Patrick Azadian

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18 մարտ, 2020 09:06

The Poison of Polarity

There is no better time to be punished for saying two and two make up four than when there is a politically charged atmosphere in a society. The political environment in Armenia today is charged. This statement in itself is a difficult one to make and can illustrate a case in point. First, because in such a polarized environment, the opposing forces in our society and their followers often end up shoving such observations into their tight box of narrow political agenda.

1 դեկտեմբեր, 2019 09:34

We must do better

Not having lived in Soviet Armenia, there are times that I feel if I had lived during those times, I would have longed for those ‘dignified but non-free’ days. What I didn’t expect was that the Soviet nostalgia would hit me on the night of Armenia’s independence day.

3 սեպտեմբեր, 2019 19:02

The village on the border

The mountainous road leading to the border village is long. It makes the distances in this tiny, rugged, land-locked country feel vast. This is what is left of historic Armenia, a precious, tiny sliver of land made up of silver mountain ranges, sparsely populated villages and occasional thick, green forests. We couldn’t travel fast on these snake-like roads even if our lives depended on it. The winding road forces us to see every detail, feel every rock and notice every tree, and read the names on every memorial dedicated to the victims of Azeri intrusion on the border.

29 օգոստոս, 2019 09:33

Believing in the revolution does not mean blindly

According to Aravot Daily when asked if he (Ararat Mirzoyan, Speaker of the National Assembly) worries about whether the government’s ratings will drop if the Amulsar mine is put into operation, Ararat Mirzoyan responded, “I agree with claims that the government’s ratings will drop in that case, although I don’t think that most of the people who are against it voted for My Step to begin with. However, there is another issue at hand here: should any government solely worry about its ratings, or can there be situations where governments make unpopular decisions based on the country’s interests?”

22 օգոստոս, 2019 11:40

Jobs. Jobs. Jobs. But please, no minimum wage jobs

Armenia does not need low paying, minimum wage jobs that do not enable people to escape the poverty level. It is rare that people can escape the lowest economic class if wages do not allow for savings, healthcare, proper nutrition or investments for the present and the future. Moreover, in order for the capitalist form of democracy (not my choice but it seems to be the choice made by Armenia) to grow and take root in Armenia, a sizeable and well-established middle class is a necessity. Without it, people will always be susceptible to being loyal to the mega-employers.

23 հոկտեմբեր, 2018 21:12

Adee-boodee, exile and the Syunecis

A spontaneous, one-day journey took me to Kapan, Armenia, in time to witness some of the celebrations and activities scheduled for the ‘Day of Kapan’ last Saturday. My friend, Satine (Qaj Satine, as I like to call her since she has climbed Mt. Khustup twice), greeted me near the city hall but had to return to work promptly for a few hours before joining me for the rest of the day. So, I had some free time and decided to wander off into the city and see the celebrations in the main square.

15 հոկտեմբեր, 2018 10:30

Journalists, friends and the brewing revolution

The same year, this was all before the revolution had taken place in Armenia, I was speaking to a journalist friend about the dire socio-economic conditions of Armenia and its people. I asked her to name the single major obstacle standing in the way of country’s progress, in other words, how do we change course and avoid going ‘off the cliff?’ I asked because while I consider myself an optimist when it comes to Armenia, like my California-based friend, I have never shared the view that things will magically get better. Many of us expect progress in our personal and professional lives only if there is a plan in place as well as tangible steps forward, both of which have been non-existent in Armenia.

24 սեպտեմբեր, 2018 12:44

Revolution, counter-revolution, fear-mongering and manipulation

Where there is a revolution there is an attempt at counter-revolution. It would be rather naïve to think that after the revolution in Armenia, the forces who still have much to lose from the popular uprising and shift in the power balance would submit without resistance. What Armenian society witnessed immediately after the revolution was the show of a reluctant white flag of peace and temporary surrender by the old regime, an ingenuine and cynical: “We were wrong; you are right.” The translation: “We’ll see and good luck (with a fearful, evil smirk)!” What the old regime did wrong, when or how, would still be a mystery if we were to wait for a voluntary admission of guilt, a frank sense of accountability, or a smidgen of repentance.

17 սեպտեմբեր, 2018 08:52

A revolution? Yes, sure, but not an end

It is worth pondering on why there was a revolution in Armenia; it’s not a bad idea to remember sometimes. We can only assume that people felt something was gravely wrong. Something so wrong, that they had no fear of beating in broad daylight, no fear of mass arrests, no fear of heavy-handed external intervention, and finally, no fear of death. As a friend suggested about a year before the revolution, “they have managed to keep us subjugated and in fear since March 1, 2008.” Well, no more.