Glendale, California: A Melting Pot or a Much Spirited Hub?

Ruben Vardanyan
Rubenvardanyan@yahoo.com

Have you ever wondered how so many Armenians outside of the old country have come to settle in one location? It seems like a daunting task to try and trace back the catalyst of these never-ending settlements. The easy answer seems to be that there were already Armenians there!

Whatever the reason may be, it’s nearly impossible to turn a blind eye to the changes that have been taking place here parallel to the arrival of our Caucasian fleet. I call it a double-edged renaissance. With the infusion of Armenian culture, its accompanying norms, and our everyday ways and means, Glendale has experienced nothing shy of a crash course in what it means to bear that title. But equally as remarkable has been the Armenians’ transition from an immigrant citizenry, members of whom often came with counted dollars in their pockets, to a productive young society nestled in a picturesque Southern California city.

But setting aside the tangible aspects of Glendale’s development, Armenians here have come to more diligently embrace the nuclear family, perhaps because of the realization that there are new dangers and uncertainties lurking in the backdrop of surrounding foreign populations. And arguably, in spite of these apprehensions, it seems as if some youth in Glendale are arming themselves with an extremist attitude. The super-conservative outfits that usually come in shades of “dark” and “darker” coupled with the ever burning cigarettes tell only half the story. The “rabiz” culture which spawned during the Soviet Era has unquestionably been called to the podium in today’s Glendale.

And although most are quick to pass judgment on this phenomenon, depicting it as baseless and uncanny, there is in my opinion, some silver lining that goes unnoticed. For the sake of impartiality, I’ll cede some ground and admit that there are some aspects unique to this fringe of the population that might not speak to your average, moderate Armenian.

For instance, if we were to survey the music department, we would surely be guided to conclude that there are certain artists to whom many of our friends subscribe, who have formulated a set of vocal qualities that can be unharmonious to say the least.

But back to my point about there being a greater good in all of this… From the face of it, it’s hard to see how the youth in question could impart a substantial contribution to the culture of Glendale. But on an ideological level, their commitment to the sustenance of a healthy Armenian community might parallel fanaticism. These young individuals, more often than not, see themselves as the cultural torchbearers for their generation. And although their understanding might be naïve and rigidly traditional, their goal is one – to propel the growth of sound Armenian families and children by encouraging good discipline. The youth today take issue with the fact that our race is short-stacked from a numerical perspective; that our margin for error is nil.

Every time I find myself in Glendale, wherever the venue may be, there is emphatic talk about right and wrong, about morality and accountability. And this, I have to say, is satisfying on many levels.