BY GAREN YEGPARIAN
Let’s get the disclaimer out of the way first: I am not related to the subject of this article. I say this because of my surname and because yeghpyre (Armenian) = kardash (Turkish) = brother (English).
With that, I say “ENOUGH” to those who are fond of criticizing Kim Kardashian and her sisters. Of course the latest bout of the snide snickering on the part of these “enlightened” critics comes on the heels of the sisters’ arrival in the Republic of Armenia. You know what I’m talking about and who the critics are.
A warped sense and conception of “morality” lies at the root of most of the “commentaries” we are treated to, usually laced with derogatory terms and descriptors. There is a “concern” for what others will think of us because of the Kardashians’ presence and their being Armenians.
It’s farcical that these critics seem to have essentially no problem with those of our compatriots who are chiropractors/doctors/lawyers engaged in insurance fraud, jewelers diluting the proportion of gold in their products, criminals running drugs and extortion rackets, miscellaneous fraudsters preying on the ill-informed (like telling Armenians from Syria they can get into the U.S. for a price)… you get the idea, no doubt, and can probably add many more examples.
The Kardashians have succeeded in our media-saturated world. They have a strong enough sense of Armenianism that they want to use that success and access to help in our struggle for justice. What right has anyone to object to, denigrate, or impede such participation? What contribution do the critics make to further our cause? Of course I mean other than sitting on their behinds, doing nothing, and criticizing others’ actions! These critics are likely of the same mind-set as those who used to try to exclude Serj Tankian because he had long hair! Yet Serj has unquestionably done more for our cause than almost anyone else.
The Kurds have a saying, “He is a Kurd who says I am a Kurd” that we would do well to adopt. Any Armenian willing to lay on the line their credibility, energy, and talent for our cause is to be welcomed to our army of activists.
Besides, in the realm of public relations there is a saying, “I don’t care what you say about me, just spell my name right.” The implication is that there’s no such thing as bad publicity. We must get the word out about our issues in any way we can and engage the conscience of the non-Armenian public in our cause and efforts.
Which brings me to a friend’s, Peter Musurlian’s, unprecedented achievement. He has succeeded in arranging to have TWO, not just one, but TWO documentaries air on KLCS, a Los Angeles-area public TV station. And, they will be shown TWICE, not just once, back-to-back on Sunday, April 19 from 5. to 7 p.m. and Tuesday, April 21 from 8 to 10 p.m., Pacific time. Don’t miss “Historic Armenia” and “The 100-Year-Old Survivor” when they are shown, along with an interview of the documentary filmmaker, Peter.
Watch and enjoy the media, whether it is Kardashian, Tankian, or Musurlian based. But more importantly, stop panning others’ efforts and get active. Work on getting the two documentaries shown by a public TV station in your area, for example. Our struggle is at least partially a battle for the hearts and minds of all people of conscience.
Kardash in Armenian means Stonemason.
Umm, I don’t think the Kardashians going to Armenia is going to win the hearts and minds of non-armenians.
Very well said Mr, Garen, you just literally read my mind.
I havé on l’y respect to Kim and her hussard.you havé show us your being.thank you and m’y respect
brilliant,
“We must engage the conscience of the NON-Armenian Public in our cause and efforts”
what better way than Kardashians!!
Thanks Garen
Agreed.
Well said Garen. Jesus said, “You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”. These Arm-Chair critics need to stop judging and instead encourage the Kardashians and those like them who put themselves on the line for the Armenian Cause. While I may not agree with everything the Kardashians do, I can enthusiastically say that I am so proud of them and I imagine that their dear departed father, Robert Kardashian, is also so very proud of his daughters.
Agree. Jesus also said whoever is innocent/pure let him/her throw the first stone and nobody did. By the way the publicity they generated is worth over $40 million.
My sentiments exactly, Garen. I’m serious… literally EEXXAACCTTLLYY!
“We’re just a few. Only 10 million, but we are counted…
If only less of us doubted……. And more of us acted!”
Kardash means stone worker or mason in Armenian. Hence Kourtney Kardashian naming her son Mason. The last name Kardashian means son of a stone cutter or mason and it is likely just a coincidence that Kardas means brother in Turkish.
Levon jan… I agree with your explanation. But keep in mind that a lot of sir names from Western Armenia (Cilicia – Կիլիկիա) do have Turkish origins.
Their original surname was Kardaschoff, so I doubt the connection to the Turkish origin.
By the way, ‘jan’ is not an Armenian word. Let’s use it more sparingly.
Very well said,
The author is looking at the issue from only one angle. There is also the concern of many Armenian parents who object to having their children exposed to these characters. It’s only natural for our children to take a greater interest and relate to them simply because they’re Armenian. The media driven fake glamour and glitter is designed to create maximum hysteria. It’s a money making machine geared to inflict the greatest shock . Our young impressionable minds can easily be swayed into believing they can mimic their lifestyle and behavior. Since there is a built in tendency to relate to them, the results can be potentially damaging and therefore unnecessary.
Instead of belittling the critics, the better solution is to encourage other more decent achievers, whether Armenian or not, to promulgate our cause to the world.
well said- I never watch their shows or care much of most celeb status- who cares -but many do care and my children do- i like good movies-actions, thrillers and war and westerns-as I grew up with these-every where int the world- I never liked OJ or that whole scene and never cared much for who is who per tv and stardom-people are people-these gals and families are saints- I am a proud Armenian and Proud that they are with us and doing what they are doing. Armenia is all we got-and more some day we will get-we must be united and Love GOD. They are fine and doing what my dad and my family have done-being aware of who we are, where we came from and being here today on earth to love and celebrate our culture, people and history. I am an Afrikian in MA and love what they are doing-besides noticing their beauty as women- i love them for what they are doing now- God bless our Armenia and people.
I do not believe the critics are directing their volleys to the sisters. The disparaging is directed to the values and belief systems they represent. They are icons of the entertainment industry. Ex porn actresses ?. They are the royal impersonations and maximum representatives of Hollywoodean sub culture. Nothing personal on the sisters. The author points out aptly the heading of the comment ” The kardashian factor”.
Kar dash (Armenian) = Stone grinder (English).
When I opened this article, I was confronted by a funny event. A banner greeted me with “Hayr Mer, Surrender Your Heart in Prayer” (a link to a religious face book page). Under that read “The Kardashian Factor”. The “Hayr Mer” page is part of another page “Le Papillon Exclusive Gifts and Jewelry” in which the page operator exclaims: “Thank you Kim, Khloe & Kanye for everything! We love you!”
This is the perfect example of the contradictory Armenians who are modern-day Kardashian supporters who don’t ever miss an opportunity to teach others that Armenia is the first Christian nation. Interestingly the author here claims the critics are the ones who are hypocrites, citing Armenians engaged in illicit activities. That is a silly argument, because those Armenians engaged in illicit activities do not have the capability to influence the culture or its youth by becoming role-models.
I don’t have any issue with the Kardashians helping Armenia, my issue is with those that use that to put a positive spin on the family which is going to result in the further poisoning of the minds of Armenian youth. I can’t think of any society or country which reveres prostitutes, and turns them into role-models. But apparently there are a bunch of Armenians nowadays who want Armenia to be “the first country to do so” right after being the first Christian nation. Laughable? Yes, along with all the supporters of the Kardashians who have their heads in the sand.
Very well said. It all has to do with our shallow and shortsighted approach to anything Armenian. Anything Armenian does not automatically constitute support and praise. A spade must be called a spade no matter if it’s Armenian or not.
Right on, Hagop!! You summed it up real well. Kardashian(s) are free to do whatever they choose with their lives and their bodies, but for an author who has often stressed the need to uphold the Armenian family values, and now tries to canonize a prostitute –just because she visited Dzidzernagapert with her hands in her pocket– how respectful, speaks volumes of his own moral values! What a hypocrite, Mr. Garen Kardashian!!