Exposed: racism and 'blood purity' part of ideology of Armenia ruling Republican party?

Thanks to a Facebook friend of mine, I did something I have never done before (or never had any desire whatsoever to do). I looked at the library of ideological publications produced by Armenia's ruling Republican party. In particular, one ‘fundamental’ and pretty 'mind-blowing’ publication. Trust me, that was more than enough for me. What I read there is disgusting, and believe you me, "disgusting" is an understatement.

It's a publication about ‘foundations’ of Armenian family and gender roles (published by Republican party in 2002 and available under the “library” section of their official website).

It uses N-word to refer to black people and 'justifies' the notion of 'purity of blood' calling for no mixed marriages in order to preserve... yes, that very same 'purity of blood' + more racist rant. I am not even going further into their 'defining' of gender roles etc. If this is not a Nazi and racist ideology, then what is it?

For a country with European inclination, or in fact for any country, this is an appalling display of what should have no place in modern world, let alone as part of the ideology of ruling party.  I wonder if Armenia president and PM, as party leaders, are aware of these ideological 'pearls' and whether they share what is supposedly part of their own party ideology? Either they should immediately ditch them from their 'library' and distance themselves from what was expressed in this and similar party publications or people associated with the Republican party risk putting shame on themselves and on Armenia's reputation.

Just to illustrate the point, below are only few extracts from the “Armenian Family” (“ՀԱՅ ԸՆՏԱՆԻՔ” - AM) publication (Republican Party of Armenia, Yerevan 2002):

Երբ մի քանի տարի առաջ ժառանգաբան Նվարդ Քոչարին հարցրեցինք, թե արդյոք ինքը համաձայն կլիներ, որ հայը, օրինակ, նեգրի հետ ամուսնանար, նա պատասխանեց.

- Եթե ընտրեց, ամուսնացավ, այո, համաձայն եմ: Կարեւորը որ նա հայկական միջավայրում ապրի եւ հայանա: Ինչ վատ կլինի, եթե նեգրի երաժշտականությունը, ռիթմի զգացողությունը ներմուծվի:

Թե ինչպես պիտի նեգրը հայանա, նույնիսկ երեւակայությունը թույլ չի տալիս պատկերացնել: Իսկ որ հայերս երաժշտականության բնածին պակաս ունենք եւ ստիպված պիտի ուրիշից ներմուծենք, շատ անլուրջ է:

Ներկայումս խառնազգի ամուսնությունները մեզանում (լինի Հայրենիքում, թե Սփյուռքում) առավելապես կատարվում են հաշվենկատորեն, երբ, բարեկեցիկ կյանքի ակնկալիքով, շատ հայեր “ամուսնանում” են եվրոպացիների, ամերիկացիների, արդեն` նաեւ պարսիկների, արաբների հետ:

Արյունախառնության կողմնակիցները գտնում են, որ իբր խաչասերումից առաջացած սերունդն ավելի ոժեղ և խելոք է լինում: Դժվար թե: [...] օրինակ, մուլատների մոտ ակնհայտ են մտավոր պակասությունները:

PINK & friends make history in Armenia by marking IDAHO and turning Yerevan sky rainbow

May is truly a historic month for Armenians. Starting this year, it will become even double-triple historic for LGBT Armenians, their friends... [...]

Today, on 17 May, for the first time ever, the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) was celebrated in Armenia. PINK Armenia & friends organised a flashmob with balloons in the heart of Yerevan. "We let the colorful balloons fly in the sky as a symbolic move to combat hate, ignorance and intolerance, to combat homophobia and transphobia," say organisers.

PINK Armenia & friends made history today by turning Yerevan sky rainbow. For me, they are the modern day heroes in Armenia. Their spirit, passion, determination make me hopeful that after all there is bright future for Armenia. They are the PERSONS.AM (in capital letters). I hope their spirit won't be broken... EVER!!!

*For more details with pictures and video - see Unzipped: Gay Armenia



Read also: Armenia aligns with the EU statement on International Day Against Homophobia

In a related great news: Gay marriages are now legal in Portugal!!

Cameron and Clegg: A very British “civil partnership”

It’s funny how British commentators refer to Lib Dems + Conservatives coalition government deal (Nick Clegg + David Cameron) as a “marriage”, or “civil partnership”. [gay marriages in form of civil partnerships became legal in the UK since December 2005] Then some of them remind that 50% of marriages end up in divorce :) This is a very real not so honeymoon-y perspective for this newly formed "power couple". Yes, they say opposites attract, but there is truly an ocean between Clegg and Cameron, or is there?

But the most entertaining discovery for me was that Lib Dems leader Nick Clegg has Russian aristocratic roots.

Wikipedia: "Clegg's paternal grandmother, Kira von Engelhardt, was a Russian Baroness whose German-Russian aristocratic family fled the Bolsheviks after the 1917 Russian Revolution. Clegg's paternal grandfather, Hugh Anthony Clegg, was the editor of the British Medical Journal for 35 years. Clegg's great-great-grandfather, the Russian nobleman Ignaty Zakrevsky, was attorney general of the imperial Russian senate. His great-great aunt was the writer, Baroness Moura Budberg.

Clegg's Dutch mother, Hermance van den Wall Bake, was, along with her family, interned by the Japanese in Batavia (Jakarta) in the Dutch East Indies. She met Clegg's father during a visit to England in 1956, and they married on 1 August 1959.

Clegg is multilingual: he speaks English, Dutch, French, German, and Spanish. His background has informed his politics. He says, "There is simply not a shred of racism in me, as a person whose whole family is formed by flight from persecution, from different people in different generations. It’s what I am. It’s one of the reasons I am a liberal." His Dutch mother instilled in him "a degree of scepticism about the entrenched class configurations in British society".

His wife - Miriam González Durántez, is Spanish. Wikipedia: "They dated for several years in Brussels before they decided to marry. They married in 2000 and have three young children: Antonio, Alberto and Miguel. She insisted on Spanish names if they were to have the family name "Clegg." She is Roman Catholic, and together with her husband they agreed that their children will be raised as such, though her husband has said he does not believe in God."

*picture - by Number 10

Khloe Kardashian 'wedding': farce or reality?

They still did not formally legalise the marriage, and they got married only after a month (!) they actually started dating. This leads to speculations which question the motives behind the ‘wedding’ considering it a part of the ongoing reality show Kardashian & co.

Anyway, here is a brief reflection with video by Huffington Post. (picture via Huff Post)

Khloe Kardashian's Wedding Video: Veil Woes And A Major Tonguing (VIDEO)

Khloe Kardashian's 'wedding' to LA Laker Lamar Odom will air on E! this Sunday night (they are still not legally married) and E! has released a 2:15 video clip of the special, seen below. In the video viewers see guests arriving, the Kardashians prepping and Khloe saying she looks like a beekeeper in her veil.

Most memorable is 2:00 in when the couple share their first kiss as (still not legal) man and wife.

Kim Kardashian in support of gay rights and equality: "Shame on You, California!"

My respects to our very own "Armenian Princess" (that's how she describes herself on her Twitter page) Kim Kardashian.

For details - Unzipped: Gay Armenia

*photo - via Kim's Twitter page

Gay rights night at Oscars

Sean Penn and Dustin Lance Black - Men of The Day

Sean Penn - Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal of gay rights champion Harvey Milk, America’s first openly gay politician in San Francisco, in Gus Van Sant’s Milk:

"...I think that it is a good time for those who voted for the ban against gay marriage to sit and reflect and anticipate their great shame and the shame in their grandchildren's eyes if they continue that way of support. We've got to have equal rights for everyone. [...]"

Dustin Lance Black - Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Milk:

"...to all of the gay and lesbian kids out there tonight who have been told that they are less than by their churches, by the government or by their families, that you are beautiful, wonderful creatures of value and that no matter what anyone tells you, God does love you and that very soon, I promise you, you will have equal rights federally, across this great nation of ours. [...]"

For more details - Unzipped: Gay Armenia

*Photos - Getty Images/Kevin Winter (via AfterElton)

Armenian bachelors among the most desired in Moscow

For the third year in a row, the highest number of marriages with foreign citizens in Moscow in 2008 were with citizens of Turkey, reports Interfax (via Tert.am). This followed by Germany, US, Israel and the UK.

Among the CIS countries (ex-Soviet states), the ‘most desired’ are citizens of Ukraine followed by Armenia, Moldova, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan (all sharing the second place).

On one hand, this may sound like an encouraging statistics having the background of recent surge in racist, neo-nazi attacks on foreigners in Moscow, especially from the Caucasus and Asia. However, this perhaps a reflection of numbers of ethnic Armenians etc. who are Moscow residents and tend to marry their compatriots too.

Gay marriage is a question of love

Keith Olbermann (American sportscaster, news anchor, and political commentator) delivers an amazing emotional Special Comment on the outcome of California's voting of "Proposition 8" which eliminated the right of same-sex couples to marry:

"This isn't about yelling, and this isn't about politics, and this isn't really just about Prop-8. And I don't have a personal investment in this: I'm not gay, I had to strain to think of one member of even my very extended family who is, I have no personal stories of close friends or colleagues fighting the prejudice that still pervades their lives. [...]

I keep hearing this term "re-defining" marriage.

If this country hadn't re-defined marriage, black people still couldn't marry white people. Sixteen states had laws on the books which made that illegal... in 1967.
1967.

The parents of the President-Elect of the United States couldn't have married in nearly one third of the states of the country their son grew up to lead. But it's worse than that. If this country had not "re-defined" marriage, some black people still couldn't marry...black people. It is one of the most overlooked and cruelest parts of our sad story of slavery. Marriages were not legally recognized, if the people were slaves. Since slaves were property, they could not legally be husband and wife, or mother and child. Their marriage vows were different: not "Until Death, Do You Part," but "Until Death or Distance, Do You Part." Marriages among slaves were not legally recognized.

You know, just like marriages today in California are not legally recognized, if the people are... gay. [...]

You are asked now, by your country, and perhaps by your creator, to stand on one side or another. You are asked now to stand, not on a question of politics, not on a question of religion, not on a question of gay or straight. You are asked now to stand, on a question of love. All you need do is stand, and let the tiny ember of love meet its own fate.

You don't have to help it, you don't have to applaud it, you don't have to fight for it. Just don't put it out. Just don't extinguish it. Because while it may at first look like that love is between two people you don't know and you don't understand and maybe you don't even want to know. It is, in fact, the ember of your love, for your fellow person just because this is the only world we have. And the other guy counts, too." More...

For more on this topic - see Unzipped: Gay Armenia

History in making: California legalises same-sex marriage

Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives:

"I welcome the California Supreme Court’s historic decision. I have long fought against discrimination and believe that the State Constitution provides for equal treatment for all of California’s citizens and families, which today’s decision recognizes.

I commend the plaintiffs from San Francisco for their courage and commitment. I encourage California citizens to respect the Court’s decision, and I continue to strongly oppose any ballot measure that would write discrimination into the State Constitution.

Today is a significant milestone for which all Californians can take pride."

This decision is important for me for several reasons:

- Importance for gay rights movement and equality in the US and worldwide;

- Influence of this decision on California’s large Armenian Diaspora where homophobic mentality is still prevalent;

- Influence of this decision, via world headlines, US and Diaspora influences on Republic of Armenia.

Here is hoping that California’s Supreme Court landmark ruling will help to prevent tragedies similar to the one we recently witnessed within the Armenian community there, when gay Armenian in LA committed suicide after being forced into marriage.

For more details - see Unzipped: Gay Armenia

*source of photo - Petrelis Files: Gay community celebrates California's landmark decision on Castro Street, San Franciso, last night

A1+ covers story of gay Armenian in LA who committed suicide after being forced into marriage

http://www.a1plus.am/amu/?page=issue&iid=59803

ԻՆՔՆԱՍՊԱՆ Է ԵՂԵԼ ԱՄՈՒՍՆԱՆԱԼՈՒ ՊԱՏՃԱՌՈՎ
[11:17] 22 Ապրիլի, 2008

Ամերիկայի Լոս Անջելոս քաղաքի հայկական համայնքում մեծ աղմուկ է բարձրացել 22-ամյա համասեռամոլ տղայի ինքնասպանության պատմությունը: Երեկ արդեն հայկական ֆորումներում եւ ինտերնետային բոլոր միջոցներով բազմաթիվ քաղաքացիներ իրենց բողոքն էին արտահայտում եւ խնդրում տարածել հաղորդագրությունը:

Պատճառն այն է, որ տղան ինքնասպանություն է գործել ընտանիքի կողմից ճնշման արդյունքում աղջկա հետ ամուսնանալուց հետո: Տղայի ընկերներից մեկը պատմում է, որ տղայի ծնողները ամաչում էին նրա համար, ճնշում էին գործադրում` ապրելու հայկական համայնքում ընդունված ավանդույթի համաձայն: ՚Նա վերջին օրերին խիստ սթրեսի մեջ էր եւ հոգեկան ճնշված վիճակումՙ,-պատմում է ընկերը:

Սփյուռքահայության շրջանում աղմուկը բարձրացել է եւ քննարկման մասնակիցները ասում են, որ սա հաճախ հանդիպող դեպքերից մեկն է, եւ մեր հասարակությունում դեռ շարունակվում է հոմոֆոբիան օրինաչափ լինել:

*For details of this story, see here

Gay Armenian in LA committed suicide after being forced into marriage

I am very angered and very saddened. News on suicide committed by young gay Armenian guy in LA (Los Angeles, US) after being forced into marriage proves once more that Armenian society - whether in Armenia or Diaspora - with its ‘traditional values’, intolerance and homophobia is responsible for his death.

Thanks to his friend, we learned about this story. How many similar cases pass hidden?!

I ask Armenian bloggers, media representatives, anyone who has links with local (both in Armenia and Diaspora) and international media to disseminate this story as widely as possible. Time to speak up. Enough is enough! We should prevent similar tragedies from happening in future.

I tried to summarise what is known so far about this guy based on PINK Armenia press release and comments in Yesoudo: LGBT discussion group.

A few days ago a young gay Armenian in LA committed suicide... He was 22 years old. The stress of being gay was too hard for him to handle. He was forced to get married with an Armenian girl to cover up his sexuality... He came out to his family and they forced him to marry a girl to keep up appearances... and sadly 3 months into the marriage . . . he couldn’t take it anymore... he was under a lot of stress from his family and the general stress that the Armenian community brings to the table about homosexuality...

Here is what his friend has to say:

[He was] an amazing friend of mine… we loved him dearly... he was young, smart and handsome... god I’m going to miss him...
REST IN PEACE MY GOOD FRIEND WE WILL MISS YOU.

What is wrong with Armenians how can we keep letting this happen! This isn’t right, this isn’t fair! The sad part is no one mentions that he did it because he was gay! He even wrote it in his suicide note and no one mentions it! How many Armenians are we going to lose like this!

For more details - see Unzipped: Gay Armenia