In our verbal and unfortunately, also written speech, we often use foreign and rather ugly words. Usually, they add some flavor to our speech. For example, when the parliamentarians are arguing at the parliament too fervently, we call it a “shoot-out” or more colorful, a “disorder.” Or when one politician is saying bad things to the other, we expect that the recipient of these words will “give a back reaction.” When the government does what it wants, and it is not controlled and limited to by anyone (and this is what happens at least 20 years), we call it a “lawlessness”. If anyone had a power or wealth, but had lost it for one reason or another and is very upset by this fact, such person is used to be called an “offended”.
Certainly, these words do not shine by their high aesthetic level, in my opinion, they even contain some shade of “criminal” and the immaculate supporters of the language are protesting against them rightly. But in particular, we, the journalists, apply for such “tricks” because the Armenian and literary equivalent for these words are overly “neutral,” do not contain an assessment and attitude, do not describe the cultural environment, about which we are writing.
Among these kinds of words, “passageway” has its special place. Certainly, it is possible to use the words like “permit”, “franchise”, “sponsorship” or, in extreme cases, “protectionism”, which perhaps have a foreign origin but are “cultured”. However, let’s agree that “giving a passageway”, sponsoring, franchising is not permissible. It is more. “Giving a passageway” in our and any “post-Soviet” reality means, judging by not objective, personal, group or purely material interests (preferences), giving illegal advantages to the business entity or the businesses who would not have these advantage in other, normal competing conditions. And vice versa, if you were not successful to “come across” (in a broad and allegoric meaning of this word) “the one who gives you a passageway,” then regardless of your abilities, the failure is guaranteed. In a broader sense, it may also be applied to other, non-economic spheres. For example, education and culture. As you can see a whole philosophy is hidden behind “giving a passageway”.
So, it is no coincidence that the Russian rabiz singer refers to the RF President Putin in his songs containing geopolitical analysis that we, the Armenians, are “given a passageway.” The rabiz, as you know, are the main “sense-givers” of the Armenian reality. In other words, if starting from the village mayor there is a hierarchy of ağas and beys “giving a passageway”, then it is very normal that the “Tsar is sitting on the top of this hierarchy,” who is shedding his “traditional” benevolence on our people.
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The given artist deserves granting the title of People’s Artist for providing such a deep and comprehensive understanding of life. Why not, also the title of an Academician.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
