California Courier Online, November 4, 2004
1 – Commentary
Heinz Family’s Incredible Link
To the Armenian Genocide
By Harut Sassounian
California Courier Publisher
**************************************************************************
2 – Kuredjian Scholarships Are Inspiration
For Armenian Students in Law Enforcement
3 – Numismatic Journal
To be Converted into
Series II in 2005
4 – GUSD Starts
Armenian Language
Show on Channel 15
5 – Armenian Cooking Celebrated at
Two Farmers’ Market, Nov. 13-14
6 – Glendale Seminar Will Discuss Armenian
Demographics and Impact on Business
7 – Unique Presentation
Of Armenian Poetry
In L.A. in November
************************************************************************
1 – Commentary
Heinz Family’s Incredible Link
To the Armenian Genocide
At the time of writing this column, it was not known whether Teresa Heinz
Kerry would be the next First Lady or not. Nevertheless, the Los Angeles
Times revealed last week an incredible connection between the Heinz family
and the Armenian Genocide.
In a lengthy front-page article on October 27, the Los Angeles Times
disclosed that Howard Heinz, the grandfather of Sen. John Heinz (the former
husband of Teresa Heinz Kerry), went to Armenia in 1919 to deliver
desperately needed humanitarian supplies to the thousands of survivors of
the Armenian Genocide. Howard was one of the four children of Henry John
Heinz, the founder of the famous ketchup and pickle empire.
Times’ staff writer Ralph Vartabedian, through painstaking archival
research, traced for the first time the Heinz’ family tree, spanning over
four generations. Here is the reference in his article to the amazing link
between the Heinz family and the Armenian Genocide:
“Heinzes pioneered the industrialization of the U.S. food supply, pushed
government reforms to improve food safety and advocated for military
intervention to stop the Armenian genocide.” Howard Heinz, who was deeply
involved in public service, “was sent to the Middle East by the Wilson
administration after World War I to head famine-relief efforts. On the day
[his father] H. J. Heinz died [in 1919], Howard was delivering 30,000 tons
of food to the region, where he witnessed the unfolding genocide that took
the lives of 1.5 million Armenians. Howard tried to get [Pres. Woodrow]
Wilson to send troops to halt the slaughter in harsh, remote areas of
eastern Turkey and Armenia. In a dispatch to the president, he wrote, ‘I do
not believe America, when she knows the truth, will be satisfied to have
all our ideals of humanity thrown to one side while these people are
murdered.’ His pleas were ignored,” Vartabedian wrote.
This is a very significant revelation that was not known to most Armenians,
and possibly even to the descendants of the Heinz family. It would be
important to obtain copies of the first-hand reports Howard Heinz
dispatched from Armenia and Turkey, as the genocide was still unfolding.
Interestingly, should Sen. Kerry become president, an incredible family
connection would be established for the first time between the White House
and the Armenian Genocide. Kerry’s three stepsons — Teresa’s sons from her
former husband – H.J. Heinz IV born in 1966, Andre born in 1969, and
Christopher born in 1973 — are the great-grandsons of an eyewitness to the
Armenian Genocide!
Livingston: Another Lobbyist Milking Turkey
Robert Livingston, the former Republican chairman of the powerful House
Appropriations Committee and a paid lobbyist for Turkey since 2000, made
some interesting statements last week. He told the Turkish media that Sen.
Kerry, if elected president, would probably keep his promises on
recognizing the Armenian Genocide. Livingston was in effect telling the
Turks that he would have to charge them much more for his lobbying efforts,
as it would be more difficult under the Kerry administration to block the
Genocide resolution.
In a lengthy article published on Sept. 29, 2004, reporter Kate Ackley
disclosed in “Influnce.biz” that The Livingston Group’s lucrative client,
Turkey, paid the firm $1.4 million just for the first half of this year.
The Turkish fees constituted 25% of the firm’s annual revenues.
The report revealed some of The Livingston Group’s far-reaching and
influential network of contacts in the White House (Karl Rove, Senior
Advisor to Pres. Bush; James Marrs, an aide to Vice President Dick Cheney;
Matt Bryza, the National Security Council’s director of European and
Eurasian affairs; and Daniel Keniry, a member of Pres. Bush’s legislative
affairs team); in the Congress (House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill, and
his aide Christopher Walker; House Majority Leader Tom Delay, R-Texas, and
his senior national security policy advisor Brett Shogren; Cong. Robert
Wexler, D-Fla; Cong. Ed Whitfield, R-Ky, and his aide Jeff Miles; Cong.
Richard Baker, R-La; Mark Murray, minority staff assistant for the House
Appropriations Committee; Vincent Morelli, majority staff director for the
House International Relations
Subcommittee on Europe; Johnnie Kaberlie and Ali Amirhooshmand, policy
aides to House Majority Whip Roy Blunt, R-Mo.; and Rachael Leman, deputy
policy director on the House Rules Committee); in the Defense Dept. (Deputy
Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz; and Lisa Heald, the country director
for Turkey in the office of the Secretary of Defense); and in the State
Dept. (Douglas Hengel, an aide in the office of Southeastern European
Affairs).
The article disclosed that Livingston and his group spent a lot of time and
effort to counter Cong. Schiff’s amendment on forbidding Turkey to use U.S.
foreign aid money to lobby the Congress against the recognition of the
Armenian Genocide. According to the article, on March 18, Livingston,
“exchanged e-mails on Turkish-Armenian issues with James Marrs of Vice
President Dick Cheney’s office.” In July, Livingston and his team of
lobbyists held a series of meetings with White House officials and House
leaders to counter the Schiff amendment.
If Kerry were to be elected president, The Livingston Group would need to
work much harder and charge the Turks millions of more dollars for their
lobbying efforts.
**************************************************************************
2 – Kuredjian Scholarships Are Inspiration
For Armenian Students in Law Enforcement
By Susan Abram
Los Angeles Daily News
GLENDALE — Five students received scholarships last week in memory of
slain sheriff’s Deputy Hagop “Jake” Kuredjian, whose name will live on as
more Armenian youth pursue careers in law enforcement.
Sheriff Lee Baca, Glendale Police Chief Randy Adams and several others also
were honored by the Armenian National Peace Officers Association during the
group’s first-ever scholarship ceremony.
The association formed last year with the intention of encouraging more
Armenian youths to consider careers in law enforcement.
Kuredjian “lived a life of pride, a life of wisdom,” Baca said. “His name
will always be at the forefront of what it is to be Armenian-American.”
Some of the money used for the scholarships was raised by 14-year-old
Austin Losorelli, a Stevenson Ranch resident who collected donations in
memory of Kuredjian. Losorelli set up a table and a sign at the corner of
Stevenson Ranch Parkway a day after Kuredjian was killed in 2001.
“My dad is an LAPD officer. I just felt bad for (Kuredjian’s) family,”
Losorelli said.
With help from his brother Ian, he raised $8,000, and the association also
honored him on Sunday with a plaque presented by Kuredjian’s brother, Garo,
who told the boy, “This is long overdue.”
The slain deputy, a 17-year veteran of the Los Angeles Country Sheriff’s
Department, was helping serve a search warrant Aug. 31, 2001, in Stevenson
Ranch when a man opened fire from an upstairs window, hitting the deputy
once in the head.
Last month, the deputy’s memory was honored with a dedication ceremony at a
new park, named Jake Kuredjian Park, next to Pico Canyon Elementary School
in Santa Clarita.
Steve Shenian, a California Highway Patrol officer and the co-founder of
the Armenian National Peace Officers Association, said the group has about
90 members in seven states.
The association’s goal is to encourage young Armenian-Americans to consider
law enforcement as a professional career. Glendale’s Armenian community,
the largest outside of Armenia, has been slowly embracing the profession,
officials said, but more work needs to be done.
“We need to get in and break barriers,” Shenian said. “We need to go into
local schools and visit groups. When the children see an Armenian officer
in uniform, it’s powerful.”
The Glendale Police Department has tried with limited success to attract
more Armenian youths to its ranks.
“Law enforcement is extremely important to the Armenian community,” said
Glendale Mayor Bob Yousefian. “I’m not one to say our community doesn’t
have issues. We need help to deal with these issues.”
Seventeen Glendale Police Department officers are Armenian-American — only
two more than there were in 1995.
“A lot of Armenians think law enforcement is not an honorable career,
because from where they came from, law enforcement had a bad image, and
they are afraid,” said 20-year-old Diana Arzrounian, a California State
University, Northridge, student and winner of one of the Kuredjian
scholarships. “We need more programs, such as this one, to talk about …
what law enforcement really is. It’s not just about arresting people.”
Ross Simonian, Sabina Simonian, Sara Vardapetyan, and Mourad Kabanjian also
received $500 each in memorial scholarships.
**************************************************************************
3 – Numismatic Journal
To be Converted into
Series II in 2005
PICO RIVERA, Calif. – Founded in 1971, the Armenian Numismatic Society
inaugurated a forum dedicated strictly to publishing Armenian numismatics
in 1975, with the first issue of “Armenian Numismatic Journal.” Thirty
volumes of the “Journal” have now been printed, a volume a year, and mailed
to Society members in the United States and many foreign countries.
Cumulatively, the 30 volumes includes about 300 essays, in some 2200 pages
and 110 plates. The scholarly articles cover a multitude of subjects on
newly discovered Armenian coins and hoards, medals, bank notes, book and
auction reviews, plus bibliography and abstracts on Armenian numismatic
literature.
“The Armenian Numismatic Journal” will start its Series II, Vol. 1 (31) in
2005, in the same format, 81/2×11 inch and four issues per volume.
A limited supply of back issues and a few complete sets of the “Journal”
are available for those who would like to purchase them for their
libraries.
Collectors who are interested in joining the Society, or purchasing its
publications, may request a list, from the secretary at the Armenian
Numismatic Society, 8511 Beverly Park Place, Pico Rivera, CA 90660, or
e-mail at [email protected].
**************************************************************************
4 – GUSD Starts
Armenian Language
Show on Channel 15
GLENDALE – In an effort to reach families of students whose primary
language is Armenian, the Glendale Unified School District is now showing a
program in Armenian on Charter Cable Channel 15. The 30-minute program is
an overview of English Language Learners instruction in the Glendale
schools.
The program airs Mondays and Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturday and Sundays at 1
p.m.
Panelists who discuss various aspects of the ELL program are: Armine
Aghanjani, teacher at Hoover High; Lala Sahakian, teacher specialist at
Marshall Elementary; Armineh Khanbabian, teacher specialist at Jefferson
Elementary; Zepure Hacopian, teacher specialist at R.D. White and Lincoln
Elementary; and Keghanoush Bairamian, second grade teacher at Mann
Elementary.
Of the approximately 29,000 students in the Glendale Unified School
District, about one-third are of Armenian descent. The District is
producing this show in Armenian to help educate parents and families who
are limited or non-English speakers.
**************************************************************************
5 – Armenian Cooking Celebrated at
Two Farmers’ Market, Nov. 13-14
GLENDALE – Two weeks before Thanksgiving, the Burbank Farmer’s Market and
the Encino Farmer’s Market have joined together to celebrate Armenian
cooking. Veteran author, Barbara Ghazarian will appear at the markets to
share ancient culinary secrets and sign copies of her new cookbook, “Simply
Armenian.”
The events will take place Nov. 13 at the Burbank Farmer’s Market from 8
a.m. to 12 noon. For information, call (626) 308-0457. The next day, the
Encino Farmer’s Market will host the event from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. For
info, call (818) 708-6611,
“You will learn the magic of creating a feast out of a basket of
vegetables and a handful of cracked wheat bulgur,” Ghazarian promises.
“Simply Armenian” is not a vegetarian cookbook, but over a half of the 150
dishes are meat-free and 55 recipes meet vegan standards.
“Traditionally, Armenians farmed the soil or tended orchards, so vegetables
and fruits made up the bulk of what was available to eat,” Ghazarian
explains. “On top of that, the Armenian church calendar calls for over 180
fasting days a year and in the old days people used to follow it pretty
closely, but now the “no animal products” or vegan dishes are year-round.”
Ghazarian sorted through the traditional favorites of her Armenian
grandmother’s and Middle Eastern-born mother-in-law’s kitchen and
handpicked a collection of dishes that ensured those who were keeping
meat-free or low meat diets would eat like sultans, too. Cheese is a
staple; eggplant is a favorite; chickpeas, other legumes, and lentils are
plentiful; and nuts and fruits are used in everything.
“The Armenian method of pickling fresh vegetables is quick, easy, and
reliably delicious,” says Ghazarian, who suggests first-timers pickle
carrots, red cabbage, turnips, and cauliflower while gourmets may want to
try eggplant.
But pickling is just the beginning of the satisfying vegetarian dishes
included in this cookbook.
For those following low meat diets, “Simply Armenian” is a celebration of
abundance. Home cooks looking for new, satisfying vegetarian fare for
everyday eating or special occasions will cheer the boon they discover at
the Burbank and Encino Farmer’s Markets the second weekend of November.
Author Barbara Ghazarian is an experienced cook and a natural teacher with
a gift for storytelling. This is her first cookbook and second book
(“Descendants of Noah: Stories of Armenian Apostolic Faith and Heritage,”
Mayreni 2002) Barbara lectures from coast to coast on Armenian-related
topics to both Armenian and American audiences. She authored a long-running
weekly culinary column for a Los Angeles newspaper and has years of
experience teaching culinary writing to adults in greater Boston.
“Simply Armenian,” published by Mayreni Publishing (), can
be purchased in leading online bookstores, at Abril, Berj, and Sardarabad
Armenian bookstores in Glendale, and at Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena.
**************************************************************************
6 – Glendale Seminar Will Discuss Armenian
Demographics and Impact on Business
GLENDALE – A high-powered strategic marketing seminar will be held Nov. 10
in Glendale to discuss the community’s demographics and how it relates to
business and advertising, as well as community activism.
The panelists are Glendale Mayor Bob Yousefian, Glendale Unified School
District President Greg Krikorian, and Ara Najarian, Board Trustee of the
Glendale Community College.
The event is being co-sponsored by the Krikorian Marketing Group, Business
Life & Senior Living magazines, and the Armenian American Chamber of
Commerce.
Topics which will be discussed include workforce demographics, outreach
initiatives, growth patterns, graduations rates, and student successes.
The program will also discuss US Census figures and the Armenian
Demographics in Glendale and L.A. County. The presentation will be made by
Jerry Wong, Information Services Specialist, L.A. Region of the US Census.
A review of various marketing initiatives impacting Armenian business and
community will be conducted by KMG Marketing.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will be represented by Lisa Kalustian, the
Chief Deputy Director of the L.A. Office. Also attending will be Alberto G.
Alvarado, Director of the US Small Business Administration, Los Angeles
District Office.
The seminar will begin at 6 p.m., with networking opportunity, and the
forum will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m., at the Nestle Building, 800 N.
Brand Blvd. Admission is free, but due to limited space, RSVP is requested
by calling (818) 240-7987, or e-mail, [email protected]
The City of Glendale with its 194,973 residents ranks third in the country.
with 54.4% foreign born residents. Glendale trailed only Hialeah, Fla and
Miami, Fla with the highest number of foreign-born. Recent estimates
indicate an Armenian population in Glendale of near 100,000. A survey of
active accounts by the Glendale Water and Power with “YAN” and “IAN” in the
last 3 digits of the Name Field in their billing systems shows 21,325
residential and 1561 commercial billing units. The fields represent the
party responsible for the payment of the utility services, which may be a
tenant owner, property management services or other person(s) not living at
that address.
This forum is designed to educate the community of Glendale, the County and
help build better understanding to further embrace and build communications
with our diverse population. This is the first of several that will be
scheduled during the course of the coming 2005-year.
Major corporate sponsors are: Glendale Adventist Medical Center, The Gas
Company, Sempra Energy, SBC, Print-On-All and Paradise Pastry.
**************************************************************************
7 – Unique Presentation
Of Armenian Poetry
In L.A. in November
LOS ANGELES – In association with the UCLA Department of Near Eastern
Languages and Cultures and the City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs
Department, Arena Productions presents the world premiere of “They Were
Poets,” a theatrical production of Armenian poetry spanning throughout the
centuries, all translated into English.
The programs will be held Saturdays, Nov. 6, 13, 20 at 8 p.m. at Barnsdall
Gallery Theater in Hollywood.
The presentations are compiled, edited and directed by Anahid Aramouni
Keshishian, Lecturer of Armenian Language and Literature at UCLA.
“Join us for an evening of verse dipped into an eclectic array of music
and imagery, all fused with the human body and voice,” the organizers
suggest.
The Barnsdall Theatre is located at 4800 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood. For
reservations, call: 818- 240-7080, or e-mail: [email protected]
**************************************************************************
The California Courier On-Line is a service provided by the California
Courier. Subscriptions or changes of address should not be transmitted
through this service. Information in that regard should be telephoned
to (818) 409-0949; faxed to: (818) 409-9207, or e-mailed to:
[email protected]. Letters to the editor concerning issues
addressed in the Courier may be e-mailed, provided it is signed by
the author. Phone and/or E-mail address is also required to verify
authorship.
www.mayreni.com