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Typical Reader Input from the Poll |
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Background: In an earlier poll
a number of you, our visitors and readers told us about your perception of
the 'Armenian Identity.' You will find this information summarized
and posted elsewhere on this site. The intent of this poll is to
find out how your Armenian Identity helps you specifically.
The intent here is not to be general, in other words saying 'this is how
my Armenian identity can help me,' nor is the intent to be ideal 'My
Armenian Identity should make me feel . . ." Instead, the
intent is to be specific. It is to candidly reflect and evaluate the
role of your personal sense of the Armenian Identity in ways that
affect your personal life. Only in this way will we,
together, generate some insights that will be genuinely helpful to all of
us. (By the way, many people simply fill in the values, but prefer
not to post comments. That is acceptable too!) Since we are
looking for candid answers, we prefer not to post the name of the
respondents unless they insist on it. Below, you will find the
categories, the description of each, and comments posted by other
respondents. This color comments are
posted August 25, 2001. This color
comments are posted on August 31, 2001. This
color comments are posted on September 8, 2001. This
color comments posted October 4, 2001. (Important: Please note that the
order of postings have changed. The latest is at the beginning, for
ease of reference.) ________________________________________________________________ |
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Personal Life in General 74
When
I heard the terrible thing that happened in the United States, I tried to
call my friends, but phones did not work. I knew that how much it
means to know that another Armenian is suffering in another part of the
world. Being an Armenian gives me a sense of belonging. I don't get
bored in life. I have a subject that interests me
personally. I have been raised, taught, and
"brainwashed" as an Armenian (a good thing!) The crown and zenith of human values is
the LOVE OF FATHERLAND, which is the expression of an Armenian's life in
all aspects of life - to be Armenian - in the presence of one's own
conscience, relationship towards others, and that of the Savior. Because in my personal life
I apply the values and the skilled I learned as Armenian. In other areas,
like the marketplace, it is hard to apply my Armenian heritage. **************************************************************** |
| Personal Life when Happy
67 I must admit, I really feel
good celebrating with Armenians. I think we know how to celebrate! What I say may not please everyone, but I think there are a lot of
Armenians who turn to their Armenian Identity when facing problems.
They see it as a last ditch effort. They do not see their Identity
as a source of joy. Frankly, I think those people are missing a lot! I know that when I am the happiest, most
joy filled, most hopeful those moments have been triggered by an
intangible something that has been passed along to me by the Ancestors, my
Armenian ancestors. They are the little things...making my father laugh,
an old Armenian woman refusing to be helped with her groceries, small
children speaking Armenian, at work allowing my stubbornness to become
tenacity and tenacity to become perseverance, one solitary duduk
note, noticing an Armenian name, learning just one more word in Armenian,
etc. . . . **************************************************************** |
| Personal Life when Struggling
63
When I watched the TV and saw how many people died
in those attacks on New York, I thought this is what my great-grandparents
felt during the Genocide. I also said to myself: We will rebuild!
When I face difficulties in my personal life, I say: "Look at what
all your grandparents went through and still survived. If they did
it, well you can lick this problem too!" That is why I really
liked the program on PBS about the struggles we faced! **************************************************************** |
| Relationship with Parents
71
After watching the events in New York, seeing all
those parents crying for their adult children, I guess I felt terrible
because I have not paying as much attention to my parents who struggled a
lot to get us where we are in life!
I must admit, I keep my ties with the Armenian community just to please my
parents. After they're gone, I'll give up those ties as well.
You know what is sad? I think my parents know that too! My parents are the reason I am still Armenian. **************************************************************** |
| Relationship with Spouse
74 I was careful to marry someone who appreciated my Armenian
background and let me stay involved in the Armenian community. I
told him that we will raise our children in the Armenian Church, and he
has always been supportive! I had to marry an Armenian woman from Hayastan.
I think they understand an Armenian man good. **************************************************************** |
| Relationship with my Children
82 To be honest with you, I am keeping my ties with the
Armenian Church mainly for my kids. I want them to grow within a
'safe' environment. That's right - I am doing it for my children. My teenagers are paying more attention when
something has to do with the Armenian community. It seems like an
attention getter, like a honey for a bee. I have been taking them to
some of our church's youth activities, that's probably why. Maybe
the Catholicos' visit had something to do with it. I don't know how
long it will last. **************************************************************** |
| Relations with the Community 79 I
hope as Armenians we will help the people in New York. It is
terrible what happened, and our community must help! I live in central California,
and I have to say that if I did not associate with Armenians, go to
picnics, and things like that, I wouldn't know who to hang around with! Like the person who lives in Fresno, I too don't
have close friends outside of Armenians. I wish the Armenian community cared more about
its members! **************************************************************** |
| Helpful with my
career and those at
work
60 I
am surprised that people don't find their Armenian Identity helpful in
their work-place. I think we have a certain warmth as Armenians that
make it easier to work with us, and perhaps even more fun. I think
it also makes us more 'human,' and perhaps even gives the impression of
being more compassionate. I know just about everyday, I have someone
stopping by my desk and telling me about her problem. Maybe I am a
good listener. But I also notice that when I have my head down and
my nose in my work, people interrupt my work by saying: 'You Armenians
understand from family life, so what do you think . . . Was I right in . .
.?' I must admit, when I listen to these people, later I find that
they really help me out in difficult projects. I hope others have
similar experiences. **************************************************************** |
| Only helpful in the
Church
82 I know our
Badarak is long, and I have been complaining about it for many
years. But for a change, I wanted it to be longer. After what
happened to some of the people I knew, I just wanted the service to go on,
I had a craving for those hymns that I called so depressing. It is
like something inside of me wanted to sob, and sob, and sob . . . I think I feel being an
Armenian when I am in Church. I have tried to go to other Churches,
but I feel like I am missing something there. When I am in Church,
that is when I thank God for being associated with the Armenian people's
history, culture, and religion. I don't want to say that my being Armenian is
only helpful in the Church. But, when I go to Church, that is when I
think I really appreciate have the Armenian heritage. **************************************************************** |
| Helps me strengthen my Faith
91 It strengthens my faith,
because it is a faith which is very ancient and therefore closest to the
original Christian Faith. I
think the prayer services at our Church, especially the Badarak really
helped strengthen my faith after the terrible events we experienced.
I am not sure if I was going to feel comfort if we did not sing Der
Voghormya with the lights dimmed. As an Armenian people I
believe we have lot to offer to the world. One of them being the
first people to be Christian. I think our history is full of martyrs
who have given up their life for not abandoning their faith. I just
wish some of those 'faithful' people today! My interest in my Armenian
identity is tied very strongly to my Christian faith. If Armenians
were primarily Muslim or Protestant it would not be as important to me.
But because Armenia is one of the ancient and Apostolic Churches who
received directly the Apostolic Faith from the Apostles themselves, this
makes my Armenian identity very special to me. The treasury and well
spring of spiritual truth and illumination contained within this Apostolic
Faith which Armenians uphold is what I long to know more and more of
everyday. And this is our heritage and patrimony as Armenians.
Its there for our taking. Without
my Armenian Identity I am not sure if I would have any Christian Faith! **************************************************************** |
| It is mainly of Sentimental Value 61 I really think that I stay in
touch with Armenians, and therefore my Armenian identity simply because I
feel sentimental. However, the minute I have to become practical,
that is the end of my Armenian ties. Armenian Identity in the U.S. is just a figment
of imagination. It really does not make any difference. I
follow it because I am curious. I bet a lot more people are like me
than others who post these grandiose ideas. **************************************************************** |
| Just out of
curiosity! 29 I think my Armenian background helps me identify with a
group of people. I don't practice it or even make it grow. So
I go to Armenian functions once in a while just to see what is it about
the Armenian identity that I have missed. Unfortunately, I have not
found out anything that I did not know before. **************************************************************** |