Now, I ask Observer once again to put ALL his comments on moderation and prevent the Mhers, Yervands etc from making this personal and disrupting ANY chance for reasoned and mature debate. Otherwise this blog just becomes part of the problem.

-onik

I am not so sure that A1+ is part of the solution.

A1+ seems to me to be part of the problem:

-reflective

yes WE (as well as the whole nation) ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM OF SERZ ROBERT ONIK KIRKORIAN AND CO!!!!

However, it’s worth noting how any RESPECTABLE blog deals with comments and these guidelines are pretty much run of the mill and should be adopted on this blog unless it just wants to be a breeding ground for hate and part of the problem in Armenia and Diaspora.

* Comments on Global Voices are moderated.
* If your comment does not appear immediately, there is no need to submit it again.
* Please treat others with respect.
* Comments containing hate speech, obscenity, and personal attacks will not be approved.

Another alternative is to allow free commenting after a first comment is initially approved by an administrator, but to INSTANTLY stick a reader on moderation if they abuse that right. Nevertheless, what is important is that NO decent blog allows “hate speech, obscenity, and personal attacks” and ALL worthy of reading expect readers to “treat others with respect.”

That is obviously not the case on this blog and it’s now time that changed immediately.

How do you reason with a person who says that the killing on 7 civilians doesn’t constitute a massacre?

Mher, quite easily, especially when the circumstances of death are not known and both sides were ready and willing to fight.

Of course, you can try to ask such loaded questions in order to avoid the real issue here — your inability to argue or discuss rationally as well as your interest in disrupting discussion precisely because of that fact.

It’s why the comments thread on this blog is now totally useless given that it is impossible to carry out a normal and reasonable discussion. On the other hand, it highlights the inability of the radical opposition to argue their case.

By all means challenge my interpretation of the word “massacre” by providing your own and who knows, you might get me to change my opinion. Or you may not, but the fact is that like Levon Ter-Petrossian there is no interest in arguing for this or that.

It’s only about appealing to the lowest common denominator which in the case of you guys is blind hatred of anyone that doesn’t pledge total allegiance to their monarch, Levon Ter-Petrossian.

Ironically, however, all the drama queens on this blog declaring paykar, paykar and attacking anyone who thinks differently than them appear to be based outside Armenia. Typical.

Besides, none of you have EVER tried to reason (apart from Armen Fildelfatsi in his most recent comments at least) because quite simply you can’t. You can only threaten, curse and intimidate or wish people they don’t like as well as their children were dead.

Anyway, this blog is now pointless and is sloppy. Quite simply no comments section on any blog that expects to be taken seriously should be allowed to descend to such levels. It’s really about time Observer started to realize that and also that this blog is obliged to function as we expect in the West.

Simply put, this is a blog hosted by WordPress and I’m getting so tired of Levon’s people abusing the ability to post comments without moderation that I think it’s time for a complaint to the hosting provider. Besides, there is nothing of note or worth usually said in these posts. It’s just stupid, infantile name-calling and bullying tactics.

Huh??? Onnik jan???

So, I didn’t realize. The Pope is agnostic, huh? ;-)

Now, I ask Observer once again to put ALL his comments on moderation and prevent the Mhers, Yervands etc from making this personal and disrupting ANY chance for reasoned and mature debate. Otherwise this blog just becomes part of the problem.

Enough of your convoluted double-speak. You’re an apologist for the status-quo and a quisling. You’re about as independent a journalist as the Pope is an agnostic.

Armenians have learned that if they want change they will need to work hard for it, and not follow the Pied Piper who had 10 years worth of “all the time to read and think” and re-entered society with only words of hate, racism, and divisiveness.

The Opposition ought thank Kocharian for all the hard work his pea brain has been doing for it.

On top of everything else is Kocharian’s lovely, lovely act of putting Ter-Petrossian in virtual house arrest: That’s right, Kocharian, lock an an intelligent scholar up in his library for a month, give him all the time in the world to read and think, to figure out how to do the impossible, all while his base is growing daily right under street, helped generously along by your police force! Absolutely hilarious. Keep tightening those bolts, Kocharian, keep tightening.

Watching Kocharian is like watching a baboon try to solve a Rubik’s Cube for a bannana: smash it against the wall, then throw it at the zoo goers.

More repression of dissent and consolidation of power…

Displaying a facade of democracy for all the world to see…

A false coalition government comprised of bankrupt political parties and their sell-out leaders…

AND THE RETURN OF KARABAKH AND THE LIBERATED TERRITORIES

(The following is taken from today’s Armenian Liberty news site)

The proposed peace deal calls for a gradual settlement of the conflict that would lead to the liberation of virtually all Armenian-controlled Azerbaijani territories around Karabakh and indefinitely postpone agreement on the disputed territory’s status. In a joint statement issued in early March, the Minsk Group co-chairs urged the parties to “redouble their efforts to endorse the Basic Principles … and to begin as soon as possible the process of drafting a peace agreement on this basis.”

THIS REGIME IS NOT ONLY CORRUPT AND ANTI-DEMOCRATIC…

BUT IT IS SELLING OUT THE NATION …..TRAITORS TO THE VERY CORE!!!

THIS IS THE REALITY OF ARMENIA!!!!

ALL THOSE WHO DON”T UNDERSTAND THIS AND WOULD RATHER SEEK TO DENIGRATE THE OPPOSITION FOR A WHOLE HOST OF REASONS, REAL OR IMAGINED, ARE MERELY SUPPORTING THE STATUS QUO !!!!

The nation thanks you for the quislings you are!!!!!

More repression of dissent and consolidation of power…

Displaying a facade of democracy for all the world to see…

A false coalition government comprised of bankrupt political parties and their sell-out leaders…

AND THE RETURN OF KARABAKH AND THE LIBERATED TERRITORIES

(The following is taken from today’s Armenian Liberty news site)

The proposed peace deal calls for a gradual settlement of the conflict that would lead to the liberation of virtually all Armenian-controlled Azerbaijani territories around Karabakh and indefinitely postpone agreement on the disputed territory’s status. In a joint statement issued in early March, the Minsk Group co-chairs urged the parties to “redouble their efforts to endorse the Basic Principles … and to begin as soon as possible the process of drafting a peace agreement on this basis.”

THIS REGIME IS NOT ONLY CORRUPT AND ANTI-DEMOCRATIC…

BUT IT IS SELLING OUT THE NATION …..TRAITORS TO THE VERY CORE!!!

THIS IS THE REALITY OF ARMENIA!!!!

ALL THOSE WHO DON”T UNDERSTAND THIS AND WOULD RATHER SEEK TO DENIGRATE THE OPPOSITION FOR A WHOLE HOST OF REASONS, REAL OR IMAGINED, ARE MERELY SUPPORTING THE STATUS QUO !!!!

The nation thanks you for the quislings you are!!!!!

As far as your call to analyze the essence of the problem(s) in Armenia, I for one welcome that.

Where do we go from here? I think/hope (maybe wishful thinking, but I think we have some grounds to be hopeful) that the next administration will welcome dialogue and broad discussion more so than the previous. I also think/hope that the population will show more activity and constructive dissatisfaction (more urgency and passion than complacency and malaise). In any case, I think there is no place for destructive “let’s tear the whole thing down” as I think change brought about in this fashion brings far more bad than good.

criticism isn’t something negative. Criticism usually refers to analysis. I was asking him to analyze both sides not only Levon. That is all. Moreover, there has been so much going on out here and in my personal life that I missed a lot, and I did say in my note that it could be that I just missed the points he made about the current regime.

Did I say that I think Onnik is pro-government. I didn’t say that, you invented it.

It is not in my nature to attack anyone especially online. I don’t quite understand why you think that I might want to attack you. People out here really know how to provoke.

I don’t think there is anything in my post on Onnik that might be insulting or be considered as an attack. I was just asking him for the other side as well. I think many, including me, are getting tired of Levon and his presence and would like to see where Armenia goes from here, and you need professional journalist to concentrate on that. What is said has been said and there is nothing original in claiming that Levon is evil. We all know that by now, and it is the time to get over him and move on. We cannot get stuck with him for decades. If you keep talking about him and his legacy, even if it is all negative, you keep him part of current Armenia. We need to move on and cool heads need to explore our options that circumvent Levon factor.

Understanding the roots of what happened on March 1st is a good strategy, but even there one needs to analyze the situation without Levon factor. Why is it that people are not satisfied with this government.? In general it is not part of human nature to follow hate language blindly. The roots of that hatred were already in the hearts of the people and Levon exploited it. What one needs is an analysis of the roots of the hatred not how Levon exploited it. The other part is also important but many have been spending their time analyzing it already, and there is just too much of it out there. One shouldn’t try to make the case that one side is evil and the other isn’t. This is not a war between good and evil. It is a war between two HUMAN packs who operate according to various aspects of human nature, what one should do then is to separate this disgusting war from the struggle of the Armenian people and speak the people’s mind leaving the war on the side as something that stands against everything good that people want.

No, I am pretty much confused. And you should be too. Confusion is what motivates people to solve problems.

Also, just for the record, where do you see Onnik endorsing the authorities? Your comment is at best inaccurate, at worse, an attempt to deceive readers.

If you want, you can attack me – I do believe that the two sides are not quite symmetrical. I see the movement around LTP as one with an evil purpose (even while many involved at the low level, at least until recently, have honestly good intentions), while the government’s problem is less one of evil and more of semi-competence.

I hope you are now less confused.

It is getting kind of confusing for me. It seems that now you mainly write stuff against Levon and etc, which is fine with me, because I wouldn’t want to see him coming out of this as a hero. But how about criticizing the current regime at the same time as well? Is there nothing to be said about these guys?

Maybe you want to spend your efforts on cooling down as many angry souls as possible, it is your choice obviously. But I like your analysis, as many do, and I would like to read your criticism of the whole situation not only Levon. Maybe I have only seen the stuff you put out that was against Levon.

Also, Onnik, you got to learn how to avoid personal attacks. You chose this life for you and it comes with loads of personal attacks. Many people out there far away from the country rely on people like you for an accurate analysis of the life in Armenia, and your work is highly appreciated.

“For the first time in my life I did not say I am Karabakhtsi [Karabakh Armenian]. They asked me where I am from, I told from Abovyan,” ArmeniaNow photographer Anahit Hayrapetyan tells about how every photographer and journalist in the neighborhood of the Myaskinyan monument on March 1 was asked about their descent in a fierce search for Karabakhtsis.

Disinformation was spread that the troops that dispersed the sitting strike in the Liberty Square spoke the Karabakh dialect.
But it was not an occasional matter: it was the expression of xenophobia generated by LTP’s movement, whose number one enemy turned to be the Karabakhtsis.

[...]

Enmity was the main weapon of the leader for five months, when he stated the only mistake of the years of his rule was bringing the two politicians from Karabakh, the only thing he apologized for (he even defended the clan system he created by saying the 1995 Constitution was better than the amendments adopted in 2005); he declared all the deficiencies in Armenia originated in 1998, he refuted there were election frauds and state robbery before that, presenting the years of his rule as ideal times. For a protesting crowd the words of the charismatic leader were unquestionable and undisputed truth.

Explaining the problems of the state with persons alone and blaming those persons in deadly sins (perpetrating the October 27 assassinations to cede Meghri), he inspired faith in the mass. They believed ‘go till the end’, and also made keeping power a matter of personal security for Sargsyan and Kocharyan.

LTP and his supporters increased the number of their voters by growing the hostile rhetoric of the campaign. LTP stated Serzh and Robert have served the Turks with servility for a long time. On the other side he called traitors and scum all those who did not join him and instead of opening cracks among the authorities, as he said, created deep breach of enmity in the society: if the leader calls somebody a traitor the mass is ready to destroy. (In the newspaper “168 Hours” singer Shushan Petrosyan told with horror she received letters that called her a traitor for supporting Serzh Sargsyan and threatened to kill her children; she said she did not take her son to school for two weeks because in fear of the threats. And the post-election demonstrations that passed by Vazgen Manukyan’s office scanned ‘Vazgen – a traitor!’, because their leader had stated so.)

[...]

LTP was a version of the acting authorities ambushed behind the status of opposition, who having stated he is a tool to change the power turned the mob filled with hatred into a tool to provide the comeback of the old clans to power. Having cited the ‘Let there be no other sacrifice but me’, he sacrificed others, safe in his castle himself, with the coming threat hanging in the air ordered the demonstrators to stay and called for arms and resistance through his comrade-in-arms Pashinyan to hang another deadly sin to the authorities – shooting on people.

The system in ambush manifested itself not in words, but in deeds as it distributed bribes to voters and commissions and resorted to violence on election day equally with the authorities (a week ago head of LTP’s Ani headquarters was sentenced to 7 years in prison for beating Serzh’s representative). And LTP who declared himself a president elect in the first run even before the ballot boxes were opened, revealed the fight to follow would not be for justice, confusing the growing mass.

HaikN, your words show that Ter-Petrossian’s campaign had no substance and all he could do was get his supporters to hate and get ready to fight. For what, however, remains debatable.

Opposition Demonstration Dispersed
http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/03/23/demonstration-dispersed/

And all the work I did VOLUNTARILY (Last year I covered the parliamentary election for EurasiaNet, but not this time round — glad to be honest given they are OSI) for this election IN ADDITION to working TWO jobs to support my own personal projects because civil society and the funding bodies are rotten to the core are at:

http://blog.oneworld.am/index.php#photojournalism

And you have the audacity to say I did nothing or didn’t get out of my home? And those thumbnails to galleries are only SOME of the thousands of photos I took. And man, were Levon’s meetings boring yet I stuck them out.