Happy Greek Independence Day! Ζήτω Η Ελλας!
This year's Greek Independence Day once again finds Greece in the headlines, as new Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and the Syriza government try to negotiate better terms for paying back the nation's massive loans in the wake of the lingering financial crisis.
That crisis continues to frame most things Greek. But one of the greatest things about being Greek is the ability to shrug off problems and not let them affect your sense of self, your Hellenism.
I continue to brag about being a Greek, so much so that a friend at work recently commented "I can't believe you still brag about that in the face of the crisis." Bragging about being Greek in times of crisis is one of THE Greekest things you can EVER do.* A Hellene knows that over the course of 2,500 years of history, you are going to have some valleys - self-imposed ones like the current situation, or external ones like the fall of Constantinople, the Anatolian catastrophe, etc. - and we are likely to brag about the valleys, too.
To paraphrase Louis Armstrong, 'If you have to ask what Hellenism is, you'll never know.'**
As I've written before, I'm not crazy about Tsipras but you can not question his Hellenism. What else would give you the courage - or θρασος - to go to Germany, as he did this week, and say 'despite our screw ups and fiscal irresponsibility you have to cut us some slack"?***
Only a people who invented logic can confidently push such an illogical idea.
One of the Hellenic highlights of 2014 was Greece's stirring victory over Ivory Coast in the group stage of the World Cup. The win propelled Ellas into the knock-out round and was delivered in dramatic fashion by George Samaras' penalty kick.**** As his shot hit the back of the net I screamed to the throng and our παρέα gathered in Public Tenley "H Ελλάδα ποτέ δεν πεθαίνει! Greece will never die!"
And we'll never stop bragging, either! ΖΗΤΟ Η ΕΛΛΑΣ! Long live Greece!
* I was bragging about one of our recent triumphs, Archbishop Iakovos' participation in the March on Selma. His role was highlighted in the film 'Selma' where Iakovos tells Martin Luther King, Jr. 'You are not alone my friend.' Apparently a second line of dialogue - 'Really? I'm the ONLY white guy here?' - was cut from the final version of the film.
** Armstrong lived for a time in Astoria, Queens, aka Greektown, USA
*** Cutting Greece some slack by easing up on austerity makes sense, too. Witness the US, who passed a stimulus bill under President Obama, versus the eurozone, suffering years of stagnation thanks in large part to German-imposed austerity. When the chips are down, a supposedly socialist-leaning Europe helps their banks not the people.
**** Coincidentally enough, this clip is in German!
This year's Greek Independence Day once again finds Greece in the headlines, as new Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and the Syriza government try to negotiate better terms for paying back the nation's massive loans in the wake of the lingering financial crisis.
That crisis continues to frame most things Greek. But one of the greatest things about being Greek is the ability to shrug off problems and not let them affect your sense of self, your Hellenism.
I continue to brag about being a Greek, so much so that a friend at work recently commented "I can't believe you still brag about that in the face of the crisis." Bragging about being Greek in times of crisis is one of THE Greekest things you can EVER do.* A Hellene knows that over the course of 2,500 years of history, you are going to have some valleys - self-imposed ones like the current situation, or external ones like the fall of Constantinople, the Anatolian catastrophe, etc. - and we are likely to brag about the valleys, too.
To paraphrase Louis Armstrong, 'If you have to ask what Hellenism is, you'll never know.'**
As I've written before, I'm not crazy about Tsipras but you can not question his Hellenism. What else would give you the courage - or θρασος - to go to Germany, as he did this week, and say 'despite our screw ups and fiscal irresponsibility you have to cut us some slack"?***
Only a people who invented logic can confidently push such an illogical idea.
One of the Hellenic highlights of 2014 was Greece's stirring victory over Ivory Coast in the group stage of the World Cup. The win propelled Ellas into the knock-out round and was delivered in dramatic fashion by George Samaras' penalty kick.**** As his shot hit the back of the net I screamed to the throng and our παρέα gathered in Public Tenley "H Ελλάδα ποτέ δεν πεθαίνει! Greece will never die!"
And we'll never stop bragging, either! ΖΗΤΟ Η ΕΛΛΑΣ! Long live Greece!
* I was bragging about one of our recent triumphs, Archbishop Iakovos' participation in the March on Selma. His role was highlighted in the film 'Selma' where Iakovos tells Martin Luther King, Jr. 'You are not alone my friend.' Apparently a second line of dialogue - 'Really? I'm the ONLY white guy here?' - was cut from the final version of the film.
** Armstrong lived for a time in Astoria, Queens, aka Greektown, USA
*** Cutting Greece some slack by easing up on austerity makes sense, too. Witness the US, who passed a stimulus bill under President Obama, versus the eurozone, suffering years of stagnation thanks in large part to German-imposed austerity. When the chips are down, a supposedly socialist-leaning Europe helps their banks not the people.
**** Coincidentally enough, this clip is in German!
1 comment:
Bragging about being Greek is not inherently Greek, and it really does the Greek people no favors! There is nothing better or worse about being Greek than any other nationality.
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