Perhaps in Armenia ideal people exist who never erred in their lifetime and, therefore, are not responsible for the bad things taking place in our country. I am happy for those people – they have right to speak of the others’ flaws (chiefly of the authorities and the first persons taking the power). They are brave and principled people.
Unfortunately, I am too far from that ideal and want to tell you about my weakness, my ineptitude. At the age of 20, 35, 45 and 55, seeing that someone is going to do an illegal act (even throwing the remnant of the cigarette on the pavement), I say: “you cannot do that”. 4 out of 5 replies: “In this derelict country you care for this?!” This is the best case. In a more “ardent” version: “you will remain such a fool in this life.”
When I was 20, Armenia’s leader was Karen Demirchyan, when 35, it was Levon Ter-Petrosian, in 45 – Robert Kocharyan, 55 – Serzh Sargsyan. They, assuredly, were responsible for the vices of our country, but referencing them in every step is not convective forasmuch as during the ruling years of each of them one can be a “nimble” and a “naive”. However, let me repeat, the answer throughout these 35 years is the same regarding “this derelict country.” And during the relative freedom of the past 25 years a “political supplement” – “if Levon…”, “If Robert…”, “If Serzh…” comes forth.
Which is my fault? The weakness. That I cannon convince people that their behavior, their attitude towards the state is not conditioned by the leader of the country and his relatives. The opposite, those people are conditioned by our attitude towards the state. State and just the other’s is simply “enemy’s commodity” to the majority, you remember? Our elders dispraised us this way when we treated something negligently – “What? Is it enemy’s commodity?” As long as this remains, we will have a “respective” state.
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Statistically the average Armenian, in honor of him, is ready to give his life for the motherland. The same Armenian is not ready to throw the remnant of the cigarette to the bin. Inasmuch as you give your life once. And you have to throw the remnant of the cigarette every day. Every minute.
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
