Of course, our political compatriots are worried about the prime minister’s resignation, possible anti-revolutionary plots, and snap elections, despite the fact that I doubt that any unprecedented developments will take place. But, I will confess that I am more worried about… Indians. Or, to be specific, I’m not so much worried about Indians, Persians, and other foreigners, as much as I am worried about how the Armenian public regards them and people who do not conform to “standards.”
There is no such thing as a loving and unified atmosphere in Armenia in this aspect, and neither are the revolution nor our present and past authorities to be blamed. The government never encouraged intolerance towards these people on a state level. One of the main reasons for this is that several generations of people in our monoethnic nation have not seen any foreigners. That’s why someone with darker skin is seen as an extraordinary phenomenon that makes people feel worried. And that doesn’t only regard Africans. The older generations describe how when men wearing shorts appeared on the streets of Yerevan in the 1940s, that induced culture shock in the local population. These men in shorts were Armenians from other countries. Today, of course, wearing shorts in the capital doesn’t surprise anyone, but can we really say that our stereotypes and prejudices towards “aghbars” (our Western Armenian brothers) has changed at all?
Now there are a lot more Indians in Yerevan who work in customer service. Some have small businesses. And I see how people, particularly of my generation, get angry and start talking about “how many of these are there?” People my age were raised with an internationalist spirit. But try and sit them down at a table with Indians, and all of their “internationalism” will disappear.
This negative outlook is a lot softer in the younger generations. First, many of them have had the opportunity to live abroad and to see people of different religions, skin colors, clothing styles, and, of course, people with different sexual orientations. But even if they haven’t been abroad, the internet gives us the opportunity to get to know the outside world in its entirety. Therefore, younger people are more tolerant.
… When I was a child, there was someone in our neighborhood in Ajapnyak who was called “Crazy Zhora.” His right hand always shook; he probably had Parkinson’s. He would periodically recite poems that he had written. Perhaps it’s obvious why he was considered “crazy.”
