Oh Nancy… Oh Eric… Oh Ted… #RepresentWithDignity

There is something that unites us all; it is California. You are the representer and we are the represented. We are a diverse bunch, but we hope that we are represented as Californians, regardless of our ethnic background. Unfortunately, these last few weeks our hopes have been crushed. We feel unrepresented. We feel sad. We feel scared. 

We have one request and one request only. Please represent us ALL… As Californians… With dignity!!!

So, let’s try this one more time!

Oh Pelosi… Oh Garcetti… Oh Lieu…

How do I tell this so that I don’t hurt anyone’s feelings? There are so many sides to the story… Where do I begin? ☹ 

Well, let’s start with the facts!

On July 12 Armenia and Azerbaijan broke the cease-fire and engaged in border clashes involving heavy artillery. As usual Armenia accused Azerbaijan and Azerbaijan accused Armenia of encroaching each other’s territories.

• Armenia reports that three Armenian soldiers and two Armenian police officers have been wounded.
• Azerbaijan reports that one general, one colonel and two majors have been killed and several soldiers have been wounded. Also, one civilian has been killed because of an artillery strike.
• Armenia reports that incident took place in north-east of Armenia’s Tavush region.
• Azerbaijan reports that the incident took place in Azerbaijan’s Tovuz region.

Hopefully, international organizations will investigate the incident and report on WHO STARTED THE CONFLICT but until then we will go with…

How It All Ties Into California

California, especially Los Angeles, is home to the largest Armenian community outside of Armenia. News from the Caucasus made its way around the California fast and as usual politicians rushed-in with their support. 

Mayor of LA, Eric Garcetti, tweeted:

“We stand with the Armenian community against violence. Azerbaijan must end its provocative and dangerous threats to strike Armenia’s civilian nuclear power plant, and must admit international monitors. Dialogue and diplomacy are the only paths to peace and safety for the region.”

While we are talking about the region let me remind you something about its geography. Armenia and Azerbaijan are both very small countries that neighbor each other. More specifically, it will only be few hundred miles from Azerbaijan-Armenia border to the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant in Armenia. Actually, lets google map it, shall we?

Note that the total distance is only about 170 miles and (ahem ahem… just clearing my throat) the route crosses a country border. I am not an expert on nuclear explosion fallout, but my initial guess would be that the radiation does not respect borders and would easily spread into Azerbaijan and Turkey (Igdir, heavily populated city in Turkey is only 21 miles away from the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant). I am not sure what is the source of the threats Mayor Garcetti is talking about, but it certainly does not make any sense from the region’s geography perspective.

So back to the main topic; angered by all the clashes and conflicts going on at the border, Armenian community members held a protest in front of Azerbaijan’s Consulate in Los Angeles on July 21st, day after the Mayor’s tweet. According to CBS Los Angeles, demonstration organizer Alex Galitsky of the ANCA-WR estimated the crowd at about 3000. To the surprise of Armenian protesters though, about 50 Azerbaijani community members also showed up in front of the consulate, counter protesting and chanting opposing points of view.

The way it all started pointed out everything that is great about this country. Two conflicting community members can stand face to face and peacefully deliver their message. The only thing that separates them is Wilshire Blvd. But unfortunately, not long after, water bottles started to fly across the rushing traffic. Chanting messages turned into curses and threats and soon one of the most residential, civil, and beautiful part of our city turned into, what I can only describe as a battleground in Sparta. 

Thousands of Armenian protesters attacked the 50 Azeri protesters, pushing them onto the ground and beating them. As a result, several Azeri protesters were hospitalized with diagnoses such as cuts, scrapes, bruises, and concussions. Also, one LAPD officer was hospitalized requiring stitches.

From the Armenian protesters camera view events looked like this.

In the above video you can see several Armenian protesters running passionately to catch up with leaving Azeri counter-protesters. In those few seconds of running you can see so much hate, it is indescribable. Note that the attackers do not know anything about the counter protesters. They don’t know them personally. They have never met. They have never engaged in conflict. The only piece of information that they have, is that the counter-protesters are of Azerbaijani background, and because of that they want to, and I am quoting, “F**k them up”.

Day after the protest LAPD started investigating the incident as a hate crime. According to LA Times Eric Hakobyan has been arrested for assaulting an officer and investigations are ongoing.

As shocking as these events were for us as LA residents, we immediately started looking for comfort hoping our officials will condemn these acts of violence and hate, but a week has gone by and not a single statement has been released. Mayor of LA has been completely silent on the issue, including the representative Ted Lieu for the 33rd congressional district. 

Now brain is an interesting organ. It does not like to be unhappy. When it is in that state it will not rest until it pulls itself out of unhappiness or digs itself deeper into chaos. So, naturally, my mind starts to wonder asking questions like:

• Why none of our representatives issue a single statement condemning these acts of violence and hate in our streets.
• Isn’t the safety of every Californian important to these people?
• Would they sacrifice their beliefs to get few votes from larger communities?
• Are they worried about their grades on ANCA Report Cards?
• Do they want to be ANCA Endorsed?

Well, at the end of the day we can only HOPE! Hope that their silence has nothing to do with these questions…Hope that it has nothing to do with ignorance…

If you are wondering what ANCA Report Cards are here is a brief description and some screenshots.

Let’s just give them the benefit of the doubt. With coronavirus going on and unemployment skyrocketing and economy struggling, let’s just hope that they are busy. Although this does not justify their silence on hateful acts on LA streets, it is far better reason that the ones above.

Regardless of politicians silence though, videos from LA incident circulated around the world extremely fast and people from all over the world started condemning these violent attacks. While LA Azeri community members were busy showing their support to the injured ones, something else unfolded in San Francisco. 

On Friday morning, officials at Krouzian-Zekarian Armenian School found their school vandalized with threatening and hateful graffiti. This breaks my heart in so many levels. As a father of two great kids, it is beyond my comprehension how could someone target a place where kids, from high school to as low as preschool, go to study. In trying times like this instead of shielding our children from such events bringing the conflict to the smackdown in the middle of their daily lives is nothing but an act of cowardice and intruders must be brought to justice. Here are some images from the KZV Armenian School. You can see the graffiti that says “AZERBAİCAN”, “U WILL PAY foR LA”, “SARI CƏLİN”, “Kardashian nation..!” and etc.

Also, I cannot help to realize that so many things including the name of my country, title of our traditional song and other city names were misspelled (like I said, it breaks my heart in many levels). Every single Azerbaijani community member that I know condemns this act and we cannot wait until the criminals that were involved in this are brought to justice.

After the events at KZV Armenian school I was disheartened again that such a hateful act will not be brought into attention by our representatives since they are busy with… you know… coronavirus and its impact. To my surprise though politicians again rushed in with their support. Nancy Pelosi twitted:

"Each and every one of us has a duty to stand up to hate wherever it appears. The KZV Armenian School is a part of the beautiful fabric of our San Francisco family. The hateful defacing of this place of community & learning is a disgrace."

As great as it is to see our politicians condemning this hateful act, I can’t help to question their silence on LA events again. Maybe, after all, coronavirus had nothing to do with it ☹ Maybe it was the report cards. Maybe it was the voter base.

Sigh... (Very deep one. Throw in some tears too)

As I am concluding my story, I’d like to say one more time; I hope I did not hurt anyone’s feelings. My feelings are certainly hurt but who cares about my feelings. I belong to a smaller community on which hateful acts are not condemned.

So, dear representatives. Please do not pick sides on HATE. Represent us ALL… With dignity!!!

Sincerely,

Californian Taxpayer