When traditional words are said about “age-old dream”, “historical lands” and “independence generation” on September 21, I recall my father’s question, which he asked in 1965, when people were going out to the street to “ask for lands.” He was asking, “And if they give us the land, is it going to be the same unorderly and disorganized situation that exists in today’s Armenia?”
Exactly with the same logic, now the problem is not what part of the land we currently own, or to what extent our age-old dream is realized. 23 years ago, we had the opportunity to have our state, which has not yet been established. What needs to do done for its establishment? This is the question. That question the following “specification” for me. Why, for example, the Germans consider the point of their honor to exercise the requirements of the laws and they compel other nations who live in their country to follow it. So, do Armenians consider the point of their honor to circumvent the law? And not only the law, but any principle.
Let me give you a parabolic example. Suppose, a dinner party is organized, and it is declared in advance that all should come dressed in white shirts. The Germans either would come with a white shirt on, or if he does not have a white shirt, or if he does not consider this requirement reasonable, he would not come at all. The Armenian would try to get to the point that an exception would be made for him, solely for him. “And is it possible to come with a few striped shirt?”, “Could the color of the shirt be a little bit close to pink?” Numerous real and fantastic, compelling and unconvincing arguments are brought for this exception. As a result, everyone comes out with parti-colored shirts or without shirts at all. Once an exception is made, no rule and no principle is ever functions.
The outcome, therefore, is in preservation of the precise letter of the law, without minor exceptions. Or else, we know what it turns out to be. “Poghos broke the law, but, you know, he is our bro, from our team and a fighting guy, he is the guy of the Movement, we need to support him.” Or “Who this Raffi turned to be? Can he work as a president? We need to do everything for him not to become a president.” (But the risk of Raffi’s becoming a bad president would a hundred, a thousand-fold be compensated by his legitimacy). Or, “Well, it’s enough with their speedometers. For example, why it should be the sign 60 here?” If the majority of citizens’, starting, of course, from the government, attention is breaking the law and “slipping out” the responsibility, then it is, in my opinion, the major index of state absence.
…And because of “similar shirts” (I repeat, it is an allegory), people’s individuality is not distorted. On the contrary, it is better seen what is under the shirt.
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
