While I can’t argue that there are two sides to every story, I am here to present the side of Glendale team from the longest tenured player for Glendale. I have been a member of the Glendale A team for 18 years and been the team’s true captain. My perspective should be included in the discussions about the basketball match between Glendale and Instanbul.

We did watch the game the day before against Gyumri and noticed the Instanbul played a brand of physical and intimidating basketball. We respected their abilities and took notice of our difficulty in match-up. We even considered them a top 5 team. W e physically and mentally prepared before the game and stood strong against them. While the game unfolded, it was evident they could not match our strength and we outplayed them physically. We have reached the final game twice and been a third place team twice.

They started to show desperation because they were losing the game and became frustrated. They resorted to unsportsmanlike conduct when they took the ball during a small hand to hand scuffle and threw the ball at my forward’s groin area. As a good team should, the rest of the team backed up the player who was victimized. The comments that were made in the ensuing exchanges were standard comments made in a typical argument. You insult and say things derogatory….But nothing was said to insult heritage or country of origin. We are all Armenian.

So why when coming together for a show of unity do we do the opposite and act like turds? I’ll tell you why… Vested interests.

Be it politics, business, or simple pride, after years of seperation our minds are ingrained and conditioned with crap that certain community figures feed us for their own self-gain.

Without such ill guiding forces we’re just Armenians that want what’s best for Armenians. It’s another case of general human stupidity. It’s not some unique national issue restricted to Armenian communities. All seperated communities begin to identify themselves differently, but at the core, blood will always remain.

To curb it, as Tamar said, we have to set an example. Armenians need to stand and fight for what’s morally sound at the grass roots level; it could be stopping idle gossip, or including a new migrant in your outings, standing against divisive behaviour at the church, or whatever. People just need to be a bit braver and speak out. So what if you lose a few friends, more will take their place, good people like honesty and courage…

Also I’ve been told by several reliable sources that honesty and courage is a plus with women. Not a second to lose! Go people! Go!

Wow interesting commentary to say the least! My jaw dropped to read the comments written in Lragir. Frankly because it was really is the opinion of your average Armenian being honest and open about sentiments on this topic. Just look at this comment, “Besides, all the sides of the Fatherland should be shown to the Diasporans, not only the sights but also the hospitals.”

As a diasporan living in Armenia for two years, I saw and felt this tension on a daily basis. As an individual diasporan, there really is only one thing you can do about it and that is to set an example and consciously try not to fulfill all of the stereotypes about Diasporans.

And as you said, ” If people can recognize this perhaps steps can be made to finally lessen tensions and everybody can move on. Burying our heads in the sand and refusing to admit it is hardly going to help anyone, and not least Armenia-Diaspora relations. Nobody said it it was going to be easy, but at least let’s be honest about it.

The problem is, I don’t see Diasporan-Armenian relations moving towards that direction. In fact, I see it moving towards the opposite direction.

A little bit more pessimistic than you are on this subject I guess.
Thanks for the post, though!

cheers, Tamar