Days ago, we as a nation celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Armenia. All of us, no doubt, would have deeply wished to greet this significant milestone of our recent history under more cheerful conditions and, consequently, with higher spirits.
How much more preferable it would have been if the despicable enemy had not snatched from us an important portion of the sacred territory of the Republic of Artsakh. How desirable it would have been if our numerous precious, heroic yet innocent sons had not been martyred or taken captive during the cruelest of battles. If only the accursed war had never happened and we had not been forced to suffer the heavily depressing state of mind of the vanquished. Unfortunately, however, all this was denied us, and we are all obliged to reluctantly drink the full bitterness of this merciless fate.
We are in mourning and deeply disheartened; but our valiant people, throughout its centuries-old history, has confronted and overcome, with superhuman efforts, many far more calamitous and decisive challenges. Now too, the Armenian people must stand unshaken and survive, so that, bracing itself against all manner of difficulties, it may preserve and strengthen our country and statehood. This is the sole imperative of today.
Consequently, it is necessary to summon all our collective inner strength and, more than ever, demonstrate our true patriotism in a devoted and effective manner, so that we may overcome this glaring crisis now allotted to our people.
So perilous is the moment that the very existence of our country, even of our people, may be endangered.
Almost equally terrifying, however, is the shocking phenomenon that large numbers of Armenians have not grasped, or refuse to grasp, the gravity of the situation.
It is beyond any doubt that many aspects related to the administrative governance of Armenia are in need of serious reform. It is regrettable that both the level and the manner of performance of numerous high-ranking officials are far from satisfactory. It is evident that mistakes, even grave ones, have been allowed, and, unfortunately, it is not unlikely that new shortcomings will come to light as well.
There is no doubt that there are more than valid reasons to be concerned.
Therefore, it is unquestionably necessary that no effort be spared to ensure the radical correction of all this.
The goal, however, is to “straighten the brow.” One must be extremely careful to avoid the danger of “putting out an eye.”
It is clear that the whirlwind of vague, exaggerated, tendentious and even erroneous controversies has a destructive effect, which not only creates a severely unpleasant atmosphere but also causes widespread disappointment.
Also corrosive is the momentum of cheap campaigns, which rarely succeed in concealing their often blatant and adventurist aims.
All these negative phenomena, at their core, only serve to spread unwarranted and unnecessary panic and extreme despair, and, as a direct consequence, our people suffer and our country inevitably sustains terrible damage.
What positive results, pray, can be achieved by flooding our daily lives with so much insult, so much slander, and so much blasphemous, hostile language?
Is it so difficult to realise that the constant clouding of minds and the frequent agitation of spirits create dangerous instability and grave anxiety within the country?
In parallel, this abrupt course of events will, in all likelihood, dishearten, frighten away and utterly alienate our new generation, in the homeland but particularly abroad, which, in itself, is a horrifying and terrifying prospect.
It is necessary to sober up and realise that such careless, frenzied and irresponsible manifestations can endanger even the existence of the country.
And that country is our own beloved homeland, our cradle, THE IRREPLACEABLE.
Patriotism is not a coat or a cloak that we wear circumstantially, owing to certain conditions. Patriotism presupposes total, unceasing and inexhaustible devotion, without the slightest faltering or hesitation.
A person’s love for his mother can never be conditioned by the appearance of the mother’s face, her height, weight, age, character, level of education or any other detail. Love for one’s mother is an innate, complete, undauntable feeling that never diminishes and is never bargained under any circumstances.
And patriotism, which presupposes sacrifice, privation and conscious forbearance, is necessarily and supremely more binding, and it gains breath and body, particularly, during extraordinary situations.
Any other variation in the definition of patriotism is mere self-deception, a contrived, abortive or utterly unfortunate attempt at pretext.
There is also another extremely grotesque circumstance that deeply disturbs me.
Both national dignity and intellect are offended by the present, more than pitifully weak level of the Armenian language, which is prevalent, almost everywhere, in Armenia.
Apart from the swarming, ear-piercing and intolerable linguistic errors, distortions and corruptions, unfortunately, vulgarities and improprieties have become frequent, uttered mercilessly by numerous individuals, including specialists in various fields, as well as high-ranking and prominent officeholders.
Our language is our spiritual homeland, and defiling and tarnishing it are, necessarily, hostile acts that are capable of discrediting, dishonouring and betraying our country and people.
It is shameful, undoubtedly, that there is no other country in the world whose population, with criminal ruthlessness, shows such contempt for its own mother tongue.
It is categorically necessary that this abominable situation be eradicated forever. And the test of the patriotism of statesmen must, necessarily, be the high-quality knowledge of the Armenian language.
I persist in believing that our nation, courageously, is capable of dispelling at least an important part of these anxieties, and that we shall all be able to greet the successive anniversaries of the independence of the Republic of Armenia with greater vigour.
Asadur Devletyan
Nicosia, Cyprus
