In the 21th century, while the word advances in knowledge, level of thinking and depth of analysis, Our Nation in the diaspora shows signs of backward mentality, It would be acceptable to absorb and comprehend the fact that the common Armenian sometimes expresses superficial shallow basic ideas and no one can blame this situation, they are not politically involved, this does not reveal lack of intelligence, but for the advanced higher level activists involved in the political field and arena, I find it inacceptable.
If you ask me, the world had one upon a time fallen to the intense propaganda of the Soviet Union, Bolshevism, As I would like to label and describe it : “Artificial Socialism”, a fake distorted in genuine delusion and distortion of Democratic Socialism, the version of Socialism I would to see myself belonging to its guidelines, doctrine and approaches.
I consider that the Soviet Union mass propaganda had pushed forward a mass intense propaganda of misconceptions; it created an artificial contrast between patriotism, national pride, nationalism, and between quest for social justice, justice, liberty.
The very notion of the word nationalism and national, and confusing it with extremism, bigotry, racial and national discrimination, I consider that this is the result of two evils, described as opponents and rivals, but in fact I see them as one, two sides of the coin
What is the difference between fascism, Nazism, and communism, I for one see only similarities,
Both wanted to crush national pride and identity among other nations, both tried to eliminate a sense of nationalism among nations, The USSR did it in the name of communism and Socialism, Nazi Germany did it raising the slogan that the world would be a better place when the superior Aryan race controls the world….
This is the 21th century, this is the age of technology, advancement, flexible modern moderate mentality, approaches and judgments, not the age of prejudice, nor the age of a quarto angle square blockade mentalities, lack of tolerance, judgmental verdicts, it is the age of dialogue, and trying to understand, accept the fact that a variety of ideologies, ideas, enriches the nation.
Lately I come across a shocking approach, people who are losing ground inside the diaspora, try to backfire, confront, hinder the new age, I came across desperate attacks by more than one direction, one supposed he cornered me, through a personal aggressive loud out proud rebukes, one moment he thought he has figured it out, when he tried to undermine my self-esteem, “Peter, he said, you suffer conflict of identity, your situation, he continued, shows that you are searching for an identity, he supposed he made his “Master Blow”, You claim and declare you are a left democratic socialist, he concluded, but you cooperate with the far right extreme nationalists”
My silence was translated by him that I was cornered, little did he realize that I saw nothing in his words, other than giving me the impression that he achieved ideological mental intellectual level of bankruptcy, it showed me several front line political active people were already living in an age 3 of at least 3 decades backwards
Now that guy is an old generation club member, but what is more frustrating is seeing another political activist, younger 10 years than me, expressing the very same ideas, seeing my flexible approach as some sort of confusion, opportunism, “Peter, he said, you make a web site named socialism, but all you do is praise the Nationalists, the USA, the west, this in Armenia, in Lebanon you also support the Lebanese Forces”
Do I have to explain the basics; I am a mid-level blogger, a political passionate enthusiast, a hyperactive propagandist of my ideas, a free minded rebel, for some months It was fun to hear accusation accusing me to be on political payroll, at first I admit this was fun, it pampered my ego, but now I realize these people truly believe in this theory and now neutral people surrounding us also eventually started to believe this childish absurd idea
Time for basics that will now be explained by an amateur to people who are supposed to be experienced mature aware politicians, I thought these simple primitive basics did not need to be subject to discussion as they are so basic, but now I feel I need to educate some who became leaders of the arena by an ironic coincidence
To be a left democratic socialist, a liberal, a right wing nationalist, this never dictates the nature of cooperation and alliance, these are guidelines, So often people, political parties, movements, cooperate when they see strategic points in common, when two entities, have much in common, the political ideologies do not stand in the way of cooperation, these are guidelines
Those two political activists both belong to two Armenian left fronts; one cooperates for years with the liberal Free Patriotic movement, who is a national right wing movement, the other cooperated for decades with the Future movement, who represents the big corporations in Lebanon, they also cooperated with the right wing Nationalist Christian Lebanese Forces, which is normal
In Armenia one cooperates with forces that represent the ruling economical oligarchy, the other declared “ we will cooperate with you with our entire structures both in Armenia and the Diaspora” to the liberals, not to say the neo liberals
Now if I praise the Lebanese Forces in Lebanon, they see it as controversial, they never cared to absorb that Lebanon is my country, and I have the duty to defend its sovereignty and independence, and it’s democracy, they disagreed back in 1996, yet they adopted my principals on March 14 2005
In Armenia, yes I agree with the national movement, the National Democratic Axis, I agree with them 90% regarding the internal issues, I agree with them 200/100 regarding the foreign policy
So does this make me an opportunist, have I ever denied the fact that I am a democratic patriotic socialist.
Another lesson for the amateurs, Socialism does not come in a single variation, it comes in a variety of versions, and the version I belong to, Democratic Patriotic Socialism, does not believe in the Marxist version of the “struggle between classes”, it does not believe in the “dictatorship of the proletariat” it’s very essence and core is DEMOCRACY, it does not tend to impose or enforce its vision, it works to be embraced, cherished, through awareness and evolution
My version of Socialism does not see a contrast between Socialism and nationalism, preserving national values, and national pride, working hard to embrace and strengthen national identity
And eys, my version of democratic socialism sees western democracy and western values the ideal environemnt to evolve into a democratic socialist community, which only survives as long as the people embrace and accept it
Lesson to be carried on
Peter Manoukian