I remember meeting with a group of Armenians in Fresno in 2000, in the middle of George Bush’s campaign for the presidency, and Bush’s words that he “would take care of the Armenians.” How he took care of the Armenians, everybody knows, as they now know how President Obama took himself off the hook concerning his promise of recognizing the Armenian Genocide by saying, in so many words, “now isn’t a good time.”

A Hayastantsi who fought in Karabagh puts it this way: “I can’t believe there are Armenians in the Diaspora who are still so naïve that they think Obama, or any other president, will recognize the Armenian Genocide. Those in the know are well aware that the US has an unchanging foreign policy, with certain interests, and won’t do or say anything to upset their policies or goals. Not only that, the Diaspora, Dashnaks and otherwise, probably don’t want the Genocide recognized, as without this issue, the Diaspora would have faded into oblivion by now, and their money gathering machine would have died too.

“As to Diaspora Armenians, they’re good at ‘loving Armenia from a distance.’ If Armenians with a foreign passport came here, en masse, and started businesses, the local thieves running things wouldn’t dare continue business as usual. And the wealthy Diaspora Armenians — I don’t mean Kirk Kerkorian and Charles Aznavour, who have done much for Armenia — if they spent even a small fraction of their money here opening factories, putting the people to work, our country would blossom. It would be another Japan.

“Until Armenia becomes financially strong, we shouldn’t even talk about recognizing the Genocide, taking back Moush or Van, or anything else. These things don’t come by loud speeches, but from economic strength.

“Did you notice how on CNN’s map the name ‘Armenia’ was conveniently left off, even though they had mentioned Obama’s press conference, and Georgia’s name was there? And Armenians think Obama is going to recognize the Genocide?”