Let’s imagine that a “flat earth” initiative has been set up in Armenia, which is holding a rally in Freedom Square. During the rally, the speakers are trying to prove that the earth is not round; it is flat like a cake and is placed on three elephants. What is being propagated by this supposed initiative is absurd, marginal (from today’s point of view), anti-scientific, and contradicts common sense. But the question arises: is it worth covering the rally? I think it is worth it, because our reader (user) has the right to know that there is an initiative that promotes such marginal ideas.
Of course, it is desirable to contrast it with another view, which presents modern ideas about the Earth.
Anti-vaccination propaganda is just as marginal and absurd to me. But this does not mean that I should hide the fact that there is such propaganda and not allow the supporters of that view to express themselves on Aravot’s pages. Another question is whether such propaganda is prohibited by law, such as the propaganda of violence or racism. In that case, the law must be obeyed and, by the way, it is possible that the law will ban the anti-vaccination campaign.
The “Sasna Tsrers” held a rally and say that killing a person is a loss accompanying the “uprising.” I do not accept this approach, but we regularly cover the activities of this organization. In their speeches, the Nikol supporters say that Vanetsyan, Ohanyan, Gasparyan, Tonoyan are to blame for the defeat in the war- everyone except for Pashinyan. I do not agree with that. Maybe I should not publish these speeches either?
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Kocharyan supporters say that the prime minister took $ 4 billion to sell Karabakh. That statement seems absurd to me: is that why I did not publish it in the pages of the newspaper? Not to mention what Aliyev said…
If I publish only the opinions I agree with in the newspaper, I will have to write all the articles for myself. By the way, in the first half of the ‘90s, there was a newspaper called “Hnchak Hayastani” and its only author was the editor of that newspaper Yeghya Najaryan. Another option- it just contradicts my ideas about the media.
… Anti-vaccination propaganda, of course, can exploit people’s ignorance. Ignorance is the problem. Not just for the coronavirus.
Aram Abrahamyan
