Society

A picture, hanging on wall, is the most independent thing in the world.
An unknown optimist artist of 21 century.

Yesterday marked the Independence Day of the Republic of Armenia. Armenia has been independent for 14 years already. This day is a holiday for us. Anyhow, it is considered as a holiday in Armeian calendars. But when I was changing the TV channels with the remote controller, (if I say “herakaravarman vahanak” which in Armenian means remote controller, politicians might spend too much time trying to find the meaning of that word), I couldn’t understand how Armenians celebrate that holiday. On the other hand, if we take into account how many Armenians have left our country after the declaration of independence, how many grandfathers and grandmothers anguish, that a whole generation grew up without getting a good education, and that in several years the representatives of this generation are going to rule this country, if we compare Yerevan, which is being reconstructed today (by the way, according to the construction quality it is clear, that the workers involved in construction are not qualified enough), with the “pink” Yerevan of our childhood, if we compare today’s corruption with the “rotten” comunists, we will understand why foreigners like rotten, but ecologically clean food, if….. and so on.

But if we take into account, that Armenians didn’t conquer any lands for twenty centuries, if we don’t forget, that we had legal democratic elections for a couple of times, if the three-coulour flag is raised in favour of the Armenian sportsman and our anthem is played, if the children of the 21-st century celebrate Christmas but not the jubilee of Lenin, if I can write this article today (even if it cannot be broadcasted on any Armenian channel), despite everything else, our Independence Day is a holiday. But I am sure, that only a few people congratulated each other yesterday. For a lot of people this was just a good reason not to go to work, and they took advantage of that. I understand them. Because it is just naivety to speak about independence or to believe it, when throughout these years “the people in the TV set” (both governmental and the opposition) speak about pro-russian or pro-american policies (and some smart guys about France), when you can independently sing on TV as much as you want, but never speak independently, when each intelligent financier does everything he wants with Armenian dram. This reminds us of a joke: Armenia is the most independent country in the world, because nothing depends on it. But if we take into account, that, for instance, the US depends on the Jewish capital, and “Chelsey” depends on the capital of Abramovich, Georgia is financed by the fund of Soros, and some Armenian anonymous political parties are funded by the “pockets” of oligarchs, and that sailors and pilots, not depending on their nationality, were released from jail thanks toe due to Ara Abrahamyan, this means, that Einstein was right: everything is relative. Only the modern uncontrollability is fixed. So, despite everything, September 21 is the Independence Day for the Republic of Armenia. And if it is not considered as a holiday nowadays, I am sure, that the future generation will celebrate it like Americans celebrate July 4th, Russians- June 12, and the French- July 14.

By A.K.,
Who called “yes” for independence on September 21, 1991.