Through the Looking Glass

---

¹ The authors apparently do not know the meaning of the word "provocation" as provocation is an act aimed at causing a response, as a rule, for the purpose of artificially creating trying circumstances or consequences for the person who is provoked. We, at least, could not clarify the degree of heaviness of the circumstances or consequences created for the Azerbaijani children's writer.
² Shabnam Kheyrulla is insincere because the fact that her works are being translated into Russian was known to her long before "yesterday," June 6, 2012. An evidence of this is the publication in Azerbaijani and Azerbaijani-language press in May, as well as the fact that the author, Shabnam Kheyrulla, started to quickly remove her works from her website. You can get an evidence of it by going to the link of, for instance, the publication Enmity in Azerbaijani Way, where the original the original is replaced with another article. We saved the copy of the original, with the indication that the content of the link dated February 5, 2012 was deleted in May and replaced with a note of Vafa Kazimova on June 15. The same applies to her other works published on Gundelik Baku website, which we had to search for on other websites where she failed to delete the materials.
³ It is stunning that even with the presence of obviously racist and xenophobic educational works (the website features pieces of literature approved by Azerbaijani Ministry of Education as a teaching material), a representative of the intelligentsia is indignant not over their content, but the fact that the Armenians, "with their tricks," made them public. On the whole, she admits that the children are brought up in that spirit, but it is bad that the Armenians learnt about it, translated and published those materials and "attempt to present" it. The "trick" is that in the presence of such a fact, the Armenians don't have to attempt to do anything as everything is spread before everyone's eyes.
⁴ Mrs Kheyrulla very much overestimates the power of her writing beyond her society. Regrettably, her works caused nothing but irony of the creators of this website.
⁵ On a large scale, it makes no difference whether the competition is organized by one deputy or a group or faction. What really matters is that an official representative of the "voice of the people" is behind the competition. Zhalya Aliyeva, as Mrs Kheyrulla rightly mentioned, is a deputy of Milli Majlis and the performance My Enemy Toy, which became the winner, is based on the play written by the author of these angry words. Otherwise, she will have to repudiate her authorship. So, the accusations of forgeries and lies are a little hasty and ungrounded, at least if the author means the dictionary meaning of the terms "forgery" and "lie" implying deliberate distortion, perversion and falsification for mercenary ends. Given the fact that Kheyrulla herself admits that "the translations are professional," that is, there is no distortion and falsification in the original text, it is at least unserious to present as "lie and forgery" some biographical data that have no impact on the text.
⁶ Undoubtedly, the accusation that Kheyrulla is a teacher is a direct insult of her personality, honor and dignity. Our creative team apologizes to Shabnam Kheyrulla and the readers of our website for the misleading information indicating that Shabnam Kheyrulla is a teacher. So, Shabnam Kheyrulla, who received pedagogical education, is not a teacher.
⁷ Mrs Kheyrulla again puts the secondary ahead of the primary. On a large scale, it is not so important whether or not she has any published books. What matters is that her Armenophobic stories are recommended as a reading textbook for elementary school students, something the author does not deny. What is in focus is not her productivity as an author, but the fact that her works are involved in the educational process.
⁸ The demonstration failed, to put it mildly. Again, we see a mismatch and peculiar understanding of a term. This time, it is about "respect." Below, we present demonstrations of "respect for a citizen" by Shabnam Kheyrulla:
Neither Natik nor Sabina knew that the "spy" was one of the thousands of Armenians residing in their country. The children did not know, either, that this Armenian woman had changed her religion and then name, in good time. Whether she had done it out of fear or she had indeed given up her nationality was not known even to the grownups. There was one thing the Armenian woman could not do – change the vicious blood of her nationality running in her veins. That powerlessness left only one way out to madam Aliya, who felt shy, – to swear and curse her congeners everywhere and whenever there was such opportunity. She was tortured by agonizing doubts in her heart.
It is a peculiar manifestation of respect, isn't it? In civilized countries, a mention of "vicious blood" would be a sufficient ground to anathematize both the author and his work, while this "patriotic" story is recommended for school reading. Without realizing it, the author gives away the main secrets of society where she lives and shapes the future citizens: the blood is vicious, the Armenians, if any are left, are so oppressed that they have to disguise themselves, feel shy of their "viciousness," even with a full loyalty to the country of their residence, Armenophobia is raised to a cult in that country. Even if the author does not see and does not understand it.
We assess Shabnam Kheyrulla's way of thinking not only based on this work, but in the context of all her works. In particular, her thoughts in another story, Enmity in Azerbaijani Way, are quite symptomatic. In the story, the author notes happily: «At the same time, I thought whether indeed our children at that age already understand what the Armenians are, what an enemy is, and hate them. However gratifying that thought seemed, I found it hard to believe it…». The author fails to understand that a manifestation of "respect," even of a doubtful nature, in one work cannot go hand in hand with the happiness with Armenophobia from a person's early days in another work.
⁹ We would like to ask Mrs Kheyrullayeva to indicate where exactly in the mentioned excerpts she indicated those who had "encroached:" "There was one thing the Armenian woman could not do – change the vicious blood of her nationality running in her veins;" "Theft? Lie? Barbarity? No, although these features are peculiar to that tribe and have taken root in their blood, it can hardly be said that these are the missions Allah gave to the Armenians;" "At the same time, I thought whether indeed our children at that age already understand what the Armenians are, what an enemy is, and hate them. However gratifying that thought seemed, I found it hard to believe it," etc. It is about an entire people, irrespective of encroachment and non-encroachment on "the holy of holies" of Kheyrullayeva. Anyway, we expect clarifications from the writer.
¹⁰ To give a well-reasoned substantiation, serious people would give excerpts "taken out of the context" and extracts from the original and show the difference. Since it was not done, it becomes obvious that the author is again insincere. Especially as a whole paragraph is translated. The author, if she wished, could publish a comparative analysis and show exactly which important part was left out, distorted or changed.
¹¹ There is a huge difference between forum and author of work recommended for school reading. Without realizing it, the author placed herself on the same level with the nameless masses not burdened with the responsibility to educate the generations to come, and together with herself she placed there the entire education and propaganda system of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The level of forum is where Mrs Kheyrulla's intellectual capabilities end…
¹² We would be grateful if provided with more well-reasoned "exposures" of falsity. In this case, you will have to prove that the authors of those works are not Azerbaijanis, that they do not make the basis of the educational process in Azerbaijan, or that the translations are inaccurate or contain distortions. Inaccuracies in biographical data or accusations that your own works were used against you are not sufficient.
¹³ We are hopeful that more civilized ways of fighting will be chosen this time, as opposed to those cultivated and welcomed in present-day Azerbaijani society – to hack, damage or block access to the website in Azerbaijan. It is counterproductive.
¹⁴ A large material will be published soon proving the Lezghin descent of Uzeyir Hajibekov, so the issue remains open.
¹⁵ Has Sabir written these verses or not? If he has written them, then what are your complaints against AzeriChild website? If he has not written them or they are translated inaccurately, then we expect well-reasoned refutations. It was interesting for us to know how classics of Azerbaijani literature and you – new shoots of pseudo-intellectuals, pseudo-patriots and pseudo-tolerants – see your own and Armenian societies. In all appearances, you did not like the comparison as nothing has changed in terms of quality since then.