Standing Rock and the Armenian Genocide

"The Hye-Phen Magazine and Collective" is at it, again.  This confused group of pseudo-intellectuals, who are "artists" or have obtained challenging degrees in humanities fields such as Women and Gender Studies, has been disseminating what they refer to as "journalism" to the Armenian public for roughly 2 years.  Like most liberal outlets their "news" is riddled with words such as misogyny, "intersectionality" (which doesn't exist), Islamophobia, racism, sexism, bigotry, ...you get the picture.  These cherished epithets combined with the habitual use of profanity and deflection of responsibility create the most ignorant and embarrassing publication Armenian society has ever had the displeasure of being exposed to.

In their most recent article authored by Stefanie Kundakjian, Hye-Phen compares the current situation at Standing Rock Indian Reservation, where protests have erupted over an oil pipeline, to the the Armenian Genocide. The lines Kundakjian attempts to draw between the two events resemble a severe epileptic's connect the dots puzzle.  Here are each of her arguments and why they are ignorant:

1. "The ancient city of Samosata (in Armenian: Շամուշատ) was flooded by the Atatürk Dam"
2. "Surp Giragos Armenian Apostolic Church in Diyarbakir has been expropriated"
3. "Traces of old Yerevan are being demolished"
4. "The old mining town of Alaverdi has become extremely cancerous"

Indeed, all of the events mentioned in the article are factual.  Samosata was lost in 1989, and Surp Giragos (along with others) was expropriated by Turkish authorities in 2016.  It is also true historical buildings are regularly demolished in Yerevan, and Alaverdi is an absolute mess.  However, what is happening with the Dakota Access Pipeline is no way, shape, or form comparable to these.

The difference between these events is crystal clear for anyone with even a partially functioning frontal lobe:  

1. The path of the pipeline has been carefully selected in order to avoid harming any historic or spiritual sites, and the pipeline may be rerouted if other sites are identified
2. The land being expropriated is being bought at a fair market value from the deed holders, in Turkey no one has been compensated and it's not only land but historical buildings
3. No towns or cities are being disrupted by the pipeline
4. Alaverdi is the result of loose or nonexistent regulations and outdated technology, while the pipeline is under strict regulation and being built with the newest technology and materials

It is also important to point out the difference between the governments of Turkey and the United States of America.  The U.S.A. has recognized the atrocities committed against the Native Americans, provided the Natives self-governed land, and rights not available to other American citizens.  While in Turkey the Armenian Genocide is violently denied by the government, outside of Istanbul Armenians still live in fear and are threatened, and not one area has been designated for Armenians on land that is rightfully ours.  Also, expropriation in Turkey serves to erase evidence and invalidate Armenian land claims - something the pipeline is not attempting to do. The simple fact these protests and legal actions were even allowed to occur should provide further understanding as to why the two are so very different.

This is not he first time Hye-Phen has brought disgrace upon themselves and it won't be the last.  Their addiction to "intersectionality" and "solidarity" has driven them to marginalize the Armenian Genocide and to treat its meaning with outright levity by making unjust comparisons.  They are using the Armenian Genocide as a tool to push their agenda, something which should cause anger and offense in every Armenian.  The Armenian Genocide is not a prop to be used on their stage of absurdity in order to add gravity to their otherwise featherweight notions.  

Hye-Phen really is the "Inter Semiotics"* of Armenian "journalism" - leftist, void of logic, commonsense, and reasoning.  They should be ashamed of themselves for publishing such ludicrous pieces and we, as decent individuals, should take them to task for it.  It's time for us to steamroll this monstrosity before it's allowed to spread its virus any further.
*Your disdain for the leftist millennials will increase

An extreme lack of historic understanding

An extreme lack of historic understanding

The U.S. wasn't a "country", when settlers came. There were no borders, there was only tribal governance. Now, I am not saying that was either good or bad, but to make it seem as though there was a functioning nation state is preposterous.

Every nation in this world, for the most part, is based on the settling of lands. There are exceptions to the rule in terms of nations of ancient peoples, but it's a rarity. Most of Europe came out of Anatolia in the beginning, so is the man going to tell the reporter to go back to Anatolia instead of Germany, for example? Also, that would mean he'd need to take himself back to where he came from. On the same (unfortunate) note, slavery was standard practice during those times. Africans were enslaving Africans, Caucasians enslaving Caucasians, Arabs enslaving Africans, Indians, and Caucasians (search: Barbary Slave Trade), Chinese enslaved the Chinese, etc. Europeans didn't start slavery - they ended it.

**Side note: Native Americans were the last people in the United States to free their African slaves. They fought tooth and nail to keep them, with some Native tribes joining the Confederate Army. I wonder if Mr. Go-back-to-where-you-came-from knows that.**

The whole notion of not standing for the flag due to an embellished and, sometimes, downright false accusations is asinine, but it is a Right granted to all U.S. citizens and nationals by the First Amendment, which I strongly support; however, just because you have the right to not stand, doesn't make you any less of an asshole for not doing it. People like Colin Kaepernick, who is half Caucasian, makes US$19 million a year, and who was adopted by white parents, speaks about "oppression", and protests it by not standing for the anthem and flag of the very nation that forwarded him the opportunity to become so successful, even as a 2nd rate QB. Now, due to his status and fame as a NFL player, people are blindly following suit.  And "Quanell X", another ill-informed and self-victimizing "community activist" (read: everything is whitey's fault), is there to herd the sheep under the same false flag.