der="6" borderColorDark="#008080" borderColorLight="#008000" cellPadding="5" cellSpacing="8" width="27%">

00080">

Assyrian Chatters Interviews
By the Assyrian Voice Network

Name: Shamie
Date: Feb 25th, 2002

PERSONAL QUESTIONS

Name:
Shamiran

Nickname:
Shamie

sex/age/location:
18/F/Canada (Mississauga)

-What do you do in life, interests, and hobbies?
Go out, attend a lot of Assyrian functions, as for hobbies, I like watching
mafia movies..and I adore Al Pacino.

-Are you thinking of your future from now? or just living day to day?
Live everyday like it's your last on earth! I don't think about the future
TOO often.

I'm upset that a lot of people are Canadian, American or
what have you, before being Assyrian.

-What do you want to study after high school?
Social Work

-Are you a private type of person? Or the opposite?
I'm probably the most outgoing person you'll ever come across. I'm not very
shy, those of you who know me have probably learned that by now.

CHAT QUESTIONS

-What do you use our website for: Fun, Communication, Information or all of
them?
Mostly for leisure, I go on message board a lot, but we're running out of
heated discussions, I usually stir things up, on occasion.

-When was the first time you came to the website? who referred you to it?
Wow, i dont remember the first time I came to the website, but my cousin
ASHOOR referred me to it :P

-The message board is soon to celebrate its second anniversary (February 15,
2000)How far have we gone?
Pretty damn far! Message board is OH-SO popular now, a lot of people go on
it.

-Was the message board an important part of defining the role that the
Assyrian Voice Network was to play in the life of many Assyrian chatters in
last two years?
Yeah, on Message board you get to know the chatters on a more personal
level, because everyone expresses their opinion and their perception on
things. It's the perfect place to get a point across or address a certain
issue, I think message board is one of the main reasons for the websites
increased popularity.

-What Would you do to see any improvements on the message board?
To see improvements on message board I'd prefer everyone chose one name and
STUCK with it, to avoid all the trash talking under "fake" names. It
aggravates me when people come on with a different name and talk s**t, it's
cowardly.

-What should we see more being discussed on the message board? and less of
what? e.i: less fights
I like controversial issues, those should be discussed more, I'm not a very
big fan of pointless posts, and I hate when people waste MB space , like
spamming, It usually results in the removal of important discussions. SO
stop spamming people! Get a life.

-Your funniest situation online?
When JILWA was around, EVERYDAY there was a funny situation, constant
disputes! I think I miss him? Hahah

-Freedom of speech online: Our website is generally divided into two main
groups: One that thinks that we shouldn't worry about the trouble makers,
because it is their freedom online. The other thinks that we should control
the behaviour of those bad people, because they are not ready to hear all
the bad words and fights online? What do you think? How would you apply that
to our website?
Well, im pretty sure everyone who signs on to Message board HAS at one
point, or another been exposed to profanity, so i don't understand why some
people are so sensitive about seeing people cuss. Although the trouble-
makers can be an incredible pain in the A**, sometimes we need them to spice
things up lol. I know they can irritate the hell out of me too, I guess it
all depends what it is their saying. Everyone has their own individual way
of expressing themselves, and EVERYONE at one point, or another has been
labeled "the troublemaker" on message board, I know i have lol. Conflict
arises all the time, LIVE with it.

-what comes to your mind when you first hear these three nicknames:
Jenn, JJ, JUJU
I don't know jenn, or JJ, but when i hear JUJU, i think of society lol

-Who are the most fun people to talk to on the message board?
KHLEETAAA and NEO

-Are the people in message board different from those on text chat? who is
nicer?
The people in text chat aren't very talkative...
everyone is always in private discussions, it's annoying!
I prefer message board people, they're more talkative.

-first person that you met on our website in general?
BOOMER, he used to go on as "DMX" at the time, that nerd. (JK MULAN)

FAVORITES

-favorite party in the year?
New years Eve!!!!

-favourite Assyrian/foreign singer:
Linda George, and foreign singer, I'd have to say 2pac Shakur, not really a
singer, but he's an amazing rapper, the most controversial rapper of all
time.

-favourite section in our website?
Message Board

-Khiga, Bellaty, saskani, amreki, or yaqoura?
i like em all, i guess?

-best city to live in other than your current city and why?
Ibiza..I hear its PARTY CENTRAL!

-favorite university to attend?
Western would RULE! i've heard great stories lol

-favorite food:
Biryani

ASSYRIAN RELATED QUESTIONS

-How good are your observations of what Assyrians' struggle to get their
rights back and a recognition from the world community?
I think it's a never-ending struggle, yet it's more difficult than it should
be. The fact that we're a minority doesn't exactly help our chances of
recognition, but also, we have very few educated people, it's difficult to
have your voice heard, its always majority over minority. Yet I feel if we
had more enlightened Assyrians, people who were "Up there" on the social
ladder and were recognized by society, maybe achieving recognition would be
an attainable task.

-What are your plans to help the Assyrian nation?
CONTRIBUTION is the key to success.
I plan on devoting my time and effort towards a certain political party.
That's all I can say on that matter. J

-Does church have any role to play?
I know this comment will probably stir up a lot of controversy, but I think
Milat is more important than Etah. I love and respect my religious faith,
but I'm Assyrian before anything else.   I think church is responsible for a
lot of the problems which arose among the Assyrian people.

-How would your describe the role of Assyrian youth in the Assyrian society?
Well, i'm not too happy with the Assyrian youth nowadays, I think they
prioritize all the wrong things, and don't recognize the true meaning of
being Assyrian.   I'm upset that a lot of people are Canadian, American or
what have you, before being Assyrian. I don't think they are involved
enough within the Assyrian community, we have a LOT of Assyrian youth in
Canada, but the turn out of youth for student functions, parties and other
events, is always less than expected.

-How often do you speak Assyrian with your family and Assyrian friends?
I speak Assyrian @ home, or i get a nice RAZALTA from my parents lol, same
goes with relatives, we all speak Assyrian to one another. I speak Assyrian
with my Assyrian friends sometimes, usually when we don't want people to
understand what we're saying. I teach my non-assyrian friends the Basics,
even though they can't pronounce the "KHH".

-Would you ever end up marrying a non-Assyrian? why or why not?
No, i would never marry a non-Assyrian. We're already a minority as it is,
why ADD to the problem by marrying outside my ethnic group? We should be
trying to preserve our identities, not diminish them. I think Assyrians
should stick to Assyrians. Our culture differs so much from that of anyone
else, I don't know how people are comfortable marrying Nikhrayeh anyway.
People often say, you can't control whom you fall in love with, I think
that's BS. If you don't intend on marrying a non-Assyrian, its simple, you
don't pursue a relationship with one!

-You are often quoted as being "an Assyrian activist" along with your sister
and most of your family. Tell us more about that!
Well, I was brought up in a very Assyrian environment. All of the hardships
my family has ever underwent were a result of being Assyrian, we've
experienced so much and struggled to be where we are today. We're very
Assyrian oriented, and we were always raised believing that nothing exceeds
the importance of your moral upbringing and your Identity. My father is a
very influential character, he always expresses the importance of being
proud of whom you are, he's the reason for my being an "activist".
I hope that answered ur question?

-Any final comments about Assyrians in general?
We Rule, no doubt! Except, we are slowly losing our identities in this
Modern-Western world.

General and Miscellaneous Questions

-What is your horoscope?
Sagittarius

-What would you do if your best friends forget about your birthday?
Beat some A**! JK its no big deal.

-Assyrians in Toronto: in few words, how would describe them?
ehh......Different!! The Assyrians from Mississauga and Toronto are VERY
different from one another.

-ICQ or MSN?
MSN

-what do you enjoy more? Weddings or parties?
I'd have to say weddings, I'm more comfortable cause im related to almost
everyone everyone.

-Miss Assyria: would you want it to take place again?
Yeah, i wouldn't mind if it took place again, but id make sure the
contestants were eligible and WORTHY of the title, and i'd also like to see
Questions asked, to test their knowledge on Assyrian issues. It shouldn't
only be based on beauty, that's degrading, I was disgusted with the pageant
held @ the new years party.

-Some people have suggested making a Mr.Assyria contest here online on our
website? what do you think?
Sounds like fun, it'd be a tough decision to make though.

-What do you think of the following figures?
Mar Ammanouel, Jean Cretien, Vince Carter

Mar Ammanouel. very intelligent, has the best of intentions, but sometimes I
don't understand his reasons for his actions. Overall, I find him to be a
very silent person.    Jean Cretien...although im not too fond of Canadian
politics, I do respect him as a leader.   Vince Carter, lol the best player
the raptors have ever had!!!!

FINAL THOUGHTS

-Why did you want to make this interview?
So people could understand me a little more, and know what im REALLY like.

-What was the hardest question we asked you? or didn't like?
-One question you were glad we didn't ask you?
how many people are on my hit list. lol jk

-A question you wanted us to ask, but didn't?
Why I don't get along too well with Assyrian Girls   lol

-Your best quote in life?
"I know I am intelligent, because I know that I know nothing."-socrates
its not the BEST one, but its one of my favorites.

-What do you think of this interview?
I liked it, i enjoyed doing it.

-Is there any question(s) you would like us to add to these interviews?
Nah, I think you pretty much covered everything.

-What can this interview idea help us with?
Getting to know people on a more personal level.

-If you were to choose the next person to be interviewed who would it be
from the chat and why?

KHLEETAAA, she's a very interesting person.

-Any final comments or thoughts?
This website has done a lot for the Assyrian community, and I commend all
your hard work, and I as well as everyone else I'm sure, appreciates all the
hard work and effort you've put into it. U RULE ASHOOR!

At the end of this interview we would like to thank you and wish you a good
luck in your life.

Back

Back Home