The old refrain, who qualifies to be called an Armenian, came crashing through in real life terms just a few days ago. At a football match here in Hamburg, Germany, some Armenian guys from Armenia called some Armenian guys from Istanbul “Turks” because they were speaking Turkish, not Armenian. Similar cultural clashes have happened in the past; it’s not a new occurrence. Armenians from different regions had met up in Germany to play some “friendly” football matches. Things got out of hand and punches were thrown along with some choice invectives. A local Armenian yahoo forum in Germany has been besieged with comments; most accusatory in nature of one or another side. Each commentator believes he or she knows what the correct definition of an Armenian is. Let’s put the question on the table – who exactly is an Armenian? Are the 18,000 Armenians now in Los Angeles jails Armenian? What about the recently arrested Armenian mafia types who scammed millions in a U.S. Medicare system fraud? What do you call the Armenians responsible for the death of young men serving in the Artsakh Army? Can Armenians who rip off their fellow Armenians or those who plunder the resources of Armenia, be called Armenian? What about the thousands who leave Armenia and those who force them to leave? Naturally, the simple answer is that they are all Armenians. That’s to say, the way we approach the issue is incorrect. It appears that whether or not one feels a member of the Armenian nation is irrelevant. The litmus test is whether one speaks the language or not or, as many see it, whether one belongs to the Armenian Apostolic Church. These people don’t even consider Armenian Evangelicals or Catholics “real” Armenians. Aren’t some of these same Armenian-speaking, Armenian Apostolic Church members, in the short-sightedness, allowing for the gradual disappearance of the language in Armenia by permitting the establishment of foreign language schools? Are these Armenians actually “Turks” in disguise? Of course not; but they are Armenians of a different stripe. Why can’t we just accept the fact that Armenians are simply a people just like any other? Not better or worse; a mix of good and bad, with its share of faults and foibles. Why can’t we accept the Armenian reality that exists, even though sometimes it may leave a bitter taste in our mouths? We must realize that to change this reality we need to understand one another, to help one another, and not criticize or insult. The principle of “teaching and being taught” must be a key component of the equation. Defining a nation and its traits, of course, is different from an individual’s national belonging and his/her emotions. A nation has a unique make-up – history, language, culture, religion and, of course, the native homeland on which it lives, survives, creates and develops its culture, language and literature. Naturally, it would be ideal if the traits of an individual feeling a sense of belonging to a nation correspond to the general traits of that nation - ideal, yes, but not mandatory. It is enough that a person feels a part of the nation as a whole; for the individual to be considered a member of the national family. Rather than abusing and stereotyping others, we should respect their feelings. We need to help and show them the way, as it were, so that they too can fully display our national traits. Yervand Khosrovyan European Congress of Armenians October 26, 2010