Steve Baltin Senior Contributor,

The documentary Truth To Power is a powerful look at Serj Tankian as an activist, tracing his ascent as an activist/multi-platinum frontman in System Of A Down from his childhood to college at Cal State University Northridge to his heroes’ welcome in Armenia last year during the revolution.

While most Tankian interviews focus on when or if there will be a new System Of A Down album, I spoke with him about his activist influences, from his good friend Tom Morello to icons such as Bob Marley; the post 9/11 controversy he encountered and how being a parent has impacted his life. 

The film was accompanied by a solo EP, Elasticity, released last month. The film and EP together bring both of the main parts of Tankian, who will tell you he is an activist first and musician second. This is Serj Tankian, the activist.  

Steve Baltin: When was your musical activism awakening? You came of age in that ’80s period, which was so activism heavy.

Serj Tankian: That was [Peter Gabriel’s] “Biko,” it was a very inspiring time in terms of activism. “We Are The World,” right? It was a very awakening time in music and activism. I became an activist, as you know because we have talked about this before, mostly because of the hypocrisy of the U.S. government not properly recognizing the Armenian genocide until December, 2019, just a year and a little ago. It made me feel like if this is a historical fact that’s being pushed under the carpet for geopolitical or economic purposes, then how many other truths are there that are being suppressed because someone is making a buck or for other nefarious reasons? So that made me an activist ultimately. And I was an activist before becoming an artist. So, to me, the film is that, it’s an activist’s journey through music, where an activist has a very little voice before his band explodes and has a wider reach. Then the message becomes more accented and pronounced. Then you see the repercussions of being an activist and an artist as well as the fruits of that labor. To me, that’s the interesting thing about the film Truth To Power actually.

Baltin: At what point as you merged the activism and music did you realize the extent of the power you would have as an activist and musician? Because when you start off you have no idea that System will become what they did.MORE FOR YOUIn Sculptural Paintings, Elizabeth Chapin Unravels The Path To Original SinThe New Music Industry: How Perry Farrell, John Sykes, Marcie Allen And More Are Reinventing The GameDylan, Springsteen, Joni, Petty, More And Their Best Song Lyrics And The Greatest Rock Song Lyrics Of All Time

Tankian: True, especially the type of music we played. It was so crazy, musical gymnastics, to the left, hard, and radio changed luckily as we were coming into our own. Radio’s format changed and we were lucky enough to be able to be a part of that L.A. heavy music scene in that sense. But I guess I realized it right after 9/11, when I wrote the essay called “Understanding Oil,” which is right now used in universities to teach essay writing apparently (laughs). At the time there was staunch reaction against anything that was questioning U.S. geopolitics and 50 years of propping up dictators in the Middle East and one-sided policy with Israel and Palestine and choosing the unilateral approach to 

revenge versus a multi-lateral approach towards justice having to do with finding and prosecuting those who were responsible for the 9/11 attacks. All of these are very logical and make sense reading now, but at the time it was a very hot reaction. Clear Channel was taking all our songs off the radio. Our single, which was “Chop Suey,” was off the air on the week of 9/11, where we had the No 1 Billboard record in the country. And we were on tour to add to the f**king stress. A week after 9/11 we were on tour with daily flashings of orange and red warning signs and Bush getting on TV and saying, “There might be other terrorist attacks coming.” And we’re in front of 15, 20,000 fans a night and it’s just really stressful. And that’s when I realized the power of words being projected. Because when I wrote them, I would always do that. I would write ideas down, interpretations, analyses online and I’d never think twice about it. But here it just exploded and then I’m like, “S**t, there is someone listening.” 

Baltin: One of the scenes in the movie that made me laugh was when I believe it was John [Dolamyan] said to leave politics out to not offend the audience, which obviously isn’t your style.

Tankian: It’s whatever you choose to do with your music and your art. And as you can see in the film we don’t even always agree within the same band as to which direction that should be in terms of whether we should stick to what we believe in as our mantra or whether we should keep our base more diverse and that happens too. And, to me, the beauty of a powerful band is that push and pull I think because if there’s really a very uniform direction within a band their music is probably not very interesting (laughs).

Baltin: But is there a value in having the checks and balances of band members who disagree and can help calm you when emotions and inflamed?

Tankian: You’re right, I think those checks and balances are important because it puts things into perspective as, “Look, dude, there are three other guys in this band and we don’t necessarily agree with this particular point.” Or blatantly put right after 9/11 I was on Howard Stern defending what I had written and posted online and the guys called me. I remember we were in Denver about to start a tour, I was up all night, couldn’t sleep because of everything going on. And they’re like, “You’re a smart guy, we respect you. Are you trying to get us killed?” That’s literally what I was told. And I just felt so bad. I’m like, “Guys, I’m so sorry, I love you all. And of course I don’t want any harm to come to any of us, but I’m telling the truth.” They’re like, “Yeah, we know it’s the truth , but you don’t have to always say it.” And that’s the thing, I can’t f**king help it! If it’s the truth I have to say it, no matter 

who gets mad. And that’s the thing, that’s the activist. 

Baltin: Who are the artists who inspired you in mixing music and activism?

Tankian: There are a lot. Starting with Tom Morello because Tom and I have been friends for many, many years and worked together with Axis Of Justice, we had a radio network, a non-profit organization. His dedication, hard work and inspiration really kind of influenced me a lot in terms of it made me work harder at the things I believe in. So he had a definite strong impression from a peer, a day to day peer in my life as a friend. But you’ve got Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Bob Marley, who made you dance positively and rebel at the same time. You’ve got Peter Gabriel with “Biko,” the whole ’80s movement of different artists speaking truth to power. [Bruce] Springsteen. There are so many, I’m probably not thinking of 90 percent. And also honestly Armenian artists that growing up they were speaking truth to power about what happened to our past and the genocide and music in Armenian. And I followed that type of music a lot, like revolutionary music. To me, any artist, that even in one song, even if their whole career were love songs, but wrote this one incredible song, like “War Pigs,” Black Sabbath. Ozzy Osbourne wrote those lyrics and it’s incredible, it just makes an impact.

Baltin: Have you noticed your perspective and priorities change as you’ve gotten older and had a family?

Tankian: Absolutely, becoming a parent is a life-changing event and you re-prioritizing everything that you have. I always say that our biggest fear is our parents dying until we have children. Then that fear switches to the loss of our children. It’s a very interesting biological thing. And for me it definitely made me re-prioritize my life so I could spend more time with my family and spend time with him growing up. I’m in my 50s and I’ve toured for 25 years so it’s not like I haven’t done it. I’ve toured the majority of the countries in the world. We got my son a globe. He points and goes, “Dad, have you been here?” I go, “Yep.” He goes, “I wanna go!” So it definitely changes everything. 

Baltin: Were there things that surprised you looking back on them in the film?

Tankian: A lot of it. Going back to my Armenian high school, revisiting that and then the way that the story’s put together is also very interesting because you make connections you never even made in your own life. Even though that’s your life and you lived it. But the way the story is put together and chronology within that hour 20 minutes is a unique thing. And it makes you realize certain things about yourself that you never did because someone made a film out of it. There are a lot of those. But it’s good, I really love it.

Colorado’s top public officials joined the Centennial State’s vibrant Armenian-American community in Armenian Genocide commemoration events over the weekend that included acknowledgment of the Genocide’s ongoing consequences in Artsakh.

On April 23, both chambers of the Colorado General Assembly unanimously passed Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 21-017, sponsored by State Senator Dominick Moreno and State House Majority leader Daneya Esgar, in commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. This year’s annual genocide resolution, which was first introduced in 2002, noted the ongoing consequences of the Armenian Genocide, including Turkey-Azerbaijan’s recent aggression, occupation, ethnic cleansing in Artsakh, as well as Azerbaijan’s refusal to release Armenian POWs or allow UNESCO monitoring of churches.

“While Pres. Biden’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide was a historic event for the entire world, Colorado’s vibrant Armenian community yet again set a national precedent by successfully urging their state legislature to not only commemorate the Armenian Genocide but also recognize its ongoing consequences in Artsakh,” remarked Armenian National Committee of America Western Region (ANCA-WR) chair Nora Hovsepian, Esq. “The Armenian Genocide is not just a historical fact, it’s an ongoing process, which Colorado has been a global leader in acknowledging in the past by erecting a replica Djulfa khachkar erased by Azerbaijan on the grounds of its State Capitol,” continued Hovsepian. “In addition to the resolution, Colorado’s top three elected leaders – the Governor and two US Senators – also spoke on the Armenian Genocide, which is also a tribute to our local grassroots’ unwavering efforts in keeping Armenian-American priorities on Colorado’s political agenda.”

In a video address to Colorado’s Armenian community, Governor Jared Polis commemorated the Armenian Genocide while acknowledging fresh trauma experienced by the Armenian community due to the recent Artsakh war. In particular, Gov. Polis noted that “we know this past year Armenians have endured additional tragedies in defense of their sovereignty, culture, rich history, and we want to let all Armenians in Colorado and across the world know that we stand with you.”

On April 24, both of Colorado’s US Senators, Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, commemorated the Armenian Genocide on Twitter and lauded President Biden’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Congressman Jason Crow, who represents Colorado’s vibrant city of Aurora, which has the largest concentration of Colorado’s Armenian community, also commemorated the Armenian Genocide on Twitter, as well as with a video address addressed to the Armenian community.

“Colorado’s Armenian community is immensely grateful to our state legislature, governor, and federal officials for once again standing with our community and doing the right thing,” remarked Armenians of Colorado (AOC) President Byuzand Yeremyan. “As we continue to build our community through cultural and educational programs, including the Armenian School, AOC looks forward to continuing its partnership with local, regional, and national organizations to raise educational awareness about the history and modern ramifications of the Armenian Genocide,” concluded Yeremyan.

SJR 21-017 highlighted the recent aggression on Artsakh as an ongoing consequence of the impunity for Ottoman Turkey’s 1915-1923 extermination of two million Armenians, Assyrians, Greeks, Yazidis and other indigenous minorities. Most significantly, Colorado’s legislature unanimously called out Turkey-Azerbaijan’s recent aggression on Artsakh and raised the issue of Armenian POWs and threatened cultural sites.

[ VIDEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVNSk07xelw ]

The resolution noted that “Turkey’s ongoing denial of the Armenian Genocide paved the way for another tragedy in late 2020, when Turkey-aided Azerbaijan invaded the Republic of Artsakh, a region of the Armenian homeland, in an onslaught that despite a ceasefire announcement continues to this day through Azerbaijan’s unwillingness to release nearly 200 Armenian Prisoners of War, forbiddance of the return of Armenian refugees to Hadrut and other occupied regions of Artsakh; and refusal of international missions to monitor the nearly 1,500 antique and medieval Armenian cultural sites that have recently come under Azerbaijan’s control.”

In his floor remarks, primary Senate sponsor of SJR 21-017 Sen. Moreno stated “this is something that is dearly personal to the Armenian community especially with events over the summer when there was graffiti and damage done to the Armenian khachkar memorial. We should continue each year to recognize this tragic event… This is particularly painful for the Armenian community because they recently lost control of territories to Azerbaijan.” Sen. Moreno reiterated the importance of continuing “acknowledging the pain and suffering [Armenians] have gone through both in contemporary times and the past.”

State Senator Faith Winter, who spoke in support of the resolution, noted that “history can be uncomfortable” but that “recognizing the Genocide that happened nearly 100 years ago is important to understand history” because “when history is uncomfortable when it is hard for us to admit what happened is when we probably grow the most.” In particular, Sen. Winter recounted her visit to Turkey, where she met young people who were willing to discuss and learn from the Armenian Genocide.

In her House remarks, primary sponsor of SCR 21-017 State Representative Daneya Esgar, who is also the House Majority Leader, noted that “The Armenian community is feeling very vulnerable because of losing access to territory and their sacred sites, so I feel that it is important to stand with them.” Both Moreno and Esgar recounted their planting of a memorial tree at the Yerevan Genocide Memorial at Tsitsernakaberd during an ANCA-WR-sponsored legislative study trip in 2019. Both mentioned that even though the legislative body typically refrains from commenting on current international events, it is important to stand with the Armenian community. They also acknowledged the presence of two local Armenian-American leaders: AOC President Byuzand Yeremyan and ANCA-WR’s Simon Maghakyan.

Following Majority Leader Esgar’s remarks, Speaker Pro Tempore Adrienne Benavidez spoke in staunch support of the resolution’s language calling out Turkey-Azerbaijan’s on Artsakh. According to Benavidez, “this is not just a historical situation… this is continuing and we, as members of this body, have a duty to speak out against atrocities like this.” The Speaker Pro Tempore further noted that “We have to make it clear that we support Armenians and send a clear message to Azerbaijan and their supporters like Turkey.” Benavidez also referenced the lead oped of The Denver Post’s Sunday edition, in which former State Representative Cole Wist and Simon Maghakyan had argued that Pres. Biden should recognize both the past and the present of the Armenian Genocide.

[ VIDEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sei-_-hu_ko&t=27s ]

Several other lawmakers also spoke in strong support of the resolution. State Representative Jennifer Bacon noted, in part, that “humanity in general has a deep sense of wanting to belong.” State Representatives Dafna Michaelson Jenet and Emily Sirota recalled their joints efforts in championing last year’s Armenian Genocide and Holocaust education law. Michaelson Jenet stated: “There is often a question: if the Armenian Genocide had been stopped, could have the Holocaust been stopped to?” In her remarks, Sirota stated that “I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to carry the bill to ensure that our students are educated on the Holocaust, the Armenian Genocide, to know that this is part of the ongoing work that we do.” State Representative Iman Jodah noted that “standing in with support with Armenian brothers and sisters is how we put an end [to genocide].”

In the Senate, SJR 21-017 was co-sponsored by Colorado State Senators Bridges, Buckner, Coleman, Cooke, Coram, Danielson, Donovan, Fenberg, Fields, Garcia, Gardner, Ginal, Gonzales, Hansen, Hisey, Jaquez Lewis, Kirkmeyer, Kolker, Lee, Liston, Lundeen, Moreno, Pettersen, Priola, Rodriguez, Scott, Smallwood, Sonnenberg, Story, Winter, Woodward, and Zenzinger.

In the House, SJR 21-017 was cosponsored by Representatives Amabile, Bacon, Baisley, Benavidez, Bernett, Bird, Bockenfeld, Bradfield, Caraveo, Carver, Catlin, Cutter, Daugherty, Duran, Esgar, Exum, Froelich, Garnett, Geitner, Gonzales-Gutierrez, Gray, Hanks, Herod, Holtorf, Hooton, Jodeh, Kennedy, Kipp, Larson, Lontine, Luck, Lynch, McCluskie, McCormick, McKean, McLachlan, Michaelson Jenet, Mullica, Neville, Ortiz, Pelton, Pico, Ransom, Rich, Ricks, Roberts, Sandridge, Sirota, Snyder, Soper, Sullivan, Tipper, Titone, Valdez A., Van Beber, Van Winkle, Weissman, Will, Williams, Woodrow, Woog, and Young.

On April 24, at 5pm, Colorado’s Armenian community and supporters gathered at the Colorado State Capitol Armenian Memorial Garden and Khachkar, which was vandalized last year, for the commemoration. Present dignitaries and supporters included former Colorado State Representative Cole Wist, Regional Transportation District (RTD) Board Member and former State Representative Paul Rosenthal, who is the only Colorado official to have visited the Republic of Artsakh, and members of Colorado’s Turkish-American community who officially recognize the Armenian Genocide.

In his remarks, Rep. Wist stated that “This day belongs to the Armenian people, it belongs to this community, my heart is with all of you. Le’s think of those who are not with us, and of those in the broader Armenian family. Today is for all of you. Love you all.”

At the end of the commemoration, community leaders announced upcoming plans for restoring the khachkar, and summarized the recent support the community received: from President Biden to Governor Polis, from Colorado’s legislature to the Congressional delegation. The brief program was concluded by a violin performance of Groong and Adanayi Voghb by Nina Fronjian.

Armenians of Colorado, Inc. (AOC) was established in June 1980 as a 501(c)3 non-profit cultural organization. Its purpose is to create a cohesive Armenian community and to further the understanding of Armenian history, culture, language, customs, and heritage. AOC actively supports issues and concerns of the Armenian-American community in Colorado as well as those identified within the Armenian Diaspora throughout the world.