. So the conference was rescheduled to last Thursday... until court ruling banned the conference to take place at certain universities listed to sponsor the event, one of which was where it was scheduled to take place. Intentionally or unintentionally, one of the university listed to sponsor was not banned. Next thing you know, Prime Minister Erdogan comes out "a hero" and condemns the rulings... probably to portray himself the freedom loving democratic leader just before EU talks on Turkey. Regardless, the conference was rescheduled for Saturday and has been taking place. Protesters have been chanting outside, but if I understand correctly, some have protested FOR the conferences as well. Regardless, the best part is that many Turkish scholars have been standing up and intelligently discussing the facts that it was a genocide and that Turkey must take responsibility for their history.
I have no other news other than what I read on AP, but I SOOO wish I could be there. Just to witness this debate take place within Turkish borders must be surreal.
As I said, exciting times. We'll see if the AYF/SOAD demo in Chicago makes a dent in Hastert's conscience, but without a doubt, it will draw more attention to an already hot topic.
On the personal front, my house was invaded by the "barskahye mob" (my parents' friend) for my mother's surprise birthday party. I haven't seen a smile on her face like that in years. It was nice to see, but BOY was there some singing lasts night (some of the strongest barskahye accents known to man). I love it though. My aunt and grandmother came in from LA, relatives from NY, sister and brother-in-law, a good friend from Cincinnati, and lots of my parents' dearest friends. They used to be the King and Queen of parties. I remember as kids we used to have adults in our house all the time. We would often to go to sleep to the sound of my parents' friends playing piano and singing songs, chattering, etc. It was a long time they didn't do that, mostly because my mother was taking care of my grandmother. And although these were mom & dad's friends, I grew to think of some of them as my own friends as well and got to catch up with a lot of them. Every other one of them said to me, "So I hear you are moving to Armenia? When are you going?" If it wasn't that, it was, "you grew up to be just like your mother," of course meaning it as the highest compliment. There was a lot of grey hair, but the best part about last night was that not one of those people seemed old at heart, and that's inspiring. This morning, as cliché as it sounds, I woke up to the sound of laughter from the kitchen. If only that could be every day of our lives. I suppose I'm fortunate enough to have it at all.
posted by Arsineh at 2:06 AM
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