Athenians’ Society of New York To Give Back To Charities in Greece

     “Overseas Greeks must stand by those who are in great need,” stressed the Society’s president Panos Adamopoulos.

Members of the historic Athenians’ Society of New York are carrying out a new mission to Greece that is going to provide help and much needed aid for organisations suffering from the economic crisis.

      “It will be our sixth trip to support agencies and persons in our country facing serious survival problems”, the Society’s president Panos Adamopoulos told the ANA-MPA, stressing that “till today, our Society has provided about forty thousand dollars.”
     “A large segment of Greek society is experiencing tough daily conditions, while many agencies cannot continue their work any more. We hope that our effort, and those of other societies and organisations, will find more imitators in the Greek American community,” Adamopoulos noted, stressing that “it is now time to support Greece and its world. Overseas Greeks must stand by those who are in great need.”

He noted that the Society would be making two gifts, one of a large-capacity boiler to the Athens Public Orphanage and a 20,000 U.S. dollar cheque to the organisation “Mazi gia to Paidi” (Together with the Child).

Both gifts, according to him, that were collected through gifts to a campaign and a piano recital by Athena Adamopoulos at the Greek Consulate of New York, are expected to be presented to each of the two charities on the same day, June 4, he said

Anti-Hellenism in the United States - Part l

The story of Anti-Hellenism in the United States is one that is heavily intertwined with the country’s history of Nativism and Nordic Supremacy. It is a tale which begins in the early 20th century as an influx of immigrants began to come to the country from Southern and Eastern Europe. This increase in new immigrants led to some within America’s elite, specifically lawyers and academics, to begin expounding theories of scientific racism, which eventually resulted in the rise of Nativist organizations and the birth of an American Eugenics movement [1].

Contributed to HellasFrappe
By Ioannis Fidanakis
ethniki-epanastasi

Funded by various corporate foundations, such as the Carnegie Institution and the Rockefeller Foundation [2], American Eugenists would help to found organizations such as the Immigration Restriction League [1]. These Nativist organizations would work to prevent “inferior races” from entering the United State and “polluting” the American gene pool. According to them, Greeks and other Southeastern Europeans were racially inferior, and a threat to the Anglo-Saxon purity of White America [1]. In many ways, it was directly due to Southern and Eastern European immigrants that the United States began passing anti-immigration laws, such as the Immigration Act of 1924 [3], and created a hierarchy of nationalities [4].

What is Nordicism and how is it relevant to Anti-Hellenism

For Greek-Americans, Nordicism presents itself as one of many racist philosophies whose ideological core emanates Anti-Hellenism. Many of the first manifestations of anti-Greek behavior in the United States can be seen as a direct result of the popularity and influence of Nordicism in American society. “Nordicism”, says Professor Anthony Gregor, “involves the belief that men of the ‘Nordic Race’ – tall, slender, fair-skinned, blond, blue-eyed, narrow-faced, narrow-nosed, long-headed individuals- are qualitatively superior to the remainder of mankind. They are the creators of civilization, and their passing marks the passing of civilization” [5]. Nordicism, commonly identified in the United States as merely “White Supremacy”, is actually the racial theory that the “Nordic Race” alone constitutes a master race [6]; and thereby, is superior from all other races, as well as other subgroups within the greater Caucasiod or “White Race”. Therefore, “Nordids” are seen as “pure” and true contenders to the phrase “White”.

In the United States, the primary proponent of Nordicism in early 20th century was eugenicist Madison Grant. Author of the popular book, The Passing of the Great race [7], Grant supported a version of Nordicism, which fit within the many different racial philosophies of his time. Like others he divided humanity into three distinct races: Caucasiods, Negroids, and Mongoloids, and further divide Caucasiods into Nordics, Alpines, and Mediterraneans. In his theory, Alpines were the most inferior of the three Caucasiod subraces while Nordics were the superior. The main difference between his version of Nordicism and other types popular in Europe was his rejection of the “Nordic Migration Theory”, as an explanation for Greco-Roman Civilization. Instead, he supported an equally ridiculous claim that Greco-Roman Civilization was the result of the indigenous element mixing with a Nordic one and founding their civilization on Nordic ideas.

The Greek American experience with Nordicism and Anglo-Conformity

"White," which nowadays includes anyone of European origin, was then reserved for people of Anglo-Saxon and Nordic stock. Greeks were considered to be of mixed race, mongrels genetically inferior to their allegedly pure ancestors of ancient times and, therefore, incapable of ever approaching their accomplishments. Inasmuch as these writers saw the Greeks as inferior and not white, and despised them for this, their behavior was clearly racist. -- E.D. Karampetsos. Nativism in Nevada: Greek Immigrants in White Pine County

An Essential chapter in the story of racial bigotry in American society, the Greek-American experience, is often left out. The days of being deemed the ‘scum of Europe’ and ‘unfit for citizenship’ [8] or simply called ‘filthy’ [9] are all but forgotten. Somehow the Greek-American psyche has blocked out any memory of its experience with racial discrimination and instead has created an illusionary memory of a painless immigration experience. However, the truth is that Greeks were never welcomed with open arms by Anglo-Saxon establishment. In the early days, Greek immigrants were constantly harassed by organizations, such as the Ku Klux Klan because they were viewed as ‘mongrelized members of a once great Nordic nation’ [10].

For many Greek immigrants, direct and indirect policies of Anglo-Conformism would make them twice victimized. Newly immigrated Greeks often surrendered their identity and integrity due to pressure to conform to the Anglo-dominated notions of “American” and “White”. Thus, a process was born of becoming more “Anglo” than the Anglo-Americans, in order to survive and succeed in American Society. As a result, some Greeks Anglicized their names while others refrained from speaking Greek or teaching it to their children. Many willing committed a form of ethnic suicide, sacrificing their ethnic heritage in order to be reborn as Anglicized Americans for social and economic security [10] [11].

Violence and Persecution in the 1900s

The first documented acts of anti-Greek behavior would be witnessed in 1907 in the form of violent riots, which befell the Greek community of Roanoke, Virginia [10], and the 1909 passing of anti-Greek legislation, which was directly aimed at the Greek community living in Newport, Rhode Island [21]. These two events, however, were just a taste of things to come. Throughout the early 20th century, Greek-Americans would suffer racial discrimination and economic intimidation at the hands of Nativist groups across the country.

The extent of intolerance that early Greek immigrants were forced to endure can be summed up by two anti-Greek riots, the first in Nevada 1908 and the second in Nebraska 1909. Although neither riot was the first of its kind in the United States, both are well documented and perfect examples of the racist nature of these attacks towards the Greek community.

The first incident took place in the Census-designated Place (CDP) of McGill, located in White Pine County, Nevada. The match, which ignited the violence, was the shooting of Constable Sam Davis by Antonis Vasilopoulos. Nativist reports claim that Constable Davis, a known anti-Greek, was in McGill searching for stolen lumber when the incident occurred. While local Greek reports, claim the Constable had come to harass the Greeks for building a stable.

An ensuing argument resulted, in which the Constable pulled his gun and shot at Antonis. In court, Davis claimed that he came upon Vasilopoulos sawing lumber and “recognized” it to be the stolen lumber in question. While questioning Vasilopoulos, the defendant pulled a gun and shot the constable unprovoked. However, Vasilopoulos testified that it was the Constable that fired first, wounding a horse, thus forcing him to shoot back in self-defense.

As a result of the encounter, Davis fled the scene. What happen next was reported at the time by the Tonopah Sun as, “A serious time bordering on riots has been the experience of Ely for several days with the Greek population of the district” [10]. Davis eventually rounded up a posse and pursued Vasilopoulos. At least one man, Dimitris Kalampokas, was murdered during the witch-hunt. Reports claim Yardmaster James A. Smith and group of men hunted down Kalampokas who was hiding from the mob. When found, he was commanded to surrender. Kalampokas refused and was shot several times. Vasilopoulos and several witnesses eventually would be arrested.

Local media kept tensions high, with claims of a “Greek Revolt” while rumors of a Greek “Black Hand” society spread. Tensions grew so much that, on January 22, 1908, the local paper reported: “Loaded into two box cars, herded together by armed guards, nearly a hundred Greeks passed last night in Ely waiting to be transported to some other points, most probably to Cobre. This will be done it states, this morning” [10]. The undesirable Greeks were rounded up and asked to pay for their own expulsion. The Nevada Northern Railway refused to haul them for free, and finally those rounded up were released. Many left, of their own will the next day, no longer feeling safe in White Pine County.

The second and perhaps even worse act of anti-Greek violence to befall the Greek American Community would be the Greek Town Riot of South Omaha on February 21, 1909. The New York Times reported on the violence, stating the entire Greek neighborhood was burned down while the Greek population of the town was expelled [13]. The entire ordeal began two days earlier on the 19th when John Masourides [14] was arrested by Edward Lowery, without provocation while taking English lessons from a local woman. The story goes that during transport to the local jailhouse; Masourides pulled out a gun and killed officer Lowery [15].

Two days after the shooting, two state legislators and a local attorney called for a mass town meeting. During which organizers went on racist and anti-Greek tirades, exploiting tensions and raising emotions against Greeks [13]. The mob eventually grew and marched on the South Omaha Jail, forcing police to transport the prisoner to the main Omaha jail. Unable to lynch Masourides, the mob turned on Greek Town itself.

The mob of 3,000 [13] descended upon the ethnic enclave looting homes and businesses. Men, women, and even children were beaten while the entire enclave was burned to the ground. In the end, five people suffered gunshot wounds; eleven were severely beaten [16], and one young Greek boy was killed [17]. Within a few days, the local Greek community fled to places such as Council Bluffs, Sioux City, and Salt Lake City [18]. To make matters worse, a year later, local police took revenge against those remaining Greeks by lynching a young man named Nicholas Jimikas [14].

Anti-Greek Sentiment continues in the 1910s & 20s

The wave of anti-Greek discrimination across the United States would continue into the next several decades, with incident such as Gray’s Harbor, Washington in 1912 where Greek lumber workers were expelled from the area or the city ordinance of Pocatella, Idaho, which enforced segregated seating on Greeks in theaters and certain neighborhoods [12]. In places like Utah, at the end of the First World War, groups such as the American Legion would harass immigrant communities, especially the Greeks [19].

In the 1920s, the revival of the Ku Klux Klan would mean attacks on Greeks across the country. In Utah, Greeks would witness intense prejudice, such as one Magna Greek resident who had married an American woman, in response the Klan burned a cross in front of his store and his wife’s family home[19]. In Florida, the story of Chris Lochas demonstrates a typical strategy of the Klans towards Greeks. On July 8, 1921, three cars full of Klansmen drove out to Lochas’ restaurant. Three men entered his establishment and handed Lochas a letter, which read, “You are an undesirable citizen. You violate the Federal prohibition laws, the laws of decency, and you are a running sore on society. Several trains are leaving Pensacola daily. Take your choice, but don’t take too much time” [20].

Intimidation by the Klan in the form of boycotts and cross burnings were common place towards Greeks. In response to these growing racist attacks, organizations like the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association were born.

Anti-Hellenism’s role in the 1920s anti-Immigration Laws

In 1907, a bipartisan special committee was formed by Congress, due to intense pressure from growing nativist organizations. Commonly referred to as the Dillingham Commission after its chairman, Senator William P. Dillingham, the United States Immigration Commission was organized to study the origins and consequences of recent immigrants to the United States. Concluding in 1911, the commission found that immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe posed a threat to American culture and society. A decision, which the commission was led to by individuals such as Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, a Republican Senator from Massachusetts and member of the Immigration Restriction League, who first proposed in 1909, the restriction of Southern and Eastern European immigration [22].

Rising pressure from Nativist organizations finally scored a major victory in 1921 for Nordicists in American immigration policy with the Emergency Quota Act. Intended to be temporary, the law added new features to immigration law, such as, numerical limits from Europe and a quota system for establishing those limits. The Act ultimately put into effect suggestions from the Dillingham Commission, thereby, favoring people of Northern Europe and discriminating against Southern and Eastern Europe.

Interestingly the action set no limits on immigration from Latin America.

The law eventually was superseded by the Immigration Act of 1924, which included both the National Origins Act and the Asian Exclusion Act. It is this federal law, which Alexander Makedon points to in his paper, The Social-Psychology of Immigration: The Greek-American Experience that makes Greeks the most discriminated European immigrant. “As a result of the new immigration law of 1924, Greek immigrants were restricted to the lowest immigration quota than any other European group. If past immigration quotas can be used as a ‘discrimination index’, it may be argued that since Greeks were allowed the lowest immigration quota, they were ‘officially’ discriminated against the most” [23].

Also referred to as the Johnson-Reed Act, after its two main architects, the vehemently racist Congressman Albert Johnson and Senator David Reed. The 1924 Act, limited the annual number of new immigrants from 3% to 2%, of any ethnicity's population already residing in the United States. However, the statistics used were according to the Census of 1890, rather than the Census of 1910. Supporters wished to establish a national identity, which favored native-born Anglo-Saxon Americans over Southern and Eastern Europeans [10], so to “maintain the racial preponderance of the basic strain on our people and thereby to stabilize the ethnic composition of the population” [24].

Conclusion

Today, Greek-Americans have no knowledge that Nativist groups such as the Klan burned crosses in front of Greek homes and boycotted Greek-owned businesses. Today, the very term Anti-Hellenism does not even warrant a Wikipedia page, let alone an actual discussion of its existence. Why have the experiences of others that suffered side by side or for similar reasons been deemed worthy of study and official classification and yet the Greek experience continues to be viewed as merely the “average Immigrate experience”?

How is it that concepts such as Anti-Italianism can spawn academic study, yet Anti-Hellenism is left to the world of blogs? How is it, that anti-immigration legislation such as the Immigration Act of 1924 can be seen as evidence of Italophobia and Anti-Semitism, but, not of Anti-Hellenism? How have other immigrant groups been able to use the same experiences and legislative acts to legitimize their own unique forms of discrimination while Greek-Americans have not? This need to white wash the Greek-American experience and paint a picture of a happy and willingly assimilated community does nothing but harm to the Greek-American psyche. In fact, it is a dishonor to the memory of martyrs like, Dimitris Kalampokas and Nicholas Jimikas, who died because they were Greek.

Sources:

• [1] Margaret Quigley. The Roots of the I.Q.Debate
• [2] Kühl, Stefan. The Nazi Connection: Eugenics, American Racism, and German National Socialism.
• [3] Watson, James D.; Berry, Andrew. DNA: The Secret of Life.
• [4] Lombardo, Paul; "Eugenics Laws Restricting Immigration,", Eugenics Archive
• [5] Gregor, A James. "Nordicism Revisted"
• [6] Gregor, A James. "Nordicism Revisted"
• [7] Lindsay, J. A. "The Passing of the Great Race, or the Racial Basis of European History," The Eugenics Review
• [8] Evangelis Tastoglou and George Stubos. Ryerson Polytechnical Institute, York University. The Pioneer Greek Immigrant in the United States and Canada(1880-1920s): Survival Strategies of a traditional family
• [9] Evangelos Goulas. George Tselos: “Memories Guardian” on Ellis Island
• [10] E.D. Karampetsos. Nativism in Nevada: Greek Immigrantsin White Pine County
• [11] Alexander Makedon. The Social Psychology of Immigration: The Greek-American Experience.Chicago State University
• [12] Dan Georgakas. The Greeks in America
• [13] South Omaha mob wars on Greeks", The New York Times. February 21, 1909.
• [14] Matthew Namee. Anti-Greek Riots in Omaha
• [15] Officer Lowery also pulled out his service revolver and shot the Greek man."Edward Lowery", Policeman Down Memorial Page
• [16] South Omaha Anti-Greek Riot over today. The Eugene Weekly Guard Thursday February 25, 1909
• [17] Hill, J. (nd) “Interview: Helen Papanikolas.”
• [18] Larsen, L. & Cotrell, B. The gate city: A history of Omaha, Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press
• [19] Helen Z. Papanikolas. The Exiled Greeks
• [20] Henry P. Fry. The Modern Ku Klux Klan. Small, Maynard & Company, 1922.
• [21] Baker, Dr. Laura. Southern and Eastern EuropeanImmigrants: The Greek and Polish Experience
• [22] Senate Vote #126 (May 15, 1924)". govtrack.us. Civic Impulse, LLC.
• [23] Alexander Makedon. The Social Psychology of Immigration: The Greek-American Experience.Chicago State University
• [24] Eckerson, Helen F. (1966). "Immigration and National Origins". Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. The New Immigration

ATHENS - Commemoration of Pontian Genocide

Pontian Greek associations commemorated (May 19) the 95th anniversary of the Pontian Greek genocide by Ottoman forces, with a rally to the Syntagma Square.

Participants, men and women in traditional Pontian costumes, observed a moment of silence, in memory of the 353,000 victims of the genocide, perpetrated in Asia Minor between 1916 and 1921.

These Greeks lived and engaged in commerce along the coast of the Black Sea - referred to as the "Pontos Euxinos" (Greek for "hospitable sea") - and founded a string of cities and towns such as Trebizond, Sampsounta, Sinope and Heraclea Pontica (800 BC -1900).

The director of the genocide museum in Erevan, Armenia, Haik Temoyian, who hounoured the commemoration, stressed the necessity of coordinated action among Armenians, Greeks and Assyrians, the populations that were slaughtered or exiled by Ottoman Turkey.

Swiss Events For The Return of Parthenon Marbles

Parthenon sculptures have to be returned to Greece, noted Professor Dusan Sidjanski, the president of the Swiss Committee for the Return of Parthenon Marbles, during an event that was held at the University of Zurich earlier this week. At the event, titled “Europe and the Parthenon Marbles-Common Cause”, Professor Sidjanski referred to the Swiss Committee’ opposition to the legal claim of the return of the Parthenon sculptures, stressing that it is a European issue which must be resolved through dialogue at the European institutions’ level as well as through informing the public, especially in Britain.

The event was attended by scientists, students and members of various Greek communities as well as consul general Angelos Ipsilantis.

Sidjanski said that the demand for the return of the Parthenon Marbles is a unique case, which concerns the integrity of a symbolic monument which has been ravaged.

At a similar event, which took place at the University of Geneva, speakers referred to the peculiarity of the request for the return of the Parthenon Marbles, as well as to the ways of resolving cultural differences. At the same time they supported the proposal of the Swiss Committee for finding a mutually acceptable solution to the issue as well as to the disadvantages of legal resolution of cultural differences.

The event was attended by well known scholars, scientists and archaeologists and even Greek ambassador Charalambos Manessis.

Greek-American Scientist Wins 2014 Max Born Award

Costas Soukoulis, senior scientist at the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory, Distinguished Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Iowa State University and associated member of IESL-FORTH in Greece, has won the 2014 Max Born Award from the Optical Society of America. The award honors a scientist who has made outstanding contributions to the scientific field of physical optics.

The Max Born Award committee specifically cited Soukoulis for his "creative and outstanding theoretical and experimental research in the fields of photonic crystals and left-handed metamaterials." The award, which honors the contributions of Max Born to optical physics, was established in 1982, the centenary of Born's birth and is endowed by United Technologies Research Center, Physical Optics Corporation, and individuals including Joseph Goodman.

Soukoulis received his B.Sc. from University of Athens in 1974. He obtained his Ph. D. in Physics from the University of Chicago in 1978. From 1978 to 1981 he was at the Physics Dept. at University of Virginia. He spent 3 years (1981-84) at Exxon Research and Engineering Co. and since 1984 has been at Iowa State University (ISU) and Ames Laboratory. He has been an associated member of IESL-FORTH at Heraklion, Crete, since 1983.

His research interest is to develop theoretical understanding of the properties of disordered systems, with emphasis on electron and photon localization, photonic crystals, random lasers, and metamaterials. The theoretical models developed are often quite sophisticated to accurately reflect the complexity of real materials.

Soukoulis received the senior Humboldt Research Award; he shared the Descartes award for research on metamaterials; he shared the 2013 APS McGroddy Prize; received an honorary doctorate from Vrije University in Brussels and the first Frances M. Craig endowed chair in Physics at ISU. He is Fellow of the APS, OSA, and AAAS. He has served on several boards and committees for organizations, including NSF, DOE, and European Union and he is a member of the editorial board of PRL. He has been a member or a chairman of various scientific committees responsible for various international conferences.

10,000 Greeks Flood Philadelphia Streets To Participate in March 25th Parade

While Syntagma Square in the center of Athens was under lockdown for the military parade celebrating Greece's Independence Day earlier this week, there was a more celebratory atmosphere a mere… 8000 kilometers away on the streets of Philadelphia. As reported by cosmosphilly.com, it may not have been a national holiday in the US but up to 10,000 people from all around the US are estimated to have taken part in the annual parade for Greece’s National Day of Independence in Philadelphia.

Below is the full article reprinted with permission (photos and writing by Eleftherios Konstans):

      Philadelphia, PA – When the numbers were finally tallied, more than ten thousand participated and celebrated Greek Independence Day along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Vice President of the Federation of Hellenic Societies, George Horiatis said, that more than twelve thousand were actually in attendance. From as far away as Greece, Utah, Washington, Pittsburgh, New York and Chicago, Greek representatives marched with the Philadelphia metropolitan Greek community.
     The weekend series of events started at St. Thomas Greek Orthodox church, where the Greek School community put on an Independence Day performance, which included, poems, songs and dance.
     Later that evening, the Federation of Hellenic -American Societies of Philadelphia and the Greater Delaware Valley, hosted it’s annual pre-parade dinner dance, now titled the Eleftheria Dinner. The event was highlighted by a presentation of the Eleftheria Medal to Rev’d Demetrios J. Constantelos Ph.D.,D.D., that was awarded by Rev’d Emmanuel Pratsinakis of St. Thomas.
      On Sunday, Doxology services were hosted at St. George Cathedral in old city Philadelphia, which played center stage for dignitaries, clergy and the Greek community of Philadelphia. His Eminence, Metropolitan Evangelos of New Jersey, conducted the services and featured children dressed in traditional folk attire carrying the flags of Greece, Cyprus and the United States.
      Following lunch, masses of Greek churches, organizations and societies gathered to march at Logan Square, along the parkway that kicked off with the New York marching band dressed in blue. From the podium, both in Greek and English could be heard from Stathi Karandonis, President of the Federation and advisor Harry Karapalides, announcing each group as they marched by.
      More than 40 some organizations participated in the march. As they passed, a historic profile and commentary was made, signaling the crowd to cheer on. Flags of blue and white were everywhere and fans stayed throughout the event. Some even came an 1 hour early, like Harry Harozoglou of Broomall. Harozoglou comes to the parade every year before anyone gets there, hangs a big flag on the parkway in front of him, and contemplates the day before the parade begins. He said it’s one day of the year, I keep clear in honor of those that sacrificed for my freedom.
      The Youth of Alexander the Great Spirit of Macedonia Dance group closed out the parade with a series of dances in front of the main stage. A blue and white flag was raised triumphantly by Kosmas Yiantsos, one of the dancers. As they continued to dance, fellow members of the Pan-Macedonian Association of Greater Philadelphia and the crowd looked on and cheered. Zito i Ellas! - PressProject

Samaras Says That Greece Will Be Stronger Than Ever In Just A Few Years

Addressing the the Greek retired Reservists of Australia on the occasion of March 25th, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said that "on the 200th anniversary of our Independence our country will be stable, more prosperous, more competitive and more powerful than ever."

The PM left it to be understood that he while he too lived abroad for quite a few years, he came to udnerstand the issues encountered by the Greek Diaspora.

       "I have visited the Greeks of Australia, a country with which we have the best relations and often meet with your representatives. I feel, we all feel, your love for Greece just as I know, we all know your creativity. I was always puzzled why Greeks everywhere in the Diaspora show such dynamism and at home they languish. So today, we change our country. We are building a new Greece, where Greeks will showcase their talents and creativity, just like they do everywhere in the world.
      "Greece was reborn in 1821 after centuries of slavery. And now it is reborn again through the most severe crisis in decades. Then we won our freedom from foreign oppression. Today we win and consolidate the freedom and creativity of our people, from the dependence of debt and borrowing. We break these shackles. We eliminate the deficits of our economy. We restore the competitiveness of our production. We are paving the way for investments and develop the energy resources of our country.
       "It's been almost two centuries since 1835, when Catherine-Georgia Plessas arrived in Sydney, Australia, as the first Greek immigrant, following her husband, Maj. James Crammer. Or 1842, when George Tramountanas came to Port Adelaide, South Australia, as the first Greek immigrant. Since then, many generations of Greeks sought a better future there forging unbreakable bonds of friendship between our countries.
      "Nearly two centuries the Greeks of Australia excel in all sectors: professional, scientific, business, educational and artistic. We are proud of you. Like you're proud of Greece.
       "Today we lay the foundations so that Greece can very soon make you even more proud. In a very few years, on the 200th anniversary of our Independence, our country will be stable, more prosperous, more competitive and more powerful than ever.
      "This is not only my commitment. It is our duty.
      "Day by day we give this fight and day-by-day we are wining it. We know that we have you on our side. And we know that you, the emigrant Hellenism, are the greatest power of Greece."
At a press conference a few days earlier in Brussels Samaras had noted that Greece's image in Europe is improving. The two days of the European Council had been very positive for the country's image, the Greek PM said. At the same time he underlined that Greece earned positive comments from all sides for the successful conclusion of negotiations with the troika of its international lenders, the primary surplus confirmation and the decisive promotion of reforms. “Everybody underlines that Greece has met its goals and we are turning a new page,” he said, adding that “we are moving forward and everything will be done in the way it should.”

The Premier stressed that the Greek EU Presidency is deemed successful, as in the last two and-a-half months it had completed 54 legislative initiatives on tough issues that had been pending for a long time.

On the agreement in principle as regards the banks' Single Resolution Mechanism, Samaras pointed that it is the most crucial step toward the EU banking union. According to him, this move will clear the way for the stabilisation of the Eurozone, through confidence in its banking system, safety of bank deposits and liquidity.

GOOD NEWS - Gov't Wants SAE To Operate On New Foundation

Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Akis Gerontopoulos believes that there is a need to modernize and restructure the World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE) so that it complies to contemporary and new standards. This is very good news for the Greek Diaspora since SAE has done little to endorse and promote the issues that affect the Diaspora, and we all know that it has been totally inactive in promoting and endorsing Greek national issues.

While addressing a meeting of the organization committee responsible for the processing of a draft bill on the Council -which was held at the Foreign Ministry last week-, he said that "SAE must operate again on new foundation."

The meeting was crucial for the processing and the completion of a relevant draft bill, since the procedure has been stalled for nearly six months now because the committee lacked a new chairman.

Gerontopoulos said he was open to suggestions from all parties for changes in the text of the draft bill.

The submitted proposals are to be evaluated and processed by the organisation committee, while a second meeting in June will give the opportunity for the draft bill to be concluded and then it will be sent to Parliament to be tabled.

The meeting was chaired by Savvas Anastasiadis (head of the parliamentary committee on Greeks Abroad) as well as members of the parliament's committee, the board of SAE, the general secretariat of Greeks Abroad and all other relevant parties.

Greek man among the dead in East Harlem building blast

credit greek press

Athens native Andreas Panagopoulos who was living in New York for the past 25 years was confirmed as being among the dead in the East Harlem building explosion. The victim, 43, lived in one of the buildings that collapsed in a massive explosion caused by a gas leak on Wednesday, that left at least eight dead and 54 injured.

His death was confirmed by authorities after his wife, Liseth Perez Almeida, 39, and a friend identified his remains at a medical examiner’s office.

Perez Almeida, who is from Venezuela, said that she had left the apartment earlier than usual for a work event on Wednesday, while her husband remained there, working from home. She and her friends desperately sought news of Panagopoulos after the blast, visiting three hospitals to see if they could find him.

      “He was very smart and very Greek. He was very proud of his heritage, and he went back every summer to see his family there,” she said.

Panagopoulos worked for a company called Production Paradise, selling online advertisements. He was an enthusiastic and accomplished guitarist, and once played in a rock blues band called Evergreen. Since the breakup of the band he occasionally performed as a DJ.

*Editor's Note - What a tragedy, Our condolences to his family and friends.

Greek Ambassador in Ukraine Says Expatriates Are Safe

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Greek ambassador to Ukraine Vasilis Papadopoulos said on Thursday that the strong Greek community there is safe, and so far no incidents have been reported in areas such as Mariupol and Odessa -where some 150,000 Greeks apparently live-.

Speaking on SKAI TV, the Ambassador said that the Greek community feels weary over "the opposition’s dominance”, since they live in areas where the recently-ousted president Victor Yanukovych was popular. He also commented on the abolition of a 2012 law regarding languages used by minorities (including Russian, Romanian and Hungarian) and explained that this only affects the use of Greek in the Ukrainian administration.

Alexandra Protsenko is the president of the Federation of Greek Communities throughout Ukraine, which has approximately 150,000 Greeks living there.  A report on Euronews, left it to be understood that she is extremely concerned about the changes that are taking hold of her country.

She told gr.euronews.com that the Greek community there is united and during the crisis they more or less remained neutral. She also said that there are eleven MPs and six district governors of Greek descent in Ukraine and that there are many villages where Greek is the predominant language. She did however reassure all concerned that the Greek community is in contact with them, because they want to continue having a strong presence in the government regardless of who is in charge.

Orestes found not guilty at Chicago museum re-enactment trial

(Enet) - At the re-enactment of trial, held at the National Hellenic Museum in Chicago, Orestes, son of Agamemnon, of the cursed House of Atreus, was found guilty by two of the three judges presiding over the case, whose verdict, however, was not taken into account. The retrial of Orestes followed the tremendous success of the National Hellenic Museum’s restaging of the trial of Socrates, which took place early last year and featured the same all-star judicial team.

The Oresteia, by Aeschylus (525-456 BC), is a foundational literary work that examines the crucial place of law in society. Consisting of Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers and The Eumenides, the trilogy constitutes a deeply affecting study of crime and punishment, probing such irresolvable and vexatious issues as the nature of justice, the frequent conflicts between love and duty, the torments of moral decision making, our obligations to the gods, society, and ourselves, and the spiritual consequences of irremediable actions. Above all, the Oresteia shows us the burdens of a culture based on the lex talionis—an eye for an eye—and the blessings of a jury trial in a court of law.

The court participants at the Orestes retrial included judges Richard A. Posner (presiding judge), Charles P. Kocoras and William J. Bauer.

Orestes was defended by Dan K. Webb (Winston & Strawn) and Robert A. Clifford (Clifford Law Offices).

Counsel for the prosecution was Patrick J. Fitzgerald (Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom) and Patrick M. Collins (Perkins Coie).

The introductory remarks and the background story of the play was presented by Hariklia Karis of Kirkland & Ellis.

Serving on the jury were 16 distinguished Chicago citizens, among them J.P. Anderson, editor-in-chief, Michigan Avenue Magazine; Louis G. Apostol, executive director & general counsel, Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board; Alderman Walter Burnett, Jr., 27th ward, City of Chicago; John Corkery, dean, John Marshall Law School; Anna Davlantes, Chicago journalist; Dean R. Glassberg, regional president, First Midwest Bank; Angelo Kokkino, president of Ghafari Associates; Eleni Kouimelis, a partner in Winston & Strawn and president-elect of the Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois; Annie Kuhlman, American Bar Association; Anthony C. Kyriakopoulos, circuit judge, Circuit Court of Cook, County State of Illinois; Dan Mihalopoulos, Chicago Sun-Times; Dr Sara Monoson, professor of political science and classics, Northwestern University; Dr Robin Rhodes, archaeologist and historian of classical art and architecture, University of Notre Dame; A. Thomas Skallas, partner at Thompson Coburn and President of the Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois and vice-chairman of the National Hellenic Museum; Neil Steinberg, Chicago Sun-Times; and Larry Yellen, Anchor, Fox News.

Founded in 1983, the National Hellenic Museum is America’s only national institution to document and present the legacy of Greek Americans and their contributions to the American mosaic, while celebrating their Greek history and culture and the impact of their Hellenic heritage on the world.

The museum is located in a 3,700m2, three-story, eco-friendly building which is home to interactive exhibits, children’s education centre, research library, oral history centre, museum store, special events hall and rooftop terrace.

Eleftherotypia, EnetEnglish's parent publication, was a sponsor of the event.

Global Recognition For Greek-American Mathematician on Stability of Optical Waves

IMAGE: Practically speaking, Kevrekidis says, "Engineers get interested in waves like this, how they are propagated or, perhaps, how they can be stopped... but I like to understand the mathematics part. That's what is fascinating to me." Credit: University of Massachusetts Amherst

Mathematician Panayotis Kevrekidis at the University of Massachusetts Amherst recently won two international prizes that recognize his work on nonlinear waves and wave equations, which marries mathematics and physics to better understand how fiber optics communication systems work, for example. It may eventually help to make them more stable and robust.

The Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics' activity group on dynamical systems awarded Kevrekidis its John David Crawford Prize for "contributions to our understanding of localized solutions of nonlinear wave equations and for developing these for a variety of applications in nonlinear optics and condensed matter physics including Bose Einstein condensates and granular crystals."

In addition, the Academy of Athens, Greece, recently recognized the UMass Amherst mathematician with its Aristides F. Pallas Prize for his paper on "Nonlinear Waves in Lattices: Past, Present, Future," a review that included the mathematical analysis of dynamical models associated with optical waveguide arrays and granular crystal structures.

Kevrekidis says he thinks of his work as straddling mathematics and physics and always likes to keep in mind how his equations can be tested and applied in the real world. His rigorous mathematical descriptions of solitary wave behavior, for example, their interesting variations and interactions in heterogeneous configurations such as in two different materials, "take our basic understanding further," he says.

     "So later these calculations can be tested. Already some experiments have observed results that people didn't expect. We can produce states that experimentalists had not seen up to now."

Linear optical systems are chiefly used for communicating information, but in much the same way that some power is lost when electricity travels along power lines, information can be garbled or lost when flowing along optical fibers, especially over long distances, Kevrekidis explains. More complex, nonlinear optics can strengthen the focus of solitary waves, also known as solitons, so they resist the tendency to disperse and eventually distort the signal.

Kevrekidis studies the stability and dynamics of solitary waves in periodic optical structures and how their discreteness can create robustness. Such nonlinear systems are not yet well understood. Kevrekidis' calculations show how introducing waveguides, that is wafers built into the optical system to channel pulses of information, can lead to the structural robustness of the ensuing solitary waves over long propagation distances.

     "We knew that solitary waves are very robust, even if they collide or interact with other things like impurities in the line or other waves," he says. "They preserve their shape and character and keep the bit error rate low even over long distances. I contributed to the analysis and calculations that show that waveguides can help stabilize different families of solitary waves."

The Pallas award recognizes Kevrekidis' thorough mathematical analyses of fiber optics and granular crystals. The latter are chains of beads arranged in a lattice that holds them in a row or a two-dimensional array. The familiar desktop toy with swinging steel balls known as "Newton's cradle" is a simple example of a segment of a granular crystal lattice, he notes.

     "You kick one of the beads and examine what kind of a pattern propagates down the chain. It turns out there is a nonlinear traveling wave that is very, very robust and predictable, and our mathematical models can accurately describe it."

His award-winning work describes how waves propagate through an elastic system of individual (granular) particles (balls), their displacement from equilibrium, how far each ball's center moves from its resting center when hit by its neighbor, how the amplitude evolves and the acceleration in relation to the next bead. "We know less about them in higher dimensions so I and my collaborators have also written equations for those situations and we are currently exploring them further," the mathematician notes.

Practically speaking, Kevrekidis says:

     "Engineers get interested in waves like this, how they are propagated or, perhaps, how they can be stopped. Let's say there is an earthquake, a wave propagating through a chain of heterogeneous materials, or a blast wave. Can I stop the transmission of a wave, like an earthquake or a blast? Or can I perhaps create protective armor that would minimize the effect or absorb the shock of a wave? Those sorts of questions are for engineers, but I like to understand the mathematics part. That's what is fascinating to me."

Parliament Gets Briefed on Greek Diaspora Issues

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

On January 29, Deputy Foreign Minister Kyriakos Gerontopoulos briefed the Parliamentary Special Permanent Committee on Greeks Abroad on his portfolio issues. He underlined the importance of the Greek Diaspora in promoting Greece’s positive image abroad and stressed that “despite the economic crisis, we are trying to support Greek schools abroad through the Secretariat General for Greeks Abroad.”

With regard to the draft law on the World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE), he stressed his conviction that the law should be passed with a cross-party consensus and vast majority.

On the issue of representation – that is, whether the right to vote at the SAE should be limited to organizations or whether individuals should be allowed to vote or a combination of both systems should be implemented - he said that he was prepared to discuss all options. - Greek Agenda

Immortal Greek Soul: Expatriate Sings Greek Nat. Anthem With Pride On Live Broadcast of NBA (VIDEO)

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

They can destroy us as a nation, but they cannot take away our love and pride for Greece.

The setting: The live broadcast of a game between two US basketball teams managed by Greek-Americans. The Milwaukee Bucks of John Antetokounmpo, and the Memphis Grizzlies of Kosta Koufos and Nick Calathes.

During the live broadcast of "The Starters of NBA.com" show, which featured this sporty "Greek conflict", the host, Tas Melas (who is also of Greek-American decent), surprised his viewers and his guests by doing the unthinkable.

When the sporty conflict began to be broadcasted, Tas suddenly stood up and in front of his (stunned) co-hosts, and viewers, began to proudly sing the Greek national anthem. His co-host attempted to interrupt him thinking that this was inappropriate, but Tas totally ignored him and at some point even told him to "shut up" so as to allow him to continue! Tas sang the anthem, with a booming voice that exhumed sentiment for the Motherland and once he finished he screamed out "Hellas" while being applauded by everyone who was in the room.

What can we say... That is the reason HellasFrappe exists!

These are the Greeks who bring tears to our eyes, and motivate us to continue what we set out to do.

Bravo Palikari mou

Athanato Elliniko Pnevma - Which translates to the Immortal Greek and beautiful soul!

(At 37.53 into the video)

Venizelos in Washington; Meetings Set With Kerry, Lew & Menendez

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos', who is presently in Washington, will on Friday meet with US Secretary of State John Kerry as well as with US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew. Discussions are expected to center on bilateral and international interests as well as issues of the Greek presidency of the Council of the European Union.

During his meeting with Kerry, Venizelos is expected to discuss national issues (Cyprus and FYROM name), while the Americans are expected to raise the issue of terrorism.

Venizelos is also set to brief Jack Lew on the course of the Greek economy and Greece's EU presidency priorities, especially on issues regarding the economic governance in EU.

During his visit, Venizelos will also meet in Congress with the chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Robert Menendez as well as with the president of House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee Ed Royce. Finally he will meet with think tanks' top officials as well as with representatives of the Greek-American community organisations.

Epiphany Celebrations In Turkish Occupied Cyprus For First Time Since Invasion! (VIDEO)

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

(hellenicantidote) - The video involves a RIK news report on the 2014 Epiphany celebrations that took place for the first time since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in Agia Triada and Yialousa in the Turkish-occupied Karpasia peninsular of the island.

Agia Triada is a satellite village or suburb of Yialousa, and is home to some 100 Greek Cypriots who’ve been enclaved since the Turkish invasion, while Yialousa has been ethnically cleansed of its 3000 Greek Cypriot inhabitants and replaced by Turkish Cypriots from the Tylliria area of western Cyprus.

According to the author of HellenicAntidote the Turkish occupation regime did not allow any other Epiphany celebrations in the areas it controls and the permission granted for the services held at Yialousa/Agia Triada should not be seen as a goodwill gesture from the Turkish side.

Rather, it is an attempt to assert Turkish Cypriot ‘sovereignty’ in occupied Cyprus; turn Greek Cypriots forced from occupied Cyprus in 1974 into tourists; and kid the international community into believing that Turkey respects religious and cultural freedoms.

(A similar game is played with Pontian Greeks who are allowed to hold a religious service once a year at the Monastery of Panayias Sumela, near Trapezounta).

Nevertheless, despite being aware of the tactics of the Turkish occupation authorities, many Greek Cypriots insist on taking part in these pilgrimages as a means to show the Turkish side that they have not forgotten the homes, villages and churches they were forced to abandon in 1974 and, even after four decades, they still expect to return to them on a permanent basis.

Tarpon Springs Prepares To Welcome Epiphany 2014

TARPON SPRINGS — The city’s featured annual event is back: Feast Day of Epiphany. Thousands are expected to pour into Tarpon Springs to attend the Monday morning and afternoon’s event celebrating the baptism of Christ in the Jordan River.

The city typically expects more than 25,000 visitors to arrive for the largest celebration of its kind in the United States. This year’s will be the 108th Epiphany Day observance in Tarpon Springs.

Monday’s event begins at 8 a.m. with the Orthos and Devine Liturgy at St. Nicholas and is followed by the blessing of the waters at Spring Bayou by Archbishop Demetrios, head of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta. at noon.

A procession with the clergy, altar servers, visiting dignitaries, school children dressed in traditional Greek costumes, bands and choirs will begin at 12:30 p.m. The slow march starts by heading east from at the intersection of East Orange and Hibiscus streets, turns south on Safford Avenue and then heads west on Tarpon Avenue to the water. It culminates in the release of a dove and about 60 young men diving for the Epiphany cross in Spring Bayou.

Motorists can expect closures along Tarpon and Pinellas avenues from 8 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.
The Glendi, a Greek festival with food, drinks, live music and dancing, follows the cross diving and is scheduled until 6 p.m. It’s held at the St. Nicholas Spanos-Pappas Community Center, 348 N. Pinellas Ave., and admission is free.

Prior to Monday’s Epiphany Day celebration will be the Blessing of the Fleet at the Sponge Docks from 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. on Sunday by Archbishop Demetrios.
The archbishop will be at another event Sunday evening when he attends a dinner at the Tarpon Springs Yacht Club at 6 p.m.

For more information on this year’s Epiphany Day celebrations and events, call St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral at (727) 937-3540.

Bakoyianni Announces New Bill To Grant Diaspora Voting Rights

Once again the discussion about granting voting rights to the Greek Diaspora has come to the forefront, this time by New Democracy MP Dora Bakoyianni. In an interview to the Australian newspaper "Neos Kosmos" Bakoyianni said that Greece is a modern European country and obligated to give voting rights to its citizens who live outside of Greece. She noted that members of the Diaspora who retain a dual nationality should have the right to vote, as well as elect representatives of the constituencies that they belong to.

Bakoyianni said that the coalition government is preparing a draft bill on this issue and it will soon be presented in Parliament.

On the subject of taxation of expatriates, the article in Neos Kosmos noted that the Greek State should use different criteria. "It is not possible to tax the Greek diaspora with the same economic interests in Greece. Maybe we need to study where and how we can mitigate the tax burden of expatriates to maintain -and strengthen- their relationship with Greece, while at the same time persuade them to invest and/or do business in Greece".

These are great proposals, but in all fairness they are just words. The Editor of HellasFrappe has been lobbying to get voting rights for the Greek Diaspora for the past 10 years and every time the subject is raised in the Greek Parliament it is slammed by this country's Left, and PASOK in particular.

The truth is that the relevant provision had been voted into the Greek Constitution with the Constitutional revision of 2001 but, unfortunately, there had been no initiative on the part of PASOK, as government, nor had there ever been consensus by PASOK on the matter at all. Now that SYRIZA is the main opposition party -and home to most of those who opposed this provision- why would they agree to its enforcement?

The only politician who pledged to bring a draft law to force this provision in force and did was former Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis. In fact he did it twice! Both times, PASOK refused to vote in favor of this bill and from what we learn they worked together with SAE so that this bill would never come to pass. They succeeded, and as always once again deprived Greeks of the Diaspora of the ability to vote from their place of residence.

Only Karamanlis recognized that we deserve this right. He knew that this was our right, and he knew that the Greek State had an obligation to satisfy this request.

Unfortunately the Leftist forces in Greece have a slightly different opinion on the matter. They believe that this fundamental right should never be granted to the Greeks abroad yet they endorse the granting of citizenship to illegal immigrants at home. They forget that the Greek Diaspora supports Greek exports, sends its sons to the Greek military, and pays land taxes. They also forget that the Diaspora are Ambassadors of Greece and promote our nation, its culture and its history all over the world.

Let us hope that this time, with PASOK weakened, that this bill will finally come to pass. The Leftist parties in Greece have no right to deprive us of this right.

Ex-CIA Agent John Kiriakou Needs our Help – Help Him Get Out of Prison

Former CIA Agent John Kiriakou remains the only person from the Bush Administration era to have been incarcerated, or even tried, over issues related to torture. His crime? Blowing the whistle on it. In 2012 the Obama Administration brought charges against John because of his conversations with journalists about US torture and his supposed disclosure of an undercover agent.

Since entering prison, John  has released a series of letters detailing his conditions and thoughts. Now he needs your help! Nine months into his 30-month sentence, John is seeking to be granted at least nine months in a halfway house so that he may “resume productive contributions to society.”

He has put a call out to all supporters to help him push for a halfway house transfer by writting letters to the Bureau of Prisons residential reentry director, Erlinda Hernandez, and Federal Bureau of Prisons director Charles Samuels. Let’s make sure he knows that the peace community supports him.

Click on link below to find out how you can help.

Source: http://www.popularresistance.org/torture-whisleblower-john-kiriakou-needs-your-help/

Greeks in Siberia Keep "Flame" of Hellenic Culture Alive At Olympics Theme

(ANA-MPA) - In a far corner of the earth, in the land where legend sites the house of Russian 'Santa Claus' Ded Moroz, there is a group of Greeks who defy the kilometeres separating them from home and keep the "Greek flame" alive. The Greek cultural organisation "Elpida" has been operating here for 20 years, is active in the region and ready to organise, within 2014, the 11th International youth festival entitled "The Echo of Greece".

     "The "odyssey" of Siberia's Greeks and the town of Novosibirsk had and still has as its destination the "Ithaca" of Greek consciousness and knowledge, our ancestors' history and culture," said Marina Pusic-Trofimuk, President of the "Elpida" organization, to the ANA-MPA.

On Christmas Eve, Pusic-Trofimuk will deliver a lecture on Greek culture in the local prison facility. "Prisoners asked me to do it, because Greek culture is of a great interest. Inside the prison, where these people are, they wanted to feel more festive, listening about Greece and its history," added Pusic-Trofimuk.

The "Elpida" organization connects the Greeks with philhellenes, aiming to keep the Greek spirit alive in town. Marina Pusic-Trofimuk is also a musicologist, pianist and a Greek language school teacher. "I do what I can. The little Greek that I know, I pass on to my students with great passion and love and they learn. Perhaps I also pass on to them my love for Greece and this surely helps," said Pusic-Trofimuk.

The "Elpida" president's Greek roots are traced back to Mariupol, Ukraine. Her grandparents moved to Siberia during a great plague in the 1930s.

Greeks associate Siberia with severe winter, polar bears, Stalin's gulag prisons and Theodoros Kourentzis, a famous Greek composer and artistic director of Novosibirsk's opera. "We met with Theodoros...he was raised in Greece, loved Siberia very much and we are proud to have a Greek conductor in our country," said Pusic-Trofimuk.

It might seem strange, but Greeks of Siberia consider this place as their true homeland and they don't plan on leaving to settle in Greece. "We love Greece, but our life is here. We established our organization through initiatives by the city's Greeks - Symeon Ioannidis, director and producer who died a few years ago, Anton Papadopoulos, director of the state hospital and Andrei Nekrasov, a doctor," stressed Pusic-Trofimuk.

Ancient Greece and the Byzantine culture has taken root in this far-flung corner for many decades now, starting with the classical education offered in Siberia's schools since the 19th century.

This year's International youth festival is dedicated to Symeon Ioannidis, founder of the Greek club as well as a director and actor. The festival is divided into three periods. The first is from 6th until 18th of January 2014, including the international children and adolescents' painting competition, with the theme of "Sochi winter Olympics and Paralympics 2014". The fourth Greek- Roman wrestling tournament will take place in March, while an artistic, dance and theatre teams competition and Greek cinema mini-Festival will take place in October.

Other highlights include an ancient Greek state sculpted entirely of ice that was built in Yamal Peninsula, located in northwest Siberia. The creator-sculptor recreated ancient Greece, the birthplace of the Olympic Games and the news was broadcasted by all Russian media, becoming one of the week's highlights.

Greeks of Siberia show that Hellenism does not freeze even at the most inhospitable and remote corners of the world.