FULFILLING "ORDINARY OPPOSITION" PROJECT
Hakob Badalyan

Lragir, Armenia
Dec 10 2007

The society has lost interest in the political opposition over the
past few years because the political opposition lost its seriousness
as a component of the political sphere. The endless "Constitutional
way", endless statements about a revolution, fruitless criticism and
endless self-excuse about the passiveness of the society prompted to
the citizens that the only real purpose of the political sphere of
Armenia is to sustain their families rather than the country.

When Levon Ter-Petrosyan gave reliable impulses to political activity,
the society reacted cautiously, but even those who did not support
Levon Ter-Petrosyan, who did not want the situation in Armenia to
change, started to think that Levon Ter-Petrosyan is able to do
that. The cause of this perception, as well as the feeling of fear
and danger was Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s seriousness; the society thought
he is a figure who pursues political programs and goals rather than
a figure who earns a living.

But now we can speak in the past tense – he was a figure – because the
rally on December 8 gave rise to thoughts which question the direction
and seriousness of the movement launched by Levon Ter-Petrosyan. For
instance, the speech of the leader of the Marxists of Armenia,
without any new shade, nevertheless amused the people who came to
the rally. It may be a peculiarity of the genre. In winter cold You
cannot load people with a serious speech by Levon Ter-Petrosyan for
several hours running.

However, if lightness is what the genre wants, it was possible to
fulfill it in another way and leave alone the figure with expired
tragicomic stock and the society tired of the artistic talent of this
figure. Davit Hakobyan’s half-Russian, half-Armenian speeches, which
lack the mantle of Caesar only, still arouse interest in admirers of
his talent rather than political supporters. The impression is that
Levon Ter-Petrosyan is gathering under his aegis the political jokers
who got no place under any government umbrella. And whether realizing
that outdated political material cannot foster the popular movement
Levon Ter-Petrosyan wants to launch. All this political material can
do is to render the movement still under formation unserious.

If Davit Hakobyan addressed the rally with his show mate in
the Two Stars Show Aida Sargsyan rather than alone, and as the
delegate of the Armenian show biz rather than as a Marxist and
Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s political supporter, his participation might
be justified and important. Now it takes only Tigran Karapetyan
with his show to join Levon Ter-Petrosyan, especially that Manuk
Gasparyan has already joined him. The impression is that Levon
Ter-Petrosyan’s civil movement is turning an employment agency for
jobless politicians, which accepts everyone whom the government does
not need any more. Or maybe it needs them but as far from government
and as close to Ter-Petrosyan as possible to fulfill the program of
turning him an ordinary oppositionist.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress