How the small marginal groups become influential, if you do not confront
Recently, one of the MPs confessed that the word “gender” has even become a curse word in the National Assembly, a synonym to homosexual perversion. The matter is about the fact that in respective atmosphere, the extremist and marginal group is becoming influential, and highly influence on the public sentiments. We have recently witnessed the example of such multiplied effect in Ukraine, when “Pravi sector” (“pravi” means right, true, rather than right hand) becomes the impetus of “Maidan revolution”. It provided an excuse to Russian official propaganda to identifying the Ukrainian people’s revolt, the fight against universal theft and corruption with extremist nationalistic, certainly, objectionable manifestations.
The same multiplying effect operates in Armenian. At the moment, Khachik Stamboltsyan is not ranked among the most influential political figures. But when he conducts demonstrations with a group of his like-minded people against “gender”, it deserves the “information support” of extreme pro-Russian figures (whose goals are purely political) like Ashot Manucharyan, and become a subject of wide discussion. Thus, highly non-topical theme acquires very modern lines. Approximately the same mechanism is described in Lion Feuchtwanger’s novel “Erfolg” (Success), when Rupert Kuttsner’s marginal group is becoming “the person of dominant influence” of the nation. Recall, the novel is about the genealogy of German Nazism.
Today, it is in fashion to ridicule the European “political correctness”, partly also under the influence of the same Russian official propaganda. Indeed, ridiculous displays are really happening within this “correctness”. However, this is the case when excessive moderation is much more beneficial than licentiousness. We need to extract any inappropriate words from our vocabulary addressed to ethnic, sexual, or religious minorities, no matter how “patriotic” and “principle” we seem.
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The fact that the opposition is conducting a ruthless struggle for power, this is normal. The fact that the authorities are “relentlessly” wishing to stay in their seats, this is also normal. It is abnormal when the representatives of intellectual or public figures, reluctant to interfere in government-opposition “dangerous” dispute (who knows who will sit in which chair), deliver ardent speeches in press clubs from time to time, allegedly in defense of national values and the Armenian family. In fact, they are neither interested in values nor the family. Attacking the gays and sects, they at best want to remind of their existence, and at worst, they are working for the same “customs” (in other words, anti-European) campaign.
Unfortunately, after the recent events in Ukraine, the national problems are aggravated, and some Armenians consider their duty to express their love to Russians and non-solidarity to Ukrainians. Either within the “Customs propaganda”, or spontaneously, some have come to a conclusion that “Ukrainians are not a nation at all.”
However, the most interesting comment I’ve read in our website. The author, attacking “the Ukrainian Nazis”, later proves that they allegedly came to power in the result of the “Jewish conspiracy”, and the Jews are to be blamed in everything, who are the embodiments of the world evil. It turns out, “Down with the Nazis, and all Jews should be taken to gas chambers.” It is logical.
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
