I have been posting and watching the television station SKAI’s much-boasted series on the Greek War of Independence 1821. In previous posts I have stated clearly that this series has omitted, bended and even in some cases re-written some of the events during that period. After watching the fifth part last night, I decided not to post any of the series on the blog anymore… and instead want to openly blast this television station of want-to-be Greeks for producing it.
Its revisionism, distortions and political motivation have aroused a lot of outrage, so much so that people have begun to gather outside of its facilities in protest every time the show is being broadcasted. I need not remind anyone that I had stated that we should watch it with an open mind, and later resort to commenting on whether or not it was a fair portrayal of that period… but enough is enough… I am not going to promote this initiative, for it is insulting to my Hellenic blood. I advise everyone not to watch it. It is a poor portrayal and unfair documentation of one of the most heroic periods of Greek history.
I want to fully blast SKAI for implying that contrary to our belief there never was a country called Greece or Hellas until the Revolution of 1821. The show actually had scholars (for reasons which are unknown) utterly lie claiming that the birth of Hellas occurred when the rebellion against the Ottoman Empire began. Oh really? Do these morons realize that they are referring to a country with over 4,000 years of history?
The show also spoke about how disillusioned we as Greeks are about the kleftes and amartoli (the thieves and sinners- Check Wikipedia reference) who only wanted to earn glory and riches and were not the righteous men we have been raised to believe. I need not remind everyone, that Kolokotronis (check Wikipedia reference) was a Klefti. According to these non-nationalists Kolokotronis and his band of merry men were just warlords that were elevated to the role of saviors and heroes, and they even have the audacity to characterize them as sheer pirates and thieves looking out for their own self-interest.The narrator of the series even went as far as implying in his Facebook status that Kolokotronis was gay.... and then when all hell broke loose with his comment, he stated that he wrote this for a laugh... I can only recommend that he undertake many hours of therapy... his idea of humor is totally disgusting!
Another point that was disturbing was its referral on the siege and fall of Tripolitsa and the events at Agia Lavra that began the uprising. Regarding the latter, the program noted that Bishop Germanos’ raising the flag of revolution surrounded by Greek fighters led by Kolokotronis is just a myth. This infuriated me… it was indeed insulting to hear. The show said that apparently, such an event never happened; and that it was an invention of the French historian of the Greek War of Independence François Pouqueville. What a bunch of hogwash!
With the little I remember of that period, from what was taught to me from Greek school in Montreal, the events at Agia Lavra are more than real and for the program-makers to even make this an issue only exposes their demonic agenda, which is to cast aspersions on the entire 1821 project and imply that generations of Greeks have been raised on lies.
With the little I remember of that period, from what was taught to me from Greek school in Montreal, the events at Agia Lavra are more than real and for the program-makers to even make this an issue only exposes their demonic agenda, which is to cast aspersions on the entire 1821 project and imply that generations of Greeks have been raised on lies.
Another part that boiled my blood was the show’s reference on the massacre of 8,000 Muslims and Jews that took place after Greek forces took Tripolitsa. It is despicable for anyone from SKAI to suggest that this event was equivalent, and/or can be compared, to the retaliatory massacres against civilian Greeks that took place in Smyrna, Constantinople, Crete, Cyprus, Chios, Macedonia and so on, and so on and so on….
There can never be any comparison to the violence imposed on enslaved Greeks, who were then a long-oppressed people seeking to liberate their country; with Turkish violence, because Greek people at the time lived under a permanent threat of massacre and even extermination and all the deaths that stained their hands had to do with their fight for freedom. Besides, every war has casualties, but it is sheer stupidity to label Greeks as being brutal or barbarians for fighting back.
There can never be any comparison to the violence imposed on enslaved Greeks, who were then a long-oppressed people seeking to liberate their country; with Turkish violence, because Greek people at the time lived under a permanent threat of massacre and even extermination and all the deaths that stained their hands had to do with their fight for freedom. Besides, every war has casualties, but it is sheer stupidity to label Greeks as being brutal or barbarians for fighting back.
Another point that also needs to be noted is that it was ludicrous for the show to suggest that in their historical relations Greeks and Turks are morally equivalent; because these “non-Greeks”, and/or the show's producers, said that the tension and potential for conflict that still exists between Greece and Turkey is totally artificial and it is based on nationalist lies and myths…. Huh? What? Are they kidding us? What about the invasion of Cyprus.... that is a myth? What about Imia and the night our two countries almost went to war? What about Smyrna and the genocide of thousands of Greeks? What about those three young soldiers who died for our flag in defense of Imia…? What about the area of Thrace and its influence in this area? All these incidents and many more just like them did not occur 100 years ago... they are happening now!
This attempt by these SKAI scholars to soften the events of that period is a tragedy. The majority of Greek people cannot forget…. besides we here in Greece know very well that till this day Turkey blames us for wrecking their Ottoman empire, which was the highpoint in their history. We screwed up this paradise for them, not just by revolting against them and passing on nationalist aspirations to the other minorities in the Balkans and elsewhere, but also in the last hundred years of the empire, when it effectively developed a semi-colonial status in relation to Europe, Greeks, as well as Jews and Armenians, had real power, political but especially economic, which Turkish nationalists resented, envied and were humiliated by. In fact humiliation was a major driving force motivating Turkish nationalism, and still is today.
So we have totally been raised on lies... Oh really dear friends at SKAI channel… how much money did your channel get and from whom to even imply such a thing? Does circulating this documentary serve as a basis to strengthen the interests of your employers? Maybe you racked in thousands and thousands of euros to produce this program and promote this falsehoods in order to cover up other skeletons in your closets… because I would hate to believe for one minute that you actually supported and even believed the nonsense you broadcast.
Whether you like it or not our culture still suffers from the wounds of this time in our history… our proud nation which was at one point the cornerstone of civilization was purposely pulled back and lessened to slavery by Turkey…. and if you believe for one minute that a documentary can turn that all around and just erase this from our memories then you all certainly need medical help.
Either that... or you are surely suffering from the Stockholm syndrome. The way you attempted to present the documentary series to us only makes us believe that we were actually fortunate to be enslaved by Turks… that we were having a “hay day” at the hands of these barbarians and that we should be grateful for everything they have done for us and return to those wonderful days of lore. Well if it is those wonderful days of lore and occupation that you want then I suggest you do just that. Simply immigrate across the sea to Turkey and allow us to live by lies.
Whether you like it or not our culture still suffers from the wounds of this time in our history… our proud nation which was at one point the cornerstone of civilization was purposely pulled back and lessened to slavery by Turkey…. and if you believe for one minute that a documentary can turn that all around and just erase this from our memories then you all certainly need medical help.
Either that... or you are surely suffering from the Stockholm syndrome. The way you attempted to present the documentary series to us only makes us believe that we were actually fortunate to be enslaved by Turks… that we were having a “hay day” at the hands of these barbarians and that we should be grateful for everything they have done for us and return to those wonderful days of lore. Well if it is those wonderful days of lore and occupation that you want then I suggest you do just that. Simply immigrate across the sea to Turkey and allow us to live by lies.
Yioupi and hip hip hurray for Allah Akbar, and three cheers for Mongol culture!!!!
Goodbye and good riddance!
To reference please check:
Posts
