So, we’re told there’s a big revolution, or at least the beginnings of one brewing in Iran, stemming from the questionable results of the June election there and the popular movement those have ignited. I’ve had some trouble digesting this. And, given some recent snippets I’ve heard, I’m even more torn.
People & Places: The Vacationer
It is late morning and I walk into my local coffee shop and see Nayri sitting at a small table by the far wall. Her back is to the door and she doesn’t see me as I approach and tap her on the arm. I haven’t seen her in while and want to say hello. She gets up to give me a hug and I notice that she has an open journal and doesn’t seem her usual bubbly self. “You look really sad. Like you’re about to tell me some seriously bad news,” I say to her.
Yegparian: Yavan-oghloo
That’s what she might better be named, our Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Marie Yovanovitch to the Republic of Armenia. I’d heard enough Turkish to come up with this interlinguistic pun, though I verified the meaning. Yavan means insipid.
Capital Perspectives: Amb. Yovanovitch is Toeing a Flawed Company Line
United States Ambassador to Armenia Marie Yovanovitch’s spoke to the Armenian community of Washington DC at the Library of Congress on June 30. Like every other “town hall” she hosted – her remarks and responses were genial yet disappointing and frustrating.
People & Places: The Aspiring Journalist
It’s a beautiful Sunday morning and Alin and I are sipping coffee on the balcony when the conversation turns towards her upcoming school year. She is to start her junior year in high school this fall. Just shy of her sixteenth birthday, Alin has already decided on her future career while most of her contemporaries are still focused on how to fill their days with summer fun.
Dr. Israel Charny Condemns Denial of Armenian Genocide in British Parliament
In an earlier column I wrote about the special conference held at the British Parliament on May 7, organized by the British-Armenian All-Party Parliamentary Group. Dr. Israel Charny and I were invited as guest speakers. I spoke about “The Armenian Genocide and Quest for Justice.” Dr. Charny could not attend due to illness, however, his prepared remarks were read by Peter Barker, a former broadcaster of BBC Radio.
Yegparian: Irritants X
Let’s take a quick look back at the KFI situation. This time, it’s we who are being stooopid (perhaps I should add a few more “o”-s for emphasis). As you know, KFI and Bill Handel have taken and are going to be taking steps to make up for the unacceptable comment made on the May 14 show. We raised a hue and cry. They met with us. The meeting was very favorable, as was its outcome. Yet some members of our community are apparently still writing the station/Handel. That is probably forgivable. What’s not acceptable, and stooopid, is communication which includes threats and untoward language. STOP IT if you’re guilty. Tell friends who are guilty to STOP IT. All it does is lead to the writers being reported to law enforcement and all of us looking bad, with no positive outcome possible.
Critics’ Forum: ‘Truth’ Dazzles as Art and Drama
The title of Vasken Brudian’s latest exhibit, “Of Art and Architecture: A Contemporary Discourse,” which opened on June 19, speaks to the artist’s dual talents. Brudian’s sophisticated art combines hand painting and architectural design, sprinkled with lines from literature. The mixed-media creations that result are coated with sublime colors – for me, the deep reds, haunting blues, and shades of orange take on symbolic significance – and reveal truths among layers that dazzle gradually.
Capital Perspectives: Adventures on the Hill
The nation’s capital moves at an amazing pace — hundreds of foreign and domestic policy issues being addressed simultaneously at record speed. For the ANCA Leo Sarkisian interns, who just recently arrived in Washington DC, this past weekend has been an educational journey.
People and Places: Long Distance Dad
It is early evening and I’m meeting Razmig and for dinner. We’ve chosen to meet at Conrad’s, a local coffee shop, since he’s short on time. My cell phone rings with a text message that says, “Be there in 10 min. Please order me a BLT and an ice tea.” He’s late. That’s not surprising considering all that he tries to accomplish in the short week he spends in town every month. In these harsh economic times, Razmig managed to find a job overseas. As a single, divorced father, he has a harder time than most being a father to his only son.