A person over 60 years old started feeling bad after a hard conversation and asked to let him leave. People three times younger than him, found it necessary to remind him of his sins at that moment: what if when we were on a hunger strike, what if when the special brigade was here? Listing the past, real, or false sins of people does not justify committing a guilt at that moment: if you are a better person, more righteous and kinder, you must be stricter against yourself than others.
The “argument” of “what if” becomes basic and widespread in the transitional period. If you suddenly write about a mistake of the current government, there will be dozens of people who will “make a counter-argument”: “what if when the Republicans were robbing the country, was it good?”. No, it was not good, it was bad, but it is not a justification of the current mistakes. When the authorities were faking elections in 1998 and later years and Levon’s supporters pointed out that fact, the latter was rebuked: “what if when you were faking?”. There is a 50-year old joke in relation to such situation: an American speaks about the Soviet Union’s empty shops, sausage queues, persecution of dissidents. The Soviet propagandist responds, “What if you mistreat the Negros?”.
These “what ifs” can justify any cruelty, even a crime. Finally, the Nazis in Germany also used the same argument as they persecuted the Jews: “What if when the Jews ruled over the whole economy of our country and determined the fate of Germany?”, therefore it was necessary to put the Jews into the gas cabins. Or the Bolsheviks were stating, “What if when Tsar regime was abusing the working class and farmers?”, therefore we can kill Tsar’s 11-year-old son. The hatred towards others is always based on the memories of others’ sins. Thus, since there is no nation, no party or no person in the world who has not committed wrong, unacceptable, shameful actions, in principle, anyone can be guided by these “memories” in any case.
The Criminal Code is the rule of law for the state: whether the violator is an official, an oligarch, or someone killing a policeman due to “ideological motives” should be punished. Before giving any assessment, the assessor should consider that he is weak and imperfect too. “All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you”, the Bible says. Well said: it has a preventive meaning for any cruelty and vengeance.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
