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03/24/2006
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1) Armenians Protest Turkish Defense Minister’s Visit to Los Angeles
2) USC Promptly Cancels Conference on “Turkish Perspective” on The Armenian
Genocide
3) LA Times Editorial: It was genocide
4) Lyon Bans Future Protests by Turks
5) Zulal Performs at ARS Javakhk Fundraiser Raising $60,000
6) ANCA-WR Applauds LA Times for Editorial in Support of Genocide Recognition
7) Genocide Education Project Establishes Advisory Board
8) Schiff to Host Capitol Hill Screening of Armenian Genocide Documentary
9) ‘Armenian Genocide’ Will Show at Hollywood Theater
10) Community Turns Out to Raise Concerns
11) A Striving And Surviving Community in Lebanon
12) Stroke Is No Longer A Disease of Old Age: By Dr. Haygoush Kalinian
13) Now That’s a Problem: By Garen Yegparian
14) WHAT I DON’T UNDERSTAND ABOUT ARMENIAN WEDDINGS: By Skeptik Sinikian

1) Armenians Protest Turkish Defense Minister’s Visit to Los Angeles

The Armenian American community of Los Angeles rallied in front of the Beverly
Hills Hotel Friday, where Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul was a guest
speaker at a luncheon hosted by the Los Angeles World Affairs Council.
Armenian National Committee Western Region board member Raffi Hamparian,
Congressman Brad Sherman, and Armenian Revolutionary Federation Central
Executive chairman Tro Chekijian addressed the peaceful crowd.
An estimated 4000 people, gathered all around the hotel where they protested
against the Turkish government’s denial of the Armenian genocide and its
continuing violations of human rights.

2) USC Promptly Cancels Conference on “Turkish Perspective” on The Armenian
Genocide

LOS ANGELES–The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region
(ANCA-WR) learned on March 22 that a planned conference at the University of
Southern California (USC) featuring leading deniers of the Armenian Genocide
was canceled.
The USC Center on Public Diplomacy originally sponsored the conference,
titled
“Turkish-Armenian Relations: The Turkish Perspective,” which was scheduled to
take place on Sunday, March 26. Former Turkish Ambassadors Gunduz Aktan and
Omer Engin Lutem were invited to speak about the Armenian genocide and
Turkish-Armenian relations. Aktam and Lutem are notorious deniers of the
Armenian genocide, and the event announcement made no attempt to hide that
their discussion would not only distort history but attempt to justify Ottoman
Turkey’s extermination of its Armenian population.
“The USC event, which was to have featured Turkish members of the State
Department’s discredited TARC initiative, is part of an orchestrated national
campaign to breath new life into the failed effort,” said Zanku Armenian, a
member of the ANCA-WR Board of Directors. “The ANCA-WR, working with USC
Armenian student groups, Alumni and school supporters, was able to demonstrate
to USC officials the misguided and sinister nature of this panel, which led to
its cancellation. The cancellation, along with the March 22 Los Angeles Times
editorial reaffirming the Armenian genocide, sends a strong message to those
who deny the Armenian genocide: ‘You are not welcome in California.’ We
applaud
USC administrators for taking prompt action to rectify this situation and thus
protecting USC’s fine reputation from being used in Turkey’s propaganda war.”
Outraged student groups called on USC administrators to ask why this
conference was organized. In a letter to the director of the USC Center on
Public Diplomacy, ANCA-WR Chairman Steven Dadaian called on the organizers to
drop the conference.
“According to the description of the program issued by the Center, Messrs.
Aktan and Lutem have the extraordinary task of turning the victims of the
first
genocide of the 20th century into the perpetrators,” said Dadaian in his
letter.
He pointed out: “The facts surrounding the Armenian genocide are not in
dispute. The Armenian genocide has been recognized by the United Nations, the
United States government and even the Ottoman courts who convicted the
perpetrators of the Armenian genocide in absentia. The fact that USC is going
to provide a forum for Turkish foreign agents to deny historical facts by
making outright false statements is disturbing and a violation of your own
Code
of Ethics.”
The quick action to draw attention to this issue by many groups and
individuals resulted in the ultimate cancellation once USC officials were made
aware of the real intent of the event.

The ANCA is the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots
political organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices,
chapters, and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated
organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the
Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.

3) LA Times Editorial: It was genocide

In its March 22 issue, the Los Angeles Times published an editorial titled “It
was genocide,” calling on the US government to finally acknowledge the
Armenian
genocide and stop “tiptoeing around this issue.” The editorial about the
recall
of US ambassador to Armenia John Evans chides the US for punishing those who
speak truthfully about the Genocide and for letting its relations with Turkey
determine its actions. Below is the full text of the editorial, as it appeared
in the LA Times.

John Evans is the U.S. ambassador to Armenia, as of this writing. But he
probably won’t be for long. Evans, a career diplomat who was selected to
receive an American Foreign Service Assn. award last year for his frank public
speaking, irked his superiors at the State Department by uttering the
following
words at UC Berkeley in February 2005: “I will today call it the Armenian
genocide.” For that bit of truth-telling, Evans was forced to issue a
clarification, then a correction, then to endure having his award rescinded
under pressure from his bosses, and finally to face losing his job
altogether.
What happened in Armenia in 1915 is well known. The Ottoman Empire attempted
to exterminate the Armenian population through slaughter and mass deportation.
It finished half the job, killing about 1.2 million people. Yet the State
Department has long avoided the word “genocide,” not out of any dispute over
history but out of deference to Turkey, whose membership in NATO and location
between Europe and Asia make it a strategic ally.
It is time to stop tiptoeing around this issue and to accept settled history.
Genocide, according to accepted U.N. definition, means “the intent to destroy,
in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.” Armenia
is not even a borderline case. Punishing an ambassador for speaking honestly
about a 90-year-old crime befits a cynical, double-dealing monarchy, not the
leader of the free world.
Turks point out that their Ottoman ancestors considered it treason to side
with Russia at the outbreak of World War I, as many Armenians did. But the
massacres were also fueled by Muslim animosity toward a Christian minority.
When then-U.S. Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire Henry Morganthau protested the
bloodletting, he received a telling response from Mehmed Talaat, the interior
minister in charge of the anti-Armenian campaign. “Why are you so
interested in
Armenians anyway? You are a Jew, these people are Christians,” Talaat said.
“Why can’t you let us do with these Christians as we please?”
For Armenians who escaped the killing and came to this country, inadequate
recognition of their history is crazy-making. Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank),
whose district includes the heart of the Armenian diaspora, keeps
introducing a
bill to officially recognize the genocide, only to see congressional
leadership
quash it each year, under pressure from the State Department.
Some nations, thankfully, are stepping where Congress fears to tread. The
European Parliament last year passed a nonbinding resolution asking that
Turkey
acknowledge the genocide as a precondition for joining the European Union. The
Turkish government, typically, was infuriated, yet it still desperately wants
to join the EU.
One day, the country that was founded as a direct repudiation of its Ottoman
past will face its history squarely, as part of a long-overdue maturing
process. Some day before then, we hope, the State Department will too.

4) Lyon Bans Future Protests by Turks

PARIS (Armenpress)–Following last weekend’s Turkish protest against the
construction of an Armenian genocide monument in Lyon, the Prefect of Rhone,
Jean-Pierre Lacroix, said that he will not give permission for such rallies in
the future.
Turkish Milliyet reported that the rally created tension between Paris and
Ankara. French officials told Turkish Foreign Affairs ministry representatives
that the Turkish embassy did not heed the Ministry’s warnings to hold a
peaceful protest.
The meeting turned rowdy when some of the Turks attacked a group of students
staging their own protest against a controversial new employment law for
youths. Police used water cannons and tear gas to separate the two groups.

5) Zulal Performs at ARS Javakhk Fundraiser Raising $60,000

The Armenian Relief Society – Western Region (ARS-WR) Javakhk Fund Committee
raised $60,000 in critical humanitarian assistance for the Armenians of
Javakhk
(the mostly Armenian-populated region in southern Georgia). The dinner
reception and concert aboard the “M.V. Majestic” on March 12 featured “Zulal,”
an a cappella folk trio from the East Coast. Western United States Prelate
Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Assistant Consul General of the Republic of
Armenia Haroutune Kojayan, ARF Central Committee, and ARS Regional and Chapter
Executives were among the 225 individuals who attended the event and toured
the
harbor on the three floors and decks of the Majestic.
Haigoush Kohler, chair of the Javakhk Fund Committee, welcomed guests and
described the dire situation of Javakhk, which lacks basic social services.
She
highlighted some of the accomplishments of the diasporan Armenian communities,
including purchasing and renovating educational institutions and youth
centers, donating ambulances and diagnostic equipment for the Akhalkalak
hospital, and providing agricultural assistance. She noted that there are many
similar projects awaiting support and urged everyone to share their blessings
with those less fortunate.
Kohler’s remarks were followed by Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian’s
invocation. His Eminence reminded everyone that Almighty God is our provider
for everything and urged the attendees to go above and beyond what is
neccessary and to do what is right, to stand by the people of Javakhk.
ARS-WR Regional Executive Chair, Angela Savoian thanked the attendees for
everything that they do for ARS projects and especially for Javakhk. She noted
how the Regional Executive has been on the move in the past couple of weeks,
taking its message to San Francisco and Las Vegas, with plans to be in
Houston,
Fresno, and San Diego in the next few weeks. Savoian urged everyone to respond
to the dire needs of the people in Javakhk, to keep them strong, and to show
that we care about them. She thanked the Javakhk Fund Committee for a job well
done and asked the committee Vice-Chair, Lena Bozoyan, to make a presentation.
Bozoyan gathered the committee members and said that Haigoush Kohler is the
driving force behind the committee, keeping them aware of developments in
Javakhk on a daily basis. Later, committee members presented a bouquet of
flowers to Kohler. Bozoyan presented the next speaker, Jasik Jarahian, a
committee member and ARS-WR General Accountant/Auditor, to lead the following
fundraising effort.
Jarahian, who has visited Javakhk four times, presented eyewitness
accounts of
the desperate conditions in Javakhk and urged everyone to do their best to
counteract them. She spoke of parents desperately searching for clean drinking
water, food, and warm clothes for their children. Her stories about the
lack of
heating, food shortages, and harassment by authorities were
heart-wrenching. As
she announced the donations, Jarahian detailed previous accomplishments
such as
the renovation of schools, health facilities, and the implementation of
programs to alleviate poverty. The participants were generous with their
donations and helped raise $60,000 for Javakhk.
The highlight of the evening was a performance by “Zulal,” an Armenian a
cappella folk trio from the East Coast. They sang traditional Armenian folk
styles in the a cappella style, relying solely on their voices and the songs’
sentiments to captivate their audience. The three young women gave a
breath-taking performance and warmed the hearts of the audience.
The ARS Javakhk Fund Committee also has other fundraising projects underway.
The committee has distributed piggy banks to Armenian day school students and
ARS Saturday school students to help raise funds and awareness among the
youth.

6) ANCA-WR Applauds LA Times for Editorial in Support of Genocide Recognition

LOS ANGELES–The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region
(ANCA-WR) applauded the Los Angeles Times for publishing an editorial calling
on the US Government to officially recognize the Armenian genocide.
The editorial titled “It was genocide” appeared in the March 22 edition of
the
Los Angeles Times and detailed reports that the US Ambassador to Armenia, John
Marshall Evans, faced early termination of his post due to comments he made
affirming the Armenian genocide. The editorial explained that while the
Armenian genocide is a textbook example of genocide, the US Government has
shied away from using the term genocide in describing the annihilation of
Armenians by Ottoman Turkey due to its current-day political relations with
the
Turkish government. The LA Times went on to praise countries that have passed
resolutions acknowledging the Genocide and expressed hope that the US
Government would one day act in kind.
“We commend the LA Times for taking a principled stance on the Armenian
genocide, which is a crime against all humanity,” commented Zanku Armenian, a
member of the ANCA-WR Board of Directors. “The editorial position of the LA
Times joins a growing list of prominent newspapers around the country that
have
taken similar positions including the New York Times, Boston Globe, Chicago
Tribune, and many others. This serves as a major blow to Turkey’s genocide
denial campaign and sends a clear message that it is time for the US
Government
to reaffirm the facts of the Armenian genocide rather than persecute those who
dare speak the truth.”
Armenian and ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian were quoted along with
Congressman Adam Schiff (CA-29) in a Los Angeles Daily News article just one
day before the Los Angeles Times editorial appeared. The Daily News article
reported on Ambassador Evans’ pending recall that was first publicized by
California Courier Publisher Harut Sassounian on March 9. Congressional
members
like Representatives Schiff, Armenian Issues Caucus Co-chairman Frank Pallone
(NJ-6), and Grace Napolitano (CA-38) have since been probing US State
Department officials, including Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, for an
explanation of these disturbing reports.
The controversy ensued following comments Ambassador Evans made last year. “I
will today call it the Armenian genocide,” the Ambassador said speaking in
front of a public audience in 2005. “I think it is unbecoming of us, as
Americans, to play word games here. I believe in calling things by their
name.”
Ambassador Evans also disclosed that he had consulted with a legal advisor at
the State Department who had confirmed that the events of 1915 were “genocide
by definition.”
Within days after his remarks and the conclusion of a speaking tour of
Armenian American communities, Ambassador Evans was apparently forced to issue
a statement clarifying that his references to the Armenian genocide were his
personal views and did not represent a change in US policy. He subsequently
issued a correction to this statement, replacing a reference to the genocide
with the word “tragedy.”
Despite the apparent trouble the Ambassador’s remarks had caused inside the
State Department, the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), in
recognition of his honesty and commitment to principle, decided to honor
Ambassador Evans with the “Christian A. Herter Award,” recognizing creative
thinking and intellectual courage within the Foreign Service. Sadly, as
Washington Post staff writer Glenn Kessler revealed on June 9, AFSA withdrew
its award following pressure from “very serious people from the State
Department.”
ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian, in a letter sent to Secretary Rice on March 10,
wrote that, “the prospect that a US envoy’s posting–and possibly his
career–has been cut short due to his honest and accurate description of a
genocide is profoundly offensive to American values and US standing
abroad–particularly in light of President Bush’s call for moral clarity in
the
conduct of our international affairs.”
The ANCA letter also urged Secretary Rice to respond in a timely manner to
the
series of written questions on this matter submitted on February 16 by
Congressman Schiff during her testimony before the House International
Relations Committee. Among these questions was a specific request that the
Secretary assure the Committee that the Department of State has not taken–and
will not take–any punitive action against Ambassador Evans for speaking out
about the Armenian genocide.

The ANCA is the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots
political organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices,
chapters, and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated
organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the
Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.

7) Genocide Education Project Establishes Advisory Board

SAN FRANCISCORenowned scholars, educators and administrators Yair Auron, Peter
Balakian, Israel Charny, Vahakn Dadrian, Richard Hovannissian, Levon
Marashlian, and Henry Theriault have joined the Advisory Board of The Genocide
Education Project.
“We are truly honored to have such an esteemed group of individuals sign
on to
support our organization,” said Raffi Momjian, Executive Director of The
Genocide Education Project. “With their advice and expertise, we can better
serve educators across the country to ensure the Armenian genocide is part of
the history taught in US Schools.”
Momjian and Sara Cohan, The Genocide Education Project’s Education Director,
along with the organization’s governing Board of Directors, will benefit from
the new Advisory Board’s guidance in devising new strategies for the
organization and helping maximize the effectiveness of current projects.
Activities for the year include developing new and innovative curricular
material, including an online lesson plan, and continuing to reach educators
through workshops and national conferences.
“I’ve been working with The Genocide Education Project for over eight years
now, and look forward to continuing our collaboration through my new position
as advisory board member,” commented Advisory Board member, Jack Weinstein,
Regional Director of Facing History and Ourselves. “Together, we can share
our
educational resources with more schools, teachers, and students, further
ensuring the history and lessons of the Armenian genocide will be a part of
Social Studies courses across the country.”
A Complete list of Advisory Board members includes:

Dr. Joyce Apsel
New York University
Master Teacher, General Studies Program

Yair Auron
Open University of Israel and Hakibbutzim College of Education (Tel-Aviv,
Israel)
Senior Lecturer

Dr. Peter Balakian
Colgate University
Donald M. and Constance H. Rebar Chair in Humanities

Dr. Paul Bartrop
Deakin University (Victoria, Australia)
School of Social and International Studies Research Fellow

Morgan Blum
Holocaust Center of Northern California
Head Educator

Dr. Israel Charny
Institute on the Holocaust and Genocide (Jerusalem, Israel)
Executive Director

Dr. Vahakn Dadrian
Zoryan Institute
Director of Genocide Research

Dr. Stephen Feinstein
University of Minnesota
Director, Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies

Dr. Richard Hovannisian
University of California, Los Angeles
Professor, Armenian and Near Eastern History

Richard Kloian
Armenian Genocide Resource Center
Director

Paul Krekorian
Burbank Unified School District
President, Board of Education

Greg Krikorian
Glendale Unified School District
Member, Board of Education

Dr. Levon Marashlian
Glendale Community College
Professor of History

Dr. Simon Payaslian
Clark University
Chair, Armenian History and Genocide Studies

Adam Strom
Facing History and Ourselves
Director of Research and Development

Dr. Henry Theriault
Worcester State College
Coordinator, Center for the Study of Human Rights

Dr. Nicole Vartanian
US Department of Education
Senior Research Associate

Jack Weinstein
Facing History and Ourselves
Director, San Francisco Bay Area Office

For more information visit
< /03_16_2006.htm>www.genocideeducat
ion.org/pr/2 006/03_16_2006.htm.

The Genocide Education Project is a nonprofit, tax-exempt 501©(3) organization
that assists educators in teaching about human rights and genocide,
particularly the Armenian Genocide, by developing and distributing
instructional materials, providing access to teaching resources and organizing
educational workshops.

8) Schiff to Host Capitol Hill Screening of Armenian Genocide Documentary

WASHINGTON, DC–Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) will host a special Capitol
Hill
screening of [The Armenian Genocide], a film about Turkey’s systematic murder
of over 1.5 million Armenians.
The screening for Members of Congress, their staffs, and members of the
Washington, DC foreign policy community will be from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM on
Tuesday, April 4 in the Mary Pickford Theater in the James Madison Memorial
Building of the Library of Congress.
The documentary is the complete story of the first genocide of the 20th
century–when over a million Armenians died at the hands of the Ottoman Turks
during World War I. This unprecedented and powerful one-hour documentary
features interviews with leading experts in the field such as Pulitzer
Prize-winning author Samantha Power and New York Times best-selling author,
Peter Balakian. It also features never-before-seen historical footage of the
events and key players of one of the greatest untold stories of the 20th
century. The Armenian Genocide is narrated by Julianna Margulies and includes
historical narrations by Ed Harris, Natalie Portman, Laura Linney, and Orlando
Bloom.
Filmed in the US, France, Germany, Belgium, Turkey, and Syria, the program
features discussions with Kurdish and Turkish citizens in modern-day Turkey
who
speak openly about the stories told to them by their parents and grandparents.
The film also includes testimony by former Turkish Diplomat Gunduz Aktan to US
lawmakers in the year 2000.

9) ‘Armenian Genocide’ Will Show at Hollywood Theater

LOS ANGELES (LA Times)With local PBS affiliate KCET-TV refusing to air his
documentary The Armenian Genocide, filmmaker Andrew Goldberg has decided to
rent out Hollywood’s Egyptian Theatre to show the film in continuous free
screenings on April 17–the same day it will air on most of the major PBS
affiliates throughout the country.
“We will continue to screen the film that day and night as long as we have
the
theater,” Goldberg said Wednesday.
The filmmaker, who is paying for much of the $10,000 tab out of his own
pocket, noted that “the largest market of Armenians outside Armenia is in Los
Angeles.”
KCET said it would not run either the documentary or the PBS-sanctioned
follow-up panel, which features two genocide deniers.
Bohdan Zachary, the station’s executive director of programming, said it
would
instead air a French documentary about the Armenian genocide.

10) Community Turns Out to Raise Concerns

GLENDALE–Over 100 community members turned out March 15 to voice their
opinions at the City of Glendale’s Long Range Planning Forum. The forum, held
at St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church on South Central Ave, was co-hosted by
the Armenian National Committee – Glendale Chapter (ANC – Glendale).
“The decisions that we make about our community will affect us for years to
come. The more we can involve people in understanding how the city works and
engage them in meaningful ways to give us feedback and direction, the better
our city will be,” said Sam Engel, Neighborhood Services Administrator for the
City of Glendale. “Working with the ANC to reach out to a larger population
helped the City meet its goals to involve residents who might not have
previously participated in City government. We are tremendously pleased with
the result of this partnership and look forward to future collaborations.”
Forum participants worked in groups of six at one of several tables. With the
assistance of city staffers, participants placed a set of markers or “chips”
into various city services, marking what they felt was a priority. Top issues
included Housing, Transportation, and Community Services. Participants also
worked through a worksheet of priorities, raising concerns regarding business
retention and overall economic vitality as well as public safety issues
such as
better lighting on streets and more police officers.
“A variety of issues were discussed among separate groups. Some groups were
very specific and knew exactly what they wanted while other groups engaged in
healthy debates over the city’s priorities,” noted George Garikian,
chairman of
the Glendale ANC.
The forum was the last in a series of forums that had initially been planned
for January and February. At the ANC’s request, the City of Glendale hosted
the
final forum in an attempt to reach out to the Armenian – American communities
and residents of South Glendale. While the ANC worked with St. Mary’s
Church to
provide the facilities, the City of Glendale supplied all program materials as
well as dinner and childcare in order to make the forum as convenient as
possible. The main presentation was conducted predominantly in Armenian,
however, bilingual staffers alternated between both Armenian and English
during
group discussions. All materials were also provided in both Armenian and
English in order to accommodate attendees.
For more information on ANC – Glendale, please contact our offices at
(818)243-3444. You can also email us at info@ancglendale.org.

11) A Striving And Surviving Community in Lebanon

“Our schools are determined to serve our children and youth against all odds,
but will need your constant support,” said Rev. Megerdich Karagoezian to the
Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA) Field Director, Dikran
Youmshakian during their meeting at the Union headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon.
On his first trip to the Middle East as Field Director of AMAA, Youmshakian
visited Armenian Evangelical Churches, schools, and institutions in Lebanon,
Syria, and Turkey. Youmshakian was accompanied by Hagop Krikorian from Armenia
who captured the field mission on film and will prepare a documentary on the
organization’s work in the Middle East. The video and accompanying photos will
be used to create awareness of the urgent needs of our communities throughout
the Middle East.
The first stop on Youmshakian’s trip was Lebanon. Here, the President of the
Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East Union, Rev. Megerdich
Karagoezian, gave an update on the situation and described the difficulties
faced by the Armenian community and its schools in particular. Unfortunately,
political tensions in Lebanon have prevented the country’s full recovery
>From a
15 year long civil war and the economy is at a standstill.
In the midst of such uncertainty, there still exists a vibrant and active
Armenian community, with churches, schools, and cultural organizations. There
are, for example, five active Armenian Evangelical Churches in Lebanon and
seven schools. All schools except two are affiliated with a church.
As a result of immigration and due to economic restraints, the number of
students attending these schools has drastically decreased.
The AMAA established a Child Education Sponsorship Program long before the
Lebanese civil war to provide tuition aid to help needy students. The AMAA
remains committed to keeping Armenian children in Armenian schools and thus
does its best to support the schools financially. The service Armenian
Evangelical Schools provide to the new generation is unique as it combines the
required local curriculum with both Armenian and Christian Education.
Although the schools were hit hard financially, their academic achievements
remained excellent. All four high schools ranked high academically, with
almost
all students passing the Baccalaureate exams. The schools provide a continuous
supply of students to Haigazian University, the only Armenian institution of
higher education in the Armenian diaspora.
During his visit to Haigazian University (HU), Youmshakian, a graduate of HU
himself, was encouraged to see the buildings renovated and a record number of
enrolled students. HU has been excelling academically and many high school
graduates consider it their first choice.
Youmshakian also met with Dr. Kevork Karaboyadjian, the Director of CAHL
(Centers for Armenian Handicapped in Lebanon). The centers house the elderly
and also the blind and handicapped. The residents of the centers, in their
conversation with the Field Director, were full of compliments for the care
they received and especially the personal and compassionate care of its
Director.
In Trad, Youmshakian visited poor families in the Armenian Evangelical Social
Service Center. Rita Loa, the Director of the center, said that the number of
families living in very poor conditions in on the rise, even within the
Armenian community. Together they visited some of the families and were
disturbed to hear about their difficult experiences and witness their
suffering. In the Bourdj Hammoud area (mainly populated by Armenians) there
are
many families with no electricity, no heat, and no running water. Not all
households can afford the luxury of telephone service. The unemployment
rate in
Lebanon remains very high and prices have sky-rocketed.
One area which needs immediate attention is the Sandjak Camp where 18
Armenian
families still live in very primitive conditions. The camp is the only one
left
>From the years when Armenian refugees settled in the suburbs of Beirut after
the Genocide. The municipality of Bourdj Hammoud would like to develop this
area and is trying to force the families to move. The municipality, however,
has only limited resources to help these families.
Youmshakian also visited the Armenian village of Ainjar, which is located in
the Bekaa Valley (about 30 miles from Beirut) near the Syrian border. Ainjar’s
population is 100 percent Armenian. The Armenian Evangelical School of Ainjar
has 300 students. Almost half are in the boarding school and many of their
families face financial difficulty. The boarding school, once completely
funded
by the German Hilfsbund Missionary Organization, now experiences a major
shortage of funds. Hilfsbund, gradually over the years, has reduced its
financial support of the school.
The Armenian community in Lebanon is a thriving one. It acts as a major force
and helps to preserve the Armenian Christian heritage in the diaspora. A
significant number of leaders in North America, particularly among Armenian
Evangelicals, have their roots in the Middle East. The Armenian community in
Lebanon is very active politically and in preserving the Armenian Christian
heritage. Yet today they need our support.
The Armenian Evangelical Social Service Center provides aid to needy
families,
both physically and also spiritually. Unfortunately, the number of needy
families is on a tremendous rise and the center has limited funding. Special
aid for Lebanon relief through the Center will provide hope to these families.
CAHL needs assistance to improve its facilities. One urgent need, according to
Karaboyadjian, is that of an elevator in the home for the blind to prevent
further accidents and injuries.
Assistance to our schools is also essential. Over 80 percent of the students
in Armenian Evangelical Schools cannot pay any tuition. Unless these students
are sponsored through the AMAA they will not be able to receive an education.
The cost of sponsoring one child is only $200 per year. Those who are
interested can contact the AMAA headquarters at 31 West Century Road, Paramus,
New Jersey, 07652 or call (201)265-2607.

12) Stroke Is No Longer a Disease of Old Age

By Dr. Haygoush Kalinian

It was a day, just like any other day, when Armenouhi (fictitious name), a
38-year-old housewife sat down to have dinner with her husband and five year
old child. Suddenly, she felt the most excruciating headache she had ever
experienced. She asked her husband for her high blood pressure pill. Her hand
just didn’t feel right. After a few minutes, she tried to get up but had
trouble bearing weight on her right lower limb, she turned to her spouse and
tried to tell him what was happening, but the words wouldn’t come out right.
Her husband went to call 911 and upon his return found Armenouhi on the floor,
unconscious…

UNDERSTANDING STROKES

A stroke, or brain attack, is caused by the sudden loss of blood flow to the
brain or bleeding inside the head. Each can cause brain cells to stop
functioning or die. When nerve cells in the brain die, the function of body
parts they control is harmed or lost. Depending on the part of the brain
affected, people can lose the ability to speak, muscle strength, vision, or
memory. Some people recover completely; others are seriously disabled or die.
Every year, about 700,000 people in the United States have a stroke. That’s
about one person every 45 seconds. And one person dies of a stroke every 3
minutes, or nearly 170,000 a year. This means stroke is the nation’s number
three killer after heart disease and cancer. It is the major cause of adult
disability.
Stroke symptoms may not be as dramatic or painful as a heart attack. But the
results of a stroke can be just as life-threatening. A stroke is an emergency.
Get medical help immediately and know when the symptoms started. Common
symptoms include:

– Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of
the body
– Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or understanding speech
– Sudden difficulty seeing in one or both eyes
– Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or coordination
– Sudden severe headache with no known cause

A stroke can be diagnosed by:

– Neurological exam
– Neuropsychological evaluation, to examine how well the brain is working when
it performs certain functions, such as remembering, problem solving, and
processing information. It is also used to document areas of weaknesses and
strengths.
– Brain imaging tests (CT, or computerized tomography scan; MRI, or magnetic
resonance imaging) to understand the type, location, and extent of the stroke
– Tests that show blood flow and bleeding sites (carotid and transcranial
ultrasound and angiography)
– Blood tests for bleeding or clotting disorders
– EKG (electrocardiogram) or an ultrasound examination (echocardiogram) of the
heart to identify cardiac sources of blood clots that could travel to the
brain

IS STROKE PREVENTABLE?

The good news is, about 50% of all strokes can be prevented through medical
attention and simple lifestyle changes.
Some risk factors, such as age (the risk of stroke doubles with each decade
past age 55), sex (males have slightly higher stroke risk, than females), race
(African-Americans have double the stroke risk of most other races), and a
history of stroke in the family, cannot be changed. However, many others
can be
controlled. Most controllable factors relate to the health of the heart and
blood vessels. To help prevent a stroke:

– Have regular medical check-ups
– Control high blood pressure
– Do not smoke
– Treat heart disease, especially an irregular heart beat called “atrial
fibrillation”
– Improve your diet: Avoid excess fat, salt, and alcohol
– Exercise
– Manage diabetes
– Seek immediate medical attention for warning signs

Medication can also play a role in preventing stroke. Some people are at risk
for stroke because of known health factors, such as high blood pressure,
diabetes, and heart disease. Also, having had a stroke puts you at greater
risk
of having another attack. Fortunately for people in these situations, there
are
medical treatments that can help prevent stroke:

– Antiplatelets and anticoagulants. Doctors can prescribe antiplatelet
medications (such as aspirin) and anticoagulants (such as warfarin) to reduce
the blood’s ability to form clots.
– Angioplasty and stents. To repair blockages, doctors may thread a balloon
angioplasty through a major vessel in the leg or arm to reach the affected
vessel. A steel screen called a “stent” is sometimes inserted in a vessel to
expand its diameter and improve blood flow.
– Carotid endarterectomy. In this surgical procedure, a blockage is removed
>From the carotid artery in the neck.

WHAT ARE SOME TREATMENT OPTIONS?

After the doctor completes the diagnostic tests, a treatment method is
chosen.
For all stroke patients, the aim is to prevent further brain damage. If the
stroke is caused by blocked blood flow to the brain, treatment could include:

– TPA (tissue plasminogen activator), a clot-busting drug that is injected
within three hours of the start of a non-bleeding stroke
– Drugs that thin the blood, including anticoagulants (warfarin) and
antiplatelet medications (aspirin or ticlopidine); a combination of aspirin
and
sustained release dipyridamole
– Surgery that opens the insides of narrowed neck blood vessels (carotid
endarterectomy)

If bleeding causes the stroke, treatment could include:

– Drugs that maintain normal blood clotting
– Surgery to remove blood in the brain or decrease pressure on the brain
– Surgery to fix the broken blood vessels
– Blocking off bleeding vessels by inserting a coil
– Drugs that prevent or reverse brain swelling
– Inserting a tube into a hollow part of the brain to lower pressure

WHAT ABOUT REHABILITATION?

After a stroke, a person may become disabled. The disability depends on the
size and location of the stroke. The right side of the brain controls the left
side of the body; in right-handed individuals it is important for attention
and
visual-spatial skills. The left side of the brain controls the right side of
the body; in right-handed individuals (and 50 percent of left-handed
people) it
controls language–speech and understanding. Language disorders are also
called
“aphasias.”
Rehabilitation helps regain functions lost from damage due to stroke. With
rehabilitation, most people get better. However, many do not recover
completely. Unlike skin cells, nerve cells that die are not replaced by new
cells. However, the human brain is adaptable. People can learn new ways of
functioning, using undamaged brain cells.
This rehabilitation period is often a challenge. The patient and family work
with a team of physical, occupational, and speech therapists, along with
nurses
and doctors. Most of the improvement will take place in the first three to six
months of the process. But some people can make excellent progress over longer
periods.
For more information on strokes or other neuropsychological conditions, visit
<;

13) Now That’s a Problem

By Garen Yegparian

When you’re discussing a printing job and your conversationalist says, “Garen,
if you don’t already have a topic for this week, you’ve got to write about the
tidal wave of Turkish goods flooding the Armenian and Middle Eastern markets,”
the reply is, “I’ve covered that before.”
When two hours later, someone who never gave a damn about this issue, even
thought it was silly to discuss, says, “Garen, I hate you, I just can’t stand
Turkish stuff any more, it really bothers me now,” the response is an
understanding nod and some “counseling” while starting to wonder, “What’s
going
on today.”
When an hour later, you walk into Jon’s in Glendale on Glenoaks to buy some
fine cut, #1 tsavar (boolghoor–ironic, isn’t it, having to reference the more
familiar Turkish term?) to make some eech, only to discover they only carry
the
stuff imported from Turkey, the response is, “Now that’s a problem, the
universe is trying to tell me something.”
Add this ridiculous conversation to the mix. In early February while buying
manaeesh from Panos bakery in Pasadena, the proprietor’s response to my
criticism of his stocking Turkish pepper paste was “Oh, we don’t sell it.” It
took a minute to register what he was really saying. The guy “merely” uses it
in his baked goods. Of course all this happened while an employee, also
Armenian, was giving me sideways looks implying, “Who is this guy and what
garbage is he spouting.”
The first person reported that Sdepan Partamian, on his TV show, had
advocated
picketing the Armenian owned importers’ plants to address this vile
situation.
The response was, “Hey, I had the identical thought a few weeks ago.”
As I’m sure you’re familiar, legion are the lame-o excuses and explanations
for this behavior on the part of our compatriots. And they’re not limited to
the West Coast of the US as I recall similar idiocy being put forth while I
lived in New York.
It’s time to call them on it. It’s no longer acceptable for these people to
launder their blood money through the petty contributions they make to our
community. The pennies they throw our way are supposed to keep our mouths
shut. No more I say. They can replace their product line with goods just as
tasty and inexpensive but produced in Greece, Iran, Lebanon, Syria, etc.
Perhaps if the AYF’s efforts in the late eighties and early nineties to stem
this noxious flow had been seen through, we wouldn’t have this gigantic
problem
today. Who’s going to step up and tackle this problem, pickets, protests,
letters, embarrassment tactics, and whatever else it takes to resolve this
matter once and for all.
Of course if the Turkish government and its pit-bull master–the Turkish
military–had any sense, they’d make this and a host of other problems for
their country go away by simply addressing the rightful demands of the
Armenian
nation. But since this is unlikely, let’s handle our own dirty laundry in the
meantime.
Let’s picket packing plants and ports of delivery. Let’s pummel these
complacent purveyors into proper behavior. Who’s organizing? Who’s leading?
I and many others are ready to follow!

14) WHAT I DON’T UNDERSTAND ABOUT ARMENIAN WEDDINGS: A recurring series on
events at Banquet Halls

By Skeptik Sinikian

I decided I needed a break this week after last week’s serious topic dealing
with the Iraq War and the Armenian genocide. After all, come April, I’ll
probably write about the Armenian genocide and related events every week. But
this week, we all need a break and I know nothing helps my readers relax
better
than reading my random rants about things in our community that drive me up
the
wall of insanity and back down.
This time I’m not going to walk into the minefield of criticizing Armenian
television programming, nor am I going to talk about how rude the service at
Zankou Chicken can be at times. In fact, as tempted as I am to delve back into
the topic of dating in the Armenian world because of numerous requests by
readers, I’m going to avoid that and revisit one of my favorite
topics–Armenian weddings.
A few weeks ago, I was at a wedding in North Hollywood (the same night as the
Oscars) and during the whole elaborate ceremony my mind began to wander. I
tried to remember all the things that irked me about the ceremony that were
endemic of Armenian weddings in general. As soon as I got home, I sat down and
tried to write down as many of them as possible. Here are some of my gripes in
no particular order. I’d really like to hear your thoughts on some of
these, so
please send me some feedback.

1. What do they do with all the left over food? Seriously, I wonder what
happens to that mountain of “hummus” every week that nobody eats. I have been
to more weddings in the last year than I’d care to remember and at each one,
there’s always plenty of “hummus” and “babaganoush” at each table. Nobody ever
touches it because everyone is afraid of stinking of garlic and so the pile
just sits there until there’s a hardened dark yellow crust around the edges
and
someone who has had too many shots of vodka or whiskey, dips the remnants of
bread into it and takes a dip. I’m not even going to start with all the other
mezzeh appetizer dishes. From cheeses, cold cuts, and other delights, an
average banquet hall must throw away enough food to feed the entire homeless
population of Yerevan for a few months. If someone did the mathematics, it
would probably be an obscene amount.

2. Is the food that’s served on Sunday the rehashed leftovers from Friday and
Saturday? I really need to know the answer to this one because it may
completely alter my eating habits at these events. I won’t be able to look at
the Russian Salad the same way if I know that it’s made with the potatoes from
the Baptism the night before.

3. What is up with strange cuisine at these banquet halls? It seems as though
banquet halls are trying to out do each other in how outrageous their menus
can
be. My good friend was telling me about one wedding he went to in Tujunga
where
they had a cooked crocodile on display stuffed with cocktail sauce and shrimp.
I didn’t believe him until he showed me the picture on his camera phone. A
COOKED CROCODILE! I thought the only thing these suckers were good for was
wrestling Australian zoologists and being made into purses and wallets.
Another
banquet hall served rabbits while yet another has started serving yellow
tomatoes, sushi rolls, and even passion fruit. I know what you’re thinking.
And
the answer is yes, I’ve been to a lot of weddings, baptisms, wakes and other
similar events at these banquet halls. In fact, I could write a book about
them
but for now, an article will have to suffice. The point I want to make here
though is that none of these “exotic” dishes really say anything about
traditional Armenian weddings or culture. You may make the argument that
having
a lot of food and a great variety is a sign of wishing the couple success in
their marriage and future life together but that’s just silly. Armenians had
nothing to eat during the genocide and the years after, starved under Stalin
and had food shortages during various wars in the regions they lived in.
Not to
mention gluttony being a disgusting and vulgar trait. Here’s my advice. .leave
the endangered species alone and keep them off the dining table.

4. Here’s another thing we need to figure out, why are there more people
outside smoking at any of these events than inside? I remember being at an
event a few years ago where a Congressman was giving a speech and looking
around the room, I noticed I was one of a handful of men sitting in the
audience. It felt like I was stuck in an episode of the Twilight Zone until I
went to the restroom and walked by the entrance. Sure enough, outside, in the
cold balmy weather was a throng of men (mostly dressed in various shades of
black and grey) smoking away like they were trying to send an Indian Smoke
Signal to their relatives in Hayastan. I know that smoking is an addiction,
and
addictions are hard to kick but when an important person is saying a few words
or even if it’s not such an important person but someone who had the
courage to
stand up in front of an audience and talk, can we please respect that person
and act like civilized human beings?

5. Why to people LOVE Arabic music? I don’t get this one. I’ve probably
written
about it before but it never ceases to amaze me how the room comes alive
all of
a sudden when the slightest hint of an Arabic melody is played by either the
band or the DJ. Women will kick you in the chest with their high heeled
shoe to
make way to the dance floor where for the next thirty minutes you are
forced to
watch Armenian women swinging their hips in front of children and the elderly
in some of the most inappropriate ways imaginable. Now Skeptik is no prude. In
fact, I can appreciate a good hip swinging anytime, and I do mean ANY time.
But
this obsession with Arabic and Persian music coupled with the scandalous and
sexually suggestive dancing is the wrong example to be setting for our
children. At this one particular event, I had to watch a mother and her 9 year
old daughter do the Arabic belly roll in unison. The girl was imitating her
mom. I used to think this was pandemic of the Armenians who came from Arabic
countries or the ones from Iran but these people were Russian Armenian.
Bizarre. I just don’t get it. And believe me, nothing prepares you in life for
watching a mother and daughter belly dance performance except for maybe
washing
your eyes out with Clorox bleach.

I have more things to rant and rave about but that’s about it for this
week. I
haven’t had a chance to update my blog yet and a special thank you to reader
AKprous a.k.a. Kevorkian noticed and wrote “Skeptik, When are you going to
update your web-site? I hope that it’s because you are lazy and not ill.”
AKprous my friend, thank you for caring. I will update my site this weekend
and
on the site I will expand this list. Next week I want to write about the
racist
monster that lurks in the shadows of the Glendale Hills. Until then, stay
classy and pass the hummus.

Skeptik Sinikian is a professional Armenian wedding planner and crocodile
hunter. He hopes to one day marry his two passions by becoming a wedding
planner for Armenians who wish to have crocodile themed weddings at Vegas
themed restaurants in Glendale. If you would like to hire his services, email
him at SkeptikSinikian@aol.com or visit his blog at
<;www.si nikian.blogspot.com.

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