Commentary: ‘Cultural genocide’ is being waged against Fresno’s Armenian community

We naturally think of Turkey when we hear the word “genocide.” Turkey, the original terrorist state, invented genocide and unleashed it against the Armenians over a century ago. A complete genocide, however, is more than just exterminating a race of people. Once the bodies are buried, the real grunt work begins of removing all physical traces of that race’s existence. This is cultural genocide.

Surprisingly, the current location of cultural genocide against Armenians is not in historic Armenia, half a world away, but in downtown Fresno, in the Historic Armenian Town. And the perpetrator is not Turkey, but rather City Councilmember Miguel Arias and his followers.

On the corner of Santa Clara and M streets, catty-corner from Holy Trinity Armenian Church and opposite Valley Lahvosh, sit three quaint historic Armenian houses. Five houses were actually moved there as part of a redevelopment project that would become the HAT. The initial Redevelopment Agency morphed into a morbidly inept Successor Agency, under the control of the City Council, and was charged with, at the very least, protecting these vestiges of Fresno’s past. Through neglect, or perhaps design, two homes were destroyed by fire in 2020.

Efforts have been made to form a consensus on how to best preserve this part of Fresno’s rich past. However, the City Council has been scuttling the “historic” designation of this neighborhood for nearly a decade. Once “historic,” the area is protected. But if not protected, it is vulnerable to those who wish to erase Fresno’s past, for the benefit of their own future.

Arias, like Nury Martinez, the disgraced former president of the Los Angeles City Council, is loyal, first and foremost, to his tribe, and is contemptuous of all others, including those of us with “one eyebrow.”

That disdain recently came to fruition. In a rush to further his agenda, Arias tabled a resolution to have this area designated “historic.” Concurrent with that, he led the charge to sell those three historic houses for far less than they were worth, with an agreement that they be converted to affordable housing. This council item was cleverly buried near the end of the agenda, and those wishing to speak in favor of the “historic” designation were denied.

For years the proponents of HAT have urged the City Council to act; yet in the course of a couple days Arias and the City Council suddenly felt motivated to act, in its own interests, and against the interest of Fresno’s cultural preservation. Having no trace of Armenians in Fresno suits Arias and his ilk just fine. This is cultural genocide.

Councilmember Esmeralda Soria fortuitously missed this disastrous vote. It is unthinkable that a “housing expert” would convert three tiny houses to affordable housing in exchange for the erasure of an entire ethnic enclave.

Like Turkey, known for lying, Arias told The Bee that Armenians have “been completely silent” on developing this area. He also stated that he has the support of Holy Trinity and Valley Lahvosh. None of this is true. For years the Historic Preservation Committee, whose learned members are appointed by the mayor, have worked with historic preservationists and the Armenian community to preserve this land, not just for the benefit of those who dwelled there, but for all of Fresno. The social and economic benefits would be many.

The HPC and Mayor Jerry Dyer must be commended and supported for their passionate efforts to designate this area “historic” and to preserve into perpetuity an integral part of Fresno’s rich cultural past. The good people of Fresno deserve no less.

Marshall D. Moushigian is a Fresno attorney and financial adviser.