BY GAREN YEGPARIAN
Since the election, I have bided my time and bitten my tongue about the ridiculous things president-elect Donald Trump has been saying and doing. It’s time to start pointing things out, especially since some of what he represents relates to Armenian concerns in subtle, not-very-obvious, ways.
No doubt you’ve read the news that a group of technology professionals has signed a pledge to not assist in any effort that would create a registry of Moslems in the U.S. They cited the U.S. internment of its Japanese citizens during WWII, the Holocaust, and the Armenian Genocide. All of these obscenities required lists, registers, logs, to be implemented. I would add, as proof of how fraught with risk of abuse lists can be, a recent example from Turkey. It turns out the names of the tens of thousands of government employees who were removed from their jobs after the July 2016 coup for being associated with the Gulen movement were identified by having their names appear on a server the government got hold of! We should be loudly denouncing any “Moslem registry” efforts. This doesn’t mean denying the grief we have endured through the abuse of Islam by Sultans in Ottoman days or ISIS/Daesh today. It does mean not sacrificing our humanity and legacy as Genocide survivors/descendants to blind fear mongering.
Trump’s shenanigans on the international scene are also constantly in the news. From China to Turkey and elsewhere, his “mouth” (often via Twitter) is creating diplomatic difficulties. This lecherous boor is being defended by his sycophants and adorers even when he says and does things that anyone else would be shunned and possibly even penalized for. Couple this with his potential for conflicts of interest based on his worldwide business empire. Of course it’s not a crime to have such financial success. But, basic common sense and a modicum of modesty would have kept any decent person from even running for president, precisely for this reason. However, decent Donald Trump is NOT, else he would not be mocking all those who supported him by appointing exactly the elitist destroyers of average people’s economic lives to his cabinet. Neither would some of those people be named to head departments whose very missions they oppose. Trump is making a mockery of the presidency and the departments he is supposed to use to lead the U.S.
A prime example of the conflicts of interest Trump will often find himself in is the Hanukkah party hosted by Azerbaijan at Trump Tower. Imagine! And it can only get worse since there is really no way to disentangle himself from his business interests. No one is buying the poppycock about his kids taking everything over. Really? Would you trust a guy who has repeatedly not paid his employees/contractors and declared bankruptcy?
Regarding trust, or more aptly mistrust, let’s talk recounts. Trump claimed that elections were rigged against him. Yet he won. Now that the Green Party’s Jill Stein has called for recount in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, he has spoken out against it! Why? What is he afraid of? What’s wrong with reconfirming the security, integrity, and accuracy of the voting systems and actual counts when so many questions have been raised about them? What is he trying to hide? Why the inconsistency?
Despite all this despicableness, Trump will be president for the next four years, at least. So, as Harut Sassounian wrote, we must develop ties, connections, and relations with the Trump administration, but that doesn’t mean staying silent about his egregious actions and utterances.
Finally, just to correct up an apparent misconception, let me clarify my position relative to the Clinton-Trump match-up. I write this because readers have posted comments to at least one of my pieces asserting that I supported Clinton over Trump. Incorrect! I have only contended that she is far more competent for the job in all sorts of ways and since one of the two was going to get the presidency, as a citizen, I’d rather see Clinton in that position.
Now, let’s all get busy navigating the maze that will be the next four years of pursuing the Armenian Cause in Washington, DC.
Wow this guy is a joke. He claims “Clinton is competent”. Are you serious? She mishandled thousands of TOP SECRET and Classified information that is now in enemy hands because she chose use an unsecured private email server instead of a secured government one. She LIED to the American public claiming the Terrorist attacks on Benghazi (which led to the deaths of American servicemen and our ambassador)were a “protest” against aYouTube video.
On top of all of that- her actions alongside the Obama administration’s policy of destabilizing the Middle East have caused the DEATHS OF ARMENIANS living in Syria and elsewhere. And after all of that, you have the audacity to claim she is “competent”?
Baron Yeghparian, it’s a shame you call yourself a ‘journalist’ and yet are unable to do 2 seconds of research via a Google search. I read Asbarez for honest news regarding the Armenian community – not some regurgitated ‘mainstream’ nonsense.
This guy calls himself a ‘journalist’? Lol
Mr. Yegparian quotes the well-respected Harut Sassounian as writing, “….we must develop ties, connections, and relations with the Trump administration.”
I guess Mr. Yegparian’s column was a start.
I just read your colum with Dr. Akcam’s article. It is very interesting to connect 1915 in Aleppo and 2016 in Aleppo.
I know that Turkely has always denied their act of genocide of Armenians. Most people in the West understand it did happen. The details of those events are not well know. There is no excuse for what the Turkish government did in 1915 or what they are doing in 2016. Obama unfortunately aided Erdogan in his current enterprise.
I believe you are too quick to judge the actions of Donald Trump. His nature is foreign to me, I’m not from NY, but am a Texan. I believe he has a good grasp of what needs to be done in DC. The bureaucracy in Washington is operating outside legal restraint of the constitution. Many members of congress are Internationalists more than Americans. That must be corrected.
This month I will be 69, have spent many years observing those who fight/struggle for freedom. Cheering them from a distance. Applying pressure on Congress where possible to help those who should be allies to the West. Vietnam, Laos, Nicaragua, Poland, Iran/Persia, Granada, Panama, Serbs, Honduras, Egypt, Kurds. I love all who love freedom.
May God Bless Armenians.
Respectfully,
Dave
….Harut Sassounian wrote, we must develop ties, connections, and relations with the Trump administration, but that doesn’t mean staying silent about his egregious actions and utterances…. STOP being politically correct, by staying silent about Trump’s egregious actions and utterances, what counts is his stance towards Armenians., Armenians are peanuts in this whole American political ball game, and not their job to correct the corrupt American politics.
I’m never coming on this communist site again
Neither the Democrats nor the Republicans have anybody’s interests in mind except filling up the coffers of American corporations and corrupt dictators overseas and money-hungry politicians at home. The Europeans are on the same page as well. None of these countries will take any step to counter the Turks or other Muslim regimes until they realize the existential threat from these Islamic countries who seek to enslave the world in the servitude of Allah.
This wake up time is arriving slowly but surely.
Your comments: “asserting that I supported Clinton over Trump. Incorrect! I have only contended that she is far more competent for the job …” I’d rather see Clinton in that position”
My reaction as a follower of your column: Dear Garen Yegparian, with such a position of licking hands, when you have no idea what you are talking about, you lost my respect forever”
I think you are ridiculous- we frame out own realpolitik based on our agenda not your dumb ideas of who is ‘competent’. Please don’t write mediocre pieces with 0 content relate from our cause
You should have continued biting your tongue. You would be wiser in trying to establish connections with the Trump administration than calling him a “lecherous boor.” Like it or not he is going to be our president for the next four years and perhaps longer. Obama/Clinton did a lot more in destabilizing the Mid East and causing countless deaths and suffering than a stupid “Moslem registry” could ever do. Also, crooked Hillary was in contact with the Turkish lobbyist which explains her flip flopping on the Armenian issue (have you read Wikileaks?) That lady will do anything for money. If you don’t believe me go ask the people in Haiti how much they love her for her work after the earthquake.
A boor..? Talk about “The pot calling the kettle black”.
wow the typical Armenian is a Republican nutcase
what a surprise