I also agree with the comment that Armenians are Caucasian. It makes more sense to identify ourselves from where we came from that it does to posit some kind of color that has little to do with what we actually look like and even less who we are.
Marian, thanks for tour analysis of this very complicated topic. This blatant discrimination went on until , when the Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional in Shelley v. Brilliant — really proud of your deep understanding of white supremacy culture. Although my 4 grand-parents fled the genocide we we benefited from white privilege for sure.
We are warriors! I read the article and skimmed thru the comments. I am so glad we are having a conversation. Conversations can be helpful, hurtful, eye-opening… but it is through conversations that we will grow. And different is beautiful!!! I am a naturalized Armenian. After high-school, I thought I was white-white-white I mean I got translucent skin if u know what I mean.
He sent a beautiful couple who came in and took a seat at the table right next to mine and said hello and smiled at me. I am Armenian. I am beautiful. I could have chosen to learn many other things thru that experience, but that is what spoke to my heart, my soul. For a split second of my life, I experienced what the Black people have lived through for centuries.
It was humbling! The view people have towards Black people needs to change. Now we need to move forward together, examine our thoughts and points of view. God has given us this moment in our lives to reflect on our actions to move forward together. This is their moment in time! Armenians went through the Hamidian Massacre and the Genocide — we know what is to want more out of this life, what is hurt, what is loss, what is denial!!
Their pain is as real to them, as your pain is to you. It is not right that they have to raise their sons with fear when walking out of the front door. We are a melting pot of cultures. I am a naturalized citizen, and when that happened I realized that the history of this nation is now my history. What our ancestors have done in the past can be forgiven but we have to put the work in. The healing process can be a painful and humbling process. This is their time! Hear them out! Have conversations!
Be genuine. You have shown great sensitivity only to what is fashionable and current. You have shown great fluency, but only in taking in the cliches surrounding you, swallowing them whole, and sending them out here to an audience that knows better.
On the surface of things you deserve the effusive compliments received for your intelligence, but none at all for being an individual, independent thinker.
Your given name is a pleasure to pronounce and ponder. You belong to AYF. The United States has done some horrible things. Ditto for the Colonies. It has also done some great things for itself, and the world. And for my family, that needed a haven from Turk bayonets. You are too young or unlettered to understand the progress this country has made. You just assume that American police officers are racists.
Maybe you believe Michael Brown had his hands up when he was shot in Ferguson in If you do, you are unfamiliar with why the DOJ refused to indict the officer. Or maybe you believe that police kill unarmed African Americans both frequently and more often than they do whites. If so, you are uninformed: In 9 unarmed African Americans were killed by the police.
A Harvard economist who is himself African American determined that the police use of deadly force is not more common with African Americans. But bear in mind that BLM has at least one terrorist on its payroll Ms. Greenberg and three founders who are marxists. Do you know what communists did to Armenians, Armenia, and our families?
That is an obscenity. It is going out on a limb to provide a forum in which the most crucial social problem facing this country can be compassionately addressed by Armenian Americans in the light of their personal experiences and the bitter lessons of Armenian history. That is something to ponder, given what another mob of Communists did to Armenia and Armenians going back a full century. The speed with which the media, the corporations and many gullible youths have swallowed BLM is astonishing.
BLM trumpets police racism. It advocates some mysterious process called defunding the police. This might work well in gated communities where juvenile burglary is the dominant local crime. Speaking as a former police officer, I can tell you with certainty that defunding the police will deprive the poor, the old, the disabled, and the weak from the protection they call for constantly.
BLM also decries police violence. They have no interest in violence or force meted out by the police to whites and other groups. Insofar as police violence goes, they, and their gullible followers speak about a tsunami of white officers killing unarmed Blacks. Well, a person can be threat without being armed. But more to the point, the tsunami in amounted to 9 — 9 unarmed African American men and one woman were killed by the police.
A Harvard economist has studied the use of deadly force by the police,and has concluded that blacks and whites have the same outcomes in the same situations, armed or not. But more fundamentally, if that agenda is truly the King Kong of social issues, where and how does AW include the voices of dissent and difference as to something so important?
Armenians are not white. We are not black. Our racial features may differ and vary, me personally, My name was constantly made fun of, my darker skin and darker eyes told someone something different, and when I talked about my Armenian religion that too was looked down upon me.
Armenians in my lifetime worked very hard to build their names, reputation, our communities, and our standing in the world. Having said that I do believe that black lives matter. Armenian is not a race. If we have been claimed as white, we have privelage based on whiteness being the social construct that is race. Give it a rest Armenian Weekly. You gave these naive kids a platform for months to voice their ignorance about BLM movement. Focus on the threat of war to Armenia directed by Azeris and Turks.
Instead of all these nonsense articles coming out, you should have reported on the massive Azeri military exercises that were happening for months. Or report on the massive cyber warfare by Azeris and Turks. Look at social media, they have bombarded it with propaganda. Thank you jda and Jack for your astute and justified criticism of the Armenian Weekly. Your words describe exactly how the silent majority of AW readers think.
We have been inundated with the opinions of America condemning social justice warriors. The AW has effectively silenced the voice of dissenters, specifically the viewpoints of conservative, pro America advocates. Thank you, Hazel. You are right on.
God Bless America as it has allowed people from different backgrounds to flourish — if you came from genocide, or any other backgrounds you had a chance here.
Growing up I had no problem being an Armenian American in a densely populated eastern region not NY with lots of different kinds of minorities and ethnicities, though majority White.
I never felt uncomfortable nor was I made to, except for maybe a couple of meaningless wisecracks that I shrugged off or gave back to the jerks.
We all have different experiences. Some people feel bad about being Armenian because of their exeperiences or their upbringing or just the way they are. Thank you for this article. As a 1st generation Armenian born in the US, I do not identity as white but do identify as someone who has been able to benefit from white privilege. While we are external to that, many of us have been able to benefit from white privilege. To some extent it managed to encompass all of Europe and then West Asia.
Armenians who are constantly bickering over this tired topic are wasting their time. It is not for the Armenian Highlands to be classified with that term because it erases our claim to the homeland that belongs to us. We should also remember that so-called Middle-Easterners have discriminated against Armenians since our arrival to the region. For those particular Armenian commentators out there who desperately wish to be White, let me inform you that those White supremacists out there do not and will never accept you as being White; as a matter of fact, they hate all Armenians and are completely on the side of the Turks and Turkbaijanis who also view themselves as being White.
Those ignorant, average Armenian men as well as women need to wake up and realize that there are at least three million Armenian Muslims the vast majority of whom are descendants of Armenian Genocide survivors living in Western Armenia today present-day eastern Turkey.
They represent a huge percentage of the worldwide Armenian population, and they happen to be our most valuable resource in getting back our stolen Western Armenian lands. I have had Armenian ancestors in the US since the late s. As an Indo-European I never thought of myself as anything but white. I am quite fair-skinned, however. I guess many Armenians with darker skin might not consider themselves white?
It is a language classification that many languages from India, across Western Asia, and into Europe fall into. Armenian is an Indo-European but that doesnt make us Europeans or Indians. Now, on the topic of Armenians and whiteness. Yes, currently in h the United States Armenians are considered white, but keep in mind, not but until a few decades ago Armenians were not seen as whites, or equal to whites; therefor, segregating us from other White Americans.
The only reason why the United States considers Armenians and other Western Asian people as white is because we have fought for whiteness just to be seen as equals with the rest of white americans. After all, most of our ancestors came from the oppressive ottoman empire, and we all know how that turned out. Labels like White, Black, etc.
Identifying people by continental region is much more appropriate. This would ensure that people are not tainted by linguistic or cultural labels like Slavic or Arab, and not lumped in together by geopolitical terms like Middle Eastern. Araxie, kudos to you for your analysis. From the outside looking in, it is sad to hear those things coming from the mouths of our Armenian compatriots. Bravo, this was eloquently written and very well thought out. Thank you for this intelligent post. I am Armenian third generation raised in France in the French way and found some similarities between what yuo describe and may own experience.
I was made to despise and reject my Armenian background by my parents and consider myself as fremch. I never engaged with my armeniane side, never read anything about Armenia, never learnt the language. The pomegranate, with its symbolic association with fertility, is the national fruit. Armenia is also vine and grape country. When speaking of friendship, Armenians say "we have bread and salt among us. Breakfasts on nonworking days are sometimes major get-together events.
In huge pots khash is prepared, cattle legs are boiled and served with spices and garlic and consumed with Armenian brandy. Basic Economy.
Since its independence from the Soviet Union, Armenia has been focusing on small-scale agriculture. In , the state-run industries, including agriculture, were immediately privatized as Armenia adopted a Western-style economic system. Major Industries. During Soviet rule, Armenia began to develop and concentrate on computer-based high technology, alongside a manufacturing sphere, the production of brandy, heavy industry, and mining.
The blockade of the country by Azerbaijan led to a fuel shortage that often left its industries at a standstill. Nuclear energy was shut down after the earthquake as well, but production was resumed after a few years for lack of other reliable sources of energy.
Armenia has been subject to an economic blockade since the early s by its neighboring countries, with the exception of Iran and Georgia. Trade relations are newly developing.
Armenia exports woven and knit apparel; beverages, including brandy; preserved fruits; art and handicrafts; books; precious stones; metals; and electrical machinery. Classes and Castes. For several centuries until the end of monarchic historical Armenia in and Cilicia in , there were aristocratic noble houses with their respective court-related responsibilities.
Afterwards, the notion of a generalized middle class emerged. Most Armenians were peasants until the turn of the twentieth century. During the Soviet era, class was de-emphasized. A new elite had emerged, however, based on the nomenclature or system that prevailed during Soviet rule. The republic of Armenia is a democratic constitutional state. A constitution was adopted by national referendum in July Parliamentary elections were held in July and May Presidential elections were held in March In , fifteen parties and six political blocs took part in parliamentary elections.
Leadership and Political Officials. Robert Kocharian was the second president elected in the republic of Armenia since its independence. There is an elected national assembly Azgayin Joghov , or parliament. The cabinet is formed by a prime minister designated by the president. Social Problems and Control. During Soviet rule, Armenia had followed Soviet criminal and civil law. Since independence, a new autonomous legal system has been developing.
The post independence period has also witnessed a rise in awareness in the media of organized crime and sex service rings. Military Activity. Gradually, an autonomous army and defense system are being developed. During the Soviet period, there was a well-established welfare system. Since then, the social welfare system has been affected by the economic crisis. Although the old age security system or pension is still in place, the amount of funding designated as monthly payment is not sufficient to maintain a subsistence living.
The number of organizations registered as of 31 December broke down as follows: seventy-six political parties, 1, nongovernmental organizations NGOs , and Media Outlets. Division of Labor by Gender. Armenian culture has historically stressed a division of domains among the sexes. Women and men both worked outside the home. In the domestic sphere, women had no choice when it came to the chores. It was their duty and responsibility to maintain the household.
Women and men have equal access to all sectors of the economy. Nevertheless, only five banks, out of the total of 57, are managed by women. In terms of employment, there is a high rate of women's participation in the labor force.
Also there is "equal pay for work of equal value. As a result, the average salary of women constitutes two thirds of men's salaries. The main work areas of women are in the sectors of education and health. The percentage of women working in industry is 40—42 percent. Women constitute Women also account for most of An Armenian woman drying grain beside the road in Garni Village, circa Historically, Armenian women were viewed as having responsibility for domestic chores and maintaining their households.
The Relative Status of Women and Men. During the first republic of Armenia — , women enjoyed equal voting and election rights. Four women were elected to the national parliament and one woman, Diana Apgar, became the ambassador to Japan.
During the Soviet period, in spite of the legislation that stressed women's equality at all levels, women found it difficult to get into the higher decision-making processes. In , during the first democratic elections in the newly independent republic of Armenia, women candidates won in only nine constituencies out of , representing only 3. None of the permanent parliamentary committees include any female members. Armenians are monogamous.
In some cases, marriages are arranged. The accepted practice is to avoid marriage with close kin of up to seven kin-distances. Because of housing shortages in Soviet Armenia, the new couple resided with the groom's family patrilocality. The preference, however, has been and continues to be for neolocality, that is, the new couple forming a new household. Domestic Unit. The married couple and their offspring constitute the domestic unit.
During Soviet rule, the domestic unit consisted of a multi generational family. Often paternal grandparents, their married offspring, and unmarried aunts and uncles resided together. In pre-Soviet times, each region had its own preference.
The most common domestic unit, however, was a patrilocal multi generational family. Although inheritance laws have undergone changes and reforms over the years, historically, men and women have been treated equally. Diaspora Armenian communities follow the inheritance laws of their respective countries. Kin Groups.
Kin relations are bilateral. Descent, however, is determined by the patrilineal line. Infant Care. Mothers are seen as the main providers of infant care. During Soviet rule, free infant day care was available to all, but Armenians preferred to leave their infants with grandmothers and Armenian folk dancers in Yerevan.
Armenia has a long tradition of musical art dating back to prehistoric times. Day-care workers were also mainly women. During the Soviet era, women were guaranteed their employment after a prolonged, paid maternity leave. The practice has continued after independence, pending new reforms, which observers fear may decrease paid maternity leave.
Child Rearing and Education. Women are considered to be the bearers and transmitters of culture, customs, and tradition and are seen as responsible for child rearing. Children are highly valued and they occupy the center of attention in households until they reach puberty.
At puberty they are disciplined and are expected to take on responsibilities. Education is valued and is given great weight as an agent of socialization. In Armenia throughout the twentieth century, education was free and accessible to all. Because of privatization trends in the post reindependence period, however, there are fears that education may not remain accessible to all. Higher Education. Armenia has stressed free access to education. A national policy directed at the elimination of illiteracy began in the first republic — and continued in Soviet times, resulting in a nearly percent literacy rate.
Women enjoy equal rights at all levels of education. A private higher education system was introduced in Although there is no discrimination on the basis of sex, some fields have become labeled "female. In arts and education women constitute 78 percent of the students, in economics the number drops to Armenians put great emphasis on hospitality and generosity. There is also an emphasis on respect for guests.
Religious Beliefs. Christianity has been the state religion in Armenia since During Soviet rule, religious expression was not encouraged. The emphasis was on atheism. Armenians had continued to attend church, however, in particular for life-crisis events and rites of passage. The majority of Armenians adhere to the Armenian Apostolic Church. There are also adherents to Catholic, Evangelical, and Protestant denominations.
The church has been a symbol of national culture. It has been seen as the home of Armenians and the bearer of Armenian culture. The reason was that Armenians were the only ones in the region with their own unique physical characteristics.
Various scientists and anthropologists claim that Armenians who belong to the Armenoid race, come from the ancient and middle ages when homo sapiens appeared.
In Armenian Highland, it was formed as a southern branch of the Caucasian race and remained unchanged in the territory of its origin. The Armenoid type has survived since its formation, and today its distinctive features are found mainly among Armenians. The Armenoid anthropological type was formed and developed right in the territory of the Armenian Highland.
In Soviet times, according to the classifications of ethnic anthropology, Armenians were considered a Western Asian type, and the Armenoid type was considered to be highly nationalistic.
But it should be noted that the name Armenoid was not about nationality, but the geographical location — Armenian Highland. If we compare Armenian and Caucasian people, we will notice three main characteristics that distinguish Armenians: long profile nose, body hair, flat nape. Another feature is the eyes.
The eyes of Armenian people are surrounded by thick hair: thick eyebrows and eyelashes. One more feature is the low position of the corners of the eyes, which gives a sad expression to the eyes of the Armenians. But this is a very common Western Asian feature. The body features of Armenians are mainly related to the geographic mountain position.
That is why Armenians are usually short, with a wide back and strong arm muscles. Hittite eagle noses formed as a result of the lack of oxygen. All this was formed as a result of adaptation to mountain conditions. Geographical position affects not only physical but also psychological characteristics.
The nervous system of mountain people is stronger. They are always ready to confront difficulties. However, besides all this, it should be noted that there is no Armenian gene. Pomegranates are a symbol of Armenia. In local mythology, the fruit symbolizes good fortune and fertility. It was a guard against the evil eye. The importance of pomegranates in Armenian culture is even seen in historical manuscripts and stone carvings, where it was used as a common ornament.
Armenia is home to world-famous artists, singers, composers, and sportsmen. For instance, Cher, Kim Kardashian, the band System of a Down, and Garry Kasparov are just a few of the famous people you might not even know are Armenian. We and our partners use cookies to better understand your needs, improve performance and provide you with personalised content and advertisements.
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