InternationalArmenian-American voters speak out about the election
Published: Thursday November 06, 2008
Glendale voter Ruben Kademyan, an Armenian-American, voted for Barack Obama and Joe Biden on Nov. 4. Hilma Shahinian
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Glendale, Calif. - Across America, the electricity was in the air on Election Day, with a mix of anxiety and excitement permeating the atmosphere. As candidates repeated their stump speeches one last time and television stations 24-hour nonstop aired pundits projecting state-by-state results - voters headed out to the polls in droves to take part in an election that will go down in the history books. Glendale, California, a bastion of the Armenian-American community, was not absent from the maelstrom. No, the verve was pulsing through the streets of the Southern California town as Armenian-Americans trekked to their balloting places to vote for their favorite candidate.
Across Glendale, different opinions echoed from Armenians exiting voting booths in various neighborhoods - from the public parks that boast newly arrived immigrant communities, to country clubs, tucked away in the hills of the city. In these various voting locations, Armenian-Americans held different ideas about who should be the president, the various state propositions, and what direction the country should take. But the maxim that all the voters adhered to was that it was crucial to exercise their democratic right to vote.
Armenians from all walks of life - newly sworn-in citizens, affluent business owners, college students, fifth-generation Armenians, gays, the elderly, liberals, conservatives - stood in line for hours to participate in the historic election. The Armenian Reporter hit the streets of Glendale on Election Day and collected a slew of colorful opinions and raw reactions of voters who were out voting.
Just like Kennedy
At Maple Public Park in Glendale, a group of men sitting on a park bench hovered over a backgammon board, voicing their opinions on who they voted for and how their decision would shape the course of their newly adopted country. Ruben Kademyan had just voted at the public park voting station and he was winding down by watching another fierce game of backgammon played by two of his friends taking it out on the wooden board.
Ruben and his friends collectively voiced their support for Barack Obama. As the clicks of the tavloo dice danced on the board, the men's comments oscillated between calling out wrong moves on the board game to verbalizing their judgments on the candidates.
"Obama is what this country needs right now. He is the only one to do it, just like Kennedy did," Ruben said. "It doesn't bother me what color he is; a man is defined by his character, not what the color of his skin is. I pray that McCain doesn't win because just like Bush, he will leave this country is shambles."
Ruben's friends chimed in from the background and also showed their devotion for the Illinois senator. "The Number One victory is that Bush is going to be out of office. Bush is an aboush," said Ruben's friend Suren, using an Armenian word meaning dim-witted. "He gave this country such a bad name and put us in such an awful place. I am going to celebrate more that he will no longer be the leader of this country," Suren continued.
This country sets an example
As an older couple, Ani and Hovhannes, who have been citizens since 1995, were exiting the polling station at the park, they were proud to mention that they had voted in every election since becoming citizens. Even though they have always participated in the electoral process, both husband and wife expressed their genuine enthusiasm about this particular election.
"Obama is going to bring change," Ani said. "This country has been so stagnant and is going in a downward spiral, and the only person that can salvage our situation is Obama."
Hovhannes spoke about how Mr. Obama's initiatives would be good for Armenia.
"Even though I have hope that Obama will be the president to bring Armenian issues to the forefront, that is not the only reason why I am voting for him," Hovhannes said. "It is not just about Armenian issues; it's about this country, the United States. I want to make sure that this country can get back to fulfilling the promise that it has meant for all of us. This country sets an example to all other countries and Obama is the only one to put us back on track," Hovaness said.
The poll inspector
Seven blocks away from the park, in the recreation room of the Church of Perfect Liberty, poll inspector Anush Kasemyan was volunteering her time to prevent mechanical errors and assist voters. Weeks before the election, Anush took training classes at the public library, online exams, became acquainted with all the rules, and set up the entire polling area with booths, ballots, computers, and documents.
A day before Election Day, she unloaded her car and set up the site. Anush attributes her devotion to the love she has for the United States and her inherent need to help people.
"I want to be with the people on important days like the elections and I want to make sure they are comfortable and answer any questions they might have," Anush said. The poll inspector confessed that she was up until four in the morning reviewing voting guidebooks and memorizing all the rules. She feels that her hard work paid off because everything was running very smoothly and no problems occurred.
With five languages under her belt, she is a useful asset for a community that is a mélange of different ethnicities. Sitting next to Anush were two Korean-American and Mexican-American volunteers. "Many people have language barriers, so knowing Armenian, Persian, Spanish, and some other languages really helps assist those who might feel intimidated because their English is not very strong," she explained.
