I certainly can’t remember any such days when protesters and policemen are honored in similar incidents in other countries. Of course, this is Armenia where mourning is the defining aspect of cultural tradition. We seem to be mourning constantly.

Anyway, the deaths were tragic and disgraceful — just as was Ter-Petrossian’s rhetoric which whipped up enough hatred and polarization in society to make such clashes inevitable — but we all knew this was going to happen since September 2007 last year.

Perhaps we should of started a period of mourning then — but for the death of democratization thanks to Serge Sargsyan and Levon Ter-Petrossian. Anyway, I am undecided about joining this day of mourning. Indeed, I don’t need to in order to regret the deaths.

Instead, I am concerned that it will be hijacked for political purposes if it hasn’t been already. Incidentally, it was said that the funerals of some of the victims would be turned into opposition protests, but it appears that the families instead decided to grieve their lost ones instead.

I’m glad about that, at least.