This is an email I received from a friend named Sevan Ohanian last week, and I think the world needs to read it. Thanks, SevanO, for permission to post this.

"I would like to pose a question to everyone and get some opinions: Why are Armos so divided?

Think about it. You got Barsgahyes vs. Bolsahyes vs. Hyeastancis vs. Lipanahyes vs. Suriahyes, Tashnags vs. Ramgavars, Diocese vs. Prelacy, ACYOA vs. AYF, my mama's basturma vs. your mama's, etc. Now the whole "kinds" of Armo divisions can probably be explained by cultural and linguistic differences. But what about everything else? Will things ever change?

Is there something in our culture that keeps us divided? Is it some ancient tribal mentality that has been passed down from generation to generation? Hundreds of years ago in the old country, before all of the political schisms that exist today, little Armo communities would war with each other instead of banding together and fighting the real enemy united.

Who is to blame? Our parents' generation perhaps. Are we are to blame for perpetuating this beef? Are we, as young Armenian men and women, going to change this? Are our kids generation? Or are we going to teach them the same things our parents have taught us? Is there anything to right this wrong? Or are we doomed as a united force in this world?

Now on this list is a broad cross-section of Armos who are friends of mine or otherwise ended up on my email address book. There are Tashnags and non-tashnags, ACYOAers and AYFers, Bolsas, Barsgas, Hyeastancis, Lipanahyes, Suriahyes, all on this email. About half of the people on this list are from the DC area, and half from other communities and a few from overseas. I can tell you it is pretty bad here in DC with the whole church split thing. What is it like in your own communities? And some Non-Armos are on this list, and if you have read this far, Does this sort of thing sound familiar in your own ethnic communities?"

I don't think this problem is particular to Armenians, though I don't have the experience and knowledge to publicly comment on other ethnicities. I do think that it's a sad fact of human nature that we pass on things to future generations that they're better off without, though. You could ask this question to the whole Christian church as well, or to any group of people with inner divisions. What keeps us divided? Is it our own pride and refusal to compromise? Hanging on to grudges we ought to have long forgotten? Fear of having to say "I'm sorry?"

The annual commemoration of the Armenian Genocide is coming up, an event which might for one day unite Armenians but for the other 364 days still serves to divide. When will a common past be able to unite us in the future?

PS - at 10pm TONIGHT (April 17) there is a special on PBS about the Armenian Genocide. Tell everyone you know and watch it! Support the recognition and accountability of crimes against humanity.