Armenian Unity Advancement

The elusive dream of establishing a worldwide Armenian unity has been lately uppermost in the minds of many Diasporans. To a large extent the rising enthusiasm is due to the recent USC Symposium on Armenian Unity held on November 20, 2010 in Los Angeles. This successful event was organized by the Armenian Studies Institute at USC (University of Southern California) spearheaded by Dr. R.H. Dekmejian.
 

The elusive dream of establishing a worldwide Armenian unity has been lately uppermost in the minds of many Diasporans. To a large extent the rising enthusiasm is due to the recent USC Symposium on Armenian Unity held on November 20, 2010 in Los Angeles. This successful event was organized by the Armenian Studies Institute at USC (University of Southern California) spearheaded by Dr. R.H. Dekmejian.
 

This lofty idea of transnational scope, this big dream which has been in the pipe of many deeply concerned individuals in the past has proven to be the Holy Grail of the Armenian nation for years. As such, it requires careful planning and preparation for its realization; otherwise, the whole idea may be still born by throwing the whole momentum into chaos and back into the black hole of infeasibility. We have been driving on square wheels for too long. So, let us do this methodically, systematically by following solid proven steps toward success.

By observing the mobilization of Armenians for unity around the globe, one would easily discern fragmentation of efforts is in the offing. There is hardly any coordination to midwife this long-awaited organization unifying all the scattered Armenian communities. Now and then, you hear a lone activist sounding its clarion for unity and harmony. Without any organized group effort, this lofty idea of unity may fade away and become again an elusive dream. Therefore, we need to make capital of the success of the USC Symposium by following up with other events and programs to keep the enthusiasm alive and burgeoning into concrete steps toward organizing on a world scale.

Based on my extensive research and writing on the Jewish (including the Zionism), the Irish, the Inuit, and the African Diasporas, let me chart a framework for an organized course of action for us. The purpose of this framework is to guide us navigate through the murky waters of uniting the Armenian individuals who are born consummate leaders lacking the discipline and the flexibility of sharing the creative power of collaboration.

For the sake of proper coordination and to safeguard against failure and further fragmentation, let us consider doing the following for the elephant is in the room and eating it at once would choke us all through an unbearable indigestion. Let us prioritize the first three steps as 1, 2, 3 for the right organizational structure and strategy for carrying out the plans:
 

Concurrently, our young Armenians should earn their trust by their organized efforts to serve the community’s common ideology. By definition, all diasporas live on borrowed time –except that of the Jewish people on account of their teamwork, collaboration, tenacity, religion, and anti-Semitism. Armenians only share the tenacity attribute with the Jews. We need to study and emulate the successful diaspora models of the Jews, the Irish, etc.

Let us empower our new generation now before it is too late for they are already halfway in the jaws of assimilation! The Armenian Unity Initiative Center should reach out, for example to the Unified Young Armenians in Glendale, and encourage the participation of our young members in our quest for unity. With cohesiveness, we can turn the tide to survive at least a little longer until our homeland becomes stronger and self-sufficient.
 

We should all commend President Sarkisian and Ms. Hranush Hagopyan for their efforts to take the Diaspora into their fold and make it part and parcel of the homeland. Particularly, Ms. Hagopyan should be thanked for her “Ari Tun” (come home) program for attempting to round up the scattered Armenians to come home to “Ararat!”
 

When something goes wrong, team-oriented groups try and try and try again to succeed by adopting new plans. On the other hand, when plan-oriented groups fail, they begin to fight by placing blame on others. Scapegoating psychology is the practice of singling out a member(s) of party of a group for unmerited negative treatment or blame. Scapegoating has been a major problem with our traditional political parties then and now it continues till today in the Diaspora and the Republic of Armenia. We have been driving on square wheels for too long. With the spirit of unity, we can work as one team.
 

If we share the creative power of collaboration, our chances of success would improve. As you all know, science without passion stagnates. In other words, the successful application of science requires enthusiasm and passion. So, let us passionately brave for unity systematically and as a cohesive team. By collaborating with our young Armenians, we can dare the devil and even prevail.

The devil is also within us, personified in some of our fellow Armenians who still cling tenaciously to the cave-dweller mentality. Disunity seems to have been hardwired in their genes. On the heritability of disunity, the acid test is found in the long history of disorganization of the nation. That some Armenian leaders have a cultural block against unity has become a truism for many years.

Changing culture is, though, virtually tantamount to the untying of the Gordon Knot. Therefore, the future is full of hurdles. As a cautionary step, let us follow the framework presented above to avoid the miscarriage of our ambitious plans to at last get the Armenian people united because the common denominator of success is creative collaboration. Thank you all!