Today, the word “tolerance” in Armenia has become almost a blasphemous word. As soon as political figures and politicized mass hear that word (no matter to what or whom it refers), began to exclaim as how can we tolerate the authorities who… The national figures, “fundamentalist” clergymen and their supporters also see a terrible “crime” in this word. Again, regardless of the subject under discussion, under the word “tolerance” they understand friendly attitude towards homosexuality and sectarianism.
Well, although the authorities are not specifically talking about this subject, but they are acting too intolerant, for example, dismissing the film-director from work who has his own point of view. The Republicans are uttering threats and invectives against Zaruhi Postanjyan because they do not like the views of this MP. And the head of the Creative Union just ignores any point of view different from his by just quite reasonably considering that the first face of the country is standing behind his back. In short, none of us shine at tolerance.
First, let’s understand that tolerance is not a dangerous infection, which the Europeans, the West want to inject into us as a plot. Before Erasmus, Montaigne, Voltaire, this culture was special to us, Armenians. Our Apostolic Church, which was focusing the intellectual and cultural potential of Armenians for centuries does not have an Institute of Inquisition.
As far as I know, tradition of burning the dissenters on fire and their books, stoning “those violating moral norms’ were not particularly popular among us, keeping the wife enslaved is not specific to our people. Thus, tolerance is a special phenomenon inside our culture; it should not be imported from anywhere.
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The border between tolerance and intolerance, of course, to some extent is subjective and it depends on the person’s education, taste, and intelligence level. I say “some” because there is at least a substantial borderline: it is the law of given state. Citizens should not tolerate any violation of law, whereas in countries like ours infringement of the law is approached with “understanding” considering them a display of “quick wittedness” and “smartness”.
And, vice versa, we often make up a problem, consider it a part of worldwide conspiracy against us, and carry on a national liberation struggle against it. Sinister ‘gender’ is one of them.
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
