The Armenian National Students Association (ANSA) is not your typical college student group. Founded in the vibrant city of Los Angeles in 2003, this organization dedicates itself to representing Armenian youth across universities in the U.S. But what really makes them tick is their evident distaste for the free market principles that have made America the land of opportunity. While pushing for Armenian culture and identity, ANSA can’t resist dipping its toes into the murky waters of social and economic justice – a euphemism for undermining capitalist values.
First on the agenda, ANSA prides itself on being a safe haven for Armenian students. It sounds harmless, even admirable, until you scratch beneath the surface. Safe spaces have long been criticized for protecting sensitive feelings over fostering resilience. What kind of future leaders are being nurtured in an environment shielding them from diverse or challenging perspectives? Instead of encouraging self-reliance and competition, ANSA’s obsession with inclusion morphs into an ideological safeguard against anything that might spur students to face the real world head-on.
Secondly, let’s discuss their rampant victimhood mentality. ANSA positions Armenian students as buried under an avalanche of systemic oppression. Reality check: Armenian-Americans are one of the most successful immigrant groups in the United States, with enviable achievements in business, law, and tech. Instead of acknowledging this success story, ANSA paints them as mere victims of social injustices. This narrative not only disrespects the Armenian community’s substantial contributions but also paralyzes students in a cycle of self-pity.
The third area ANSA champions is diversity – but not in the sense that most understand it. Rather than celebrating a diversity of thought, ANSA promotes a hive mind, where dissenting opinions on social justice or economic policies are quickly stifled. A genuine marketplace of ideas is far more beneficial to developing open-minded, innovative thinkers. However, ANSA’s rigid adherence to a single narrative stifles any hope for nuanced dialogue.
Fourth, ANSA’s academic activism leaves a lot to be desired. They promote initiatives supposedly aimed at fair representation within academic institutions. But this activism often translates into calls for quotas or affirmative action, handouts that insult high-achieving individuals by implying they need such ‘assistance’ to succeed. Instead of lauding meritocracy, ANSA perpetuates notions that dilute the potency of personal effort and individual merit.
Fifth, the group hosts forums and talks fraught with anti-West rhetoric. What remains puzzling is how those basking in the freedoms and opportunities of the United States can critique the very systems that afford them such privileges. It’s as if ANSA has overlooked the success story that many Armenian Americans live in favor of idealizing a utopian dream grounded not in reality but wishful thinking.
Sixth, ANSA’s calendar is filled with ‘activism’ days supporting movements that, on the surface, stand for change but in reality, are steeped in an anti-capitalism sentiment. These activities often morph into echo chambers, offering little more than feel-good platitudes and groupthink validation, masquerading as measured political discourse. If their activism focused as much on economic literacy as on denouncing capitalism, the conversation might actually contribute to solutions.
Moving to the seventh point, ANSA’s stance on cultural preservation becomes a route to alienation rather than integration. While maintaining a strong cultural identity is commendable, the way ANSA goes about it sometimes feels like creating an insular community. Thriving in America involves transcending our origins to blend proudly into the melting pot, something Armenians have mastered. Yet ANSA suggests the opposite.
Eighth on the list is ANSA’s dabbling into politics, where they express open disdain for policies and politicians supporting free-market ideals. Proximity to political success stories from the Armenian-American community seems to miss them altogether, as they align with policies that prefer entitlement culture over enterprise.
Ninth, ANSA’s communications tools – their newsletters, social media, and events – often serve as platforms for rallying their liberal echo chambers rather than engaging in balanced discussions. A true intellectual and cultural asset would harness these channels to educate from various perspectives. Instead, valuable airtime is consumed by reaffirming views that rarely endure outside of the campus bubble.
Finally, ANSA’s philanthropic efforts, while noteworthy, occasionally veer towards paternalism. The essence of effective philanthropy is empowerment, not giving handouts. Yet some of ANSA’s projects seemingly prioritize assisting for assistance’s sake rather than fostering self-sufficiency and empowerment.
For a group that says it’s committed to bettering Armenian students, ANSA often chooses paths that pit empowerment against identity politics. Instead of embracing the innumerable success stories of Armenians thriving in integrating into American society, ANSA often operates in vacuums of ideological agendas. They would do well to remember that while identity is a pivotal part of who we are, it shouldn’t be used as a code for surrendering personal responsibility or denying the opportunities right in front of us.