The Armenian Mirror-Spectator August 17, 2013

Mirror-SpectatorTHE ARMENIANVolume LXXXIV, NO. 5, Issue 4299A U G U S T 1 7 , 2 0 1 3The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932Norman Pashoian outside the Taj HotelFamed Newbury Street Doorman NormanPashoian Retires after 66 YearsBOSTON (Boston Globe) — In his 66 years welcoming guests to Boston’s TajHotel, formerly the Ritz Carlton, doorman Norman Pashoian, 85, has greetedheads of state, famous actors and prominentBy Nikita Lalwani(JOHN TLUMACKI/GLOBE STAFF)politicians. But the most important person heever greeted was a young, blond woman hemet in summer 1950. He was working thehotel’s Newbury Street entrance; she was atJoseph Antell, the ladies’ shoe shop just across the way.He waved to her, and she smiled back. Later, she came to say hello in person,staying to chat as he hoisted luggage and held the door. It continued that way formonths. She would stop by after work and, sometimes, leave him love notes on thedashboard of his new Ford convertible. Four years later, she was Claire Pashoian,his wife, and, soon, mother to his four children.“If I hadn’t worked at the Ritz, I never would have met her,” he said. “I courtedher for four years, and you don’t do that for just any girl.”see DOORMAN, page 16WALTHAM, Mass. — Surrounded byfriends, family, community leaders and supporters,Peter Koutoujian this weeklaunched his grassroots campaign forCongress in front of the building where heattended middle school.“I’m a kid from Waltham,” saidKoutoujian. “My dad was a city clerk herefor 30 years. My mom dedicated her life toteaching. They showed me the value ofpublic service. As a prosecutor, legislatorand sheriff, I’m proud to have fought forbetter nutritional standards in our schools$ 2.00Armenian AssemblyOf America WelcomesSenator MarkeyWASHINGTON — Last month, theArmenian Assembly of America boardmember Annie Totah was invited to theSenatorial inauguration on Capitol Hill andreception for Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.).A long-time proponent of Armenian-American issues, Markey won a special electionin June to fill the senate seat vacatedby John F. Kerry, who was nominated byPresident Obama and confirmed as the68th secretary of state in February of thisyear. Markey was first elected to theMassachusetts State House in 1973, followedby a nearly 40-year tenure in the USHouse of Representatives.“The Armenian Assembly thanksSenator Markey for his decades-long recordadvancing Armenian-American issues inCongress and looks forward to workingwith him and his new colleagues to furtherstrengthen the US-Armenia and US-Artsakh relationships, as well as secureunequivocal US reaffirmation of thesee ASSEMBLY, page 16From left, Susan Blumenthal, Sen. EdwardMarkey and Annie TotahKoutoujian Kicks off Grassroots Campaign forCongress Discussing Progressive ValuesPeter Koutoujianand healthier environments in our workplaces.And I’m just as proud to havefought for Cheryl Darisse, whose sister wasa victim of stalking that our justice systemfailed. These are the faces and stories thatI’ll bring with me to Congress; they’re whypublic service is my life’s work.”Immediately following the rally,Koutoujian and grassroots volunteersknocked on doors throughout Waltham,taking his strong, progressive message toresidents of the 5th district. With dozensADL Endorses Peter Koutoujian for CongressThe Armenian Democratic Liberal Party is announcing its endorsement of PeterKoutoujian in his bid to become the newest member of the Massachusetts delegationto the US House of Representatives. He seeks the 5th Middlesex District seatvacated by Edward Markey, who has now become a US senator, replacing JohnKerry, who in turn has become Secretary of State.Koutoujian is currently the sheriff of Middlesex County, the latest in the string ofpublic positions he has held, to great acclaim, including prosecutor at the MiddlesexCountry District Attorney’s office.see ENDORSEMENT, page 16of supporters in attendance and plans toexpand to seven other communities tomorrow,Koutoujian’s grassroots campaign hitthe ground running.Longtime State Representative and formercolleague Tom Stanley introducedKoutoujian, praising his leadership as chairmanof the Financial Services and PublicHealth committees. “There’s no one morecapable, more qualified, or more dedicatedto fighting for the 5th District than PeterKoutoujian. With more than 20 years ofexperience in public service, I’m confidenthe’ll bring an unmatched dedication to thepublic interest with him to Congress.”For more information about him, visitwww.koutoujianforcongress.comNEWS INBRIEFFM Congratulates NewSwiss AmbassadorYEREVAN (Armenpress) — Newly appointed SwissAmbassador to Armenia Lucas Gaser deliveredcopies of his credentials to the deputy foreignaffairs minister of Armenia, Ashot Hovakimyan.Hovakimyan congratulated Gaser and said hehoped the new ambassador would contribute tothe development of Armenian-Swiss cooperation invarious spheres.During the meeting the officials discussed issuesrelating to Armenian-Swiss bilateral cooperation.They stressed the importance of further strengtheningthe political dialogue between the twonations.UEFA Suspends TwoArmenian RefereesNYON, Switzerland (AP) — The Union of EuropeanFootball Associations (UEFA) says it has suspendedtwo football referees from Armenia while it prosecutesthem for match-fixing.UEFA said referee Andranik Arsenyan and assistantHovhannes Avagyan, who admitted to compromisinga Europa League match for a bettingscam, have been suspended until their cases areheard on August 22.Both officials, who were banned by the Armenianfootball association on Tuesday, have beenapproved by FIFA for international matches sinceJanuary 2012.UEFA says it “detected suspicious betting patterns”around Vikingur’s 1-0 win at Inter Turku inFinland on July 11. Arsenyan awarded two penaltieslate in the scoreless match, reportedly to helpensure both teams scored.Assembly CommentsOn OSCE AppointmentWASHINGTON — Upon the appointment ofAmbassador James Warlick to serve as the next USco-chair of the Organization for Security andCooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group forthe Nagorno-Karabagh peace process, theArmenian Assembly of America reiterated its concernsregarding Azerbaijan’s increased warrhetoric,ongoing militarization and continuedcease-fire violations.“The Armenian Assembly hopes AmbassadorWarlick and his OSCE co-chair counterparts willreintegrate the democratically-elected governmentof Nagorno-Karabagh into the peace negotiations.Only with their participation and the supportof the citizens of Karabagh, who valiantly defendedtheir homeland, can a lasting peace be achieved,”said Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny.Warlick recently served as deputy special representativefor Afghanistan and Pakistan and as leadnegotiator for the Bilateral Security Agreementwith Afghanistan.INSIDEGroom,Anyone?Page 10INDEXArts and Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Armenia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,3Community News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

S A T U R D A Y, A U G U S T 1 7 , 2 0 1 3 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R 3ARMENIADivers Discover Unexplored World at Bottom of Lake SevanBy Narek AleksanyanYEREVAN (Hetq) — A research team has returned toSevan this summer to study the basin of the huge mountainlake, called the blue jewel of Armenia.It’s an initiative spearheaded by French-ArmeniansClaude Tuloumjian and Stepan Kojoyan, who are ablyassisted by local emergency services rescuer VaheMelkonyan and diver Mamikon Hakobyan.This year, they have been joined by Anna Tutunjyan, aspecialist in ecological chemistry and hydrology.“We wanted to do some diving in Armenia, not only forpleasure but do something of benefit,” said Kojoyan.On their first trip to Armenia, they found out thatresearchers interested in Sevan didn’t have diving capabilities.The bottom of lake SevanDiver at Lake SevanKojoyan says they removed silt and mud from the lakebottom, an operation that might not seem all that importantto the casual observer, but valuable neverthelessgiven the hundreds of chemical elements contained in thelake mud. It’s great research material for scientists.The expeditions are organized by the recently-establishedArmenian Center for Underwater Research andDives, whose chair is Tuloumjian.The goal of the team is to collect as many samples ofthe lake’s flora and fauna for eventual study by scientistsinterested in the lake’s geology and eco-system.The team has also brought various objects to the surfaceof interest to archaeologists.“The first time we collected artifacts from the bottomof the lake, taking photos and videos, it was of great interestto scientists. They had never seen such things,” saidKojoyan.The French-Armenians divers say they also want todevelop the sport in Armenia.Anna, the new scientist on the team, has alreadybecome a proficient diver. She plumbs the murky depthswith a trained eye, spotting new and interesting thingsthe regular divers miss.Sex Education Needed as Sexual Activity Increases among Armenian TeensYEREVAN (ArmeniaNow) — The rate of abortionamong teenagers ages 15 to 19 in Armeniakeeps growing, medical professionals say, citingthe change of sexual behavior and lack of sexualeducation as the main reasons.By official data, out of the 12,000 abortions in2011 600 were by teenagers, which makes fivepercent of the teenage population (per 1,000women ratio), while in 2009 it was 4.6 percent.Doctors says that in traditional Armenia adolescentsnow start having sexual intercourse at theage of 14-15, meaning that sexual life starts threeyears earlier than before, amid lack of respectivesexual education and no steps to raise awareness.“In this era of freedom of information the risksconnected to not getting proper sexual educationare much higher, because it leads to inadequateperception. Our experience shows a growingtendency of unintended pregnancies amongteenage girls,” obstetrician-gynecologist DonaraAlagyozyan said in an interview.Not only Armenia but the entire region isaffected by this issue. Post-soviet countries arehaving a hard time overcoming the “no sex” sovietideology and the habit of keeping silent aboutit. Despite the fact that after long resistance andstruggle in 2008 the subject of sexual educationentered the public school upper grade curriculaunder “Life Skills” category, containing informationon sexual relations and sexually transmittablediseases, the teaching methods and qualityare “highly doubtable.”“Certainly, it was a crucial step forward thatthe subject got introduced in school curriculaand annually seven academic hours are devotedto sexual education, but our monitoring hasrevealed poor tutoring competence, when manyamong teachers find it difficult to overcome theirown complex of openly speaking on the topic,”United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)Armenia Assistant Representative GarikHayrapetyan said.Maternity rates among teenage girls inArmenia make 28.3 percent, meaning that everyyear more than 1,000 teens give birth.Hayrapetyan says “it is not a dangerous index, asit is not too high comparing with other countries,but pregnancy and delivery at that age isfraught with serious consequences — it affectswomen’s reproductive health, posing a threat totheir ability to conceive another child later.”The need for sexual education was one of thefour key topics discussed in Geneva during theUnited Nations’ “Enabling Choices: PopulationPriorities for the 21st Century” conference onJuly 1-2. Member of the Geneva conference’sHigh-Level Task Force group on reproductivehealth issues Anna Nikoghosyan, project managerat Society Without Violence NGO, says theissue of sex education was also included in thefinal report-agreement of the conference. “It isvery important that the conference registeredthis demand not as simply ‘sex education’, butwith a term ‘comprehensive integrated sexualeducation’ implying its introduction as a mandatoryand comprehensive school program,” shesaid, adding that what is being taught at schoolsYEREVAN — On August 6, the United StatesAmbassador to Armenia, John A. Heffern, LibbyHeffern, and members of the Embassy’sHelping Hands organization will join the FullerCenter for Housing Armenia (FCHA) in the villageof Ujan (Aragatsotn Region) to build thehome of the Aleksanyan family, currently livingin substandard and poor conditions.The US Embassy and FCHA have partneredon home builds since 2008. Every year, staff ofthe U.S. Embassy works together with FCHA’slocal and international volunteers. This partnershipdemonstrates a unique collaboration that isfocused on helping people in need. This year,members of the Embassy’s Helping Hands organizationand FCHA will assist the Aleksanyanfamily, including the father, the mother, and theirfour children, ages 15, 14, 4, and 3.For many years, the Aleksanyans have livedwith 12 family members in one small house. Inthe beginning, the family lived in harmony, butover time the house became very cramped withtoday is far not enough. “We have a long way togo in terms of education and availability of assistance.Teens are a very vulnerable target group,the situation is terrible, when often the medicalpersonnel lacks either knowledge or properapproach to the issue, which can have life alteringconsequences when dealing with teenagers,”said Nikoghosyan.Armenia, nonetheless, is doing better than itsneighbors in terms of teenage pregnancy rates.In Georgia, because of the Muslim ethnic minorities,where early marriages are quite common, 39percent of teenagers get pregnant, in Azerbaijanthat index is 40 percent.Turkey has made tangible progress in thisrespect cutting the number down to current 29from the 49 percent of 2001.“The progress in Turkey is laudable, howevermore than 90,000 teenage girls get marriedevery year and become mothers, losing theirtwo growing families. At one point, Gagik, thefather, moved his family to a separate home togive everyone more space. But because of financialdifficulties, he could not manage theexpenses, and moved back to live again in hisparent’s home.“To have a home where my children can havea happy and sustainable life, that’s my greatestdream,” said Gagik.For many years, Gagik saved money to builda house for his family. Last year he started theconstruction, but unfortunately his savingswere not enough to complete it; he was losinghope of ever having enough money to provide ahome for his family. In the spring heapproached the Fuller Center for HousingArmenia for support and assistance.FCHA President Ashot Yeghiazarian stated,“We are all united in our conviction and dedicationto making a difference in the lives of peoplewho are in need of a decent house. This is abasic human right that is vital in everyone’s life.right for education and with no right to controltheir own reproductive life, and that’s highly disturbing,”Pinar Ilkkaracan, leading Woman forWoman’s Human Rights NGO, said.Hayrapetyan is convinced that many issues,including the dangerous rates of 12 percent secondaryinfertility, would be possible to resolvethrough appropriate sexual education. UNFP isplanning to assist introduction of a sexual educationdiscourse at the State PedagogicalInstitute or State Institute of Physical Education,meaning that future teachers will be taught theskills of openly speaking on the topic while stillin high school/university, rather than beingtrained later as is the case now. “This would contributegreatly to training teachers who wouldteach the subject with high competence, becauseright now we have the subject in our curricula,and the issue still remains unresolved,” saidHayrapetyan.US Embassy, Fuller Center for Housing Join to Build Home for Needy FamilyOn August 6th,we are honored thatAmbassador & Mrs. Heffern, along with membersof the Embassy’s Helping Hands organizationwill work with us to build the Aleksanyan’sdream home, creating a strong foundation for ahappy and stable Armenian family.”The Fuller Center for Housing Armenia is anon-government, charitable organization thatsupports community development in theRepublic of Armenia by assisting in buildingand renovating simple, decent and affordablehomes, as well as advocating the right to adecent shelter as a matter of conscience andaction. FCHA provides long-term, interest-freeloans to low-income families. The monthlyrepayments flow into a Revolving Fund, whichis used to help more families, thereby providinga financial foundation for a sustainable communitydevelopment effort. In its five years, theFuller Center for Housing Armenia has helped250 families obtain simple, decent and affordablehomes.

S A T U R D A Y, A U G U S T 1 7 , 2 0 1 3 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R5Community NewsMonumentalDecision inPasadenaBy André ColemanPASADENA (Pasadena Weekly) — Althoughthe Pasadena Parks and RecreationCommission unanimously voted to accept thedesign of a monument honoring victims of theArmenian Genocide, it left the final decision ofwhere the memorial should be placed up to theCity Council.The commission backed off from making adecision after a handful of local residents voicedopposition to putting the memorial — designedby 26-year-old Art Center College of Design studentCatherine Menard — in Memorial Park,located on the northeastern edge of OldPasadena. Prior to the meeting, opponents ofthe plan met briefly with City Manager MichaelBeck to express their concerns.The council is expected to take up the matteron September 9.“We received a couple of emails and comments,”said Beck, who appeared not to beswayed by the arguments. “We did look at otherparks. Ultimately, from a staff perspective, westill think Memorial Park is the best location,but we are taking one more look to see whatother locations might exist.”In letters and during the public comment portionof last week’s meeting, opponents said theywere against using the park because it has traditionallybeen used to honor American war veterans.Located on the corner of NorthRaymond Avenue and Walnut Street, MemorialPark contains tributes to local residents thatlost their lives fighting in the Civil War andVietnam. The Vietnam War memorial was a projectstarted by Bill Paparian, a former USMarine, while he was on the City Council in thelate 1990s. That memorial was first placed inCentral Park, south of Colorado Boulevard,between South Fair Oaks and Raymondavenues, but was later reinstalled at MemorialPark.The roughly five-acre park also contains theLevitt Pavilion amphitheater, which attractshundreds of people during the summer whenconcerts are held there.Paparian, who chairs of the PasadenaGenocide Memorial Committee (PASAGMC),which commissioned Menard’s design, did notreturn phone calls seeking comment for thisstory.According to Parks and RecreationCommission Member Donabed Donabedian, aquarter of the 16 people who spoke at the meetingopposed the use of the Memorial Park. Theremaining dozen speakers at the meeting werefor the idea.One person against the plan was OldPasadena businesswoman Debbie Meymarian.“My grandparents were all genocide survivorsand I couldn’t be more proud of my family ormy heritage,” Meymarian wrote to the commission.“However, I think that the placement ofthe proposed memorial in Memorial Park is perhapsshort-sited and misguided. All of the commemorationsin the park have to do withUnited States servicemen and women. What isto keep another ethnic group in this city fromwanting a memorial to their ancestors inMemorial Park?Where does it stop? Surely, there is a moreappropriate place to honor our ancestors.”Emina Darakjy, a longtime resident and amember of the city’s Urban Forestry AdvisoryCommittee, also opposes using Memorial Parkas a location for the memorial. Darakjy’s husband’sgrandparents escaped to the UnitedStates after witnessing the murder of severalfamily members during the Armenian Genocidesee PASADENA, page 7From left, at Raytheon Awards Ceremony, Mike Shaughnessy, vice president,Raytheon IDS Integrated Supply Chain; Alex Karapetian, director of sales andmarketing, Acopian Power Supplies and Robert Curbeam, vice president,Raytheon IDS Mission AssuranceAcopian Is Tower ofPower Supplies for aHalf a CenturyEASTON, Penn. (Lehigh Valley Business Journal) — A nuclear power plant witha 30-year-old part that no longer worked called Acopian Technical Co. and withindays, it had a replacement part that may have otherwise been obsolete.“They thought for sure that they would not be able to find a place that would beable to help them, but we made their power supply and shipped it to them so theyhad it in three days,” saidBy Jennifer Troxell WoodwardAlex Karapetian, directorof sales and marketing atAcopian, adding thatother power supply manufacturerslikely would not have been able to replace that old part.Karapetian credits advances in technology for allowing Acopian to provide customerswith customized orders that fit their needs. He says the company’s goal isto get the customer a product within three days and offer a five-year warranty.Run by an Armenian-American family,Acopian has been in the Lehigh Valley formore than 50 years. Karapetian’s uncle, thelate Sarkis Acopian, founded the business in1956 with the policy to remain Americanmadeand never outsource and today hisfamily goes by the same philosophy.Acopian supplies power components for avariety of markets such as computing,research labs, medical, telecommunications,military, automotive, aerospace, amusementand entertainment. Some of the company’saccomplishments include helping to powerthe New Year’s Eve ball at Times Square eachyear and producing a part used in the lightingat the Oscar and Grammy award shows.“Some well-known companies use ourpower supply [such as,] Boeing, JPLResearch Labs, Disney, GE, to name a few,”Karapetian said. “What we make is an electronicAC-DC and DC-DC power component.”Sarkis Acopian, a man before his time,Sarkis Acopian, founder ofAcopianinvented the Acopian Solar Radio. The solar concept was perhaps too revolutionaryfor that time period. So he focused on manufacturing power supplies, a producthe knew from experience that was in short supply.“One day [while working as an electrical contractor], Sarkis was asked to locatean emergency power supply, and, when he could not find one, he built one andfinished the job,” and the idea for a business started to take form, Karapetian said.Acopian now has a workforce of 140 at two locations: its corporate office inEaston and a manufacturing facility in Melbourne, Fla.Brothers Greg and Jeff Acopian, sons of Sarkis Acopian, run the Easton location.Two other members of the family, Ezra Acopian, purchasing and facilitiesmanager, and Jeff Calhoun, production supervisor, work in Florida.It is Karapetian’s job to extend the company’s online reach by maintaining theAcopian website, blog, Facebook and Twitter accounts.see ACOPIAN, page 7Alleged Armenian GangMembers Charged inCraigslist RobberyLOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — TwoSan Fernando Valley men faced robberycharges Tuesday after they allegedly held aman at gunpoint and stole an iPhone duringa meeting set up through Craigslist.Levon Iskandaryan, 23, and MambrehKhachian, 33, were arrested after meetingup with a Panorama City man who advertisedcomputer equipment for sale onCraigslist, according to the Los AngelesPolice Department.Iskandaryan and Khachian showed upwith a third suspect at a McDonald’srestaurant at 9107 Van Nuys Blvd. around8 p.m. on August 3 and made contact withthe victim in the parking lot, police said.When Iskandaryan saw the seller washolding an iPhone 5, he allegedly coercedthe man to a nearby vehicle by claimingthe rear passenger was pointing a gun athim, according to police.The victim followed Iskandaryan to agray Toyota Solara, where Khachian washolding a gun and a third man was seatedin the driver’s seat, police said.Iskandaryan then grabbed the phone fromthe victim, and the two engaged in a briefstruggle.When the victim lost his grip on thephone, the car door shut, but caught hisclothing and dragged him for several feetas the car sped away, tearing his clothesand scraping and burning his skin, accordingto police.Detectives pinged the phone and tracedthe signal to a house in the 7900 block ofHillrose Street in Sunland.Officers went to the residence and spottedthe gray Toyota, but waited untilKhachian left the house in the vehiclearound midnight to detain him, accordingto police.Officers conducted a search of thehouse, where police say Iskandaryan livedwith his parents, and found Iskandaryaninside. Since he was on probation for othercrimes, officers were able to search thehouse without a warrant, but did not findany iPhone.Police say before their arrests,Iskandaryan and Khachian went back toCraigslist and contacted a person who listeda want ad for an iPhone 5. They latermet the potential buyer at a Starbucks inGlendale and sold the stolen iPhone for$350.“There’s nothing new from this angle ofcrooks targeting sellers for robbery, but it’swhat they did afterward to sell the stolenphone that surprised us,” said Lt. PaulVernon, commanding officer of the MissionDetective Division.Police say both men were documentedmembers of AP, or Armenian Power, a localstreet gang. Neither Khachian andIskandaryan would provide police with thename of the third man, who was drivingthe car.The man, described as Armenian with achrome bracelet and green eyes, wasallegedly dropped off in North Hollywoodafter the robbery, but before the phonewas fenced, according to police.Iskandaryan and Khachian were bookedfor armed robbery and their bails wereeach set at $125,000.Police hope that by publicizing this case,the unwitting buyer will come forward andsurrender the iPhone so detectives don’thave to track it down. They also believethere may be additional victims and unwittingbuyers linked to the suspects.Anyone with information about the suspectsor the case was urged to visitLAPDOnline.org.

6 S A T U R D A Y, A U G U S T 1 7 , 2 0 1 3 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O ROBITUARYJeff Tanielian Loved Fresno, its HistoryBy Pablo LopezFRESNO (Fresno Bee) — Jeff Tanielian was aworkaholic free-spirit who made a living by creatingneon signs. He loved family, friends andchurch, and hated to see Fresno destroy its history.When the old Outpost restaurant closed atOlive and Chestnut avenues in 1997, he boughtthe eatery’s neon sign and restored it.The sign now hangs inside his northwestFresno business, Commercial Neon, amongdozens of other neon signs that he saved fromthe wrecking ball.He also collected motorcycles. He had abouttwo dozen of them, including a 1968 Norton750 and a 1972 Bulltaco flat track racer hat hekeeps in his northwest Fresno office.Tanielian died July 18 after crashing a 2008Ducati DS1100 motorcycle on a sweepingcurve on Highway 25 in the backroads ofMonterey County. He was 57.“It was a freak accident,” said his wife, SusanTanielian. “It still hard to believe it happened.”In addition to his wife, Tanielian leaves behindtwo children, Andromeda and Arlen, and a legacyof commercial neon signs that dot Fresnoand the Valley.Among his creations is a tall neon sign alongHighway 99 in north Fresno that tells the timeand temperature to passing motorists. His companyalso created the 85-foot Tachi Palace casinosign in Lemoore — one of largest neon signsin the California when it built around 1997.Friends and family said Tuesday that Tanieliandied doing what he loved: riding a motorcycle ona open road with the wind in his face.“He was very cool in everything he did,” saidlongtime friend, Carrie Zulewski, of Fresno.Zulewski recalled that Tanielian liked to makepeople feel special. She recalled that she onceorganized a dinner event and Tanielian made abumper sticker that said “the Z team” andhanded them out to guests.“Everybody laughed, but they loved them,”Zulewski said. “The stickers ended up all overtown.”Tanielian also had a serious side. He loved hischurch — the downtown Holy Trinity ArmenianChurch — and often reflected how fortunate hewas to live in Fresno, especially since his ancestorsendured the Armenian Genocide.“He never forgot his past,” said Mark Arax,who wrote about Tanielian in his book, West ofthe West: Dreamers, Believers, Builders, andKillers in the Golden State.In a chapter called, “Confessions of anArmenian Moonshiner,” Tanielian is calledSuren after his grandfather. The setting is hisranch in the town of Biola near the San JoaquinRiver. He collected worldly goods such as pinballmachines, guitars, neon signs, roadstersand motorcycles, and had no clue about farminggrapes.But he tells Arax he’s at peace because hehad a ranch manager to take care of the crop.“I just walk the rows and take a deep breath,”he said.Born in Fresno, Tanielian attendedNorseman Elementary School, Yosemite MiddleSchool, and McLane High School. An onlychild, his parents, Harry and Flora Tanielian,owned the Cedar-Olive liquor store.When his father sold the liquor store, his sonkept the sign.As a teenager, Tanielian developed a passionfor motorcycles and cars. “He was a geniuswhen it came to engines,” said Arax, 56, whomet Tanielian at church Sunday school. “Hecould tear apart any engine and rebuild it.”He also was great at pin-stripping cars, Araxsaid.Susan Tanielian said her husband showed aflair for sign painting as a kid, when he and hisaunt Helen Torigian would paint Christmas settingson store windows all over town.From McLane, Jeff Tanielian went to LosAngeles to work for a company that pin-strippedcars. At age 21, he returned to Fresno andworked for Arnold Signs during the week andtraveled to car and motorcycle shows on theweekends, his wife said. Once he became a masterof both pin-stripping and hand lettering, heleft Arnold Signs and went to work for EdAntenucci Signs to learn the art of making electricand neon signs.During the day, Tanielian made patterns forsigns. At night, he learned the neon craft fromHoward Lund, his wife said.After mastering the trade, Tanielian startedhis own company in a garage he built next tohis home on Thesta Avenue near Olive Avenue.He later purchased Ward Sign and Graphics,turning it into Commercial Neon. The businesswas on Barstow Avenue near Highway 99 for 13years before it moved to a four-acre site onGolden State Boulevard. When it opened inJanuary 2000, it was the largest sign fabricationcompany in the Valley, Susan Tanielian said.Though Tanielian was a workaholic, his wifesaid he joined the Indian Guides withAndromeda and coached all of Arlen’s sportsteams. He also was a past president and boardmember emeritus of the California SignAssociation. In addition, he was a member ofthe Fresno Exchange Club and past presidentand board member of his church.He often held fund-raisers at his business forlocal charities, including for the river parkwayand the California Armenian Home.Tanielian was with friends and headed to theLaguna Seca track to watch motorcycle raceswhen he crashed and hit a barb-wire fence, andthen a metal pole, the California HighwayPatrol said.His last project was pin-stripping his 1932Ford Roadster, which he had finished shortlybefore his last birthday on July 11, his wife said.“He was so creative and so organized,” SusanTanielian said. “He packed 150 years in his 57years of living.”In addition to his wife and children, he is survivedby his mother, Flora.His funeral was held at Holy TrinityArmenian Apostolic Church. He was buried atMasis Ararat Armenian Cemetery next to hisfather, Harry.Remembrances can be made to Holy TrinityCourtyard Renovation Fund, 2226 VenturaAve., Fresno, CA, 93721.Jeff Tanielian died July 18 in a motorcycle crash in Monterey County. Tanielian was the owner ofCommercial Neon.GiragosianF U N E R A L H O M EJames “Jack” Giragosian, CPCMark J. GiragosianFuneral Counselors576 Mt. Auburn Street, Watertown, MA 02472, TEL: 617-924—0606www.giragosianfuneralhome.comTelephone (617) 924-7400Aram BedrosianFuneral Home, Inc.Continuous Service By The Bedrosian Family Since 1945558 MOUNT AUBURN STREETWATERTOWN, MA 02472Edward D. Jamakordzian, Jr. d/b/aEdward D. Jamie, Jr.Funeral ChapelServing the entire Armenian CommunityAny Hour • Any Distance • Any LocationCall (718) 224-2390 Toll Free (888) 224-6088Bus. Reg. 189-06 Liberty Ave., Hollis, NY 11412Consultation Office: 217-04 Northern Blvd., (Suite 23), Bayside,NY 11361MARION BEDROSIANPAUL BEDROSIANLARRY BEDROSIANNardolillo Funeral HomeEst. 1906John K. Najarian, Jr.Rhode Island’s Only Licensed Armenian Funeral Director1278 Park Ave. Cranston, RI 02910 (401) 942-12201111 Boston Neck Rd. Narragansett, RI 02882 (401) 789-6300www.nardolillo.com

S A T U R D A Y, A U G U S T 1 7 , 2 0 1 3 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O RCOMMUNITY NEWS7The restaurantʼsnamesake is inspiredby the 18thcentury troubadour,Sayat Nova.His poems aresung and recitedby Armenians allover the world.Located just stepsfrom Michigan Avenuein the heart ofChicagoʼs thrivingStreeterville neighborhood,SayatNova is a cozy,romantic enclavetucked back fromthe cityʼs urbansprawl. Since 1970,we have offeredArmenian cuisinethat presents aslightly earthiervariation on typicalMediterranean fare.An intimateneighborhoodrestaurant with a40 year tradition ofserving authenticArmenian/MiddleEastern Cuisine.SAYAT NOVA ARMENIANRESTAURANT157 E. OHIO CHICAGO, ILPH.:312.644.9159OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEKAcopian Is Tower of Power SuppliesACOPIAN, from page 5“It is comforting to work with family, knowingyou can always rely on them and trust thateveryone is looking out for the best interest ofthe business and each other,” he said.“There isa feeling of not wanting to let your family downthat drives me to work harder. I am proud to bea part of something that my family has workedso hard to create and grow here in America.”Recently, the company received a Three StarSupplier Excellence Award in recognition of itsperformance as a supplier for RaytheonIntegrated Defense Systems. Raytheon, whichhas thousands of suppliers, honors a selectnumber at its annual awards ceremony, accordingto Karapetian.“There are lots of companies that strive to bethe best,” he said. “We always try to make a reliableproduct, and you won’t contact us and getan automated system. You get an actual personon the phone. We do everything to ensure thatour customers come back to us.”Purchasing manager Chad Peterson ofErdman Automation in Minnesota has beenAcopian’s customer for more than five years. Hesaid Acopian has pulled his company out of aPASADENA, from page 5“I like the design,” Darakjy wrote in an email. “Ithink the monument should be built. However, Ido not think the monument should be erected ina park that has become a sacred ground formemorials for US servicemen and women whogave the ultimate sacrifice defending our nation.Besides the Vietnam memorial and the Unionsoldier commemorating the Civil War, theperimeter of the park has banners honoring thePasadena servicemen who lost their lives duringthe Iraq War.”Darakjy said another major concern is the sizeof the park, which she said is too cramped.“The site is too small for such a monument,which will draw thousands of people every April24, a day of remembrance for the Armenian community,when stores and restaurants close,” statedDarakjy. “Are we going to have to close downWalnut, Holly and Raymond streets every April24 to accommodate the crowds?”The Armenian Genocide Memorial is expectedto be unveiled April 24, 2015. The memorial’s circulardesign features a 16-foot-tall tripod at itsbind several times by getting Erdman’smachines running properly again.“Acopian has provided a good product thathas helped us be competitive because of thecompetitive prices and their technology,”Peterson said. “I like Acopian because theyreply right away and follow through on ordersand emergencies.”Acopian’s founder was known as a charitableman, personally and professionally, and the companycontinues to make an impact in the community.Sarkis and wife Bobbye Acopian supportedthe Acopian Engineering Center at LafayetteCollege, Acopian Center for Ornithology atMuhlenberg College, the Acopian West Campusat the Children’s Home of Easton, the AcopianBallroom at the State Theatre in Easton andthe Acopian Center for Conservation andLearning at Hawk Mountain.The Acopians also made one of the largestdonations to the World War II Memorial inWashington, DC, information that was keptsecret until after he died in 2007.“Sarkis Acopian was many things — amechanical engineer, inventor, patriot and philanthropist,”Karapetian said.Monumental Decision in Pasadenacenter. From the apex of the three beams will falla single drop of water every 21 seconds, totaling1.5 million drops.“We are certainly sensitive to the feeling thatthe park is not the right location,” said formerPasadena Police Chief Bernard Melekian, a memberof the PASAGMC. “But it is equally importantto note we have gone through the entire cityprocess and the memorial fits the use of whatwas intended for the park. We’re comfortablewith that part of it and a number of Armenianveterans, myself and Bill Paparian included, aregoing to speak to why we think it is important toput it there. We are memorializing one of thedefining events in the 20th century.”Since the US Census does not classifyArmenian as a race and many Armenians registeras white, it is difficult to estimate howmany Armenians live in Pasadena. However,according to church membership rolls, thereare about 20,000 Armenian Americans livinglocally. Neighboring Glendale has the highestpercentage of residents of Armeniandescent in the United States. That city commemoratesthe genocide every year on April24 in front of City Hall with a resolutionacknowledging the Great Crime, which beganin 1915 and ended in 1923, killing 1.5 millionArmenians, who had been hanged, poisoned,drowned or marched into the desert to die atthe hands of soldiers from the TurkishOttoman Empire. The Pasadena City Councilhas been issuing an annual proclamationcommemorating the Armenian Genocide onApril 24 for more than 30 years.Turkish Deputy Consul General Arif Celikvoiced his opposition to the project on an Aug. 9visit to Pasadena Deputy City Manager JulieGutierrez.Congressman Adam Schiff (D-Burbank)renewed his longstanding calls this year for theUnited States to formally acknowledge the genocide.During the 2008 election, then-candidateBarack Obama promised that he would recognizethe genocide if elected, but later went backon his word.“I urge you to acknowledge the ArmenianGenocide in your statement this year, to callgenocide genocide and to stand with the everdwindlingnumber of survivors, as well as thedescendants of those who were lost, and whomust otherwise continue to suffer the indignity,injury and pain of denial,” wrote Schiff in a letterto the president.Meanwhile, members of the ArmenianCommunity Coalition (ACC) an alternative groupled by former City Council candidate ChrisChahanian, which broke off from the PASAGMC,presented the city with an update on its separateplans for a memorial.“It was a meet and greet,” said PasadenaPublic Information Officer William Boyer. “Theywanted to update us with their plans. So far,nothing has been submitted.”

8 S A T U R D A Y, A U G U S T 1 7 , 2 0 1 3T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O RCOMMUNITY NEWSDetroit Armenia Fest Enjoys Record AttendanceROYAL OAK, Mich. — On Saturday, July 20,the Metro Detroit Armenia Fest Committee andthe local chapter of the Knights of Vartan hostedthe sixth annual Armenia Fest at the RoyalOak Farmers Market. The Fest was conceived tohonor and showcase Armenian culture, food,dance and music and has become one of thearea’s most anticipated events, attracting thousandsof compatriots and guests.A year in the planning, the 2013 fest featureda rich collage of Armenian culture. Local vendorslined the market offering homemadeArmenian food, Armenian crafts, jewelry andcultural exhibits. A fortuneteller was readingcoffee cups while a clown entertained the childrenwith balloon animals.The program began with introductions by Co-Chair David Terzibashian and MC VaughnMasropian. Presentation of the flags and theAmerican and Armenian anthems were performeda capella by renowned vocalist DeaconThe young dancers impressed the crowd.From left, Ray Boujoulian, Sheriff MichaelBouchard and David TerzibashianRubik Mailian. Co-Chair Corinne Khederianrecognized and introduced the visiting electedofficials and dignitaries. The Armenia Fest All-Star Band, under the direction of committeemember Masropian, provided live traditionalArmenian and contemporary music, includingviolinist Harry Hovakimian and vocalists SamAlajajian and Ani Patterson (née Atikian), enticingguests to dance and dance they did!A highlight of the evening was two performancesby the Arax Hamazkayin Dance Troupe.These beautiful Armenian youth trained in theart of Armenian folk dance provided flawlessperformances with beautiful costuming andchoreographed dance routines. Their enthusiasmand talent brought the crowd to their feetwith much applause.Two lucky guests went home with raffleitems donated by supporters Hagopian Worldof Rugs (a beautiful “Ararat” rug) and EdKaramanian (adult mountain bike and helmet).It was a very special night of camaraderie,pride and fun for a good cause. Organizers lookforward to the community’s continued supportand participation in Armenian Fest 2014.The Fest is free and open to the public andserves as a fundraiser for Armenian humanitariancauses. From this years proceeds the sumof $4,000 was donated to the Syrian ArmenianRelief fund to be distributed through the AGBUand the Armenian Relief Society’s concertedefforts.The Metro Detroit Armenia Fest Committeeis a composed of local Armenian-Americanactivists dedicated to presenting programs likeArmenia Fest that unite the community and celebrateArmenian heritage. Committee membersare Ed Bedikian, David Terzibashian,Corinne Khederian, Agop Alexanian, RayBoujoulian, Ken Khezarjian, Paul Kulhanjian,Shirley Sarkisian, Angela Hagopian Snow andMadeline Thomasian.Musicians Vaughn Masropian (left) and Harry HovakimianThe members of the planning committee

New Group Raises Funds,Awareness to Battle LeukemiaHOLLYWOOD — #IWEARORANGE, a nonprofitorganization, had its first blood driveSaturday July 27, at Los Angeles Children’sHospital (CHLA), 4560 Sunset Blvd.Approximately 80 people had signed up for theblood drive using social media sources, specificallyFacebook. The blood drive was a successdue to family, friends and walk-ins, who all camein and proudly, donated their blood to benefitLeukemia patients. With the support of BruceRedack and director Dr. Ajay Perembuti, whowere checking on the donors, overseeing theWith Gaspar Melikyan and board members Armen Melikyan,Nellie Plouzian, Peter Blikian, Kristine Chakmayan, Paul Gayonand Maral YeranossianS A T U R D A Y, A U G U S T 1 7 , 2 0 1 3 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O Rprocess and making sure everyone was comfortable,this blood drive could surely bedeemed as a success. Raul Gonzales, CHLABlood Donor Recruiter, was impressed by theefforts put forth by the organization. Gonzalespersonally acknowledged Gaspar Melikyan, thefounder, telling him that “[He] proved to [him]that [#IWEARORANGE] can take it to the nextlevel.”Donating blood takes roughly 10 minutes;however, doctors, nurses and staff of CHLAmade sure every donor was screened beforehandto make sure every donor was qualified todonate. The screening process involved fillingout questionnaires about the donor’s historyand a physical exam where a small sample ofblood was taken in order to make sure thatdonors were eligible to donate (eligibility wasdetermined upon various different criteria’s inwhich each donor was expected to meet). Asdonors were approved, they were guided to alarger room specifically designated for the#IWEARORANGE Blood Drive. Once in theroom and ready to donate one pint of blood wasdrawn from each donor. Onaverage, one pint of blood helpssave three lives, however, eachpint is usually tested further tomatch donors producing 50-percent loss factor; hence theongoing purpose of blood drivesto help support patientssuffering from leukemia.Melikyan, a 21-year-oldleukemia survivor, started thisorganization along with hisbrother, Armen Melikyan, andfive board members, NellieProuzian, Peter Blikian,Kristin Chakmayan, Dr. PaulGaynon and Dr. MaralYeranossian.Themissionof # IWEARORANGE isto promote Leukemia awareness,while supporting affectedindividuals and families, and tocollect funds towards treatmentand research through philanthropicevents, merchandise sales, and social mediaconnections. # IWEARORANGE raisesmoney by selling different types of apparel, suchas T-Shirts, bracelets and other paraphernaliaadvertising Leukemia awareness. Fundraisingevents and activities including mobile blood drivesand support groups are also in the plans ofthe organization donating 100% of the profits,after expenses, to raise awareness and aidresearch.The group’s website is IWEARORANGE.com.COMMUNITY NEWSGeoffrey Zakarian Has BecomeCulinary Director of the PlazaNEW YORK (New York Times and NJ.com) — Geoffrey Zakarian has become the culinarydirector of the hotel, where he will be responsible for reinvigorating the iconicPalm Court and eventually resurrecting the Oak Room, which reopened five years agoafter extensive restoration and much fanfare, but then closed yet again. He will alsosupervise food and beverages for the Oak Bar, Rose Club and Champagne Bar and forroom service.He was tapped for the job by Sant Singh Chatwal, the owner of Chatwal Hotel in thetheater district, where Zakarian has been running the Lambs Club restaurant.Last fall, Chatwal’s company, Sahara Hampshire Hotel Management, won a 20-yearcontract to manage food and beverages for the Plaza.Zakarian has been in hotel restaurant kitchens since 1987; he also runs the NationalBar and Dining Rooms in the Benjamin Hotel. High on his to-do list at the Plaza is thePalm Court, where he hopes changes will be completed by early 2014.“I want to leave as much as we can in place, the way they do with the great old restaurantsin Paris,” he said. The Palm Court now serves breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea.Across the river, in Atlantic City, Zakarian is busy at the Borgata. On August 16-18,Zakarian, an Iron Chef on the program of the same name on the Food Network, willopen the first ever pop-up restaurant presentation of his Manhattan restaurant, TheLambs Club, inside Borgata’s 28 West restaurant with a four-course menu priced at $89per person.During the weekend, Zakarian will host a culinary demonstration at Borgata’s MusicBox theater on Saturday, in addition to book signings on Saturday and Sunday in therestaurant.9

10 S A T U R D A Y, A U G U S T 1 7 , 2 0 1 3T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O RArts & LivingDiyarbakir ExodusChronicles MemoriesOf Three FamiliesBy Gabriella GageMirror-Spectator StaffMADISON, Wisc. — The late JosephineMangasarian’s Diyarbakir Exodus is more thanthe story of a singular life; the memoir is anextensive family history — the interconnectedstories of Mangasarian’s mother’s, father’s andhusband’s families — between the years 1895and 1927. In April, the Mangasarian family publishedher unfinished memoir.In 1905, Josephine Mangasarian’s father,Achod Amassian, had accepted a transfer fromhis post at the Diyarbakir telegraph office at themysterious urging of the telegraph office’sdirector and relocated his young family there —roughly a 15-day journey. Her family was inAleppo at the time of the Genocide and deportationsand she watched as countless relativescame to Aleppo seeking refuge. At one time, 20people lived in her family home, many friendsand family who had fled the massacres.Josephine Mangasarian wrote of how she collectedthese stories, saying, “The events that Ihave described in this family memoir are alltrue. The account of these incidents was relatedto me by the survivors who took refuge inmy family’s home in Aleppo.” Her father’s positionat the telegraph office afforded her accessto secret messages that he decoded corroboratingthe mass killings and much of what shelearned was confirmed by eyewitness accountsfrom family members.The publication of Diyarbakir Exodus itselfwas a family endeavor. Josephine Mangasarianhad begun the work with three detailedgenealogical charts completed in her late 80s.Josephine Amassian MangasarianFrom there, she wrote 270 pages by handabout her family and the events during thistime period.Josephine Mangasarian died in 2002 beforeshe could complete the section on the 35 yearsof her life spent in Baghdad, Iraq after they leftSyria. Her son, John Mangasarian, had alreadybegun aiding his mother in her endeavor bytranscribing and typing her handwritten pages.Upon her death, he continued editing andassembling the materials for the book until hepassed the torch to his sister-in-law, ClaireMangasarian, in 2010. In 2011, JohnMangasarian died and she continued editingand assembling the manuscript. ClaireMangasarian, a painter, had experience assemblingmemoirs after she had put together andpublished her own grandfaseeEXODUS, page 12Zarig Baghdadlian and Katherine Sabbagh during rehearsal at the Tekeyan CulturalCenter in Englewood, NJ‘Where’s YourGroom?’Young Group Prepares forHumerous Play on CultureNEW YORK — Among the many concerns Armenian parents around the Diasporaface, there is one universal question that stands out: Will our children marry anArmenian? Will they be able to continue our Armenian heritage?The play, “Where is Your Groom?” (Pesad Oor Eh), written, produced and codirectedby Taleen Babayan, raises these questions of identity, assimilation and generationaldivides in a comedic manner.“Where Is Your Groom?” will debut at The Players Theatre in New York’sGreenwich Village on Saturday, October 26. A special guest appearance will be madeby international musician Robert Chilingirian.Taking place in the present day but emulating the voices of older generations, thestory revolves around an Armenian-American family who is concerned that theirdaughter, Lara, has not found a suitable Armenian pesa (groom). The patriarch ofthe family, Koko, enlists his wife, Siroun, son Saro and mother-in law, known endearinglyas “Medz Mayrig,” to find young Armenian men for Lara to meet. What ensuesis the introduction of humorous characters as potential suitors who serve as caricaturesof all different “types” of Armenians — from Armenia to America to Iran toTurkey and to Lebanon.“It doesn’t matter where in the diaspora we’re from or what cultural nuances wegrew up with,” said Babayan, 28, who is the producer of a Brooklyn-based newsshow. “At our core, we are Armenian and we shoulder the same responsibilities, traditionsand old-word expectations regardless if we’re born in New York, Beirut orIstanbul.”The play struck a chord with young Armenian-Americans in the New Jersey areaand a cast and crew of over 20 enthusiastic individuals have come together to bringthe play to life. While many are newcomers to the stage, they only needed their culturalties to serve as motivation to be involved in the performance.“From the first moment I heard about the play, I was immediately interested,”said Katherine Sabbagh, 21, a student at Ramapo College who plays the role ofSiroun. “Being with Armenians and expressing my personality through the arts isimportant to me.”“When I heard about this play, I instantly knew I wanted to be involved no matterthe time commitment,” said Zarig Baghdadlian, 23, who works at the HB Groupin New York, and who is playing the role of Lara. “I’m so happy to be part of thisvery relatable play by a talented writer and I’m hoping we’ll take this play to othercities with Armenian communities as well.”The play has not only given young Armenian-Americans the opportunity to meetfellow Armenians and connect with their culture in a new way, it’s also given thosewith an interest in acting a chance to try it out in a friendly atmosphere.“I’ve always wanted to act, so this was a good opportunity to really get into it amongstArmenian peers,” said Jiro Khorozian, 25, who works in real estate and who is playingthe role of Jiro the Jeweler. “Maybe this play will inspire me to take up acting.”“When I read the script, I was immediately drawn to the character of the fatherKoko and I knew this was something I wanted to commit my limited free time to,”see PLAY, page 11Northampton’s PoetLaureate Reviews aNew Collection fromDavid KherdianBy Richard MichelsonNORTHAMPTON, Mass. (Valley Advocate) —Four years ago a world-class poet moved toNorthampton, city of poets. Perhaps you readabout it in the newspaper headlines. Or youwould have if poetry was celebrated in the mannerof other arts. But David Kherdian settled inquietly and went about the business of writingpoems, as he had been doing for the previous45 years, and now a new book, Living in Quiet:New and Selected Poems has gathered his life’swork in a beautifully designed edition with awoodcut by his wife, Nonny Hogrogian (moreabout her in a moment), on the cover. It hasbeen published by Deerbrook Editions, a literarypublishing house based in Maine.Kherdian found his voice early. His first volume,On the Death of My Father, of whichWilliam Saroyan correctly said, “The title poemis one of the best lyrics in American poetry,”sets out one of the many themes that Kherdianexplored in the more than 20 books that followed.What does it mean to be the Americanbornson of an Armenian immigrant father?How does one celebrate the family and heritagethat is in their blood and lineage, while forgingone’s own path and identity?It is a lifelong struggle with no easy answersbut the questioning is all:…Because our relationship did not endwith your death, but continued in this way,my way, on the page and right on throughto the heart of everything that matters,the eternal matter of life on earthand after death. (from “Our Time”)They stare at each otherunable to communicateaware of the abysson one side father Armeniaand on the other, son America(from “The Father and the Son”)Originally identified with the Beats and theSan Francisco renaissance of the ’60s, Kherdianquickly went in his own direction, eschewingcliques and “isms” for a style that would servehim well and never waver. There is depth withoutthe need for overt difficulty; there is personalitywithout false humbleness or the flauntingof self, and Kherdian is never afraid to risksentiment in his search for truth. These arepoems hurled into being by the grace of love.Which brings me back to Nonny Hogrogian,a two-time Caldecott-winning artist andKherdian’s partner of 43 years and collaboratoron many books for children. In The NonnyPoems, originally published in 1971, many ofwhich are reprinted in the current volume, hecharts their relationship from first meeting — tomarriage — to a life in art lived together.Hogrogian means earth carrierIn the language of our ancestorsAnd now Nonny takes up the toolsOf her new trade, putting theTools of art aside for the moment—To actualize something new, thatIs as old as our people, whoseBeginnings precede Biblical time,Knowing, as she has always known,That to work is to enter mystery…(from “Nonny Hogrogian”)There is so much to recommend in this book.The boyhood poems of growing up in Racine,Wis. take on some of the subject matter of USPoet Laureate Phil Levine’s Detroit and itsindustrial landscape. But while Levine’s work issee KHERDIAN, page 13

S A T U R D A Y, A U G U S T 1 7 , 2 0 1 3 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R 11ARTS & LIVINGYoung Armenian GroupPrepares for Cultural PlayPLAY, from page 10said Aris Hamparsumian, who works in theRisk Assurance practice atPricewaterhouseCoopers. “Acting has alwaysbeen a passion of mine, but I never had achance to pursue it until now.”A proponent of the arts as a vehicle to movethe Armenian culture forward is singerChilingirian, who will make a special appearanceduring the performance . Chilingirian himselfhas modernized Armenian music, making itmore accessible to the younger generation ofArmenians.“I feel that it is very easy for the young generationto adapt to the music of the countrythey are living in, and eventually forget abouttheir Armenian roots, culture and music alltogether,” said Chilingirian, a Los Angelesbasedsinger. “It’s important to give them somethingthat is attractive to their ears so they willcontinue to listen to our music.”He is also firm believer in the importance ofArmenians pursuing the arts.“Armenian youth must always keep creatingart,” said Chilingirian. “Through their music,theater, paintings, they can familiarize theworld with our culture, history and language.”Forming the cast of crew of “Where Is YourGroom?” has been one step in that direction.Singer Robert Chilingirian will be making a specialappearance during “Where Is YourGroom?”The group consistently attends weeklyrehearsals on Sunday mornings at the TekeyanCultural Center in Englewood, kindly providedby the Tekeyan Cultural Association.“Being back in the theater is one thing, butGourgen Manoukian in front of two of his paintingsGourgen Manoukian ExhibitOpening at ALMAWATERTOWN — An exhibit dedicated to the works of artist Gourgen Manoukian willopen at the Armenian Library and Museum of America (ALMA) on Tuesday, August 27,with a reception at 7 p.m.Manoukian, born in Yerevan, Armenia, studied at the Moscow Art Institute. He laterreturned to Armenia and worked in the HayFilm studios as an art director where heworked on more than 30 films. Exhibiting across the Soviet Union, Manoukian worked ina range of artistic expression from graphic design and cinematographic art to miniatures,costume design and his main interest, painting. His work has been featured in a variety ofpublications, including editions of watercolor, oil painting and a set of specialized illustrationsof Armenian ethnic costumes.On arrival in the US, Manoukian became a member of the “Armenian Artist Associatesof America,” continuing to exhibit across the US and internationally. His landscapes reflecthis memories of Armenia, featuring converging lines of earth and sky and the alternationof shadow and sunlight. He believes that the dynamics of his colors and composition“speak in an international language”, whether land or seascapes, still life or architecturalrenderings.The reception will take place in the Contemporary Art Gallery of ALMA on the thirdfloor. Admission is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served following theevent. ALMA is located at 65 Main St.The exhibit will run through October 27.Aris Hamparsumian, Katherine Sabbagh, Tanya Bas and Zarig Baghdadlian practice a scene duringrehearsal at the Tekeyan Cultural Center in Englewood, NJ.being part of an Armenian play is a whole newand exciting experience that I’m thrilled to bepart of,” said Baghdadlian, 22, a project assistantat East West Institute who is serving asassistant director and stage manager of “WhereIs Your Groom?” She was involved in theater ather alma mater, George Washington University,Sponsor a Teacher in Armenia and Karabagh 2013Since its inception in 2001, TCA’s ‘Sponsora Teacher’ program has raised over $563,000and reached out to 4,440 teachers andschool workers in Armenia and Karabagh.and has brought her experience to the group.“The beauty of a project like this is bringingArmenian youth together,” said Babayan. “I amso proud of our cast and crew who believe inthis play and who are translating their love ofbeing Armenian to the stage.”“Where Is Your Groom?” will be performedon October 26, at 8 p.m. at The Players Theatre,115 MacDougal St. For tickets, goto http://www.theplayerstheatre.com.A portion of the proceeds from the play willbe donated to Friends of Warm Hearth, anArmenia-based non-profit organization that providesgroup homes for Armenian orphans withmental illnesses and disabilities, who have outgrownthe orphanages.Visit www.whereisyourgroomtheplay.com.✄❑ Yes, I want to sponsor teachers in Armenia and Karabagh to continuehelping them to educate the children, our future leaders. I would like to havethe teacher’s name and address.❑ $160 ❑ $ 320 ❑ $ 480 ❑ other $—————————NameAddressCity State Zip codeTel:Make check payable to: Tekeyan Cultural Association – Memo: Sponsor a Teacher 2010Mail your check with this form to:TCA Sponsor a Teacher5326 Valverde, Houston, TX 77056Your donation is Tax Deductible.Entertainment Fridaysand Saturdays

S A T U R D A Y, A U G U S T 1 7 , 2 0 1 3ARTS & LIVINGT H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R13C A L E N D A RCALIFORNIAAUGUST 18 — Dinner and Conversation on Genocide withProfessor Richard Hovannisian and Rabbi Elie Spitz, 6 p.m.,hosted by the Congregation B’nai Israel, 2111 Bryan Avenue,Tustin; catering by Zov’s Bistro; tickets $15 (by August 5), call714-730-9693 or email cbi18@cbi18.org.CONNECTICUTAUGUST 18 — Armenian Festival, Holy Resurrection Church,1910 Stanley St., New Britain, featuring Armenian music by theHarry Bedrossian Ensemble, Armenia exhibition, kids games anda special guest appearance. Contact the church office at 860-223-7875.MASSACHUSETTSAUGUST 18 — Soorp Asdvadzadzin Armenian Apostolic Churchof Whitinsville will host its Annual Picnic; delicious Armenianfood served and live music provided by the Mugrditchian Band; freeparking. For more info, contact the church rectory at508-234-3677;315 Church Street, Whitinsville, Mass.AUGUST 24 — Book presentation of A Legacy of ArmenianTreasures: The Alex and Marie Manoogian Museum, 7:30p.m., NAASR, 395 Concord Ave, Belmont. Featured speaker willbe book Executive Editor Edmond Azadian, introductory remarksprovided by Armenian Mirror-Spectator Editor Alin Gregorianand NAASR Director of Academic Affairs Marc Mamigonian.Free event, for more info contact hq@naasr.org.AUGUST 25 — 2013 Armenian Church at Hye Pointe Picnic atAmerican Legion Farm, 1314 Main St., Haverhill (RTE 495 to Exit51B onto RTE 125N), 12 noon to 5 p.m. Music by Jason NaroianEnsemble. Menu of shish, losh, chicken kebab dinners, kheyma,pastries and beverages; raffles for cash prizes & gift certificates.Air conditioned functional hall; bring your own chairs; for info:www.hyepointearmenianchurch.org or (978) 372-9227.AUGUST 27 — Gourgen Manoukian Paintings Exhibit“Celebrating 50 Years in Art” at 7 p.m., ALMA, 65 Main St.,Watertown. From the Soviet Union to the US, Manoukian’sworks include a broad range of media painting sea and landscapes,still-life and architectural renderings.SEPTEMBER 8 — Greater Worcester Armenian Chorale 13thAnniversary Gala concert and dinner, 12:30 p.m., CulturalCenter of the Armenian Church of Our Saviour, 34 BoyntonStreet, Worcester. Led by conductor Konstantin Petrossian,soloist Narine Ojakhyan, “Arevig” Armenian Children’s DanceGroup. Reservations call Elizabeth Orsi 508-865-9432. Tickets$25.00, $12.00 children; for program donations call Charles DerKazarian 508-963-2076.SEPTEMBER 8 – Sayat Nova Dance Company performs at PeabodyInternational Festival with favorite dances from their repertory; 11a.m. to 5 p.m. Members of the Dance Company manning dessertbooth featuring homemade delicacies; Peabody Square on LowellStreet. For details, call Peabody Town Hall.SEPTEMBER 8 — Picnic Festival, St. Gregory ArmenianChurch, 158 Main St., North Andover, 12:30-5:30 p.m., featuringArmenian music by Leon Janikian, Jason Naroian, JoeKouyoumjian, John Arzigian, along with Siroun Dance Group;Armenian food and pastries. For more info, visitwww.saintgregory.org.SEPTEMBER 10 — Staged reading of Joyce Van Dyke’s“Deported/ A Dream Play,” 7 p.m. at Clark University, LittleCenter, 950 Main Street, Worcester. The play tells the story oftwo friends, the playwright’s grandmother and the mother ofDr. H. Martin Deranian during the Armenian Genocide; directedby Judy Braha, featuring a cast from the recent Boston production;Q&A to follow; free. For reservations, emailcharkarts@clarku.edu.SEPTEMBER 15 — Talk by Tom Vartabedian titled, “A 50-yearRetrospective into Journalism;” 7 p.m., ALMA, 65 Main St.,Watertown. Vartabedian, award-winning writer and photographer,will kick off the fall season at ALMA with a talk about his50-year career with The Haverhill Gazette and his work as a correspondentwith the Armenian Press since the early 1960s.SEPTEMBER 15 — Trinity Family Festival, 12-5 p.m., Holy TrinityArmenian Church, 145 Brattle St., Cambridge. Delicious food,Armenian music, Children’s games, Blessing of Madagh at 4p.m., raffle drawing and more.SEPTEMBER 16 — Armenian Church of Our Saviour hosts 20thAnnual Golf Tournament at the Sterling Country Club,Sterling, 8:30 a.m. registration, 10 a.m. start; sponsorships andgolf registrations still available; contact the church office at 508-756-2931.On August 24, NAASR will host a book presentationof A Legacy of Armenian Treasures:The Alex and Marie Manoogian Museum at7:30 p.m. The featured speaker will be bookExecutive Editor Edmond Azadian and introductoryremarks will be provided byArmenian Mirror-Spectator Editor AlinGregorian and NAASR Director of AcademicAffairs Marc Mamigonian. The event is freeand open to the public; for more info contacthq@naasr.org. NAASR is located at 395Concord Ave, Belmont, MA.SEPTEMBER 21 — Armenian Independent Broadcasting ofBoston presents Avik Deirmenjian’s newly published bookof poems, Khachardzan, 5 p.m. MC Dr. Ara Ghazarian, bookpresentation by Khajag Mkrtichian, cultural program and receptionto follow; free admission; Armenian Cultural Foundation,441 Mystic St., Arlington.SEPTEMBER 28 — Annual “Walk of Life” Walk-a-thon, NewEngland Chapter of the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry(ABMDR), in Watertown. To register or donate, visithttp://www.abmdr.am.OCTOBER 19 — Hye Kef 5 featuring Leon Janikian, JoeKouyoumjian, Greg Takvorian, Ken Kalajian, Bob Raphalian andJay Baronian, Haverhill, MA, 7:30 p.m., Michael’s Function Hall-12 Alpha Street, Tickets: $40.00 Each Students $30, includesindividually-served mezza platters. Proceeds to benefit allArmenian churches in Merrimack Valley and New Hampshire.Call either John Arzigian, 603-560-3826; Sandy Boroyan, 978-251-8687; Scott Sahagian, 617-699-3581, or Peter Gulezian,978-375-1616. Organized by Armenian Friends’ of America.NOVEMBER 16 — Armenian Women’s Welfare Association(AWWA) celebrates 38th Annual Luncheon-Auction at theBurlington Marriott. Silent Auction and Bidding at 11 a.m.; DoorPrizes for early bird bidding. $60 per person; Visa andMasterCard accepted. For reservation information and generalinquiries contact awwaauction@gmail.com.DECEMBER 6 AND 7 — Trinity Christmas Bazaar, Friday, 3-9p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Holy Trinity Armenian Church,145 Brattle St., Cambridge.MICHIGANSEPTEMBER 16 — Detroit Chapter Tekeyan Cultural Associationhosts Soiree Musicale, featuring violinist Henrik Karapetyan andpianist Ken Hakobyan, 7:30 p.m., at the Birmingham UnitarianChurch, 38651 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills. Program isdedicated to the memory of Dr. Garabed Belian; reception to follow,$20 donation For reservations, call Diana Alexanian at 248-334-3636 or Karen Koundakjian at (248) 761-9844.NEW YORKNOVEMBER 23-24 – TCA Mher Megerdchian Theatrical Groupcelebrates 15th Anniversary with production of HagopBaronian’s “The Perils of Politeness” (KaghakavaroutyanVnasneruh) directed by Gagik Karapetyan from Armenia; DwightEnglewood High School, 315 E. Palisade Ave., Englewood, NJ.Nov. 23, Saturday at 8 p.m. and Nov. 24, Sunday at 4 p.m. Fortickets; $50, $35, $25; call Marie Zokian (201)745-8850 orMissak Boghosian at (212)819-0097 or (347)365-6985.Poet Laureate ReviewsNew Collection fromDavid KherdianKHERDIAN, from page 10mostly fueled by anger at a succession of“stupid jobs,” Kherdian sees his home city asthrough a child’s eyes, reflecting back more quietly,with both horror and wonderment.The poems Kherdian wrote during the nineyears he and Hogrogian spent at a spiritualcommunity in Oregon, studying the ideas ofGurdjieff, are also here, as are the poems hewrote after leaving the community. While there,he gardened, started a small press and tendedto the animals. Kherdian’s poems appear simpleon the surface — the sort of poem that shouldentice a wide audience — but they are far fromcommonplace, as he says about the act ofwatching two horses and a man plowing theearth for nurturance:…as if one did not know thatthe simple is not commonplaceas if one did not knowthat the commonplacehas been nearly lostand was being recaptured nowby the quiet, difficultnecessary toil of honest labor:a man, two horses, the earth—as if holiness for the momentcould be anything but this.(from “Coming Into The Farm”)And finally, there are poems which directlyaddress the Armenian genocide. How couldthere not be? Kherdian’s biography of his mother,The Road from Home, was a NewburyHonor book, and to my mind the definitiveexploration of that still under-reported periodin history. The poems make the tragedy personalbut leave us thankful that Kherdian is theone telling the tale.This numbness has taken a lifetimeto lift. Now in your lowered graves,I beseech you to look upon theempty space I will fill oncewe come to be joined againbecause we were always one.(from “Mother Father Poem”)A 2012 recipient of the Armenian Star Award,Kherdian is widely recognized as one of themost important and distinctive voices inArmenian-American poetry over the last fourdecades. I am pleased he is still writing, andhere among us in Northampton.(David Kherdian reads from his work August23, 5 p.m., at Food for Thought Books inAmherst. Richard Michelson is the current PoetLaureate of Northampton.)‘Voice of Silence’ atRegent TheatreARLINGTON, Mass. — The ArmenianInternational Women’s Association (AIWA) ishosting a showing of Armenian director VigenChaldranyan’s latest movie, “Voice of Silence.” Itwill be screened on Wednesday, August 28, at theArlington Regent Theatre, 7 Medford St. at 7 p.m.The film features best-actress award-winnerMariam Davtyan, portraying a homeless youngwoman named Jiji. Her eccentric way of living ina sand pit attracts the attention of film directorJohn, who has returned home to Armenia toshoot a movie after living in the United States.Their encounter raises provocative issues surroundingsurvival, identity and values. This wellroundedmovie is shown with English subtitles.Chaldranyan will be present at the screening.During the evening he will introduce the movieand lead a question-and-answer discussion.Part of the evening’s proceeds will benefit theWomen’s Support Center in Yerevan.Tickets can be purchased in advance by contactingthe AIWA office in Watertown, or online at: www.itsmyseat.com, or email: evamedzorian@gmail.com.

14 S A T U R D A Y, A U G U S T 1 7 , 2 0 1 3 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O RCOMMENTARYMirror-T H E A R M E N I A NSpectatorEstablished 1932An ADL PublicationEDITORAlin K. GregorianASSISTANT EDITORGabriella GageASSOCIATE EDITORAram ArkunART DIRECTORMarc MgrditchianSENIOR EDITORIAL COLUMNIST:Edmond AzadianCONTRIBUTORS:Florence Avakian, Elizabeth Aprahamian,Daphne Abeel, Dr. HaroutiuneArzoumanian, Taleen Babayan, Prof.Vahakn N. Dadrian, Diana DerHovanessian, Philip Ketchian, KevorkKeushkerian, Sonia Kailian-Placido,Harut Sassounian, Mary Terzian, HagopVartivarian, Naomi ZeytoonianCORRESPONDENTS:Armenia - Hagop AvedikianBoston - Nancy KalajianPhiladelphia - Lisa ManookianBerlin - Muriel Mirak-WeissbachContributing Photographers:Jacob Demirdjian, Harry Koundakjian, JirairHovsepianThe Armenian Mirror-Spectator is publishedweekly, except two weeks in July, by:Baikar Association, Inc.755 Mt. Auburn St., Watertown, MA 02472-1509Telephone: 617-924-4420FAX: 617-924-2887www.mir ror spectator.comE-Mail: editor@mirrorspectator.comFor advertising: mirrorads@aol.comU.S.A.CanadaOther CountriesSUBSCRIPTION RATES:$80 a year$125 a year$190 a year© 2011 The Armenian Mirror-SpectatorPeriodical Class Postage Paid at Boston, MAand additional mailing offices.ISSN 0004-234XPOSTMASTER: Send address changes to TheArmenian Mirror-Spectator, P.O. Box 302,Watertown, MA 02471-0302Other than the editorial, views and opinionsexpressed in this newspaper do not necessarilyeflect the policies of the publisher.By Edmond Y. AzadianThe celebrated Armenian national poet, Vahan Tekeyan, haswritten a series of poems which encapsulate in the most conciseand effective fashion the woes befallen on the Armenian peoplethroughout history. One of those poems is titled, “Nation intoDust,” which begins with the line: “You small, diminished land,finer than a grain of dust.”This short statement laments the status of the Armenian peopleand their homeland, which have been reduced to dust as aconsequence of the crime perpetrated by the Ottoman Turks.The poet, who, most of the time comes off as a pessimisticprophet, this time around concludes the poem with optimism,writing, “For grains of dust may some day recast as stone onceagain.”The Turks decided to pulverize the Armenian people so thatthey may not rise again to claim their ancestral homeland.Tekeyan’s optimistic conclusion notwithstanding, the Armeniansremain a “nation into dust” through infighting and internecinesquabbles of self-destructive magnitude. What the Turks intendedto reduce us into a nation of dust we continue perpetratingthat status through our own volition.We are at the threshold of the Genocide centennial and exceptsome rhetoric and grandiose plans we, as a nation, continue theself-flagellation, while Turkey has already taken counter measuresto blunt any effort that Armenians could undertake toreach out to the world.The Turks already have their strategic plans in place becausethey realize the national security threat that this “nation of dust”may engender.Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has announcedplans to mark the year 2015 as the centennial anniversary of theGallipoli campaign, where Turkish forces, under the leadership ofMustapha Kemal, defeated the Allied Troops at the Straits ofDardanelles. Certainly the well-heeled lobbying firms in Turkeywill generate enough noise on the international scene to drownall Armenian initiatives.Following the Ergenekon or Deep State trials and recent convictions,which put behind bars all the military brass underminingPrime Minister Erdogan’s initiatives, the Supreme MilitaryCouncil of Turkey has nominated new commanders to head itsair, land and marine forces, to be able to deal with all the neighborswhich may in any way threaten Turkey’s national interests.Militarily Armenia is no match for Turkey, but politically theAnkara leadership is convinced that Armenian lobbying in theUS has been jeopardizing American-Turkish relations. It is not acoincidence that Turkey has appointed Hulyusi Akar as the commanderof the land forces. It so happens that Mr. Akar is one ofTurkey’s “experts” on Armenian issues. In fact, his doctoral thesisat Istanbul’s Bogazici University was titled, “The ArmenianQuestion and the Impact of the Armenian lobby on theAmerican-Turkish relations.”While Turkey is investing its tremendous resources in money,military power and political clout, what are the Armenians doingto counter the threat?We can enumerate a few despicable acts and continue lamentingour status of a nation reduced to dust.Recently one of the topics scheduled to be discussed at theSupreme Spiritual Council at Echmiadzin was the planning ofcentennial programs. But no one was interested in that topic.Instead, an obscene campaign was unleashed to denigrate thechurch hierarchy as if to sabotage the more pressing issues.Indeed, the coincidence may lead one to believe in conspiracytheories. At this time, the merits or demerits of the questionsraised is not the issue, but the timing is definitely unfortunate.Another issue was an engrossing situation created by lawfirms seeking compensation for the survivors of the victims ofthe Armenian Genocide from the insurance companies.A statement issued on July 24, 2013 heralded that “Yeghiayan,Kabatek and Geragos amicably resolve their differences.”It is important to quote some major statement from therelease: “The law offices of Vatkes Yeghiayan, the firm ofKatabeck Kellner and the firm of Geragos and Geragos jointlyannounce that they have amicably resolved their differenceswhich arose from the settlement of the Armenian GenocideCOMMENTARY‘Nation into Dust’claims in the AXA litigation pending in the federal court.Specifically, the lawsuit filed by Geragos and Kabatek BrownKellner (case no. 2:11-cv-03043-CAS-AGA) against Mr. Yeghiayan,Rita Mahdessian and a number of charities is being dismissedwith prejudice forthwith.”The moral of this uncalled for litigation lies further down inthe release: “The lawyers who filed the case are aware that theAXA case is meager compensation for the fathomless injusticecommitted upon the Armenian people. They know that whilethey cannot undo the dark pages of Armenian history, they mustcontinue to fight for justice.” Mr. Yeghiyan has further commented:“We must not lose sight of our main objective — whichis a measure of justice for the heirs of the victims.”One wonders if these prominent lawyers knew that our objectivewas to fight for justice or they learned after they embarrassedeach other and the Armenian community with them.These are venerable law firms which have done so much goodfor the community and with all their legal expertise it seems thatthey have lost common sense.It was a minor victory against Turkey — not even againstTurkey, but against a foreign insurance company — and webecame a laughing stock of the Turks.This case also symbolizes our vulnerability, should one day theTurks decide to discuss a compensation of any size. The Turkshave already learned that all it takes to create chaos forArmenians is to float a trial balloon.Another issue of principle has come to upset our scholarlycommunity; a scholarly conference took place in Tbilisi, Georgia,on the topic of the Armenian Genocide. Many of the organizersand participants were Genocide deniers. The ARF mediaappealed to Armenian scholars to refrain from attending andmany scholars heeded the warning. The reasoning was to notlegitimize the Genocide deniers, which is a valid point. HoweverProf. Gerard Libaridian agreed to attend and read a paper. It isbeside the point that the scholar failed to show up for health reasons.The ARF media on the East and West coasts (namely theArmenian Weekly and Asbarez) joined their forces to attackProfessor Libaridian’s decision.For many years the Armenian scholars attended MESA meetingseither unprepared or leaving the forum open to Turkishscholars and their hired guns. Some academics maintained thatthey were not Genocide scholars, others believed that facingthe Genocide deniers would place them in the realm of advocacy,which would chip away their academic credentials. In hislengthy rebuttal, Professor Libaridian maintains that we shouldmeet the deniers in the lion’s den face to face and take themto task.It seems that his detailed reasoning has failed to convince hisopponents who have produced another piece, this time aroundabandoning the niceties of academic discourse.If we have to face the deniers, our scholars must be as preparedas the opponents are, otherwise, we would fall into thetrap of a Quixotic exercise.But what we learn from this debate is that the ARF media hascome to settle old scores with Professor Libaridian, who was aformer member of ARF and quit. As senior advisor to PresidentLevon Ter-Petrosian, he is perceived to be the architect of thepresident’s so-called “pro-Turkish” policy. All these resentmentsbuilt up over the years and have come out under the guise of academicdebate.Besides the ARF believes that it has a monopoly on theArmenian case and Genocide issues. What we need is a discussionin our community to decide whether or not we should facethe Genocide deniers and use such meetings as a positive way tochange opinions.Last but not least, is the issue of the Genocide Museum inWashington. The Cafesjian Family Foundation won the legal battleand gained control of the museum site. But it looks like themuseum battle is lost as there seems to be no prospect of openingit in the year 2015 — at least not on the magnificent scaleenvisioned originally. This is a tragedy on top of the tragedy ofthe Genocide itself.Had the poet Tekeyan been resurrected, perhaps he wouldrevise the optimistic punch line of his poem to state that we werereduced to the state of a nation of dust by the enemy and thatwe will struggle ourselves to continue on surviving as a “nationof dust.”Copying for other than personal use orinternal reference is prohibited withoutexpress permission of the copyrightowner. Address requests for reprints orback issues to:Baikar Association, Inc.755 Mt. Auburn St., Watertown, MA 02472-1509For Your Internal News of Armenia Log on to www.AZG.amIn English, Armenian, Russian and Turkish

S A T U R D A Y, A U G U S T 1 7 , 2 0 1 3 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R 15COMMENTARYMy TurnBy Harut SassounianBaku’s Blacklist of ArtsakhVisitors Helps Armenia, HurtsAzerbaijanAzerbaijan’s leaders may not be aware that some of theirincompetent underlings are causing great harm to theinterests and reputation of their own country. PresidentAliyev should take a short break from issuing daily threatsto Armenians and pay a little more attention to “enemies”within his own government.To begin with, Azeri officials cannot count! Azerbaijan’sForeign Ministry recently issued a “Black List,” disclosingthe names of 335 individuals from 41 countries who hadvisited Karabagh (Artsakh) since 2005, “without Baku’spermission.” The list of persona non grata banned from visitingAzerbaijan includes: parliament members, businessmen,journalists, entertainers and other celebrities. Theyare all accused of violating Azerbaijan’s borders and disrespecting“the national sovereignty and territorial unity” ofthe country. Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry website sheepishlyacknowledges that “Nagorno-Karabagh” is “temporarilyout of the control of the Republic of Azerbaijan.”Here is the number of visitors from each of the 41 countrieswho traveled to Artsakh “illegally,” according toAzerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry website:Argentina (6), Australia (12), Austria (8), Belarus (1),Belgium (6), Bulgaria (5), Canada (6), Cyprus (3), CzechRepublic (2), Denmark (2), Estonia (1), France (22),Georgia (11), Germany (22), Greece (2), Hungary (1), Iran(3), Ireland (2), Israel (1), Italy (24), Japan (1), Jordan (1),Latvia (2), Lebanon (1), Lithuania (6), Moldova (3),Netherlands (4), Poland (6), Russia (91), Romania (3),Serbia (2), Singapore (1), Slovakia (2) Spain (1) Sweden(1), Switzerland (7), Turkey (1), Ukraine (8), UK (13),Uruguay (5), and U.S. (36).The Azeri count of 335 visitors to Artsakh since 2005 isway off! More than 16,000 tourists from 86 countries visitedArtsakh in 2012 alone. The Azeri bureaucrats whoprepared the “Black List” not only cannot count, but alsocannot find publicly-available information.While the name of every single tourist entering Artsakhis not known, Azerbaijan’s intelligence agents must besleeping on the job. Surprisingly, none of Armenia’s leadersappears on Azerbaijan’s “Black List,” even though theymake no secret of their periodic trips to Artsakh. Could itbe that Azeri officials consider Artsakh to be part ofArmenia, and that’s why they do not blacklist Armenian citizenswho go there?Faulty mathematics and shoddy intelligence create additionalproblems for Azerbaijan. In the list of 335 names,there are people who have never been to Artsakh, whileothers, like Jonas Hollander from Germany, have visitedArtsakh and yet, their names are left off the “Black List.”Hollander posted the following sarcastic comment on hisFacebook page, displaying a photocopy of his entry visa for“The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic”: “Dear Azerbaijan,recently you have published a list of people who are notallowed to enter your country. I am fully offended and frustratedthat my name was not included in your list. Pleasefind attached evidence of my stay in Karabagh and correctthe mistake as soon as possible. [Signed] Jonas Hollander,feeling sad and unimportant.”To ridicule the ban on future travels to Azerbaijan,Armenians have set up a Facebook page titled, “I havebeen to Artsakh without permission.”Here are some critical responses from prominent individualswho have been unfairly blacklisted:• Marcelo Catelmi, chief editor of International Policyat the prominent Argentine newspaper Clarin:“Publishing a blacklist is a despicable and barbaric act. Itis a discriminatory method, historically used by dictatorsand tyrants who intend to punish divergent opinions ina brutal manner.”• E. Wayne Merry, Senior Fellow for Europe andEurasia at the American Foreign Policy Council,Washington, D.C.: “Azerbaijan harms only itself with its‘black list’ of persons who have visited Karabagh. An intelligentpolicy for Baku would be to invite to Azerbaijan,immediately, every person from a third country who visitsKarabagh.”After it was revealed that the “Black List” had inadvertentlyleft out the names of tens of thousands of Artsakhvisitors over the years, Elman Abdullayev, chief of thePress Service of Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry, embarrassinglyannounced that the list will be updated and expanded.Hopefully, he does not forget to add my name to the“Black List,” especially since I wrote a column describingmy memorable visit to Artsakh.Armenian officials should help the Azeris by makingpublic the names of everyone who had the good fortune ofvisiting Artsakh in the past 20 years, so that they would allbe banned from entering Azerbaijan, leaving that countrywith fewer visitors, and isolating it from the rest of the civilizedworld!Helen Thomas: Trailblazing Journalist and Role ModelBy Florence AvakianAs the chief White House correspondent forthe United Press International (UPI) newsagency, and later the Hearst Newspapers, HelenThomas was the dean and the grand dame ofthe White House press corps for almost half acentury, sitting in the front seat of the first rowand always asking the first question to the president.She covered ten presidents from the timeof John F. Kennedy to Barack Obama, and literallyhad a ringside seat to history.It was from listening to her questions at presidentialnews conferences, that I learned moreabout the art of interviewing, than from anyjournalism course that I took. And it was at aNew York luncheon a few years ago that I hadthe privilege of meeting her. At that time I gaveher one of my op/ed articles published in TheNew York Times, the one on the ArmenianGenocide. She called me within days with kindwords of praise and encouragement.Always a tough, fearless, courageous questioner,when other reporters from the mainstreampress were asking mundane questions,she didn’t shy away from critical war and politicalissues such as the human rights of thePalestinian people, concerns about the invasionsin the Middle East and other areas of theworld, and abuses of presidential power. “We’renot here to be the friends of the president,” sheonce said. I have witnessed presidents in situationsof great triumph and adulation, whenthey are riding the crest of personal fulfillment,and I have seen them fall off their pedestalsthrough an abuse of power.And it was her unquenchable drive, energyand constancy that won her the respect of notonly her fellow reporters, but also of the manypresidents. For her 77th birthday, PresidentClinton surprised her with a cake, and for her89th, she received a plate of cupcakes from abeaming President Obama.However it was her pioneering work inempowering female journalists a time when thefield was almost completely dominated by malereporters that made her the celebrated trailblazerfor which was acclaimed. The few femalereporters at that time wrote almost exclusivelyabout child rearing, household issues and socialevents. She literally opened the doors for bothmen and women in journalism.1975, she became the first woman who waselected to the Gridiron Club, which for 90 yearshad been an exclusive men-only organizationfor Washington journalists. And in 1972, shewas the only female print journalist to accompanyPresident Richard Nixon on his groundbreakingtrip to China. She was also one of twojournalists who first interviewed PresidentTo the Editor:Armenians are deluding themselves if theythink Turkey is going to voluntarily cede any ofits territory to which they claim ownership byway of conquest.What other option do we have? Certainly notmilitary because Turkey has the most powerfulmilitary in the region.The only country that would be able to challengeit is Russia, and it is not going to engagein a war for our benefit, even though it mightcome to our aid in case of an unprovokedattack. The Russians had their chance afterWWII when the Soviet army, arguably the mostpotent military machine in history, having decisivelybeaten the Nazi Wehrmacht, anddestroyed a million-man Japanese army inManchuria in a matter of weeks, was all set toinvade Turkey, a quasi ally of Germany, whenthat rapscallion of a president, Harry Truman,dissuaded it from doing so. Truman will also godown in history as a perpetrator of genocide,LETTERSTough Solutions for Getting Land back from Turkeyhaving ordered the incineration of hundreds ofthousands of Japanese with atom bombs on thepretext of saving American lives in an invasionof the Japanese homeland. This was totallyunnecessary because Japan was all set to surrender,being alarmed by a Soviet declaration ofwar and a threatened invasion by armed forcesthat were already in possession of the Kurilislands just north of Japan, which would havefacilitated such an invasion as apposed to thedifficult naval operation the Americans wouldhave had to contend with.The only thing we can realistically hope for isfor Turkey to open its border with Armenia andallow Armenians to resettle in eastern Turkey,which would eventually allow Armenians toregain quasi possession of their historic landsthrough Armenian’s superior initiative comparedto that of the present occupants.Berge TatianMassachusettsBorn in Winchester, Ky., on August 4, 1920,one of 10 children of immigrant Christian-Lebanese parents, she grew up in Detroit, andimmediately after graduating from what is nowWayne State University, she went toWashington, DC, looking for a job. She startedher career in 1943 as a radio writer for theUnited Press news service, and became a fulltime reporter, covering federal agencies in themid-1950’s, as well as presidential campaigns.She was the first woman assigned by a majornews agency as a full-time reporter at the WhiteHouse. She was also the first woman to be electedan officer and then the president of theWhite House Correspondents’ Association. InRonald Reagan three weeks after the attempton his life in 1981.Ms. Thomas wrote half a dozen books, centeringon her half century of extraordinaryexperiences, published by the prestigiousMacmillan and Scribner publishing houses, andretired in 2010 following an illustrious career.At every presidential press conference, shehad the privilege of closing each session withthe words, Thank you Mr. President. For herintelligent, brave and dedicated work, I respectfullysay, Thank you Ms. Thomas.(Florence Avakian, based in New York, is oneof the most prolific and well-respectedArmenian journalists in the US.)

16S A T U R D A Y, A U G U S T 1 7 , 2 0 1 3 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O RFamed Newbury Street Doorman Norman Pashoian Retires after 66 YearsDOORMAN, from page 1Pashoian, a small man who speaks softlybut deliberately, can map most of his life’s significantevents onto his years working at theTaj. It was the first job he ever held — his firstday of work, at age 19, was August 4, 1947 —and Wednesday, at 7 p.m., when he officiallyretired, it was the only job he had ever had.He has worked at the hotel longer than allhis colleagues and is regarded by friends andco-workers as the standard-bearer for classand dignity in hotel service.“I’ve always liked the old days. Peopleknew how to dress,” Norman Pashoian said.Pashoian sees himself as a remnant of abygone era, when men and women checkedinto hotels wearing suits, ties, and dresses,and employees did not speak to guests unlessaddressed directly. He remembers, wistfully, aquieter Boston, one with more attention paidto appearances and respectability.“It bothers me the way people dress today,”he said. “Nowadays, you can come into ahotel with a knapsack on your back, wearingripped jeans and sneakers. I’ve always likedthe old days, when people knew how to dressand always showed up well groomed and welltailored.”In his first few years on the job, Pashoiancould hardly wait to arrive each morning atwork, where he would often greet and servefamous politicians and personal idols. Thesewere ladies and gentleman, he said, sophisticatedand gracious.In 1949, when Pashoian’s hero, WinstonChurchill, delivered an address at MIT, hestayed at the Ritz for a few nights. Pashoiannever spoke to him personally — Churchillwas surrounded by bodyguards — but heremembers one evening watching Churchillstand on the steps of a dining room staircase,a cigar in one hand, the other signing a V forvictory.“Here I was, just in my early 20s, and I wasseeing someone as famous as Churchill,” saidPashoian. “I was amazed.”A few years later, after the assassination ofJohn F. Kennedy in 1963, JacquelineKennedy Onassis became a Ritz regular, hesaid. Unlike other famous visitors, she alwaysmade sure to address Pashoian by name.They would exchange pleasantries by theentrance: Hello, how are you, welcome backto the Ritz. She was a “beautiful, welldressed,very humble, very gracious lady,” hesaid.Over time, Pashoian’s list of famous guestsgrew. There were Ted Williams, JoeDiMaggio, Joseph Kennedy Sr., RichardRodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, each as excitingas the last. In the 1970s, when KevinWhite, then mayor, presided over the raciallydivisive desegregation of Boston schools, hewould often stop for a drink.George Regan, White’s press secretary andnow president of Regan CommunicationsGroup, said the mayor loved Pashoian.“The mayor was not a big drinker, but hewould go in and have a glass of wine,” Regansaid. “He spent good days there, but mostlybad days, and after a horrible day Normanwould greet him and give him a big hug.”Regan added, “Norman could be havingthe worst day in the world, but he was alwaysthe perfect greeter, smiling, gentle, compassionate.He could have been working atBuckingham Palace.”Ibrahim Assaf, 55, a doorman who hasworked beside Pashoian for 27 years, saidthat Pashoian taught him how to treat guestswith respect. Never lose your cool, Pashoiansaid, always look people in the eye. Pashoianhad a knack for remembering names andfaces, and knew when guests were enteringand leaving. In all his years of service, henever lost his temper.On Wednesday, his last day, Pashoianworked a normal shift, 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.Around lunchtime, dressed in a dark gray uniform,he helped an elderly couple removetheir luggage from the trunk of their car.“How long will you stay?” he asked. “Twodays,” they said.It was the first time in more than half acentury that his guests would be stayinglonger than he.ADL Endorses PeterKoutoujian for CongressENDORSEMENT, from page 1He was formerly a member of theMassachusetts House of Representatives, wherehe represented his constituents in parts ofWaltham and Newton honorably. He has workedfor the rights of victims of domestic violence,greater access to healthcare and women’s rights.Koutoujian, a Democrat, was a catalyst forthe creation of the Armenian Heritage Park inBoston, located near some of the city’s maintourist attractions. It has become a landmarknot only noted for its beauty, but for the publicprivatecollaboration that helped create it.As sheriff, he has taken an office that wasonce known for cronyism and corruption, andbrought trust and dignity back to it. In fact, hewas handpicked by Massachusetts Gov. DevalPatrick to take the helm, after the resignationof the former sheriff. He has brought his compassionateapproach to the prisoners he oversees,among other things, converting anunused room in the county jail to a chapelwhere the inmates can pray or meditate.Within the Armenian community, he hasbeen a member of the Knights of Vartan formany years and is a regular presence inArmenian cultural and social programs. Hestands out — often literally because of his height— at many Armenian programs around thestate, including the annual commemoration ofthe Armenian Genocide at the MassachusettsState House in April.He faces stiff opposition for the October 15primary, ahead of the December 10 special electionand needs the support of all Armenians.For all these reasons, we wholeheartedlyendorse his candidacy. He is the right choice forArmenian-Americans and he is the right choicefor Massachusetts.ADL District Committeeof the US and CanadaArmenian AssemblyWelcomes MarkeyASSEMBLY, from page 1Armenian Genocide,” said Totah.Markey has been assigned to the Commerce,Science & Transportation Committee, theSmall Business and EntrepreneurshipCommittee and most importantly for Armenian-American issues, the Foreign RelationsCommittee where he chairs the Subcommitteeon International Development and ForeignAssistance, Economic Affairs, InternationalEnvironmental Protection and Peace Corps.In May of this year, then-CongressmanMarkey was a special guest at the ArmenianAssembly of America’s awards ceremony inBoston, where he delivered remarks in honor ofthe Assembly’s Distinguished HumanitarianAward recipients Ann Hintlian, VirginiaOhanian and Nevart Talanian.