It is apparent, from the dire straits in which we find ourselves
today, that the 80-year long silence of the Turks has cost them a great
deal.
During that time, a great number of Haiks settled in Western
countries, became assimilated by the local culture and integrated
themselves seamlessly into the political system. Compare this with the
fact that, until very recently, the Turkish Government was discouraging
the Diaspora Turks from becoming naturalized and assuming citizenship
of their host country.
A good example is the situation in France, where there live an
almost equal number of Armenians and Turks (about 400,000). Whereas
there are politicians [Click Here], educators [Click Here], artists
[Click Here], performers [Click Here] among French Armenians, there is
almost no Turk integrated in the French society. To the contrary, most
Turks there, like those in Germany, Holland and Denmark, are
non-professionals who cannot or will not penetrate into politics.
Though there are close to 3 million Turks in Germany, there are no more
than 10 elected politicians from among them [Click here]. The situation
will hopefully change for the better among second- and third-generation
Turks.
Similarly, the Armenians in the US are extremely well
assimilated in the famous American melting pot. Turks in the US are
different from their European counterparts, though, as most Turks who
settle in the US are professionals. A great percentage of them prosper
above the average middle class status. The problem is that they tend to
get lost in the day-to-day struggles imposed upon them by the American
capitalistic work environment. As a result, they do not organize into
political entities and neglect the assimilation process into the
electoral system.