WHY DO WE WANT TO CHANGE THE ANTHEM?

Yerkir.am
August 18, 2006

One of the issues most widely discussed in the country recently is
the national anthem, "Our Motherland". As always, these discussions
are passionate, emotional and full of contradictory statements,
mutual accusations and insults.

Unfortunately, very little attention is paid to the essence of the
issue – which is why do we want to change the national anthem? Why
are we not satisfied with it?

The supporters of a new anthem have so far failed to give a logical
answer to this question. There were some justifications that the
music is not very solemn and inspiring, that the lyrics were taken
from a song of some Italian girls, and many other equally ridiculous
"justifications".

It is interesting who is not inspired by the existing anthem? How
come the Armenian voluntary troops were singing this song when going
to war where they would sacrifice their life for their motherland
while today’s intellectuals and artists with a "high test" are not
inspired by it to work for the benefit of the country?

Is it the music that hinders the development and flourishing of
the state?

Or maybe the hindering factor is that these people are more passionate
about changing the anthem than about improving our life? Is it that
difficult to accept that the question of the national anthem is not
something to be solved by a competition committee’s votes?

Before it became the national anthem of the First Republic of Armenia,
"Our Motherland" was selected by the nation, by those who were singing
this song when defending the country’s independence sacrificing their
lives, by those who were building the state, by several generations
of those who were dreaming about restoration of that independence. Can
you think of a more authoritative committee to make the choice?