Zito H Ellas

As most of you know, today is Greek Independence Day.  It's the 188th anniversary of the fractured Greeks coming together, initially in Kalavrita in the Peloponesos, to fight against the Ottoman Empire and declare the first Hellenic state ever.   

There had never been an actual Hellenic state prior to 1828 (the year Greece won its independence; the war started on March 25, 1821).  Everyone knows about the city-states, and Alexander united Greece for a time.  Finally, many consider the Byzantine Empire from the 6th to the 12th century the 'first' Greek state.  But though the Byzantines spoke Greek they identified themselves as Romiosini since their empire was the eastern Roman Empire, the direct successor to the Rome-based empire.  

It's a great story of disparate Greek factions (that's the picture on the right) finally coming together to thrown off the Ottoman Empire. Inspired by the French and American revolutions, intellectuals and merchants inside and outside of Greece reconnected with the ancient Greek ideals and joined together to start the war of independence. They also sensed that the Ottoman Empire was weakening in the Balkans, so their inspiration and organizing came together at just the right time. Seven years later, aided by the Great Powers who guaranteed Greece's independence, the modern Greek state was born.

It almost goes without saying, but to be Greek is to be arrogant and full of pride.  And nothing personifies that arrogance more than the day Greeks chose to launch their revolution and declare their independence.  March 25th is also the day Christians believe that the archangel Gabriel appeared before the Virgin Mary to tell her she would give birth to the son of God, Jesus.

Greeks have no problem comparing the birth of their state to the birth of Jesus, God the son. How's that for arrogance?  "Your country is the land of liberty?  Ours is the Jesus of countries."

Finally, it's one thing to compare classical Athens or Hellenistic Alexandria or Constantinople under Basil the Great to Jesus, but the Greek condition in the early 19th century was hardly godlike.   But the peasants, brigands, intellectuals, merchants, ship owners, clergy and others, drawing on the ancient Greeks, saw their new nation as something akin to the son of God.   

How can one argue with that?

Zito H Ellas!

(That translates into 'Long Live Greece' in barbarian)

HelleNews

• President Obama and Vice President Biden celebrated Greek Independence Day today at the White House.   I need to try to get invited to that next year.  A news feed from a pool reporter is below.
• Speaker Pelosi also issued a statement, and Congress passed a resolution honoring Greek Independence Day
• Finally, in honor of Greek Independence Day the House passed HR 146, the Omnibus Lands bill, to protect more than 2 million acres of new public land.
• Pretty big day. I'm tired.  

Pool report #3, March 25, 2009

Greek Independence Day celebration

POTUS and VPOTUS hosted a celebration of Greek Independence Day in the East Room, as they and their honored guest, Archbishop Demetrios, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America, took turns lauding the ties and shared democratic heritage of the two countries.

At one point, as the Archbishop appealed for US help in several issues of special importance to Greeks, the Archbishop suggested the President could follow “the brilliant example of Alexander the Great” and “cut the Gordian knot of these unresolved issues.”
That led POTUS moments later to joke that “I will tell Michelle that I’ve been compared to Alexander the Great. I will see whether that gets me a little more respect. At home she knows she’s still the boss.”

The “injustices” the Archbishop cited in asking POTUS for “your special assistance” included issues related to Cyprus; to the use of the name, Macedonia, by that country; and (and in this case I’d be cautious because I had some trouble understanding the words), difficulties faced in Turkey by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople.

The event marked the 188th anniversary of Greek independence.

About 180 guests attended, including members of Congress with, and many without, Greek heritage, from Maryland’s John Sarbanes to Sander Levin of Michigan, Carolyn Maloney of New York, Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, Robert Wexler of Florida and others. Also spotted: US Ambassador to Greece Dan Speckhard and Budget Director Peter Orszag. The Archdiocesan Metropolitan Youth Choir was there, and was to perform, but did not during the 45 minutes or so that your pool was there. Chef Michael Psilakis was cooking at the White House Wednesday night, offering what were described as signature Modern Greek dishes off the menu of his New York restaurant, Anthos: Open Goat Moussaka, Roasted Octopus with pickled morel mushrooms, etc.

The Vice President spoke first, for about four and half minutes, credited his first election victory to help from the Greek-American community, described himself as “an honorary Greek,” and declared, in one of many nods to ancient Greece, “Our countries come from the same historical DNA.”

The Archbishop spoke for about 8 minutes, and POTUS spoke for five and half minutes. The speeches began with Biden at 5:12 pm and ended by about 5:30 pm.