KeghartAvedis Kevorkian, Philadelphia, PA USA,15 October 1212
A response to Aram, Artur, et al.
The Boy Scout troop was having its monthly meeting, and the Scout Leader asked if any of the scouts had done any good deeds.
Little Johnnie raised his hand and said that he had helped an old lady cross the street.
That is commendable, the Leader said, and asked if there were any others.
Bobbie raised his hand and said that he had helped Johnnie help the old lady cross the street. The Leader said that that was good and made it easier for Johnnie, and he asked for other deeds.
Avedis Kevorkian, Philadelphia, PA USA,15 October 1212
A response to Aram, Artur, et al.
The Boy Scout troop was having its monthly meeting, and the Scout Leader asked if any of the scouts had done any good deeds.
Little Johnnie raised his hand and said that he had helped an old lady cross the street.
That is commendable, the Leader said, and asked if there were any others.
Bobbie raised his hand and said that he had helped Johnnie help the old lady cross the street. The Leader said that that was good and made it easier for Johnnie, and he asked for other deeds.
Tommie raised his hand and said that he had helped Johnnie and Bobbie help the old lady to cross the street.
The Leader expressed surprise. “It took three of you to help the old lady cross the street?”
Yes, Tommie said, “because she didn’t want to cross the street.”
That old story comes to mind with Artur’s contribution to the disgusting antics of the crooks and thieves and thugs in Armenia who are trying to destroy Vartan Oskanian.
What does he think my recital of my failures was, if not to show that I have tried to help not a single Armenian but the entire country and I have failed. If Armenia does not want to cross the street a thousand Avedises (or Arturs) cannot help the country.
One or two failures and I would be the first to cite my ineptitude, my inefficiency, my shortcomings. But EVERY attempt! Yes, Artur, I was fortunate in that I had contacts in the West, that I knew people upon whom I could draw for help for Armenia (I have not mentioned my failure to help Artsakh, have I?)
Showing that I had contacts, that I knew people was not boasting, Artur, it was to show that I am a professional and that I was in a position to help Armenia. My relationship with the Ambassador was that of agency to client–except that I was not paid.
Rest assured, I am not interested in impressing you or Aram or any of my other critics.
Let me alienate you all further by saying that I am proud to say that I have no friends in Yerevan. No one is ever going to blame me when things get worse for Armenia.
No, Artur, I cannot call anyone. No, Artur, I cannot help anyone. No, Artur, I don’t know any group I can trust.
You see, most Armenians are experts in everything and know everything about everything. The words "chem keedehr" are not in their vocabulary. And, when you know everything, you learn nothing nor do you listen to those who do.
However, I am not saying “that every last Armenian in Armenia is a crook and a thief and a thug?” I am saying that those in the Armenian government are crooks and thieves and thugs.
I am saying that they fear the good man, they fear the honest man.
A very wealthy Armenian in the West spent more than $13-million building the most modern pharmaceutical plant in the entire region. The Armenian government created two taxes (totaling 41 percent) on his operation, which he pays. That not being enough, members of the government and their families set up a company to import similar pharmaceuticals from Turkey in order to use their power to pressure hospitals and clinics to buy their products and not those of the man from the West. That is what is going on in Armenia.
That very wealthy Armenian from the West set up a full-tax-paying company to bottle and sell the products of an internationally known soft-drinks company. Members of the government and their families set up a competing company and imported competing soft-drinks from Turkey and used their power to pressure shops and restaurants to buy their products. That is what is going on in Armenia.
That very wealthy Armenian from the West told me that he no longer will invest in Armenia. Is he wrong, Artur? Do you want his name, Artur, so that you can TELL him he is wrong and that he should do more? Or, that he should go to Armenia––while you remain in Europe…or elsewhere, of course?
However, Artur, I give YOU permission to contact any and all Armenians and YOU help them.
I find it fascinating that I–who have tried to help Armenia––am criticized and condemned by people who are not in Armenia and who think that I have not done more. And, more annoying, they take me to task for my criticisms. I note that they have not recited how much they have done. I hope that it is their modesty that prevents them from listing all their achievement and how Armenia is a better place for their efforts and how much they enjoyed working with those wonderful people in charge of Armenia.
Don’t hesitate, tell us of the wondrous things you have done, and set yourselves as examples for the rest of us to emulate.
Meanwhile, a good man like Vartan Oskanian is pilloried and his life is in jeopardy. I notice that none of my critics have commented on that.
I am sure that a wiser mind than mine has said that “Silence is consent.” And the silence from the Diaspora regarding the obscenity going on in Yerevan will encourage those who are trying to destroy Oskanian.
Attacking me doesn’t help Oskanian. It helps the crooks and thieves and thugs.
And, alas, they don’t need any help.
Keghart
Keghart
