TWO INTO ONE WON’T GO
Avedis Kevorkian
Keghart
Somehow, I felt that my comment on “A Promising Dual Effort” would
not be my last word on the discussion, and I should have listened to
my instincts and should not have made a comment.
However, there being some reactions to my comment, and the suggestion
that I am being negative for the sake of being negative, I am expanding
on my views to show that I was speaking from experience and knowledge
when I said that existing organizations who have appointed themselves
the only authorized spokesman of the Armenians, may feel challenged
by yet another organization wanting to “speak for” the Armenians.
Calling on that experience and that knowledge, allow me to relate
some of them.
My father tried to form such an organization to represent and speak
on behalf of the Armenians, here in Philadelphia. Twice. The first
one was killed by one of the so-called “political” parties. About
ten years later, he tried again and the second one was killed by the
other so-called “political” party. Net result: the parties survived,
there was no new organization, and the only person to speak for
the Armenians was my father–which, ironically, was resented by the
political parties, one of whose members once challenged my father
(in my presence) “Who gave you the authority. . . .”
When the Armenian Assembly was being formed, I was invited to become a
founding member. I declined because the letter of invitation indicated
that “all the Armenian political parties” were being invited as well.
In my letter declining the invitation, I said that it was planting the
seeds for its destruction because the political parties would try to
take over the new organization. They tried. They failed. So they set
up rival organizations–at one time there were three “lobby” groups
in Washington. Then one dropped out. Now there are two. Result? You
tell me.
Shortly after World War Two ended, the returning veterans tried to
set up a veterans organization in Philadelphia. They had the full
backing of my father. The meeting was the largest ever to be held
in the city–more than 1500 people were present to wish the young
veterans success, with hopes that it would lead to a national Armenian
veterans organization. Within five years it was dead because one of
the political parties succeeded in getting enough of its members
in office and the fledgling organization was killed. (There is a
very interesting aftermath, but it won’t be recited here.) Result,
no national Armenian Veterans organization to stand beside those
of other ethnic groups which draw national politicians to their
conventions and whose messages to Washington are respected.
Recently, the Armenian veterans group here in Philadelphia (formed
much later) successfully completed its fund drive to erect a khatchkar
over the grave of the only known Armenian to serve as an officer
in the Union Navy during the American Civil war and who became
the first Armenian to come to Philadelphia. As co-chairman of the
drive, I contacted an Armenian veterans organization in another city
inviting it to contribute. The one and only question I was asked was:
“Which Church is supporting your organization?” My co-chairman begged
me not to send the letter that I drafted. He said something about
“using language like that in the mails is against the law.”
Just to show that my father and I are not the only fools in the
Kevorkian family, let me recount, briefly, my mother’s attempts. She
organized an Armenian Folk Dance group. Twice. She bore all the
expenses, and entered the young boys and girls into all the Folk
Festivals, and the group always won first prize. Then, one year,
she received a call from the director of the leading Folk Festival,
in which he expressed his regrets that Mom and her group would not
be participating in the coming Festival because another group had
come forth to “represent the Armenians.” My mother was surprised and
said that she was already planning to participate. He was more than
pleased, and invited her to the next meeting to discuss details.
When she got to the meeting, there was an Armenian woman, closely
aligned with one of the so called “political” parties, already there.
She glared at Mom as she entered and throughout the entire meeting. To
keep this short, Mom’s group won first prize; the other group was an
also-ran. Mom then decided, with strong prompting from Dad, that she
should give it up, since it was coasting her/us money that we could
not afford.
She did not participate in the next year’s Festival. The other Armenian
group did, and was an also-ran. The following year, the other group
did not enter. Having finished off an independent Folk Dance Group, the
party obviously decided it had achieved its purpose. Who won? Who lost?
Many years later, Mom started another group. This one was killed by
the other so-called “politica”l party.
It would appear that however much the so-called “political” parties
compete with each other, they will unite on one important (to them)
cause: destroy any independent group that dares to intrude into their
self-appointed role as the spokesman for the Armenians.
Wisely, my late brother stayed away from things-Armenian. Which may
explain why he was the most successful of the Kevorkians.
I am asked for a solution. Simply, I say look at what the successful
ethnic groups are doing, and copy from them. But, we Armenians are so
intelligent and know everything that, consequently, we refuse to learn
from others. When someone knows everything, he learns nothing. Oh. you
say, “You are reciting ancient history. Today’s Armenians are different
and are now wiser.” To which I reply: “I fervently, honestly wish
you are right and that I am wrong. I would like nothing better than
to use this web-site to admit that I am wrong, and that the Armenians
have acquired intelligence and have decided to enter the 21st century
rather than continue to live in the 19th.”
But, since the old Armenian organizations are still around and are
still dividing the Diaspora and are showing no signs of retiring to
a comfortable life of idleness, I have no hopes of any new Armenian
organization being formed and being accepted as that much-longed-for
single voice.
Somehow, I think that were I to live to see that happen, I will be
the oldest person in history. Your record is safe, Methuselah.