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The Armenian Weekly; Volume 74, No. 22; June 7, 2008
Community:
1. Schmidt Praises Ataturk, Jabs Armenians
2. Hye in the Sky
By Tom Vartabedian
3. Leon Paroian, Windsor’s Legendary Attorney, Dies
By Betty Apigian Kessel
4. An Unforgettable Seminar Weekend
By Serouj Aprahamian
***
1. Schmidt Praises Ataturk, Jabs Armenians
In a speech to the House of Representatives on Thurs., May 22, Congresswoman
Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio) commemorated Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s role in the
development of modern Turkey.
Schmidt had two big reasons for the speech: Turkish donations to her
re-election campaign (now topping over $10,000 since January) and her
opponent, genocide recognition advocate David Krikorian (I). There is a
negligible Turkish-American population in Schmidt’s district and thus there
was no need for her to make these sugar-coated statements just to please her
voters.
As the Weekly reported a few months ago alongside an interview with
Krikorian, the Turks have been using Krikorian’s name on the ballot to
mobilize contributions to Schmidt’s campaign. All the money is coming from
Turkish-Americans around the country, since Schmidt’s district does not have
a sizable Turkish population.
Since Krikorian was single-handedly responsible for successfully lobbying
Ohio governor Ted Strickland to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide,
in addition to acquiring proclamations of recognition from Ohio’s three
largest cities, the Turkish lobby is now scared that Krikorian’s victory
this November will mean one less active genocide denier, and one more
Armenian-American who will forcefully advocate proper recognition at the
national level.
Schmidt’s low approval ratings in her district-she is known among her
constituents and fellow congressmen as "Mean Jean"-make her re-election
chances that much smaller. With this race, however, Schmidt has been using
her record of denying the genocide and running against an Armenian-American
Krikorian to bolster campaign contributions from the Turks. In fact, the
closing statement of her speech to the House of Representatives was a
thinly-veiled jab at Armenia itself: "Turkey’s neighbors who today wrestle
with their own beginnings should take note [of Turkey’s achievements]."
David Krikorian has been a lifelong advocate of Armenian Genocide
recognition. Your contributions to the campaign will be invaluable not only
to his win, but also to the recognition of the Armenian Genocide at the
national level. To donate, visit www.KrikorianForCongress .com/donate.php.
-Weekly Correspondent in Ohio
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2. Hye in the Sky
By Tom Vartabedian
Armenia-city in the sky,
If you ever want to lose some time,
Just recall, there’s no list,
If you ever want to disappear,
Just take off and think of this-
Armenia-city in the sky.
The story goes about an Armenian stunt pilot named Moonoogian from
Haverhill, Mass., who had a reputation for aerobatics.
I never met the man but those who knew him from his days at the local
airport swear there was none better throughout the land.
One day while performing maneuvers before a ground audience, he lost control
of his craft and it barreled into the mountainside, killing him instantly.
If there was ever a "Hye" in the sky, it was Moonoogian -and may his memory
long endure.
I never met Nick Mehterian, either, but this was another man on an air
mission. He piloted an honest-to-God Armenian Air Force plane. He got
himself a piper cub and appointed himself a brigadier general, and festooned
the craft with red, blue, and orange colors.
It’s a gutsy bird with a real unique insignia just under the pilot’s
cockpit, showing a fat, little Armenian sitting on a flying carpet and
smoking-of all things-a traditional water pipe.
Many saw the plane as it circled throughout the friendly Armenian skies of
Fresno as his fellow Hyes stood and watched in awe.
Nick was so proud of his accomplishment that he offered to commission others
into the Armenian Air Force. He said there wasn’t any danger of being called
to active duty.
Last we heard, he purchased a spiffy little bi-plane with open cockpits and
was restoring it. Let’s hope he has better luck than Moonoogian.
Neither of these Armenians are really household names but they carved a
reputation for their air shows. More prominent, however, is a guy named Mike
Goulian-a whirlwind of entertainment in the sky above. He’s affectionately
known as Dude among his friends.
Goulian offers a unique blend of live aerobatic flying with leading-edge
aircraft technology and a special blend of choreographed music on a super
large video display called a jumbotron. Put it all together and you have an
air show with enough synergy to keep your heart palpitating.
He’s 40 years old, lives in Maynard, Mass., with his wife Karin and a
daughter, and remains well proportioned inside a 5’9", 155-pound frame. His
"need for speed" isn’t limited to flying aerobatics. During the off-season,
he plays competitive ice hockey twice a week and is an avid F1 racing fan.
His family founded one of the largest flying schools in the Northeast
(Executive Flyers Aviation) and Goulian earned his wings from the ground up
washing airplanes and sweeping the hanger floors back in the mid 80’s.
"Being around airplanes at such a young age, I was bitten by the flying
bug," he tells us. "I learned to fly before I could even drive a car." His
rise to fame was like a turbojet. By the time Goulian was 22, he was a
United States National Champion in the advanced category. By 1992, he was
the top-ranked United States aerobatic pilot and represented America at the
world championships in Hungary.
Today, he focuses his attention on air show flying and is pushing the
envelope with the goal of leading the industry to new heights,
entertainment, and professionalism.
His idea of a good time is approaching speeds of 250 mph while executing
tight turns through a slalom course of specially designed air gates. Like
his aircraft, Goulian maintains a personal fitness regimen including 5-hour
decathlons to help maintain his personal edge.
"Races are an exhilarating experience for the pilot but equally important,
air races are attracting new people to aviation," he said. "They’re
introducing aviation to a whole new generation of people."
A book he co-authored called Basic and Advanced Aerobatics has become the
industry standard for aerobatic flight training manuals.
Those in the know are quick to admit that Goulian’s air shows are an
inspiring adventure.
"Many pilots look for somewhere to fly to build their hours," he says. "Why
not practice loops and rolls? It prepares them for the unexpected."
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3. Leon Paroian, Windsor’s Legendary Attorney, Dies
By Betty Apigian Kessel
He was born of immigrant Armenian parents, grew up in the city of Windsor,
Ontario, and reached the pinnacle of his profession. High-profile attorney
Leon Paroian, 71, died May 10 after a long battle with cancer. His death has
left a permanent mark in the hearts of all who knew him. He was described by
many as very bright, and possessing a persistence in negotiating that wore
people down.
He graduated from Forster High, earned a bachelor of commerce from
Assumption University, then graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1961.
He worked as an assistant Crown attorney before starting his firm with
friends from law school, eventually becoming one of the largest firms in
southwestern Ontario. One attorney friend was quoted as saying, "He had a
lot of big cases, big press cases. He had a flair for that." Another
colleague said, "He was quite an actor. He would have done well on the
stage."
His passion was law and he excelled in it. He fought and won for what others
called lost causes and for defending "the little guy." He was colorful,
flamboyant, and every person’s friend. His winning ways brought him fame,
fortune, and prestige but Paroian did not forget the less fortunate. For
years he participated anonymously in collecting and distributing donations
to the needy at Christmas. Along the way, it is said he helped some
Armenians fee-free for services.
Paroian was also the man who would come to his law office dressed in
overalls and was a farmer at heart. The picture of him on his huge John
Deere tractor used on his LaSalle farm was proof that like his old country
parents he had a love for the soil. The elder Paroians had owned acreage on
which they grew vegetables and sold them at a roadside stand.
He married his high school sweetheart Sandra Bryson. They were wed 47 years
before her death from pulmonary hypertension, a disease without a cure,
which also took the life of his daughter Sherry, at 42. Their death dealt
him a hard blow. It was in their name that he established the Pulmonary
Hypertension Society of Ontario and Canada and quickly raised $50,000.
Within a few years the organization raised $2 million toward research of the
rare lung condition.
His family came first and he indulged them in the good life providing them
with a lovely home in the Windsor suburbs, where his four children had
horses and where together the family traveled the quarter horse show circuit
on most weekends. Paroian’s tasks then also included baling hay, cleaning
stalls, and maintaining the truck and trailer in top shape.
In 2006, he was awarded the Law Society Medal, the highest honor given by
the Law Society of Upper Canada. He was presented the Charles Clark
Humanitarian Award in 2002. He served as the Ontario Quarter Horse
Association director for eight years and was an honorary lifetime member and
Hall of Fame member, and as their solicitor never submitted a bill for his
services.
Paroian’s older sister Jeanne Artinian was immensely proud of her brother’s
accomplishments. She knew his success took him on cases far and wide. She is
married to my cousin Norair Artinian. Jeanne’s aunt Dikanouhi Posigian is my
godmother so we are very close and I heard a lot about Leon Paroian from his
sister.
We frequently dined with each other and on several occasions the noted
lawyer was there. His love for Armenian food almost exceeded his love for
the law. His culinary wishes were his sister’s command. She knew how much he
loved cheekufta, tahn abour, Kharpert kufta, and Armenian food in general,
so she catered to her "baby" brother’s appetite.
I had been invited to a pagharch dinner at the Artinian’s, and Leon and his
second wife of a year, Gail, were also there. The topic of Armenians came up
and Paroian was interested in my column. Martyr’s Day was fast approaching
so I leaned slightly forward in my chair and curiously asked him where he
would be on April 24. It was one of those moments you never forget. Our eyes
locked in a gaze-me waiting for the answer, he thinking of an answer. Saying
nothing and collecting his lawyerly thoughts he finally spoke, "I guess no
where. I will be home." My heart fell. I sat back. Perhaps I got my message
across when I said, "Too bad. We need all the participants we can get to
support our martyrs and our parents on this day. The Turks are doing
everything possible to negate their responsibility in the genocide." The
room fell quiet. "Please pass the pagharch."
I admired his legal acumen, involvement with charities, his bigger than life
personality, and that as an Armenian he had succeeded.
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4. An Unforgettable Seminar Weekend
By Serouj Aprahamian
For the 37th consecutive year, the AYF-YOARF Junior Seminar brought together
Armenian youth from throughout the eastern United States on Memorial Day
weekend for a one-of-a-kind educational and social experience. With 2008
marking the 75th anniversary of the AYF, the organizers of this year’s
Seminar went out of their way to make it one of the most unforgettable in
recent memory.
"This was one of the best, if not the best AYF weekend I have attended in my
organizational career," said AYF-YOARF Junior Seminar Committee (JSC)
member, Tamar Kanarian. "All events are different and have their own
characteristics, but this year’s Seminar was simply special and memorable."
As in years past, the turnout for this year’s Seminar was considerable. Over
300 AYF Juniors and 50 Seniors from throughout the eastern region made their
way out to Camp Lutherlyn, a 640 acre site in western Pennsylvania where
Junior Seminar is traditionally held. The 12 chapters in attendance arrived
one-by-one in large vans and coach buses, which they had secured months in
advance.
As each chapter pulled up and set foot on the campgrounds, you could feel
the sheer excitement and anticipation in the air. Many of the Juniors could
be seen beaming with enthusiasm for having finally arrived and embraced
distant friends they had not seen in months. As they checked in their bags
and received their packets for the weekend, many could also be heard
rejoicing over the planned lectures and activities, and saying how they had
been anticipating the arrival of this moment ever since last year.
After participants settled in, a flag ceremony was held to get the weekend
underway. This was followed by a nighttime social activity that featured
colorful introductions of each of the seven JSC members responsible for
organizing the weekend, as well as members of the AYF-YOARF Central Junior
Council (CJC). After the introductions, the Juniors were given a few hours
to dance and socialize over music provided by DJ Mark Torossian of the New
Jersey "Arsen" Chapter.
At night, a special meeting of all AYF Seniors was called by the JSC, in
which general rules, decorum, health, security, and other issues were
discussed. Similar meetings were held on Saturday and Sunday night, as well,
and were used as an opportunity to evaluate how each day went.
What stood out in these meetings and other proceedings throughout the
weekend was the high level of organization and preparation put into Seminar.
This impressive organizational preparedness was coupled with a committed
core of Seniors-starting with the JSC itself-who wholeheartedly dedicated
themselves to making sure each Junior’s experience would be an unforgettable
one.
JSC chairwoman Angela Deese was especially adamant about the importance of
Seniors setting a positive example and instilling the principles of the AYF
to the future generation. "Be the Senior you feel we need in 10 years," she
implored the counselors on several occasions.
You could see this same sentiment alive in the Seminar’s Leadership in
Training (LIT) program, which takes 17-year old attendees and trains them
how to be responsible counselors and future AYF leaders. Such efforts
highlighted the passion for passing the torch of knowledge, fun, and
experience gained through the AYF to the next generation.
Indeed, this was the overriding spirit of the entire Seminar, with its theme
of "Empowering the Youth Movement" and its focus on commemorating 75 years
of AYF activism. The lectures strongly reflected this drive and dealt with
such topics as the AYF movement, ANCA advocacy, public relations, the modern
role of the ARF, Armenia’s electoral system, and achievements of the "No
Place for Denial" campaign.
The Saturday night activity for this year also provided a surprise change to
Seminar and truly encapsulated what it means to, in the words of Kanarian,
"honor the past and embrace the future." Rather than have the traditionally
held talent show, JSC members holding torches escorted Seminar attendees to
the camp’s outdoor amphitheater on Saturday night. An elaborate setup
awaited the Juniors who promptly filed into their seats.
The program began with the lighting of a bonfire and a statement by each
chapter explaining the meaning and significance of their name. As the
representatives of each chapter came up to read their statement, they were
passed the initial torch used to light the bonfire. Nareg Khachadorian of
the Washington "Sevan" Juniors concluded the statement recitals with a
solemn duduk performance.
This moving display set the stage for an even more meaningful moment as
AYF-YOARF Central Executive (CE) member Anto Megerdichian took to the floor
and introduced a video message from his grandfather, Melkon "Uncle Mal"
Varadian, to the attendees. Varadian is a veteran member of the Providence,
R.I. Armenian community and was one of the original AYF members sworn in
under General Karekin Njdeh.
In his video message, played on a widescreen hanging above the amphitheater,
he reflected upon the early years of the AYF and appealed to the Juniors to
keep the progress of the organization going by taking what has been given to
them and "making things better then when you came in." Hearing his
motivating words and seeing the clear impact AYF has had in his life very
aptly put into perspective the power and vitality of the AYF as a force in
the Armenian community.
Following the video, the entire audience stood up and took part in the
swearing of the AYF oath. This was immediately followed by the singing of
Armenian revolutionary and patriotic songs, led by Sevag Khatchadourian of
the Boston "Nejdeh" Chapter. Interestingly, what was initially intended to
be the performance of only two songs turned into a mini-concert as Juniors
kept requesting more songs and the whole amphitheater sang along. This
memorable night finally capped off with the cutting of a cake and a
celebration dedicated to the AYF’s 75th anniversary.
Although this moving evening would surely be hard to follow, the next day
proved to be just as memorable. The series of in-depth lectures, social and
athletic activities continued on Sunday and participants were even treated
to a special educational on the significance of May 28 presented by CE
chairman Anthony Deese.
Of course, Seminar would not have been complete without the highly
anticipated Sunday night dance. This year, members of the band "Aravod"
performed traditional Armenian dance music for the crowd followed by a
special patriotic song performance by a young trio of talented singers:
Sevag Khatchadourian, Christapor Arabian, and Anto Varantian.
The Juniors in attendance were visibly delighted with all of the above
activities and experiences featured throughout the weekend. Virtually all
expressed their eagerness to come back next year and relive this uplifting
experience once again.
Whether it be the daily educationals, athletic activities, amphitheater
commemoration, or nighttime dances, the Juniors participated
enthusiastically in all of the activities offered to them. In the end, this
healthy mix of social and educational activities came together to make the
2008 Junior Seminar one that will not be easily forgotten anytime soon.