1983_04 Hye Sharzhoom Newspaper Spring 1983

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by Alan E. Atamian
How to repair Fresno's
fractured Armenian community
Nurturing the 'special' press
As a plant may only require a proper
combination of light, water, and temperature to survive, the minority press
needs a whole lot more for it to thrive,
let alone bloom.
The nurturing of the minority press-
and its constituents in the form of
individual newspapers-is quite a
demanding task. I feel that the root of
this task is vested in the determination
of an oftentimes overlooked consideration which applies to every publication:
what is the purpose of this publication?
I feel that it is the sine qua non of a
newspaper or any public sevice element,
agency or institution to serve the
constituent need that it purports to
serve. The big problem is defining that
purpose.
The minority press has been dealt
with in many different ways and by
many different attitudes; some favorable, some unfavorable, some chauvinistic, some apathetic, all of them
searching for the difference between the
^regular" press and this "different*
press.
It seems that the minority press has
had one particular purpose: to serve
minority needs in a way that the daily
press doesn't, can't or won't. Or that
the regular press is ignorant of.
This "obligation," however, has sometimes been exaggerated to the point that
everything that concerns an "-iart" is
perceived to be truly an Armenian issue
or that everything that deals with an "-
ez" is truly an Hispanic' consideration,
for example.
This is not to say that articles or coverage of seemingly irrelevant or trivial
material are to be looked upon as having no value-just a more obscure value.
Just as the task of a "handicapped"
person's first successful tying of a shoelace prompts applause from her or his
siblings, in some cases, so does a minority individual's successful completion of
a personal, political, or occupational
goal. The handicaps of inexperience
coupled with the prejudices of others, or
the perceived prejudice of others can be
tremendous, seemingly insurmountable,
impedances.
Sometimes such a "seemingly" minor
thing as the election of Andrea Hedgley,
to the office of Associated Students
President of California State University,
Fresno, can provide a central rallying
point and celebration for those who
acknowledge the injustices committed
against a people, past and present.
Hedgley is the first black ever to be
elected student body president of
CSUF; she is also the first woman president in two decades.
Just maybe all the talk of equality is
finally culminated in the flesh of a
human being. And perhaps this central event
pumps new oxygen into the issue of
racial parity and, hence, provides a true
purpose for the publication.
All in all, the minority press is really
just a type of specialty press with one
peculiar distinction: the human condition and its improvement are of a higher
priority. Whereas a specially-targetted
publication may endeavor to reach the
special needs of rock music fans, physicians, or consumers of oriental rugs, the
minority press chooses to focus specifi-
c^fly on the progressof the "cultural near^
several stripes of different colored ice
cream together on one cone, such as
the United States. Each flavor can be
distinctly tasted and appreciated.
On the topic of purpose, one may
think it may be quite difficult to describe
one for the minority press. On the
CSUF campus three minority papers
are published: Hye Sharzhoom, La Voz
de Aztlan, and Uhuru Na Umoja. Perhaps they aren't always utilized fully to
further the cause of promoting interest
in and maintaining a culture. Perhaps
when an issue hits the campus news-
stands,   there   is   no   cataclysmic reaction or effect on the reader-
there's no real "hot scoop." There still is
a need, though, to maintain a visible media
presence to provide a forum for the
expression of cross-cultural, inter-cultural, and intra-cultural concerns. There
is still a need for cultural awareness.
And, most importantly, there is a  need
to know that when issues of grave
import surface, the vehicle is at our disposal to utilize.
And perhaps this is the most important
purpose of all.
Racist? Who? Me?
What is this animal called racism?
A hush-hush taboo term in some circles due to its explosive nature; a freely-
used nickname in others where its
application is lather perfunctory and
commonplace, in addition to being
accepted.
I claim not to be a guru on racism (far
from it), nor one who has totally
expunged racism from his own character as a sin to be turned away from. I
can say, though, that I have been thinking deeply about the subject.
My opinion about racism is tripartite.
I feel that the usage of the term is
dangerous, that racism has a good and
bad value, and that it is important for all
of us to admit that we are racists.
First, I feel that the term racism is
very dangerous and should be treated
accordingly. One does not disturb a
hornet's nest in a nudist colony. The
friction caused by the random labeling
or attribution of "racist" to someone is
rapidly becoming an end to itself-a sort
of uncontested barnacle which clings
painfully to its human host, inextricably
clinging to her or him.
Oftentimes, I feel, to call someone a
racist is to limit her or his freedom of
speech and information on the subject.
You are a racist. Case closed. We have
identified and categorized you for life.
Racism for the most part and for
many people has a very negative value
in that it serves to unfairly segregate,
discriminate, or separate people on the
basis of their race. All peoples lose out
and suffer when such illogical conceptions are formed and promoted. The
world loses touch with the intrinsic and
absolutely equal value that all humans
are born with.
Racism, however, has a positive
value. This is evidenced in cultural
appreciation-it is the sort of zealously
pursued promotion of a race which
tends to exclude all others. This basically intra-racial judgment is good in that
it serves to swing the pendulum back in
favor of a misperceived race. Instead of
confronting negative attitudes merely
with refutation, nothing but the most
selective, positive aspects of the culture
are featured-a type of chauvinism or
racism. This type of racism, of course,
can be very damaging and evil also.
My third and final observation is that it
would do us all good-black, white,
brown, or what-have-you-to confess our
racism, our ego-involvement with it. It is
this public consubstantiation of sorts
that will serve as a new springboard for
understanding and which will provide a
renascent view towards the individual
needs of a race in society, and may
afford us a better gauge for interpreting
claims of racism as true or false or
stemming from a specious situation.
by Bryan Bedrosian
The Fresno Armenian Community, one
of the oldest and largest in the United
States, is in danger of losing its Armenian
identity. Every Sunday in the eight
Armenian churches only a meager 1300
people attend. If over 250 people attend
any given social or cultural activity, the
event is considered a smashing success.
When one considers that there are close
to 40,000 Armenians living in the San
Joaquin Valley this is quite a dismal
record.
What are the causes of this situation?
Firstly, the overwhelming bombardment
of American culture through radio, television, newspapers, and magazines has
taken its toll, leading to the slow erosion
of the Fresno Armenian community.
Secondly, and nearly as destructive, is
the polarization of the community.
Fresno is polarized along two lines-
political and religious. The political division has virtually lost its meaning in
Fresno. Tashnag, Ramgavar, anti-Communist, pro-Soviet, etc., are simply
beyond most American-Armenians
today. The political question in Fresno
has been transformed into a matter of
ultimate control of the Armenian Church
in America-Etchmiadzin or Cilicia. Granted,
the local community still contains a few
diehards who have a primitive understanding of Armenian politics, and with
their knowledge (or ignorance) they keep
the situation explosive.
Due to Fresno's Armenian Protestant
community-which is almost as large as, if
not as large as the Apostolic community-
there is significant religious polarization.
This religious division manifests itself in
certain attitudes that Protestants have
toward Apostolics and vice-versa. In general, Protestants don't consider Apostolics as Christians since they aren't "born
again," and Apostolics don't consider
Protestants Armenians since they betrayed the "Mother Church." The results
of these types of beliefs and opinions have
made it difficult for the two groups to
really learn what the other is about and to
establish some form of productive communication-communication which would
have a beneficial effect on the Armenian
community as a whole.
Unfortunately, these divisions have produced other negative by-products as well.
Each little faction has its own youth
groups* cultural associations, etc. This in
itself is fine, since the greater number of
groups allows a greater chance for people
to get involved and feel that they're playing an important role. What isn't fine,
though, is the polarization. One group's
activity is generally boycotted by "other"
groups, regardless of how well it is done.
Also, it is very unusual for two groups
on opposite "sides" to co-sponsor an
event together. For example Fresno-
AGBU generally doesn't co-sponsor any
events with another group. But on those
rare occasions when it has co-sponsored
an activity it hasn't been with any A.R.F.
(Tashnagtzagan) affiliated groups, i.e.
Hamazkayin, Homenetmen, etc.,etc. This
Panel...
continued from page 1
international problem demanding an
international solution. His recommendation was the formation of an international
commission on genocide.
"When I talk about Hitler's genocide for
instance, I don't always talk about six
million Jews. I say 11 million innocent
people. It was human blood. I don't
differentiate."
In fact, Dadrian has devoted much of
his scholarship precisely to the task of
identifying distinctive characteristics
among history's examples of genocide. In
the Armenian case, he views the 1915
massacres as the culmination of many
centuries of Turkish brutality.
"Genocide was a logical outcome of
episodic massacre which were part of the
traditional Ottoman method of dealing
with the Armenians," said Dadrian, a
attitude could be due to problems that
have arisen in the past locally or may
simply not have been considered. If the
latter is the case one has to ask why co-
sponsoring with an A.R.F.-affiliated group
hasn't been thought of.
This year fortunately there has been
one big exception to this rule of "one side"
not cooperating with the other side. The
Armenian National Committee of Fresno
(the public relations arm of the A.R.F.)
decided to work within the framework of
the United Armenian Commemorative
Committee (UACC) to commemorate
April 24. (The United Armenian
Commemorative Committee is an
organization that is made up of many
Armenian groups in the San Joaquin
Valley whether they be cultural, religious
or compatriotic. The main purpose of the
UACC has been the commemoration of
April 24 in a united manner.) In the past,
the A.N.C. has commemorated April 24
on its own and not participated with the
UACC in any commemoration framework. But this year, thanks to the group's
broadminded members and leadership it
was decided to forego a solo effort and
work instead within a community-wide
framework. The effect of this action has
already borne positive results. People
who have never worked together before
have been and finding that they have the
same ideas, goals, and hopes regarding
the Armenian community in Fresno.
Also, the interaction has created many
new fresh ideas and approaches to the
commemoration of April 24.
Other Armenian groups in the San
Joaquin Valley must also realize that only
through cooperation with one another
and interaction will we have a chance of
surviving as an Armenian community in
Fresno. In real terms, some of the things
which can be done include the joint
sponsorship of cultural, social, and
church activities by groups on opposite
"sides". For example, AGBU and
Hamazkayin could do many cultural
activities together. AGBU-Youth and
AYF could sponsor sporting activities
together, or all the churches could hold
joint picnics or ecumenical services. The
list of possibilities is endless.
Fresno Armenian groups with national
or international affiliations, ARF, ANC,
AGBU, and the two Apostolic churches
(Etchmiadzin and Cilicia) in the San
Joaquin Valley should not let directives
from their higher-ups or central bureaus
interfere with any efforts made at
cooperation in the local level. Local
Armenian leaders must be wise enough
and courageous enough to question
directives from their immediate superiors
if they are judged to interfere with the
cohesivness of the
community. It must be remembered that
Fresno is a very large and important
Armenian community which is fighting for
its life. Every Armenian leader in the area
must put the survival of the Fresno
community first above all demands made
by its organizations. Without viable
cont. on page 7
sociologist at the State Universtity of New
York.
Dadrian detailed the Turkish process
of extermination mentioning some of the
findings of his personal research, but he
also lamented the paucity of objective
scholarship on the subject. Dadrian
pointed to the wealth of academic work
documenting the Holocaust, most of it by
Jewish scholars, and then noted how the
Armenian response to the 1915
massacres pales in comparison. The
future, however, holds reason for hope.
As Dadrian explained, he expects to
publish an extensive study of the
Armenian genocide in the coming years.
The panel discussion was sponsored by
the CSUF Armenian Students Organization and the Armenian Studies
Program. Dr. Joel Best, chairman of the
CSUF Sociology Department, served as
moderator.