A few months ago, when it became known that “Hetq” journalist Grisha Balasanyan had been insulted by phone, and even after he had informed that the conversation was being recorded, the member of Parliament Ruben Hayrapetyan “lavished” swearing of sexual nature, the incident gave food for thought not only for the vocabulary and behavior of the MP but also for the journalist’s behavior, from the perspective of not having one-sided approach to the problem. Let’s suppose that the journalist could have dialed a certain office number instead of the deputy’s cell phone. But Grisha Balasanyan did not do so; he called Ruben Hayrapetyan on his cell phone without any assumption that the latter might have “health problems” at that moment, was “in tense and nervous condition”, “was excited because of certain consequences,” and “having lost his temper, swore” (quoted from the words of the deputy’s lawyer during the court session).
On this occasion, “Hetq” reporter Grisha Balasanyan filed a claim against the parliamentarian Ruben Hayrapetyan to the court of general jurisdiction of the Avan and Nor Nork administrative districts. The case review is in the process. The journalist demands to make the deputy apologize and compensate for the offense. It remains to realistically wait and see what conclusion will be recorded.
Alas, this MP-journalist incident is not the only one.
A few days ago, another Member of Parliament Sashik Sargsyan (President Serj Sargsyan’s brother) displayed similar intolerant behavior towards a journalist. In this case, “health problems,” “tense and nervous condition,” “perhaps having lost his temper, and swore” united in the corridor of the National Assembly, when the journalist of “Hraparak” daily, Marine Kharatyan, approached the deputy and asked whether he intends to run for the upcoming parliamentary elections.
As this time no telephone issue was involved, the deputy snatched the recorder from the journalist, calling her “obscene” and said, “What right do you have to question me?” Even after having heard the clarification, he, in fact, did not hesitate and “unable to control his temper”… the rest is known; he easily expressed himself in explicit vocabulary… By the way, last September this MP attacked reporter of “Haykakan Zhamanak” newspaper, Lusine Barseghyan, in the buffet of the National Assembly, when she was trying to take pictures of the deputies.
It is obvious that in the MP-journalist “contact zone” the cases of swearing curious reporters as an answer to their questions are becoming more frequent. If the curiosity of journalists and for certain people their undesirable questions are explained by mere professional demands, the cursing habit of our “elected” legislators has no reasonable explanation, except for the fact that it testifies to the degree of their politeness. On this occasion, experts believe that a person must obtain the communication of politeness under the melodies of lullaby.
“Swearing and other similar defects are mostly accounted for by bad upbringing, poor mind, insolvency of mental world, low-quality and morbid genetic features,” said academician Emil Gabrielyan.
According to Platonic studies, the reproduced voice or speech is not lost, it circles in the space and some time later returns to the reproducer.
Are our not fully literate legislators aware of this? If not, we inform them to know. If yes, it again remains unclear, why they curse reporters. The latter perform their professional duty, as they have the right of asking questions, taking photos, even “invading from the window” if there is a necessity of finding out an answer to an issue of public interest. Besides, it is well-known that the work of the National Assembly is covered only by accredited reporters. And if the reporter is already inside the building, he/she is obliged to perform his/her task …
