NEWS
oCV
ΓΡΑΦΕΙ ΤΗΝ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ
ΤΟΥ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ
ΑΠΟ ΤΟ 1915
The National Herald
www.thenationalherald.com
January 21-27, 2017
NEW YORK – As he takes the
oath of office as the 45th President of the United States, Donald
Trump will have in the background a cadre of Greek-American advisers who will have his
ear and be steps away from the
Oval Office.
Chief among them is his Chief
of Staff, Reince Priebus, who has
a Greek mother and German father – apropos given Greece’s inextricable economic links to its
biggest lender.
There’s also George Gigicos,
who is Director of Advance Operations and was close to the
Trump from the early days of an
unlikely campaign written off by
political pundits and Washington
insiders as a pipe dream that became their nightmare.
George Papadopoulos, who
directs an international energy
center at the London Center of
International Law Practice, will
be a member of a foreign policy
team tackling an unsafe world of
terrorism and sensitive diplomacy, especially given Trump’s
Would Mean Revised
Bailout Terms for
Beleaguered Nation
TNH Staff
know how he ended up where
we are now. What I know is that
a year ago he communicated via
email and text messages with a
woman who had been divorced
three years ago. She is not Orthodox; I think she is RomanCatholic. Her husband was
Greek Orthodox and member of
the St. Paul parish. Sometimes,
she had attended services in the
past. Those e-mails had
stopped, but shortly before the
New Year, Fr. Luke sent an email
to all the parishioners regarding
ATHENS – Greece’s left-led government said it would welcome
a decision by the International
Monetary Fund to pull out of
the country’s bailout program,
which is bogged down in disagreements on further spending
cuts.
Government
spokesman
Dimitris Tzanakopoulos accused
the Washington-based fund of
making “irrational demands” in
the negotiations, which he said
Greece wants wrapped up as
soon as possible.
The Finance Ministry released preliminary budget data
according to which the primary
surplus for 2016 – which excludes debt servicing costs – was
more than double the initial target.
Greece hopes a deal with European creditors and the IMF
will boost its battered economy,
give it access to the European
Central Bank’s bond-buying
stimulus program and, later, to
international debt markets.
The IMF participated in
Greece’s two previous bailouts,
but is still deliberating whether
to finance the current, third program signed in 2015. It says fiscal targets agreed upon between
Greece and the Europeans are
too optimistic.
“What the IMF decides is its
own concern,” Tzanakopoulos
said. “But what concerns us is
that it should take its decision
as soon as possible and not create pointless delays” in the
Continued on page 6
Continued on page 9
AP Photo
Chief-of-staff Greek-American Reince Priebus at the podium, with Donald Trump and Mike
Pence looking on, is just one of many in Trump’s administration with Greek connections.
St. Paul’s Fr. Melackrinos Suspended
By Theodore Kalmoukos
HEMPSTEAD, NY – Rev. Luke
Melackrinos was placed on suspension from all his liturgical
and administrative duties as
presiding priest at the prestigious St. Paul’s Cathedral in
Hempstead, NY for allegedly inappropriate electronic communication with an adult female
parishioner.
Ordained to the priesthood
in 2003, Fr. Melackrinos is suspected of sending electronically
inappropriate photographs of
himself to the woman. He has a
onnozweers, via Wikimedia Commons
Panepirotikos Fed. Essay Contest Announced
The old bridge of Konitsa over the river Aoos, one of the highest
of its kind in Greece is located in the legendary region of
Epiros. College students are invited to submit 1,500 word essays on “What Epiros Means to Me” to the Panepirotic Federation. See the related story on page 4.
Worlds Apart Boffo in NYC
Booked for Second Week
By Penelope Karageorge
NEW YORK – Worlds Apart, the
explosive and moving drama
that scored No. 1 as Greece’s
biggest box office winner in a
decade, has made an enormously impressive opening in
New York. Distributor Cinema
For subscription:
718.784.5255
[email protected]
Libre Studio, thrilled at the
film’s terrific showing, booked
it for a second week at Village
East Cinemas. It racked up the
largest per-screen tally of any
other film showing in theatres
across the USA, according to the
official show-biz record keeper,
Box Office Mo Jo, a huge
achievement in the highly competitive film world.
“I’m honored, touched and
overwhelmed by the warm response of the people here in the
USA,” actor/writer/director
Christopher Papakaliatis told
TNH. “Having the movie for a
second week in New York City
Continued on page 2
$1.50
Schaeuble
on IMF
Greek
Pullout
behavior about Russia.
Christos Marafatsos will represent the Greek- and CypriotAmerican community on the National Diversity Coalition for
Trump. Marafatsos’ role was to
advise the Coalition and the Republican National Committee on
issues critical to those groups.
This is the closest GreekAmericans have gotten to the
presidency since Spiro Agnew
was Vice-President and Michael
Dukakis was the Democratic
nominee in 1988, losing an early
lead in polls before being
thumped by George Bush, father
of his namesake who would later
hold the office.
Priebus and Gigicos are Archons of the Church, as is Florida
Congressman Gus Bilirakis. The
three will be honored, along with
Archbishop Demetrios at the Metropolitan Club in Washington on
Jan. 19, a day before the inauguration.
THE TOP DOG
The top spot goes to Priebus,
44, from Wisconsin, a steady
Continued on page 3
anniversary
cv
Trump’s Inauguration,
Administration Will
Have a Greek Accent
TNH Staff
101
1915-2016
A Weekly Greek-AmeriCAn PubliCAtion
VOL. 20, ISSUE 1006
st
wife and three daughters. The
National Herald’s requests to
Melackrinos and St. Paul’s
parish council president remained unanswered at press
time, but His Grace Bishop Andonios of Phasiane gave an exclusive interview to the Herald
elaborating on the allegations.
The interview follows:
TNH: Your Grace, what did
exactly happened regarding Fr.
Melackrinos?
BA: That is what I am trying
to understand myself as well. I
can tell you that no one expected this from him. I don’t
TV Icon, Greek-American
Betty White Celebrates a
Happy 95th Birthday
TNH Staff
LOS ANGELES, CA – GreekAmerican actress Betty White
celebrated her 95th birthday on
January 17. The only child of
Christine Tess Cachikis and Horace Logan White, she was born
in Oak Park, IL.
The family moved to California during the Great Depression
and it was while attending high
school that Betty decided to become an actress. A pioneer in
the television industry, White
worked in front of and behind
the cameras as the first woman
to produce her own TV sitcom.
She won 7 Emmy Awards during
her long TV career most memorably for her work on The Mary
Tyler Moore Show as Sue Ann
Nevins and for The Golden Girls
as Rose Nylund. Among her
other honors are 3 Screen Actors
Guild awards, 3 American Comedy awards, a Grammy, and a
star on the Hollywood Walk of
Fame. White was inducted into
the Television Hall of Fame in
1995. As of 2013, she also holds
the Guinness World Records for
the longest television career for
a female entertainer. White is
also a longtime animal rights activist.
On Dec. 27, a GoFundMe
campaign was launched by
Demetrios Hrysikos from South
Carolina to protect the iconic actress from 2016, a year that saw
the departure of so many
beloved celebrities. The description of the fundraising effort
read, “Help 2016 catch these
hands if it goes anywhere near
Betty White! If she's okay with
it I will fly to wherever Betty
White is and keep her safe till
Jan. 1, 2017. Now, assuming she
doesn't want a strange Greek
standing guard outside her door,
all monies will be donated to the
Spartanburg Little Theater to
help craft new stars of stage and
screen to carry mantle of the legends that have left is this year.”
The campaign raised over
$9,000 just shy of the $10,000
goal. In an update on the GoFundMe page, Hrysikos said he
would soon present a check to
Continued on page 3
AP Photo/thAnAssis stAvrAkis
Preparing for the Italian President’s Visit to Greece
A Greek presidential guard, or Evzones receives the final
touches prior to the arrival of Italian President Sergio
Mattarella ahead of his meeting with his Greek counterpart
Prokopis Pavlopoulos, at the Presidential Palace, in Athens,
Jan. 17. Mattarella is in Greece on a two-day official visit.
COMMUNITY-ARTS
2
THE NATIONAL HERALD, JANUARY 21-27, 2017
Peter Douskalis and Company Wow the Audience with World Music in NY
By Eleni Sakellis
pieces from a wide range of
countries and regions, yet all
share musical commonalities.
From harmonic relationships between Syria and Turkey or Mexico and Russia; rhythmic commonalities between Turkey,
Greece, and Albania, or meter
similarities between China and
India; progression similarities in
Armenia and South America, as
well as melodic consonants of
Ireland and the Philippines,
Cyprus and Iran, or Egypt and
Japan; music is a universal language that unites us all, as
Douskalis observed. He noted
that this is the first time a
Cypriot folk song has been published by a major music publisher, giving access to Cypriot
music, and making it mainstream in education where the
focus is usually on Western European classical music and pop.
Douskalis pointed out that a lot
of Greek music has been published in the past for educational purposes, but Cypriot music with its distinctive influences
was overlooked just as so many
other types of world music.
The performance marked the
first appearance of the Coup
NEW YORK – Coup D’Amour a
performance of World Music,
led by guitarist and educator Peter Douskalis dazzled the audience at The Bitter End in New
York’s Greenwich Village on Jan.
12.
Among the songs from
around the world were some familiar Greek and Cypriot pieces
including Samiotissa and Ta Rialia. The talented musicians delighted the audience with their
skillful playing while Douskalis’
comments provided insights
into the charming and movingly
beautiful works of world music.
The songs were selections
from Douskalis’ book of world
music arrangements entitled
Multicultural Songs in the Essential Elements for Guitar series recently published by Hal
Leonard Publications. The collection was created to provide
teachers and students of guitar
with a repertoire from around
the globe and an entry point
into the vast multicultural world
of music. The arrangements presented within the book are all
traditional, folk, or popular
D’Amour ensemble which includes: Douskalis on guitar, Susan Davis on violin, Gjilberta Lucaj on cello, Luiz Bacchi on
upright bass, and Jacob Yusufov
on guitar. The gifted artists
played so well, many in the audience assumed they had performed together for years. Rousing solos also highlighted the
virtuosity of the musicians. The
enthusiastic audience looks forward to many more performances by the ensemble, hopefully, in the very near future.
Among those in attendance
at the event were friends and
family, members of the press,
and colleagues including Pericles Kanaris, founder of the ensemble Synolon with whom
Douskalis also plays and collaborates.
Douskalis performs and
records professionally as well as
teaches music in the New York
City Department of Education.
Besides authoring the Hal
Leonard Essential Elements for
Guitar series book Multicultural
Songs, he has published his philosophy on multicultural music
education curriculum design in
the 30th World Conference Pro-
tnh/eleni sAkellis
Peter Douskalis on guitar, center, performs with (from left to right) Gjilberta Lucaj on cello,
Jacob Yusufov on guitar, Luiz Bacchi on upright bass, and Susan Davis on violin.
ceedings of the International Society for Music Education
(ISME) and has further presented his philosophies in Thessaloniki at the 30th ISME World
Conference, a TEDx Talk, and
the 32nd ISME World Conference in Glasgow. He currently
performs in New York City, pri-
marily working as Assistant Director and Guitarist for Pericles
Kanaris and Synolon. He also
volunteers as the President of
the New York City Chapter of
the charity Guitars Not Guns
and also partakes in Olympism
For Humanity Alliance, Inc. projects. His solo jazz guitar CD The
Dance of the Sea has received
national and international acclaim in Just Jazz Guitar Magazine, Los Angeles Jazz Scene,
Jazz Journal (UK), and Cadence
Magazine. More information on
Peter Douskalis and his work is
available
online
at
douskalis.com or douskalis.gr.
Kavakos Awarded Prestigious Music Prize in Denmark
By Demetris G.
Kiousopoulos
Special to the National Herald
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK –
Leonidas Kavakos, the leading
Greek violinist and conductor,
received the Léonie Sonning Music Prize 2017, worth €100,000.
The award is Denmark’s highest
musical honor and has been
given annually to an internationally-recognized composer, instrumentalist, conductor, or
singer since 1959. The award
ceremony was held at the culmination of the festive concert
given in the crowded Koncerthuset, the concert hall of the
Danish capital on January 12.
The award-recipient and soloist
collaborated with the National
Symphony Orchestra of Denmark under the Italian conductor Fabio Luisi. Former Léonie
Sonning prize winners include
Igor Stravinsky (1959), Leonard
Bernstein (1965), Benjamin Britten (1968), Yehudi Menuhin
(1972), Isaac Stern (1982), and
Anne-Sophie Mutter (2001).
The evening was a little solo
marathon after Kavakos successively performed the Concerto
BWV 1052 by Johann Sebastian
Bach, Concerto for Violin of Alban Berg and the Violin Concerto of Johannes Brahms. The
only purely orchestral work of
the evening was the symphonic
poem "Don Juan" by Richard
Strauss, played before the
Brahms Concerto, immediately
after the intermission. The concert was broadcast live by the
state radio of Denmark and
filmed for broadcast on television. The recording of the con-
AGnete sChliChtkrull
Esben Tange, chairman of the board of directors of the Léonie
Sonning Music Foundation, presented the prize to Greek violinist and conductor Leonidas Kavakos who was visibly moved.
cert is available online on the
Danish
Radio
website
www.dr.dk.
After the concert, which with
the break included lasted more
than two and a half hours, and
after the public praised the
Greek musician, cheering and
applauding him in a standing
ovation, the award ceremony
took place. Esben Tange, chairman of the board of directors of
the Léonie Sonning Music Foundation, presented the prize. Addressing the honored artist in
English, Tange thanked Kavakos
for his marvelous interpretations
together with a spontaneous
“wow!” He said Kavakos restores
the divine dimension to the music of the great composers, that
if the concert is actually a form
of communion with the divine,
then the Greek musician is
"Archpriest" of music leading the
divine liturgy that joins the earth
with the heavens! Tange noted
Kavakos’ Greekness and coming
from a family of musicians
steeped in classical and traditional music add to Kavakos’ interpretative style and reveal the
truth of the music in the same
way Plato asked the philosopher
to show the cave captors the
truth of the idea behind the
shadows. Then, Tange read in
Danish the official text of the
award.
Visibly excited, Kavakos gave
heartfelt thanks to the committee
and the musicians who played
with him, noting emphatically
the fact that unfortunately in our
time art in general and music in
particular, are always the first
target of cuts. The importance of
such awards is therefore that in
such times somebody rewards
the huge effort of the musician
to perform his task. The concert
is a moment that those involved
come into communion in silence
without any condition, and this
is the big moment Art offers us.
For this you need to realize that
art cannot be the subject of cuts,
but what can make our society
better.
This concert was the culmination of a week dedicated to
the Greek musician. Greece was
represented by the local diplomatic representatives and our
compatriots who managed to secure tickets to attend. The music
festival schedule began on January 10 with a recital at the Mogens Dahl Concert Hall with
Kavakos on violin and Enrico
Pace
on
piano
playing
Beethoven. On the 12th, the
Concert House Prize Concert
took place, followed by a
Kavakos-led master class on the
13th at the Royal Danish Academy of Music with violin students from the Academy and
open to the public.
On January 14 at the Concert
House, Kavakos performed
Brahms’ Violin Concerto at a
symphonic concert with the
Danish National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Fabio
Luisi.
Don’t miss our February 11th, 2017 annual
Greek American Wedding
Deadline for placing your ad: February 3, 2017
Worlds Apart Boffo in NYC
Booked for Second Week
Continued from page 1
and now in Los Angeles gives
me strength and joy. It makes
me proud to be a Greek and to
have the opportunity to share
this movie with many people
around the globe.”
James Demetro, director of
the New York Greek Film Festival, who first introduced the
film to New York audiences in
October, said, “This is a sensational showing for Worlds
Apart.”
He explained the tally, “The
number one film was Hidden
Figures, taking in $20,450,000.
It was showing on 3,286 screens
across the USA. When you divide the gross by the number of
screens, you get a $6,223 perscreen average. Worlds Apart,
playing at a single theater, sold
$14,000 worth of tickets over
the weekend. That’s more than
double the number one film’s
per screen average. This is a sensational showing for this Greek
film. In comparison, here are
the tallies for some of the other
foreign films currently in distribution: Almodovar’s Julieta had
a per screen average of $4,584
over the weekend; Elle, $1,505;
Neruda, $2,719; Toni Erdmann,
$8,193.”
Opening night proved special
both for the Greek community
and the extended community
who supported the film. Actor
J.K. Simmons and Papakaliatis
participated in a Q&A moderated by film critic Jeffrey Lyons.
Included in the enthusiastic,
capacity audience, actress Kathleen Turner offered her own
thumbs-up review of the drama
for the crowd.
Demetro orchestrated the
third night’s Q&A. “I got a lastminute call to ask me if I would
do a Q&A with Papakaliatis,”
said Demetro. “I expected a halfempty theater on a Sunday
night. When I got there, I discovered the show was sold out,
packed. Chris Papavasiliou, the
producer was happy, very happy.
This is a sensational showing for
this film. Everybody involved
with the film was very excited.”
Distributor Richard Castro of
Cinema Libre Studio told TNH,
“The film could not have come
along at a better time in America. We anticipated that audiences would embrace the beautiful essence of this movie and
propel it to successful openings
in New York, L.A., and beyond.
It’s easy to fall in love with romance in this film, but what’s
equally remarkable about it is
the idea that we should never
let anyone make us believe that
our differences somehow make
us less related as human beings.”
Commenting on the film,
Demetro said, “It has the potential to become the breakthrough
movie that Greek cinema desperately needs to impact the
American market. Worlds Apart
is well-made and beautifully
acted. Among his many talents,
Papakaliatis’ greatest talent
could be his ability to reach an
audience. Even though he’s
dealing with serious material
here, he does it in a way that
makes it accessible to a mass audience.”
Worlds Apart will open in Los
Angeles on Jan. 20. It has been
released theatrically in 13 coun-
E
LD
TH
NA
TIO
kosmAs koumiAnos
Christopher Papakaliatis at the premiere of his film Worlds
Apart.
E
N AL H
RA
The National Herald
www.thenationalherald.com
For more information contact: [email protected] or call: 718-784-5255, ext. 101
At the NY premiere, Oscar-winner J.K. Simmons and writer/director Christopher Papakaliatis also participated in a Q&A.
COMMUNITY
THE NATIONAL HERALD, JANUARY 21-27, 2017
3
Summer Zervos Files Lawsuit against Trump Days Before Inauguration
TNH Staff
LOS ANGELES, CA – Summer
Zervos, a former contestant on
the NBC-reality show The Apprentice announced in a press
conference on January 17 that
she filed a lawsuit against Donald
Trump for defamation when he
said she fabricated claims of sexual assault against him during
the presidential campaign. The
announcement was made with
Zervos’ lawyer Gloria Allred by
her side just days before the inauguration. More than ten
women made accusations of inappropriate sexual contact
against Trump during the 2016
election campaign. He denied all
the accusations.
Zervos alleges Trump defamed her in tweets and at rallies
when he said her claims were
fabricated. She also alleged in
November that Trump accosted
her in New York City and at a
Beverly Hills hotel in 2007. The
latest lawsuit had no new claims
of sexual misconduct. Allred is a
Democratic activist, but said she
has had no contact with Hillary
Clinton about the suit. Zervos
said she will drop her lawsuit if
Trump retracts his claims.
Trump has said he never acted
inappropriately toward Zervos.
Trump's spokeswoman, Hope
Hicks, said Tuesday there is “no
truth to this absurd story,” as reported by the Associated Press.
“I want Mr. Trump to know
AP Photo/mike bAlsAmo
Attorney Gloria Allred, left, sits next to her client, Summer Zervos, during a news conference
on Jan. 17, in Los Angeles.Zervos announced she has filed a defamation lawsuit against Trump.
that I would still be willing to dismiss my case against him immediately for no monetary compensation if he will simply retract his
false and defamatory statements
about me and acknowledge that
I told the truth about him,” Zervos said, reading from a statement, as reported by the
Guardian.
Filed in New York State
Supreme Court, the 20-page suit
calls Trump a sexual predator
and misogynist who assaulted
many women and then abused
his political position to mark
them as liars.
“But it was Donald Trump
who was lying when he falsely
denied his predatory misconduct
with Summer Zervos, and derided her for perpetrating a ‘hoax’
and making up a ‘phony’ story to
get attention,” it said, as quoted
in the Guardian.
Allred said she and Zervos
would attend the women’s march
on Washington on January 21,
the day after Trump’s inauguration. The lawyer also mentioned
former Arkansas state employee
Paula Jones, who sued Bill Clinton in 1994 for sexual harassment, as a precedent for suing a
sitting president. Allred noted,
“that is the essence and beauty
of our system of justice. No one
is above the law, including the
president-elect, soon-to-be-pres-
ident of the United States.” In the
Paula Jones case, the United
States Supreme Court ruled that
a sitting president could be sued
for activities that allegedly took
place before he took office. As
the New York Times reported,
Allred observed that Trump could
be deposed or have to testify if
the defamation case moves
ahead. She also noted that if
Trump lies under oath, that
would be grounds for impeachment as occurred with Clinton.
Allred said, “Then I think Congress will have a very important
decision to make,” the Times reported.
Zervos spoke only briefly at
the news conference, noting that
Trump left her no choice but to
sue and that she would continue
with the case until Trump admitted that she had told the truth.
She came forward like many of
the other accusers after the release of the tape of Trump bragging to former Access Hollywood
host Billy Bush about sexually assaulting women and then denying in a presidential debate that
he ever did such things. Sharing
her story on October 14 at a news
conference from Allred’s office,
Zervos said that Trump kissed
and groped her without consent
during meetings at his office in
New York and at a Los Angeles
hotel.
During the Trump campaign,
statements were issued denying
the accusations and then accus-
ing Zervos of seeking publicity.
Tweets and remarks at rallies followed accusing Zervos and other
alleged victims of fabricating
“phony,” “100% false,” “outright
lies” for political and financial
gain.
The lawsuit says that the president-elect is the one peddling
lies. “What did Donald Trump,
the liar and misogynist do, to
cover up his lies? He lied again,
and debased and denigrated Ms.
Zervos with false statements
about her. Trump knew that his
false, disparaging statements
would be heard and read by people around the world, and that
these women, including Summer
Zervos, would be subjected to
threats of violence, economic
harm, and reputational damage,”
the suit reads.
Allred observed that Trump’s
lawyers would bring powerful resources to defeat the case, but
that Trump must answer for his
actions in a court of law, not
through tweets.
As reported in the Times,
Allred noted that Zervos has
taken a polygraph test to help
prove she is telling the truth and
that Zervos has not received outside financial support for the
case. When asked about the timing of the case, Allred said two
months have passed since the
first demand for a retraction of
his comments but Trump has not
done so and must therefore face
the consequences.
Trump’s Inauguration, Administration- Greek Accent
Continued from page 1
Tenet
• Former U.S. Ambassador
John Negroponte, who served in
Mexico, Honduras and the Philippines and was America’s representative to the United Nations
• Former U.S. Ambassador to
Belgium Tom Korologos, from
Utah
• Former Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, who was
the Democratic nominee for the
U.S. Senate seat formerly held by
Barack Obama
• The late Helen Boosalis, former Mayor of Lincoln, Nebraska
who was the Democratic nominee for Governor in 1986
• Nevada Congresswoman
Dina Titus
• Former Nevada Congresswoman Shelley Berkley
hand in the campaign and key
link to House Speaker Paul Ryan,
also from Wisconsin, who has a
troubled and volatile relationship
with Trump, who will need to
rely on him in the Congress.
That’s where Priebus comes
in, as a crucial bridge to Congress
and as Keeper of the Gate to the
Oval Office with oversight of who
gets to see the president.
Priebus is Greek Orthodox,
following his mother, Dimitra,
who was born in the Sudan and
is known by her nickname Roula.
He earned his law degree and
was named as a Rising Star early
in his career by Wisconsin Superlawyers.
He lost a bid for the Wisconsin
State Senate in 2004 but was
named the youngest Chairman
of the state’s Republican party
before joining the Republican National Committee as General
Counsel in 2010 and being
named Chairman the next year.
He took the committee out of
a $23 million debt hole and
raised $88 million in a year, rejuvenating it and winning another term in 2013 and led efforts
to
reach
out
to
African-American, Asian, and
Latino voters – groups ironically
perceived by many as alienated
by Trump, who will need him to
soothe over that hurt.
Priebus got the Chief of Staff
job even though during the campaign he wouldn’t back Trump
for the candidate’s criticism of
the family of an American Muslim soldier killed in combat, and
called him out on some issues.
Trump, notoriously thin-skinned
and unaccepting of criticism, rewarded Priebus for his backbone.
Gigicos was one of the first to
sign on to Trump’s campaign
team. He owns Telion, an eventbased communications firm specializing in event management
and design, public relations, media affairs, and advance operations. His family is from Kalamata
in the Peloponnese and he’s said
to tell people Trump will back
Greece.
Papadopoulos is a 2009 graduate of DePaul University and
previously advised the failed
presidential campaign of Ben
Carson, and worked as a research
fellow at the Hudson Institute, a
conservative think tank in Washington.
According to his LinkedIn profile, he has had meetings with
Cypriot President Nicos Anastasi-
Among those with Greek connections is Trump Chief-of-staff,
Greek-American Reince Priebus who is an Archon of the Church.
ades. He obtained a master’s degree from the University of London in 2010.
MARAFATSOS CHIMES IN
Marafatsos’ role was to advise
the Coalition and the Republican
National Committee on the issues
critical to the Greek and Cypriot
American communities. He is
President and founder of Blue
Sky Capital, an investment brokerage and consulting firm based
in Washington, DC. An active entrepreneur, he was named Third
Best Entrepreneur in America under the age of 25 by Bloomberg’s
BusinessWeek in 2011.
Marafatsos said he believes
Trump’s background as an accomplished businessman makes
him the best candidate for the
Greek and Cypriot communities
here in the United States and
“also in our mother countries.
“Donald Trump will be a president that is pro-business, that
will fight for our beliefs and religion,” he says. Trump understands the Greek economic situation, but more importantly,
recognizes the economic opportunities and the skilled workforce
of Greece. “He will recognize that
we are a great country in need
of help,” Marafatsos said.
He’s in line with Trump over
keeping out unauthorized aliens
and refugees, a divisive issue during the campaign and likely to
be carried over into the Administration.
He is a “president that recognizes Turkey’s consistent efforts
to radicalize, Islamize, and oc-
Greek-American Reince Priebus will be a crucial bridge to Congress and Keeper of the Gate to the Oval Office for Trump.
VISTA SKY LOUNGE and CATERING
cupy our sister country of
Cyprus,” Marafatsos said, using
the same polarizing language as
the incoming president.
The new Greek-American
team for Trump joins a line of
noted politicians from the community, including:
• The late U.S. Sen. Paul
Tsongas of Massachusetts, who
also ran for the Presidency
• Andrew Natsios, a former
Massachusetts legislator who was
Director of the Agency for International Development (AID) for
President George W. Bush
• George Stephanopoulos,
White House Communications
Director for President Bill Clinton, then Senior Advisor for Policy and Strategy
• Former Maryland U.S. Sen.
Paul Sarbanes and his son, Maryland Congressman John Sarbanes, one of American’s pre-eminent political families
• Former U.S. Sen. Olympia
Snow from Maine, who had a
long and distinguished career
• New York billionaire businessman John Catsimatidis, who
ran for New York Mayor
• Gus Bilirakis, who succeeded his father, Michael, as a
Florida Congressman from the
noted Greek-American enclave of
Tarpon Springs
• The late George Christopher, who was Mayor of San
Francisco and an influential political leader in California
• Art Agnos, who was San
Francisco’s Mayor from 1988-92
• Former CIA Director George
At the Penthouse of the Four Points by Sheraton
Long Island City
Ideal for WEDDINGS and All Your Events
Greek Hospitality
Affordable prices
Breathtaking views
of Manhattan
Continued from page 1
AP Photo
the head of the Spartanburg Little Theater, minus the fees
charged on the site.
In honor of Betty White’s
95th birthday, here are some
wonderful quotes she has shared
over the years, as reported in
People magazine.
From her 2010 opening
monologue on Saturday Night
Live, White said, “I didn’t know
what Facebook was and now
that I do know what it is, it
sounds like a huge waste of time
In this April 26, 2015, file
photo, Betty White accepts
the lifetime achievement
award at the 42nd annual
Daytime Emmy Awards.
White turned 95 on Jan 17.
… at my age if I want to connect
with old friends, I need a Ouija
board…In my day, seeing pictures of people’s vacations was
considered a punishment.”
From an interview in the
New York Times, she said, “I’m
a health nut. My favorite food
is hot dogs with French fries.
And my exercise: I have a twostory house and a very bad
memory, so I’m up and down
those stairs.”
In her book If You Ask Me
(And Of Course You Won’t) published in 2011, she wrote, “You
can lie to anyone in the world
and even get away with it, perhaps, but when you are alone
and look into your own eyes in
the mirror, you can’t sidestep
the truth. Always be sure you
can meet those eyes directly.”
ab
Betty White Celebrates 95th Birthday
Four Points by Sheraton, 27-05 39th Ave
Long Island City, NY 11101
Tel.: 347.536.3606 • www.vistany.com
COMMUNITY
4
THE NATIONAL HERALD, JANUARY 21-27, 2017
The Panepirotic Federation Announces “My Epiros” Essay Contest
TNH Staff
Nicholas Gage, President of
the Federation.
WESTBOROUGH, MA – The
Panepirotic Federation of America is sponsoring an essay contest
for college students who trace
their ancestry to the legendary
region of Epiros. “We plan to give
two prizes of $2,500 each for the
best essays about the two parts
of Epiros- the northern region,
which was made part of Albania
a century ago despite its totally
Greek identity, as well as the area
that constitutes the northwestern
region of Greece,” said Nicholas
Gage, President of the Federa-
tion.
The theme of the essay is
“What Epiros Means to Me” and
the students will be free to describe in 1,500 words what they
know, value, and love about
their ancestral homeland. The
two winners will be chosen by
a committee made up of at least
two college professors who
know about Epiros, but are not
members of the Panepirotic Federation, the president said. “We
want the selection to be made
entirely on merit,” Gage noted.
The essays may be mailed to the
Panepirotic Federation 36 East
Main Street, Westborough, MA
01581. The deadline for submissions is April 1.
The essay contest is part of
an extensive effort by the
Panepirotic Federation to reach
young people whose parents or
grandparents were born in the
two parts of the historic Epiros
region where Aristotle said the
Greek language originated.
As part of that effort, the Federation each year sends young
men and women to an intensive
language and cultural program
conducted by the University of
Ioannina every summer during
the month of July. Several dozen
students have participated in
the program so far and have returned with a deeper understanding and appreciation of
their Hellenic heritage. “With
this essay contest, we hope to
deepen the interest of our young
people in the culture and history
of the legendary region of
Epiros where Aristotle tells us
the Greek language and identity
originated,” Gage said.
Preview of Hellenic Dancers of NJ 45th Anniversary Taverna Night
TNH Staff
HOLMDEL, NJ – The nationally
regarded Hellenic Dancers of
New Jersey (HDNJ) present its
45th Anniversary Taverna Night
Dinner Dance on January 28, at
the Kimisis Tis Theotokou Greek
Orthodox Church in Holmdel.
All proceeds from the event,
which includes dinner, music,
and a fashion show, will support
HDNJ in preserving the folk
dance customs of Greece, perpetuating Greek heritage in
America, and the dance troupe’s
2017 touring schedule.
As the first organization of
its kind in New Jersey, HDNJ
has evolved to assume a vital
cultural role in the community.
It has inspired the creation of
Greek folk dance groups all over
the country, and functions as an
integral component in maintaining the tradition of Greek folk
dance in America through performances, historical research,
and teaching. Spiro Petroutsos,
Artistic Director spoke about the
important milestone the troupe
has reached, “This year marks
the 45th anniversary of the Hellenic Dancers of New Jersey. It
is because of this milestone that
this year's program will not only
aim to educate and entertain as
always, but will also serve to
celebrate HDNJ's 45 years of excellence. It is an honor to carry
on this group's legacy, as well
as showcase some of the amazing things we are capable of going forward.”
While the 45th Anniversary
Taverna Night is a dinner dance
that will celebrate the history of
Courtesy of hellenic Dancers of new Jersey
Hellenic Dancers of New Jersey pose for a photo. From left to right, Back row: Christine Khalil,
Ronnie Filippatos, Katina Vosinas, Stephanie Karatzia, Anna-Maria Delardas, Panayiota Kalimanis, Stavroula Wagner, Delia Noone, Marie Khalil Front row: Dimitri Koutsoras, Artistic Director Spiro Petroutsos, Anthony Favara, George Markos, Nick Vosinas.
HDNJ in terms of the performance and fashion show, the
event is a chance for the
troupe’s friends, supporters,
alumni, and anyone who has a
love of Greek culture to dance
the night away.
Founded in 1972, by Fr. Jim
and Eleni Chakalos, the HDNJ
has researched, presented, and
preserved over 350 folk dances,
songs, and traditions from mainland Greece, its islands, Cyprus,
and Asia Minor, and passed
them on to three generations of
Greek-Americans. The troupe
has been commended numerous
times throughout its 45-year history, for its dedication to its mission, as well as the enthusiasm
and excitement of its performances. The dance troupe is
currently comprised of first, second, third, and fourth generation Greek-Americans, ranging
in age from 16–45, and representing the many Greek communities of New Jersey.
The National Herald Bookstore
Exercise your mind with the latest books
from The National Herald’s Collection
Α Taste of Greece
ab
HRH Princess Tatiana
Diana Farr Louis
THE PERFECT GIFT
FOR CHRISTMAS
NOT JUST ANOTHER COOKBOOK,
A Taste of Greece could have been called
For the Love of Greece, as it became a project that brought together well-known personalities from across the world who all
share a special bond with this ever-fascinating Mediterranean country. They gave
us their favourite recipes, told us of their
much-loved foods, and opened their
hearts as they shared their memories and
revealed what Greece means to them. A
Taste of Greece represents a collaborative
effort between HRH Princess Tatiana,
who has made Athens her home since
2013; Diana Farr Louis, a New Yorker
who first came to Greece in 1963; and
the Athens-based NGO BOROUME ("We
Can"]. Founded in 2011, BOROUME is
the only nonprofit organization in
Greece dedicated to reducing food waste
and fighting malnutrition at the same
$ 35.00
Includes Shipping & Handling
time, by creating networks of food
donors and receivers throughout the country. Through this book,
you will see, feel, and taste a Greece that may be new to you. Most importantly, you
will join a global community of active citizens who are eager to support the country
they love. All proceeds from this book's sale will support BOROUME in supplying meals
for still more families and building a closer sense of community and solidarity.
o r D e r
F o r m
Price includes shipping and handling.
Please return this form with your check or money order payable to:
National Herald, Inc. 37-10 30th Street, L.I.C, NY 11101-2614
[email protected] • [email protected] or charge your credit card:
o American express o master Card o visa o Discover
αCCouNt:
εxpIratIoN Date:
CItY:
State:
zIp CoDe:
pHoNe:
Fax:
CeLL:
e-maIL:
SIgNature:
Ronald Reagan, Statue of Liberty Weekend Grand Finale,
20/20 ABC Television Program,
Queens College of Byzantine
and Modern Greek Studies Benefit, O. Elytis Chair of Modern
All proceeds from the
event will support HDNJ
in preserving the folk
dance customs of Greece
and Greek culture
Greek Studies at Rutgers University Benefit, Union County
College Folk Arts Festival, the
NJ State Ethnic and Diversity
Festival, for Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew upon his first
official visit to New Jersey, and
Greek Heritage Day with the
Metrostars. Members of the
troupe participated in the Closing Ceremonies of the 2004
Olympics in Athens and at the
2006 Centennial Epiphany celebrations in Tarpon Springs, FL.
Reservations for the January
28 event can be made by contacting Cheryl Bontales at hellenicdancersofnj.org.
MAHI Society of Vancouver
Helping Those in Need in Greece
TNH Staff
VANCOUVER, BC – The nonprofit MAHI Society (Mothers
Assisting Humanitarian Initiatives) began four years ago with
a mission to provide humanitarian aid to Greece. Golfo Tsakumis, Founder of MAHI Society
told The National Herald of the
many accomplishments of the
organization which began she
said with no money, “only our
love and care for the mothers
and children in Greece who are
suffering.” Since 7 mothers in
Vancouver began it, Tsakumis
noted that MAHI Society has
shipped “5 containers full of gently used clothing in the amount
of $3 million went to organizations like Hamogelo, Kyvotos,
SOS villages, Mitera, and Alkioni
AMEA, and many more. We are
still collecting almost new, used
clothing to send in the spring.”
The organization also provides food, medical supplies,
and basic items to those in need
in Europe and Canada. As noted
on the MAHI Society website,
“the Canadian Government registered non-profit, philanthropic
society was created out of concern for the daily struggle and
pain faced by the most vulnerable among us both here at home
and in Greece. Our society’s
name is rooted in the Greek
word mahi (“MA-hee) which
translates to the word battle.
MAHI is pragmatic about
hunger and poverty in both of
these countries. These situations
affect millions of people who
struggle to live a healthy life in
a respectful environment. MAHI
will strive to create better and
healthier environment for those
who find it difficult to survive
under adverse conditions by
providing food and clothing.
MAHI would like to provide the
hope of a better future.”
The founding members of
MAHI are: Golfo TsakumisFounder, co-President; Anna
Zibarras- President; Beverley
Gerolymatos- Vice president &
Head of Animal Care Division;
Sophia Tsakumis-Communications; Christina Zambus- Secretary; Dr. Angela HutchinsonMedical Advisor, Treasurer; Dr.
Courtesy of mAhi society
MAHI Society founder and CEO Golfo Tsakumis and President
Anna Zibarras with a container of items ready to be shipped to
those in need in Greece.
Marylene Kyriazis- Pharmaceutical Advisor
Tsakumis told TNH that
“MAHI has the support of our
churches, our organizations,
and recently we were awarded
by the AHEPA in Vancouver.”
She was recently interviewed
on the Greek TV station ERT
about the organization and its
dream. Encouraging everyone
to help as best they can, Tsakumis observed that, “Our brothers and sisters in Greece need
us now, not later.”
She also noted that “a new
campaign has been started by
the former Canadian Ambassador to Greece Robert Peck.
MAHI Society is part of these efforts to fundraise enough money
to remodel a house in Lesvos
which was donated by a lady to
the Hamogelo [Greek nonprofit
organization]. The house will
host 25 orphan refugee children. The house is called ‘the
house of Canada and the Americas’ so as you can see we will
have to work together with the
Greeks in the USA to help
Hamogelo on this effort. Mr.
[Kostas] Yiannopoulos [of
Hamogelo] will be coming to
Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver for this in May.”
Past humanitarian projects
include the relief effort after the
Kefalonia earthquake in 2014
and the continuing efforts to aid
Greece during the economic crisis. For those interested in helping the humanitarian efforts of
the organization, more information is available on the MAHI
Society website www.mahisociety.com and on the MAHI Society Facebook page.
Don’t miss... The National Herald’s
ναμε:
αDDreSS:
“I myself, and the instructional staff have the privilege of
continuing what Fr. Jim and
Mrs. C started, and that is not a
privilege that any of us take
lightly,” said Petroutsos. “We understand the importance of the
position that we are in, and are
extremely excited about the opportunity to leave our stamp on
the HDNJ, while remembering
and honoring all of the instructors and dancers that came before us. Without the Hellenic
Dancer of NJ's rich history, we
would not have the amazing opportunities that lay before us today. This year’s Taverna Night
is not only intended to entertain
(which we know it will!), but it
is also meant for the dancers of
today to say ‘thank you’ to Mrs.
C, Fr. Jim, the dancers of yesterday, and the 45-year legacy
that they have left behind.”
This troupe is nationally recognized for its presentation of
Greek traditions and has performed at a number of local and
national events during its 45year history, including: Dukakis
Presidential Rally, Inaugural Festivities for former President
The
50 Wealthiest
Greeks in America
February 25th, 2017
THE NATIONAL HERALD, JANUARY 21-27, 2017
HISTORICAL COMMENTARY
5
Giving Credit Where Credit is Due: Greek Pizza in the New World
By Steve Frangos
TNH Staff Writer
It may be hard to believe, but
pizza has only been readily
available to the American public
since 1943. Prior to the end of
World War II, pizza was exclusively found in small specialty
shops in Italian-American neighborhoods. And even in those
venues it is generally accepted
that the first public outlet for
pizza in North America was licensed no earlier than 1905.
As with all prepared foods,
once pizza became popular,
American restaurants that made
the product quickly began to appear all across the nation. Since
the late 1950s, Greek-Americans
are widely recognized as having
created distinctly unique pizzas.
While historical accounts different on the origin details of these
Greek culinary contributions to
the American pizza, there is no
controversy insofar as that they
constitute, at least, three
broadly conceived types of pizzas.
Of these varieties, Greek
pizza from New England seems
to be the first to have entered
the American consciousness. In
the late 1950s and early 1960s
as Italian-Americans began to
leave the pizzeria business in
Boston and the New England
states newly arriving Greek immigrants first began to find employment in these pizzerias later
purchasing many of them.
This usage of the phrase
“Greek pizza” refers to a style
of pizza crust and its preparation. “This style is baked in a
pan, instead of directly on the
bricks of the pizza oven, (as is
more traditional for Italian
pizza). The pan used is a shal-
low pan, in contrast to the deep
pans used in Chicago-style deep
dish pizza. The pan is heavily
oiled with olive oil. It has a crust
that is usually chewy and puffy,
almost like focaccia bread but
not as thick. The crust is also
rather oily, due to the heavily
oiled pan used for the cooking
process. The sauce is typical
zesty, with a strong taste of
basil. The sauce amounts are
greater, relative to the light
amounts of cheese placed on the
pizza. The cheese itself is typically, (but not always), a blend
of mozzarella and cheddar
(amazingribs.com).”
These Greek-owned pizzerias
are also known to sell other
types of Greek food, such as
Greek salads, gyros, mezedes
and even, at times, pastries.
Since the 1950s, it has come to
be understood across New England that should the name of
the individual pizzeria included
such phrases as "Pizza and
Pasta" or as a "House of Pizza"
it is understood to be a Greek
restaurant serving Italian-style
food. For further reading, consider The Social Basis Ethnic Enterprise: Greeks in the Pizza
Business by Lawrence Allen
Lovell-Troy (Garland Publishing,
1990). Lovell-Troy was a sociologist who studied various
Greek-owned pizzerias in Connecticut. This book is now outof-print but available through libraries.
Predictably, “Greek pizza” is
one whose usage refers to a
pizza with typically (or stereotypically) Greek ingredients as
toppings. These include feta
cheese, olives (e.g., Kalamata),
onion, tomato, green bell pepper, gyros meat and spinach, but
often lack any tomato sauce.
These pizzas can be found
across the United States. Logically, it would seem such top-
pings only became popular
among Americans after Greek
food itself was both widely
available and sought after by the
average American.
I generally agree with those
writers who place the explosion
of Greek food ways onto the
American scene with the issuance and popularity of the
three film classics: Never on
Sunday (1960), Zorba the Greek
(1964), and Z (1969). Yet I
would add the caveat that if the
Greek (most often immigrant)
restaurateurs were not already
in place, that nearly immediate
acceptance of Greek food by
Americans might not have occurred – or at least to the degree
in which it did on a national
level.
This leads us to yet another
pizza once again immediately
identifiable as Greek: the gyros
pizza. Since the history of gyros
in North America is itself disputed, we cannot yet offer even
a probable date for the introduction of gyros pizza. But even
the most causal glance at a
pizzeria menu reveals that these
two styles of pizzas are very,
very different. So while these
are the three “Greek” pizzas
most recognized as associated
with Greek-owned restaurants
there is yet one more said by
many sources to have been first
created by a Greek immigrant
restaurateurs, the Hawaiian
pizza.
The Village Voice, National
Post, Toronto Sun, London Free
Press, Chatham Daily News and
numerous other newspapers,
magazines, Internet sources,
and television reports all credit
Sam Panopoulos' claim that he
created the first Hawaiian pizza.
Panopoulos claims to have
first come up with the idea of
placing pineapples and ham on
a regular pizza in 1960 at the
Family Circle Restaurant in
Chatham, Ontario, Canada on
147 Wellington Street. He was
a co-owner of this restaurant, at
that time, with his brother, Nick.
The Panopoulos brothers were
business partners for approximately 50 years, with their creation of the Hawaiian style pizza
being their pizzeria’s biggest
success. The brothers would
later build on the popularity of
the Hawaiian Pizza and begin
serving their next creation, the
Hawaiian Burger. Sadly, the
burger did not have the same
long-term popularity for them,
as variations on that type of
burger had appeared elsewhere
around the globe.
Unfortunately, the journalistic accounts on Sam Panopoulos
are criminally inconsistent. The
majority of writers seem more
concerned with covering a moment in pop-culture than doing
their job as fact-gathering investigators. Nearly all fundamental
details in Panopoulos’ account
differ from one published account to another: the name and
location of Panopoulos’ original
pizzeria, the year he created this
new pizza, his own age and
many other extremely basic
facts. I realize that these writers
were covering a topic they did
not respect, but if their original
intent was to interview the creator of the Hawaiian pizza they
may have in fact been speaking
to the wrong man.
According to an August 27,
2014, article written by Marc
Zorn, “Who Invented Hawaiian
Pizza” it wasn’t Sam Panopoulos
but rather the Quigley Family.
“Australians love the Hawaiian
pizza. Not only is it the most
popular in the country, but it accounts for about 15% of all pizzas that are sold. On the banks
of the Murray River, one family
decided to start making pizzas
in a wood fired, mud brick pizza
oven that is still in existence today. The Quigley family made
pineapple pizzas in these ovens
and there are photographs that
are dated to the early 1950’s
that show pizzas coming out of
these ovens that were made
from pineapples that had been
brought in from Queensland (visionlaunch.com).” As the evidence goes, so does the credit
but outside of the Quigley family’s claim no other proof is offered, not even any of the 1950
photographs!
In contrast,
Maybe, I take history seriously, and I value facts. Three
styles of pizza are associated
with Greeks in North America.
No one disagrees. Sam
Panopoulos may have independently created his version of the
Hawaiian pizza some ten years
after the Quigley family. But I
would rather err on the side of
Greek-American history when
thousands of Greek immigrants
were entering all levels of the
restaurant business in North
America. Like so many of the
other struggling Greek restaurateurs during the 1950s and
1960s, the Panopoulos brothers
had to come up with something
to attract business. I respectfully
submit that until the dated photographs come in from Australia, Sam Panopoulos should
be recognized as the originator
of the Hawaiian style pizza.
[email protected]
El Alamein and Before: Glory and Allies in Turbulent Times
October to November marks
the 75th anniversary of the Greek
Army’s participation in the Second Battle of El Alamein in 1942
during World War II.
That historic engagement
pushed Erwin Rommel and his
force of Germans and Italians
back westward from where they
had come months before. They
never recovered, and by early
1943 the North African campaign
was over.
It is victory much remembered by the victorious Allies.
Getting the Greeks into battle is
largely credited it to the energy
and determination of Greek
politician Panayotis Kanellopoulos. At the time, he was war minister in the government-in-exile
after having escaped from Occupied Greece. He had survived the
pre-war dictatorship of Ioannis
Metaxas, fought against the Italians when they invaded in 1940,
and then ran a secret resistance
organization from Athens.
Kanellopoulos arrived in the
Middle East just after the signing
of the Anglo-Greek Military
Agreement in early March, 1942.
Numerous historians have identified it as a watershed event in
the diplomatic and political maneuvering at the time. It set the
instrument for revitalizing the
Greek forces. Greek politicians
Kanellopoulos and Premier Emmanuel Tsouderos as well as
British personalities such as Prime
Minister Winston Churchill and
his Secretary for Foreign Office
Anthony Eden were involved. The
composition of the Greek government-in-exile, the remaining
Metaxist influence in it and role
and future of Greek King George
II all formed part of the dynamics.
But elsewhere there were lesser
lights who wanted to see a strong
Greek army – one that they could
fight alongside with.
In late January,1942, Army
Major Jim Samson left the New
Zealand Army Camp at Cairo
suburb of Maadi to lead a New
Zealand contingent attached to
the Greek Army. This was the
New Zealand Training Team
(NZTT). A few weeks later he
featured in an extensive public
radio broadcast to his fellow
countrymen at home in the Pacific. It was recorded in Palestine.
Besides himself, there were
marching and singing Greek soldiers, brief messages from the
commander of the Greek
Brigade, a British liaison officer
as well as several other New
Zealanders. Samson stated “here
in Palestine is being built a new
Greek army. In this army lies the
spirit of Greece.” And that “we
New Zealanders are proud to be
associated with such people. To
serve with them is indeed a privilege.”
The Greek commander spoke
in Greek with a special message
to Greek New Zealanders. He
couched the New Zealand presence in Homeric terms – “when
the guns echoed on high Olympus, they left other fronts to rush
to our assistance. The bright star
of their destiny had brought New
Zealand officers and other ranks
to where the gods of old dwelt,
where Mars the god of battle still
lived on.” Along with the British
officer, they both looked forward
to when they could return to
Greece and liberate it from foreign occupation.
Samson lasted just a few
months in his new job. Cracks
had begun to appear in the
British-Greek-New Zealand relationship. Anyone familiar with
the history of the Greek military
during this period, might naturally think this part of the ongoing political tensions in a politicized free Greek military. Various
factions (Royalist, Republican,
Metaxist, Socialist and Communist), permeated to varying degrees the officer corps and rank
and file. Communist corporal
Yannis Salas led what would one
day become the dominant
politico-military force, the leftist
Anti-Fascist Military Organisation
(ASO). But the New Zealander
was actually talking about the
British he was working with
“They distrusted the Greeks…
You cannot inspire confidence in
people whom you distrust.” They
had “failed “ in training the
Greeks and exhibited much “defeatist” attitude. He brought in
the political element but it was
British intrusion he was concerned about. He “refused to take
any part whatever in the watching and reporting of Greek officers’ political sympathies.” The
memorandum was the climax in
a simmering cauldron. Weeks before it is obvious from preserved
written directives that the New
Zealanders were frustrated with
the overall British leadership. In
an effort to calm the waters, a
policy of parallel lines of organisational communication that
been implemented – Samson reported to the New Zealand command while his British counterpart did the same with his. It was
doomed to fail.
Samson lost his training command with the Greeks shortly after bitterly complaining about
British attitudes. The reasons
why are lost in the massive
British and New Zealand record
burning of army records that occurred when Rommel thrust into
Egypt. But the training of the
Greeks by New Zealand continued. During 1942 and into early
1943, several thousand of them
went through the New Zealand
School of Instruction in Cairo or
via being attached to New
Zealand depots. This was in addition to the New Zealand Training Team in the Greek camps.
Everything from mechanics and
drafting to weapons training was
taught. There was time for socializing as well. After the war,
the memoirs of one New Zealand
soldier spoke of joint educational
tours of ancient sites. There was
also a cinema. A moving film
strip down the side of the screen
provided young Greek soldiers
brief translations of the dialogue.
For many, from small villages, experiencing this entertainment
technology for the first time was
an adventure. A New Zealand
soldier recalled that, when the
students watched American actress Dorothy Malone “so great
was the excitement when the
heroine got into bed with her
man that a whole row of Greeks
sitting in front of us fell back-
AlexAnDer turnbull librAry WellinGton-1
New Zealand instructor and Greek Army trainee with a tommy gun, Palestine, [ca 1940]
wards off their form in delighted
confusion.”
All the training and preparation would not have taken place
without the support of Lieutenant-General Bernard Freyberg, the commander of New
Zealand army in the Mediterranean throughout the war. The
General had led his force into
Greece in early 1941and was in
charge of the defense of Crete.
Like Samson, and other of his officers, Freyberg expressed a desire to participate in the liberation of Greece. It was all part of
his positive attitude toward the
Greeks and, seemed to be ignited
by the early 1941 campaigns. His
wife, and his officers mixed socially with the Greeks as well.
Kanellopoulos and his senior officers had dinner at the General’s
house in Cairo. He was
eneamoured with Freyberg’s
wife, and also visited him when
he was recovering from a severe
wound he received in June at the
first battle of El Alamein. Kanellopoulos and Freyberg were two
very different men. The former
was an intellectual as well as a
politician. Freyberg was a longtime warrior who loved the fight.
Even when Freyberg had told
him that he and his New Zealanders were rushing to the first battle of El Alamein in June but that
the Greeks had a role to play and
stay in Syria, Kanellopoulos was
not angry. And this was at a time
when his diary shows he was becoming ever more frustrated with
the British military establishment
over their lack of commitment to
having Greek soldiers fighting.
Part of this was lack of equipment. Even the New Zealanders
were not immune to the priorities
of the British military commanders. They were short of essential
transport at this time and basically had to borrow trucks from
other Allied units. This lack of
material support might explain
how the General curtailed some
aspects of his interest in the
Greek army. He could not guarantee everything that he seemingly wanted to provide. When
the commander of the First Greek
Brigade wrote him to help get
trucks bring his soldiers to the
battle, the General gently declined to help. But to his own officers and British at the time he
showed a paternal interest in the
welfare of the Greeks when he
greeted the Brigade after Kanellopoulos had managed to get his
troops sent to the front.
At El Alamein, the Greeks
were assigned to a British army
Division rather than the New
Zealanders. It seemed to be another result of the limitations imposed on Freyberg rather than
his attitude. On the night of
23/24 October, elements of the
Greek Brigade made an initial
raid of what would be several
over the forthcoming days. This
one was against the Italians. The
next night it was the Germans.
Sometimes the Greeks laid hidden observing and gaining intelligence on the enemy. An internal
British Army memorandum describes the final action of the
Brigade “In five days the Greeks
covered over 110 miles.” It was
a hot pursuit of a retreating enemy. The initial terrain was
through minefields and subsequently “over difficult desert
country.” The climax was the capture of the enemy fortress, the
so-called Qattara Box.
The Brigade was not the only
unit in the North African campaign. The Sacred Squadron was
formed in the same year as El
Alamein. It was what one today
would call a special forces unit
and was comprised of young officers. A senior Greek officer addressed them – “Remember
Leonadis and his 300 who perished gloriously at Thermopylae.”
And he added they were going
to be called “Immortals”. Riding
on desert vehicles, on small sailing craft or parachuting from aircraft, the Squadron saw action in
numerous places.
Dr. Martyn Brown is an
Honorary Research Fellow at
the University of Queensland, in
Brisbane, Australia. His book
Politics of Forgetting – the New
Zealand-Greek wartime Relationship and the British will be
published by Steele Roberts of
New Zealand in 2017.
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COMMUNITY
6
St. Paul’s Fr. Melackrinos Suspended for Emails
another issue and he was reconnected with that woman. Some
text messages were exchanged
and I cannot understand and he
has not explained to me why he
sent her two photographs.
TNH: What was depicted in
the photographs?
BA: They were inappropriate, I didn’t see them. I have
spoken with the detectives and
they simply told me that the
photographs were inappropriate.
TNH: Who went to the police
and reported him, and showed
them the photographs?
BA: The woman’s family, her
former husband and her former
brother in law. The detective
told me that it wasn’t illegal
since both of them are adults.
TNH: Where is Fr. Melackrinos now?
BA: At home, he was suspended. He called me on January 9 and requested to come to
ABOVE: People of all ages discussing Fr. Luke Melackrinos’
unholy acts, on January 16 during coffee hour in the community center. LEFT and BELOW: Fr. Melackrinos before his suspension presiding over the Divine Liturgy.
ASTORIA – New York State Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas
(D-Astoria) was appointed by
New York State Assembly
Speaker Carl Heastie to serve as
the head of the powerful Administrative Regulations Review
Commission (ARRC).
The ARRC is a bipartisan
watchdog over every state
agency’s rules and regulatory activities to make sure they are legal and effective. State agency
regulations and rules have the
force of law and dictate how an
agency carries out its mandate.
This can and does have a powerful impact on small businesses,
on people from all walks of life,
and on the economic and environmental health of communities.
Simotas said in a news release, “It is an honor to serve as
the ARRC’s chair and I thank
Speaker Heastie for this appointment.”
She continued, “my goal as
chair is to make sure that state
agency rules are rational and that
agency operations serve the public interest, not special interests
or administrative convenience.”
Another major role of the
ARRC is to weigh in on agency
rulemaking done unfairly without consulting the stakeholders,
n JaNuarY 24
ANDOVER, MA – Ballroom Dance
Classes at Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church Hall,
71 Chandler Road in Andover, to
benefit mortgage elimination. A
wonderful opportunity to take
dance lessons with all the proceeds benefitting Saints Constantine & Helen mortgage elimination. We are grateful to DNE
School of Dance for offering this
generous fundraiser for our
Church. Makes a great gift as
well. Learn to ballroom dance
even if you think you have two
left feet. The Six Week Beginner
Ballroom Session includes Foxtrot, Waltz, Swing, and Rumba
on Tuesday evenings 7- 8:30 PM
on January 24, 31, February 7,
14, 28 and March 7 (no class on
February 21). $99.00 per person
includes Six Week Session and
One Pass to “Saturday Night”
Ballroom Dance at DNE School
of Dance. Call today to register
978-251-1700 MC/VISA accepted
and checks payable to Sts. Constantine & Helen Church (Bring
your check on the first night of
class on Jan. 24). All proceeds go
towards the Sts. Constantine &
Helen Mortgage Elimination.
n JaNuarY 26-30
BOCA RATON, FL – Passport to
Greece, the St. Mark Greek Orthodox Church Festival, 2100 NW
51st Street in Boca Raton, FL offers great food, music, dancing,
and fun for the whole family.
Hours- Thursday Jan. 26: 4PM 9PM, Friday Jan. 27: 11AM11PM, Saturday Jan. 28: 11 AM11 PM, and Monday Jan. 30: 12
Noon-9PM. More info is available
online www.greekfestivalboca.org
or by phone: 561-994-4822
His Grace Bishop Andonios of Phasiane, Chancellor of the
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
see the therapist’s report. Certainly the issue is serious but
they did not have sexual contact. We have to see what he
was sending in those photographs and with therapy if this
can overcome and be healed.
TNH: Can someone who is a
priest and sends such inappropriate photographs continue to
be a priest leading the People
of God, and especially the children and the youth?
BA: We will see how the issue develops. If they tell us that
it was a moment of weakness,
then fine. If it is a deeper psychological problem, then we will
send him to the Spiritual Court
for defrockment. If it is something temporary, he made a mistake that he shouldn’t have done
and if we can save him, we
should save him, because he
was a good priest. I am not saying that it is an easy thing, and
I am not saying he will return
tomorrow. Many parishioners
St. Paul’s who are in Florida for
the winter sent me emails and
nobody wrote against him. They
can’t understand why he did
that.
TNH: After all this, can Fr.
Melackrinos return to the same
parish?
BA: No, no. We are not talking about returning tomorrow
or next month.
TNH: What is the climate at
the parish as we speak?
BA: They are astonished, disappointed. There are those who
like him and they are trying to
forgive him, saying that he is a
human being and that he made
a mistake, and that he shouldn’t
have done it. Others who don’t
like him say “look at this mess.”
TNH: Your Grace, I would
also like also to ask you what
happened with case of Fr.
George Passias case and his mistress, Ethel Bouzalas. In an interview to TNH you had told us
that she was pregnant. Did she
give birth?
BA: I don’t know. I tried to
communicate with her, she
replied to me once. I tried to ask
her in a polite way, but she
didn’t answer me.
Simotas Appointed Head of Powerful Commission
TNH Staff
GOINGS ON...
n JaNuarY 19-22
HOBE SOUND, FL – St. John
Chrysostom Greek Orthodox
Church Festival, 10605 SE Federal Hwy (US1) in Hobe Sound.
Folk dancing and live entertainment, Greek food and pastries,
vendors, games and rides. Free
admission on Thursday Jan. 19
and on Friday Jan. 20 until 4 PM.
Friday-Sunday admission is $3,
kids 12 and under free. More information is available online
www.saintjohn.fl.goarch.org and
by phone: 772-546-8180.
Continued from page 1
see me.
TNH: What is going to happen to him? What are you going
to do with him?
BA: I have sent him to a special therapist for evaluation to
see why he ended up in that situation. I am waiting for the report. Many people have emailed
me supporting him.
TNH: Did you speak to his
wife?
BA: I called her on January
9, she was shaken up, of course,
but she told me they will try to
save the marriage.
TNH: Who will pay for the
therapist?
BA: We will see what the insurance will cover and then we
will see after that.
TNH: Was he also involved
with the Monasteries?
BA: I don’t think so. Today,
the new generation of priests
wear their anteri – inner cassock
– but I don’t have the impression
that he was an Ephraimite.
TNH: He had a big red cross
pinned on his inner cassock; he
was also wearing a kalimavhi
(clerical hat).
BA: Many priests wear the
kalimavhi.
TNH: What is His eminence
Archbishop Demetrios is saying
about the incident?
BA: He has been astonished.
TNH: Now that Fr. Melackrinos is suspended, will he continue to receive his salary?
BA: I am waiting for the
parish to tell me until when they
will be paying him.
TNH: Is he staying in the
parish home?
Bishop Andonios: Yes.
TNH: What are you going to
do with him? Are you going to
send him to the Spiritual Court?
Are you going to defrock him?
BA: We will have to wait and
THE NATIONAL HERALD, JANUARY 21-27, 2017
or that is done without allowing
for public comment.
Every state agency and program is affected by the ARRC’s
work, so Simotas’ appointment is
significant. Her authority extends
beyond the borough of Queens
to all of New York State.
Simotas noted that an important priority this year will be
monitoring changes happening
in Washington, DC, under the
Trump administration, which
“could have far-reaching effects
on New Yorkers.”
“I will work to ensure that
New Yorkers do not suffer the
consequences of ill-advised policy
changes coming from federal
agencies,” she said.
Simotas is a lifelong resident
of Astoria and currently represents the 36th Assembly District
in Western Queens. She was the
first Greek-American woman
elected to office in New York in
2010, and the first woman
elected to office in her district.
As noted in her biography, Simotas has established a reputation
in Albany as a dedicated and effective legislator, sponsoring new
laws that promote commonsense
policies aimed at revitalizing
New York’s economy, protecting
neglected consumers, strengthening the criminal justice system,
and protecting victims of sex
crimes. Simotas has been an outspoken advocate for seniors, students, and working families in
her district, successfully fighting
to keep schools and senior centers open while holding city and
state agencies and corporations
accountable when they fail to
meet their obligations to Astoria’s residents.
n JaNuarY 28
HOLMDEL, NJ – Hellenic Dancers
of New Jersey (HDNJ) presents
its 45th Anniversary Taverna
Night Dinner Dance Saturday,
Jan. 28, at Kimisis Tis Theotokou
Greek Orthodox Church, 20 Hillcrest Road in Holmdel, NJ. Beginning at 6PM, attendees will
enjoy a full Greek dinner buffet
and desserts, Greek and popular
music, and a special performance
and fashion show by the Hellenic
Dancers of New Jersey. All proceeds from the event will support
HDNJ in preserving the folk
dance customs of Greece, and
perpetuating Greek heritage in
America. Funding from the event
will also support the dance
troupe’s 2017 touring schedule.
Reservations for this event can be
made by contacting Cheryl Bontales, 732-796-1006; [email protected]
Tickets
range from $20 - $40 and will
not be sold at the door.
SPRINGFIELD, MA – Trivia Night
at the Greek Cultural Center, St.
George Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 22 St. George Road in
Springfield takes place on Saturday Jan. 28 6:30-10PM. Teams
of up to four players may participate. Winners will receive prizes.
Refreshments and snacks will be
served. Players must be 16 years
of age to participate. Players and
spectators entry is $5. Advanced
reservations are preferred. Register your team: 413-737-1496.
FOXBORO, MA – Arcadian Society of Massachusetts “Tripolitsa”
Vasilopita Dance takes place on
Saturday, Jan. 28 at 8PM at
Demetri’s Convention Center 2
Washington St., Rt. 1 South in
Foxboro, MA. Enjoy Greek and
American dancing and music by
Orfeas with Thanasis Kotsias on
clarinet. The Metropolitan Dance
Group will perform. Cheese,
crackers, coffee and dessert will
be served, meze available for purchase along with cash bar. Great
raffle prizes- tickets $5 each, book
of 6 for $25. More info is available by phone: 781-843-3575.
PEABODY, MA – Saint Vasilios
Greek Orthodox Church Winter
Dance, 5 Paleologos Street in
Peabody, MA on Saturday, Jan.
28 from 6:30 PM - Midnight at
the Fr. Andrew Demotses Educational Center, sponsored by the
St. Vasilios Men’s Club. Tickets
are $40 per person, $20 per child
age 15 and under. Appetizers at
6:30 PM followed by choice of
Dinner- Roast Pork Loin and
Baked Haddock, cash bar. Dancing until midnight and live music
by Kefi. For more information,
contact John Kourtelidis: 978907-3187 or John Psyhogios:
978-239-9361. For reservations
and payment contact John Psyhogios: 14 Downing Rd. Peabody,
MA 01960. Snow date: Feb. 4.
n JaNuarY 28-29
HOLLYWOOD, FL – St. George
Greek Orthodox Church Festival,
425 N. 58th Avenue in Hollywood. Enjoy traditional Greek
food, music, and dancing. Hours:
Saturday, Jan. 28 from 12 Noon10 PM and Sunday, Jan. 29 from
Noon - 10 PM. More information
is available online www.stgeorgehollywood.org or by phone: 954966-1898.
n FeBruarY 2
WASHINGTON, DC – Ancient
Greece in Popular Culture: Classics and Comics by The Society
for the Preservation of the Greek
Heritage on Thursday, Feb. 2 at
Squire Patton Boggs,2550 M
Street Northwest in Washington,
DC from 6:30PM-8:30PM. Professor Thomas Jenkins of Trinity
University will explore the depiction of Ancient Greece in what
might seem the least ancient of
media: comics. No longer just a
medium for “illustrating” classical
texts, comics often tackle contemporary social issues while refracting those concerns through depictions of Ancient Greek societies
and myth. Professor Jenkins will
consider the uses (and abuses) of
Ancient Greece as metaphor in
such comics as Antigone, 300,
Three, Democracy, and Age of
Bronze, and will also glance at
parallel developments in other
popular art forms, such as Anais
Mitchell’s recent folk musical
Hadestown. Thomas E. Jenkins,
PhD is Professor and past Chair
of the Classical Studies Department at Trinity University in San
Antonio, TX; this year, he serves
as Director of the Collaborative
for Learning and Teaching.
n FeBruarY 3-5
BROOKSVILLE, FL – Christ the
Savior Greek Orthodox Church
7th Annual Greek Festival, at the
Hernando County Fairgrounds located at 6436 Broad St. in
Brooksville, FL. We love to share
with you our beautiful Hellenic
tradition, culture, food, dance,
and joyful spirit. Please visit the
vendors, eat well, dance, break a
plate, enjoy your time, and do not
forget let us all say Opa! Hours:
Friday, Feb. 3 and Saturday, Feb
4 from 11 AM - 8PM; Sunday,
Feb. 5 11AM- 6PM. More information is available online at Hernando County Greek Festival
website: hcgreekfestival.com or
by phone: 352-796-8482.
n FeBruarY 8
MANHATTAN – The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Brain Insight
Lecture: How Do Early Life Experiences Shape Behavior? on
Wednesday, Feb. 8 6:30- 8PM at
the Columbia University’s Faculty
House Presidential Ballroom 64
Morningside Drive in Manhattan.
RSVP by Wednesday, Feb. 1. Registration is required; seating is
first come, first served. More information about this event is
available by contacting the Zuckerman Institute at [email protected].
n FeBruarY 9-12
SARASOTA, FL – St. Barbara
Greek Orthodox Church Festival,
the 33rd Annual Glendi 7671 N.
Lockwood Ridge Road in Sarasota. Hours: Thursday, Feb. 9, Friday, Feb 10, and Saturday, Feb.
11 11AM-9PM and Sunday, Feb.
12 12 Noon- 8PM. Admission on
Thursday is free. Voluntary donations benefit Mother Helping
Mothers, supporting families in
need. Three-day pass for Friday
through Sunday is only $4. Kids
under 12 are admitted for free.
Raffle Grand Prize- choice of Mercedes-Benz C300 or GLC300.
Only 1,500 raffle tickets available.
More information and raffle tickets are available online at stbarbaragoc.org or by phone: 941355-2616.
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Archbishop Iakovos’ Words
TNH Staff
In honor of Martin Luther King
Day, we remember how the
struggle for Civil Rights was also
espoused by His Eminence, the late
Archbishop Iakovos.
On March, 15, 1965,
Archbishop Iakovos joined Martin
Luther King, Jr. in a historic civil
rights march. Prior to the march,
a memorial service was held for
Rev. James Reeb, a white
Unitarian minister who had been
beaten to death by the Ku Klux
Klan a few days earlier, for his
commitment to improving housing
in poor, black neighborhoods.
Archbishop Iakovos’ words at the
memorial follow.
I came to this memorial service because I believe this is an
appropriate occasion not only to
dedicate myself as well as our
Greek Orthodox communicants
to the noble cause for which our
friend, the Reverend James Reeb,
gave his life; but also in order to
show our willingness to continue
this fight against prejudice, bias,
and persecution.
In this God-given cause, I feel
sure that I have the full and understanding support of our Greek
Orthodox faithful of America.
For our Greek Orthodox
Church and our people fully understand from our heritage and
our tradition such sacrificial involvements.
Our Church has never hesitated to fight, when it felt it must,
for the rights of mankind; and
many of our Churchmen have
been in the forefront of these battles time and again....The ways
of God are not always revealed
to us, but certainly His choice of
this dedicated minister to be the
victim of racial hatred and the
hero of this struggle to gain unalienable constitutional rights for
those American brethren of ours
who are denied them, and to die,
so to speak, on this battlefield for
human dignity and equality, was
not accidental or haphazard.
Let us seek out in this tragedy
a divine lesson for all of us. The
Reverend Reeb felt he could not
be outside the arena of this bitter
struggle, and we, too, must feel
that we cannot. Let his martyr-
dom be an inspiration and a reminder to us that there are times
when we must risk everything,
including life itself, for those basic American ideals of freedom,
justice, and equality, without
which this land cannot survive.
Our hope and prayer, then, is that
we may be given strength to let
God know by our acts and deeds,
and not only by our words, that
like the late Reverend James
Reeb, we, too, are the espousers
and the fighters in a struggle for
which we must be prepared to
risk our all.
FEATURE
THE NATIONAL HERALD, JANUARY 21-27, 2017
GREEK GASTRONOMY
OUR EVERYDAY GREEK
Review: I Love You, Do You Love Me? Say it in Greek
By Dr. Dimitra Kamarinou
CONJUGATION B VERBS
Conjugation B verbs end in the active
voice Present tense in άω/ -ώ. The Conjugation B verbs fall into two categories that
can be easily distinguished by the endings
of the second person singular. The verbs of
the B1 category end in stressed -άς, and the
verbs of the B2 category end in stressed είς.
B1: ξεκινάω, ξεκιν-άς
Β2: μπορώ, μπορ-είς
1. Put in the blanks the verb to love,
αγαπώ, in the correct person.
1.1. Ο Γιάννης …… τη Δήμητρα.
1.2. Σε …….. πολύ.
1.3. Η Ελένη ..… τον Πέτρο πολύ.
1.4. Εγώ ……. την Ειρήνη.
1.5. Εσύ ……. Τη μαμά σου;
1.6. Εμείς …… την Ελλάδα.
1.7. Εσείς ..… την Αμερική;
1.8. Τα παιδιά …… τον κύριο Γιώργο.
2. Πού πηγαίνετε το καλοκαίρι; Fill in
the blanks the correct verb: Μένουν, σταματάμε, ξεκινάμε, γυρνάνε, πηγαίνουμε,
περνάμε.
Εμείς το καλοκαίρι ……. για την Ελλάδα.
Η μαμά και ο μπαμπάς το Σεπτέμβριο ……
. στην Αμερική, αλλά ο παππούς και η γιαγιά
……. στην Ελλάδα. ………… στην Αθήνα
και ……….. από το θείο Γιάννη και τη θεία
Ειρήνη. …….. και στη νονά μου, την Ελένη.
……. στη Φιλαδέλφεια για μία ώρα. …
….. την Κυριακή και …...
από το γραφείο μου.
5. What do you wear in the winter? Tι
ρούχα φοράς το χειμώνα; Erase the words
that are not right for this season.
Παλτό, παντελόνι, ζακέτα, σανδάλια,
σορτς, φούστα, φόρεμα, γάντια, σκουφί, κασκόλ.
6. What do you wear in the summer? Τι
ρούχα φοράς το καλοκαίρι; Erase the words
that are not right for this season.
Σορτς, μπλούζα, πουκάμισο, μπουφάν, ζακέτα, σανδάλια, μαγιό,
γυαλιά ηλίου.
VOCATIVE CASE
We use the vocative
case, when we address
someone. We never use
an article with a noun
in the vocative case. The
vocative case of the
feminine and neuter
nouns is exactly the
same as the nominative.
Vocative plural is the
same as nominative
plural without the article. We always put a coma after the noun
in the vocative case.
Masculine
Nominative -ος, -ης, -ας, -ες
Accusative -ον, -η, -α, -ε
Vocative –ο, -η, -α, -ε
7. THE RIGHT DRESS CODE. Put the
names and the nouns in the parenthesis in
the correct case and answer the questions.
7.1. (Πέτρος) ……., τι φοράς, όταν πηγαίνεις στο σχολείο; (pants, button-down
shirt, blazer, tie)
Όταν πηγαίνω στο σχολείο, φοράω ……
….
7.2. (Γιαγιά) ……., τι φοράς, όταν πηγαίνεις στην εκκλησία; (skirt, cardigan,
gloves, hat)
Όταν πηγαίνω στην εκκλησία, φοράω …
…..
7.3. (Μπαμπάς)……., τι φοράς, όταν πηγαίνεις στη δουλειά; (pants, shirt, suit)
Όταν πηγαίνω στη δουλειά, φοράω ……
…….
7.4. (Θείος Γιάννης) ……., τι φοράτε,
όταν πηγαίνετε στη θάλασσα; (bathing suit,
sandals, sunglasses, hat)
Όταν πηγαίνω στη θάλασσα, φοράω …
………
7.5. (Κύριος Γιώργος) ……., τι φοράτε,
όταν πηγαίνετε για ύπνο;
Όταν πηγαίνω για ύπνο, φοράω ………
…………
7.6. (Κύριος Θωμάς) ……., τι φοράτε,
όταν γυρνάτε στο σπίτι; (workout pants,
sneakers)
Όταν γυρνάω στο σπίτι, φοράω ………
…………..
7.7. (Κυρία Ελένη) ……., τι φοράτε, όταν
πηγαίνετε στο καφενείο; (dress, coat,
gloves, scarf)
Όταν πηγαίνω στο καφενείο, φοράω …
……………….
Tasty Seasonal Vegetable
Recipes to Enjoy in January
By Eleni Sakellis
The winter can be a tough
time for those looking to eat
healthy. With fattening holiday
leftovers gone and forgotten,
now is the time to add some delicious seasonal vegetables to
your meals.
Boosting your intake of antioxidants, vitamins, fiber, and
nutrients with hearty winter
vegetables is the way to go.
Beets are a treat this time of
year. As a side dish, their natural
sweetness brightens up most
winter meals. Make sure to enjoy the stems and tasty beet
greens as well.
Cabbage is another seasonal
winter vegetable that is very
versatile. It is delicious when
finely sliced and eaten raw in a
salad, or lightly cooked with
other vegetables for a quick
and crunchy side dish.
Dimitra Kamarinou, PhD, has studied
philology and archaeology at the University
of Ioannina,Würzburg and Bochum in Germany. She has been honored with the Academy of Athens Award in Archaeology and
Homeric Philology.
Here are two tasty seasonal vegetable recipes to try.
Traditional Greek Beets
• 4-5 medium-sized beets with
leaves attached
• 2-3 tablespoons fresh dill,
chopped
• 4 tablespoons Greek extra
virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine
vinegar
• Greek sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
4. Πού πηγαίνεις το Σάββατο; Fill in the
blank the correct verb: πηγαίνω, σταματάω,
περνάω, ξεκινάω, γυρνάω.
……. από τη Νέα Υόρκη και ……. στην
Ουάσινγκτον.
LITERARY REVIEW
Simonides of Ceos: the First Writer Paid by the Word
By Eleni Sakellis
his own literary aspirations as a
kind of writing coach. Poets
could ostensibly make a living
in the patronage system without
putting a specific value on their
works, but being at the mercy
of the patron’s whims, it was
hardly a secure way of life.
Simonides began charging
for his words and keeping exact
account of the money he made.
If unsure about the doneness
of the beet greens, taste one.
Switch off the heat and use
tongs to remove the beet greens
from the boiling liquid. Allow
the cooked beets to cool slightly
before peeling. Slice the beets
into one-inch pieces and place
in a serving bowl. Add the
cooked stems and beet greens.
If preferred, cut the cooked
stems and beet greens into bitesized pieces. Add the chopped
fresh dill. Drizzle with olive
8. Write the names in the vocative (κλητική) or in the nominative case.
8.1. Κυρία ……, τι κάνετε; (Eλένη)
8.2. Κύριε …… πού πηγαίνετε; (Πέτρος)
8.3. Ο ………. πηγαίνει στη δουλειά.
(Σπύρος)
8.4. ……., τι κάνεις; (Γιάννης)
8.5. …….., καλημέρα! (Θείος Κώστας)
3. Πώς πηγαίνεις στο σχολείο; Fill in the
blanks the correct verb: Ξεκινάω, σταματάω,
προχωράω, στρίβω.
…….. από το σπίτι μου και ……. ευθεία
μέχρι την πλατεία. Εκεί ……. και …….. δεξιά. Πριν την εκκλησία και μετά από το δεύτερο δρόμο ……. αριστερά. Στη μεγάλη
πόρτα σταματάω. Εκεί …… το σπίτι μου.
Most people think of Charles
Dickens as the first writer paid
by the word for his work, but of
course, the ancient Greeks invented that, too. Poet Simonides
of Ceos (now Kea, Greece) is
thought to be the first, writing
poetry and charging by the
word. A recent essay in the New
Republic by Colin Dickey, an excerpt from Scratch: Writers,
Money, and the Art of Making a
Living, edited by Manjula Martin
and published by Simon &
Schuster, took a look at the roots
of putting a price tag on the
written word and how it continues to vex many writers to
this day. Whether writing for
love or money, writers must continually navigate the often ambivalent discussion. The negative connotations and criticism
of writers “selling out” began as
soon as Simonides decided to
charge by the word.
Earlier poets had relied on a
system of patronage, with room
and board provided by a benefactor who would be praised in
the writer’s works and maybe
help the benefactor himself with
7
His dedication to precise accounting led to his reputation
for being stingy. Though he
wrote excellent verse, Simonides became known for his
preoccupation with money. His
own biographer Ailian wrote
quite plainly that “Simonides
loved money.” Even Aristophanes wrote that Simonides,
“would go to sea in a sieve for
money” in his play Peace, as
quoted by Dickey.
The patronage system and
the money economy overlapped
for centuries, but there was always tension between the systems even in Simonides day. He
seems to have wanted a more
straightforward approach to his
work without having to rely on
the kindness of a patron and the
vague quantification of his work
for food, housing, and prestige.
Simonides became synonymous
for greed though we know little
about the real man.
The lyric poet Pindar, a contemporary of Simonides, began
lamenting the corrupting influence of money on art at the
time. In his second Isthmian
Ode, he writes with nostalgia
about the past when “The Muses
were not mercenary in those
days, nor worked for hire.”
As reported in the New Republic, “Dionysius of Halicarnassus, writing of Simonides, notes
that one should ‘Watch very
carefully Simonides’ choice of
words and the exactitude with
which he puts things together’;
the word exactitude here is
akriveia, which likewise has a
dual meaning: it can mean ‘precision, accuracy, exactness of
language’ or ‘parsimony, frugality, stinginess with money.’”
Simonides revealed the connection between money and
words that was vague but always present in the patronage
system in Greek culture.
Fans of lyric poetry should
read Simonides for themselves
and decide whether his work is
tainted by money or not. His poetry is available online in several
collections of ancient lyric poetry including Greek Lyric, Volume III, Stesichorus, Ibycus, Simonides, and Others (Loeb
Classical Library No. 476) on
Amazon. Scratch: Writers,
Money, and the Art of Making a
Living, edited by Manjula Martin is also available online.
Prepare the beets by washing
thoroughly in cool water. Cut
off the stems from the beets and
then the leaves from the stems
and set aside. Cut the top and
bottoms of the beets so they
have two flat sides.
Bring a large, deep pot of water to a boil over medium high
heat and add the washed and
trimmed beets.
Allow the beets to boil until
tender. A skewer or fork should
pierce them easily. Remove the
beets from the boiling liquid and
add the stems and continue boiling until tender.
Remove the stems and add
the leaves. The leaves take just
seconds to wilt in the boiling
liquid, so don’t walk away from
the pot at this point.
oil and vinegar and sprinkle with sea salt
and pepper to taste. Toss and
serve immediately warm or at
room temperature. Adjust the
seasoning or amount of vinegar
as needed. Store any leftovers
tightly covered in the refrigerator, the beets taste great even
the next day. Serve the beets as
side dish with legumes or
roasted meats.
Cabbage Salad
• 1 small head green cabbage
• 1 small red onion
• 1 small-medium apple
• 3 tablespoons Greek extra
virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine
vinegar
• Greek sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
Using a mandolin, thinly
shave the cabbage, onion, and
apple.
If preferred, a food processor
with the shredding attachment
may be used. Place the sliced
cabbage, onion, and apple in a
salad bowl.
Drizzle with olive oil and
vinegar. Sprinkle with sea salt
and pepper to taste.
Toss the salad until the ingredients are well-distributed
and costed with the dressing.
Serve immediately.
The cabbage salad goes well
with roasted pork dishes.
GREEK AMERICAN STORIES
More Things I Hate
By Phyllis (Kiki) Sembos
Special to The National Herald
I can’t help it! I’ve got to air
my grievances to someone. So,
looking around I found somebody – you! Let’s face it! There
are some things in this world
we can do without. So, I’ve
made an incomplete list of what
annoys me most. Check it out!
Maybe, you will agree with
some of it; maybe you can add
to the list. I’m all sympathy. Or,
maybe, you are guilty for a few
misdemeanors. In that case, if I
catch you, you’ll wish you found
another route.
First on my list are marketing
calls; calls that try to interest
me on buying life insurance; listing my house on the market;
contributing furniture or clothing for vets; buying security systems; reroofing my house or
paving my driveway; (those
guys were situated in India).
The list can fill a telephone directory. I dislike shopping carts
that wobble; the music that’s filtered through many stores with
screaming ‘no talented’ women
singing crude lyrics; people who
stand behind me that huff an’
puff while I’m waiting on line
to pay, inching their shopping
cart too close to my body while
I’m paying; dialing a number
and getting a short message that
lists which of the twelve buttons
to press for what you want –“or
else hang up and call 911.”
By the time I listen to all the
options, I’d forgotten what I was
calling about or what number
to press. Charities are a biggie!
Then, there’s those religious
nuts on T.V. who prey (not pray)
for money by playing on your
sympathies with news reels of
starving people, holding children and babies, all bunched up
as if that’s how they were found
when they were positioned for
the reels. That is followed by an
announcer who offers you the
chance to feel good, have a clear
conscience by mailing a generous contribution.
Those ads are paid for by opportunists playing on our good
hearts while the very wealthy
give (as tax breaks) little real
support. How about letters that
inform me that I’m a potential
winner of a million dollar
sweepstakes? Cars with stickers
like: ‘I love my dog, cat or
grandchildren’ or, ‘I’m voting
for...’ festooning the back of the
vehicle; listening to the news
and viewing ten human interest
stories like a boy lost in a park,
and a nice lady walking her dog,
found him and brought him
home. Or, a lost dog who was
sold on Craig’s List by a nasty,
money grubbing, teenager.
Meanwhile, there must be a crisis going on somewhere in the
world. They’re not going to tell
us about it. The closest we hear
about an important world happening will consist of hundreds
of people out in the streets in a
small city in Italy, protesting for
better housing or a group of natives in a remote village in Singapore fighting for grazing land
rights, or ads for personal parts
of the body and products like
toilet paper, dental adhesives,
hemorrhoid cures or facial soap.
We have enough brains to
buy those products when we believe we think it necessary. What
are the alternatives? Then, I believe it obnoxious, rude and selfish of drivers that play loud, ‘really loud’ music as they pass
down my street. There were
times when I was tempted to
take out my portable CD player
and blast out from my lawn a
Tsamiko or a Zeimbekiko – ones
with a really long, loud, swirly
clarinet. One huge action I hate
is being in the super market and
a woman, leaning on the shopping cart, is talking into her cell
phone and chatting, laughing,
moving at 1 mile per hour hogging the aisle, completely oblivious to those around her who
are shopping, seriously, for eats.
This is merely a brief list of
things that annoy me. Of course,
there are also other means of
things I cannot abide by like
mosquitoes, flies, poison ivy, drivers that toss out cigarette butts,
Starbucks coffee cups or tiny
liquor bottles from their windows onto my lawn. I’d consider
it fair if I was given the chance
to toss those items back into
their cars. Gee, I’d feel so good!
But, life is pleasant most of the
time, right?
OBITUARIES CLASSIFIEDS
8
THE NATIONAL HERALD, JANUARY 21-27, 2017
CLASSIFIEDS
HeLp WaNteD
LegaL NotICe
NANNY/HOUSEKEEPER
We are looking to hire a full time
NANNY/HOUSEKEEPER
from
Monday-Friday, 8 am to 6:30 pm at
our apartment in downtown MANHATTAN. (This is not a live-in
position; person will have to
commute daily.) Mother is home
with the two children, ages 2.5 and
1 year old. Responsibilities include
helping mother with the children
and housekeeping/cleaning the
apartment. Must speak both English
and Greek and must have
experience caring for young
children. We are looking for
someone who is warm and loving
toward children, energetic and
detail-oriented. Person should also
be willing and able to travel
(domestically and internationally)
with our family occasionally if
needed. If interested please contact:
(203) 610-3163
DEATH NOTICE
118648/19936/1-21
LegaL NotICe
BP BOERUM LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the
SSNY on 08/24/2016. Office loc: Kings
County. SSNY has been designated as agent
upon whom process against the LLC may be
served. SSNY shall mail process to: Blesso
Properties, Attn: M. Blesso and D. Kessler,
32 Court St., Ste 1506, NY, NY 10021. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.
275588/16818
LegaL NotICe
Notice of Formation of DAY TO DAY FITNESS
LLC (DOM LLC). Articles of the Organization
were filed with the Secretary of State of New
York (SSNY) on 12/05/16. Office location:
Kings County. SSNY has been designated as
agent of the LLC upon whom process against it
may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of
process to the LLC at: Dwight Duval, 407
Ocean Ave #2A, Brooklyn, NY 11226.
Purpose: For any lawful purpose.
VASILIKI LIVADITIS
275582/20254
LegaL NotICe
1912 -2017
vasiliki (Alpoyanis) livaditis, age 104, passed peacefully on January 15, 2017 in her home, york Pennsylvania,
surrounded by her family. born in the small village of neohorion, nafpaktias, Greece, in 1912, she married her husband, John
livaditis, who after 54 years of marriage, predeceased her in 1993.
having survived many hardships during the war in Greece, vasiliki, her husband, John, and her three sons emigrated to the
united states in 1951 where subsequently she gave birth to her daughter. she is survived by her sons, Dr. nicholas J. livaditis
and his wife, kim; thomas J. livaditis and his wife, Anita; Dr. Gus J. livaditis and his wife, sophia; her daughter, Attorney
Dorothy livaditis; six beloved grandchildren; four great grandchildren; and many beloved nieces and nephews. she worked
tirelessly for more than 25 years as a seamstress at the york Dress Company to help support her family. one of seven children,
she lost her mother at a very young age. her devotion and commitment to her own children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, all of whom she adored, was overwhelming. "yiayia,” as she was known to them, will be greatly missed by all.
Due to circumstances in Greece, she was only able to complete the third grade; however, she had a tremendous love
of learning which she impressed upon her children and grandchildren. because of her respect for the value of a good
education, she encouraged her children to pursue a higher education, which all of them did. vasiliki loved to read, especially
her daily Greek newspaper. she was blessed with the ability to continue to read her newspaper and share world news (and
her entertaining personal comments on such events) with family and friends until her last days.
in addition to her commitment to her family, vasiliki was deeply religious and devoted to her faith and her church. if
she was not in church on sunday, her fellow parishioners knew she was either out of town or not feeling well. Whenever help
was needed at church events, she was one of the first to be there to help and one of the last to leave. Despite a lifetime of
working at a local factory for limited wages, she became a major benefactor of her church. vasiliki especially enjoyed sharing
one of her specialties, Greek coffee, which led to her becoming well known in york County as the “the Greek Coffee lady.”
she was always present at the church festivals, both at the church and york College, working tirelessly all day long serving her
coffee and loucoumades (“honey puffs”). this labor of love continued through her early 90s when she decided it was time to
retire from that position. Wherever her family would take her, people would approach and greet the “the Greek Coffee
lady” to tell her how much they loved her coffee and missed her. When the Annunciation Church in york celebrated the consecration of the church a few years ago, she was honored by being named one of the two “Godparents” of the church in
recognition of her devotion to her faith and efforts for her parish.
God granted vasiliki a long life. Although small in stature, vasiliki was full of self-motivation and determination. she
was forever grateful for the opportunity, along with her family, to live the “American dream.” her long journey was filled with
many challenges which she faced head on and overcame with her faith and love of family and friends. in her journey, she
touched the lives of countless individuals who were honored to know her and will remember her fondly. Due to her long life
and loving personality, she became “yiayia” to many who had lost their mother or grandmother. may her memory be eternal.
Condolences and/or memories may be shared with the family at www.etzweilerfuneralhome.com.
Notice of Formation of HOLYRAD STUDIO LLC
(DOM LLC). Articles of the Organization were
filed with the Secretary of State of New York
(SSNY) on 12/19/16. Office location: Kings
County. SSNY has been designated as agent of
the LLC upon whom process against it may be
served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to
the LLC at: Daryl Oh, 694 Hicks Street, Apt.
2F, Brooklyn, NY 11231. Purpose: For any
lawful purpose.
275580/20253
LegaL NotICe
Notice of Formation of LAMALLORCA, LLC
(DOM LLC). Articles of the Organization were
filed with the Secretary of State of New York
(SSNY) on 12/07/16. Office location: Kings
County. SSNY has been designated as agent of
the LLC upon whom process against it may be
served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to
the LLC at: c/o United States Corporation
Agents Inc., 7014 13th Avenue, Suite 202,
Brooklyn, NY 11228. Purpose: For any lawful
purpose.
275579/20252
LegaL NotICe
BABY DOLLAR, LLC. Art. of Org. filed with the
SSNY on 12/22/16. Office: Kings County.
SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon
whom process against it may be served. SSNY
shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 553 Morgan Avenue, #1, Brooklyn, NY 11222.
Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
275577/17973
LegaL NotICe
Project61 LLC. Art. of Org. filed w/ SSNY
1/5/17. Office in Kings Co. SSNY
designated for service of process and shall
mail to: The LLC, 304 Boerum St. #41,
Brooklyn, NY 11206. Purpose: Any lawful
activity.
275575/18796
to PlACe your
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(718) 784-5255, ext. 106,
e-mAil:
classifieds@
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804220/20256
Prominent Businessman Gus Lambrou was 85
ITHACA, NY – Longtime Ithaca
resident and prominent Collegetown businessman Constantinos
(Gus) E. Lambrou, passed away
unexpectedly of natural causes
at his home on January 12. He
was 85 years of age, and just five
weeks shy of his 86th birthday.
Gus was born in Kosovitsa of
Northern Epiros on February 17,
1931 to Evangelos and Kalliroy
Lambrou. The younger of two
sons, the village of his birth is
now located in present-day
southern Albania near the Greek
border.
Evangelos Lambrou owned
and operated a bakery in Athens.
He sent money from afar to support his family, and would visit
the peaceful mountain-situated
village when he could. He summoned Kalliroy to bring their
children to Athens just before the
outbreak of World War II in
1939. She guided two young
boys on foot – in the dead of
night, with enemy soldiers patrolling a very rugged frontier –
during an arduous journey to
Athens well over 300 miles away,
leaving many relatives and all
belongings behind.
That was the last time anyone
in the Lambrou family saw their
village for the next 50 years. The
Axis Powers had sealed the border before the end of the war,
and Albania did not reopen its
borders again until 1989, by
which time Greek minorities in
the region were devastated by
longstanding Albanian isolation
and hostility. Meanwhile, Nazi
authorities then occupying
Athens seized Evangelos Lambrou’s bakery, placing immense
economic hardship on the Lambrou family.
No stranger to poverty while
growing up in war-torn Greece,
Gus helped organize a local soccer league in Athens, as well as
roadtrips with his teammates
and friends. As a young man, he
sold roses, buttons, and fabrics
to passersby on the streets of
Athens to help support his family.
But he also knew that in order
to make more progress, he
needed to leave Greece and go
to America.
Gus first came to the United
States from Greece in 1956. He
never saw his father alive again.
He followed his (late) beloved
brother George, who was completing physical therapy studies
at Ithaca College, to America.
The two brothers also had a maternal aunt (Olga Kostakis) who
had settled in the Finger Lakes
region since 1920.
Gus’ first job was with the
Penn Yan Boat Company which,
at the time, manufactured
wooden canoes, rowboats, and
sailboats. He eventually relo-
cated to Ithaca, where he worked
three jobs a day, seven days a
week, for the next three years at
the College Spa, Frozen Gold,
and Mickey’s Market. He saved
enough money to purchase Campus Grocery on Eddy Street from
the Longo family in September
1959, and gradually expanded
into the real estate and travel
agent business.
Gus finally went back to
Greece after five years for his father’s one-year memorial service.
He met his wife to-be, Maria, in
May of 1961. They were married
at Saint Constantine’s Church in
Central Athens on July 2, 1961
(a little over a month after they
first met). It was a semi-arranged
marriage that lasted for the next
55-plus years. When they celebrated their Golden Anniversary
at the Ithaca Yacht Club in 2011,
Gus and Maria received official
greetings from President Obama,
Governor Andrew Cuomo, U.S.
Senator (NY) Chuck Schumer,
and Ecumenical Patriarch
Bartholomew of Constantinople.
Then-Mayor of Ithaca Carolyn
Peterson also issued an official
city proclamation to mark the
milestone occasion.
Back in the United States,
“Gus’ Grocery,” as it had come to
be known, became a colorful
center of political debate in Collegetown, both with fellow
Greeks and many Cornell students. Gus was so popular with
students that he made the 1967
Cornell Annual Student Year
Book, even though he himself
was never a student there.
Although his grocery store
was a successful business for a
number of years, Gus realized
that the emerging supermarket
industry was too much competition, so he purchased Stone
Travel Agency right across the
street in 1974, and phased out
the store in 1975. Selling Stone
Travel in 1985, he then acquired
Beam Travel Center in downtown Ithaca, which was then
Tompkins County’s largest travel
business. After selling Beam
Travel in 2002, he focused even
more squarely on his real estate
enterprise. Over the last six
decades, Lambrou Real Estate
steadily grew into one of Ithaca’s
most successful local businesses,
and his tenants loved him. Many
would often visit him even years
after they graduated and left the
area.
When Gus redeveloped the
property on 405-409 Eddy Street
in 1982-84, he sparked a development boom that completely
transformed Collegetown. He
also once owned the property on
the corner of Seneca and Tioga
Streets, which was converted to
what is now Ithaca’s Hilton Gar-
den Inn. When that project was
completed in 2005, it spurred
the redevelopment of downtown
Ithaca.
Consistent with his keen interest in politics and unremitting
love for America and Greece, Gus
also worked closely with (former)
Congressman
Matt
McHugh on Hellenic issues
abroad, and himself ran for alderman against the late Ethel
Nichols in 1977. He still holds
the record for most votes cast for
a Republican candidate in
Ithaca’s heavily Democratic
Fourth Ward, with 165. He was
also a member of the local Rotary Club, and right until the day
before he passed away, he went
to his office every day. He was a
familiar presence in Ithaca’s business community.
A pillar of the local GreekAmerican community, he helped
many of his fellow Greeks establish legal citizenship in this country. And he was a staunch and
faithful supporter of his local
church. He was always among
the top five stewards annually of
Saint Catherine Greek Orthodox
Church in downtown Ithaca, and
had served its parish council as
both president and treasurer, and
sang in the parish choir for many
years. He was also very well liked
Notice of Formation of BUY VINTAGE ADS,LLC
(DOM LLC). Articles of the Organization were
filed with the Secretary of State of New York
(SSNY) on 12/13/16. Office location: Nassau
County. SSNY has been designated as agent of
the LLC upon whom process against it may be
served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to
the LLC at: c/o United States Corporation
Agents, Inc., Suite 202, 7014 13th Avenue,
Brooklyn, NY 11228. Purpose: For any lawful
purpose.
275573/20246
LegaL NotICe
6622 12th AVENUE, LLC. Art. of Org. filed
with the SSNY on 10/19/15. Office: Kings
County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC
upon whom process against it may be served.
SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC,
1482 86th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11228.
Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
275567/17973
LegaL NotICe
NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY
COMPANY. NAME: 1256 REALTY, LLC. Articles
of Organization filed with the Secretary of
State of New York (SSNY) on 12/16/2016. Office location: Nassau County. SSNY has been
designated as agent of the LLC upon whom
process against it may be served. SSNY shall
mail a copy of the process to the LLC, 224
North Long Beach Road, Rockville Centre, NY
11570. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.
275558/20229
LegaL NotICe
Mindgrown LLC. Art. of Org. filed w/
SSNY 12/13/16. Office in NY Co. SSNY
designated for service of process and shall
mail to Reg. Agent: Thomas Law Firm
PLLC, 175 Varick St, NY, NY 10014. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
275538/18796
LegaL NotICe
Notice of formation of H2ocleanse, LLC.
Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on
August 13, 2015. Office located in Nassau
County. SSNY has been designated for
service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of
any process served against the LLC to 405
RXR Plaza Uniondale NY 11556. Purpose:
any lawful purpose.
275537/20217
LegaL NotICe
Notice of formation of PLANE SENSE, LLC.
Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York SSNY on
11/04/16. Office located in Nassau. SSNY
has been designated for service of process.
SSNY shall mail copy of any process served
against the LLC to: c/o United States Corporation Agents, Inc., 7014 13th Avenue,
Brooklyn, NY 11228. Purpose: any lawful
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275536/20216
FuNeraL HomeS
APOSTOLOPOULOS
Apostle Family Gregory, Nicholas, Andrew Funeral Directors of
RIVERDALE FUNERAL HOME Inc.
5044 Broadway
New York, NY 10034
(212) 942-4000
Toll Free 1-888-GAPOSTLE
CONSTANTINIDES
FUNERAL PARLOR Co.
(718) 745-1010
Services in all localities Low cost shipping to Greece
ANTONOPOULOS
FUNERAL HOME, INC.
Konstantinos Antonopoulos Funeral Director
38-08 Ditmars Blvd.,
Astoria, New York 11105
(718) 728-8500
Not affiliated with any
other funeral home.
by many people in the wider
Ithaca community, and had
many non-Greek friends who
thought the world of him.
Above all else, Gus was a
great family man. He never forgot his parents; he deeply loved
his brother; he was totally dedicated to his supremely devoted
wife Maria; and he was an unwaveringly committed father to
his three loving sons: Evan (Iris),
Nick (Sharon) and Paul (Dina).
Abbe Prevost’s words, “The heart
of a father is the masterpiece of
nature,” do not begin to do him
justice, and his sons all went to
college. Evan and Nick are graduates of Washington University
in St. Louis, and Paul is a graduate of Syracuse University. Evan
is also a graduate of high distinction from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in
Boston, and was Managing Editor of The National Herald 200409. Gus is also survived by six
cherished and adoring grandchildren: Costa, Andreas, Alex, Constantinos, Maria-Angela, and
Apostolos (Andreani). His eldest
grandson Costa is a recent graduate of Cornell.
Calling hours and funeral services were held conjointly at St.
Catherine’s Church in downtown
Ithaca on January 16. The funeral was officiated by Rev. Fr.
Tom Parthenakis (pastor). Dr.
Emmanuel Giannelis, esteemed
professor of engineering at Cornell, was head chanter, assisted
but Dr. Steve Hoskins, the parish
choir director. Pallbearers included Gus’ godson Michael
Kavis and Steve Bacon, his longtime banker. More than 300 people came to pay their respects,
some of them former employees
the Lambrou family hadn’t seen
in many years.
In lieu of flowers, the Lambrou family respectfully requests
that memorial donations be
made to St. Catherine Greek Orthodox Church 120 W. Seneca
Street, in Ithaca, NY 14850.
THE NATIONAL HERALD, JANUARY 21-27, 2017
GREECE CYPRUS
9
Aegean Island Officials Reject Detention Centers, Greece Criticized
TNH Staff
Greece’s lagging plan to deal
with scores of thousands of
refugees has run into roadblocks
from island officials on Lesbos
and Chios.
Migration Minister Yiannis
Mouzalas, whose assertions no
refugees were in the cold was
disputed by photos of them
freezing in tents, has been struggling to open detention centers
for troublemakers among them
on the islands, where there are
more than 10,000, and another
50,000 on the mainland.
The refugees were dispatched to Greek islands by human traffickers operating in
nearby Turkey.
Most hoped to get to more
prosperous European Union
countries before the borders
were shut, abandoning them in
Greece.
An EU swap deal with Turkey
has been suspended because of
an overwhelming number of
asylum applications and Greece
has been left mostly on its own
to deal with the problem while
trying to cope with a crushing
economic crisis.
On Chios, a magistrate ruled
against the building of a detention center for refugee troublemakers as violence keeps breaking out.
On Lesbos, the first island of
choice for refugees, Mayor Spyros Galinos continued his feud
with Mouzalas, this time over
installation of portable toilets at
the island’s harbor for migrants
temporarily housed on a ship af-
Petros tsAkmAkis/intime neWs viA AP, file
In this Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2017 file photo, arefugee stands next to a pool of mud at Moria
refugee camp on the eastern Greek island of Lesbos. Europe's top official for migration on
Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017 deplored the plight of thousands of refugees and other migrants in
camps on Greece's eastern Aegean island of Lesbos who face harsh winter conditions. Dimitris
Avramopoulos, the European Union's commissioner for migration, said solutions must be found
immediately.
ter their tents at Moria camp
were snowed in last week.
NO DIGNITY
An American doctor working
in the overcrowded refugee
camp on the island of Lesbos
said the government has failed
to provide decent conditions for
the 2,500 people there.
Diane Sampson, a pediatrician, said they are freezing in
snow-covered icy tents despite
claims by Migration Minister
Yiannis Mouzalas no refugees
were cold.
“This camp is definitely one
of the least prepared ones that I
have seen. It’s not really prepared for the weather conditions,” Sampson, who has
worked in the camp for nearly
three weeks, told the Thomson
Reuters Foundation.
Tents are leaking and stand-
ing in cold water and migrants
have no way of drying their
clothes and bedding after days
of heavy snow and rain, said
Sampson.
“In a situation like that our
main responsibility is to look at
these human beings and treat
them like human beings. This
place lacks basic human dignity,” Sampson said.
Greece is overwhelmed with
some 60,000 refugees, including
thousands on islands off the
coast of Turkey, which allowed
human traffickers to send them
until getting a swap deal with
the European Union, now suspended as Athens tries to deal
with overwhelming numbers of
asylum applications.
Sampson said she had
treated desperate patients at the
Moria camp suffering from frostbite, shivering with cold and
drenched by snow and rain that
had washed through the flimsy
tents they are staying in.
A volunteer for Dutch charity
Boat Refugee Foundation,
Sampson said she had worked
in camps after earthquakes in
Pakistan and Haiti as well as
along the Pakistan-Afghan border in the past 20 years.
The difference between how
these camps had been run and
the conditions she has encountered at the Moria camp were
like “night and day,” she said.
Sampson said usually in a
humanitarian emergency an organization takes the lead in delegating tasks like shelter, food
and clothing to ensure efficient
management of resources.
“What is frustrating is that
many of the conditions we’re
seeing here are preventable,”
said Sampson.
Roland Schoenbauer, United
Nations refugee agency’s (UNHCR) spokesman for Greece,
said 235 people had been transferred from camps on Lesbos to
hotels at special rates in the past
few days, and a few dozen men
had also spent their first night
Jan. 12 on a tanker ship sent to
the island by the Greek Navy.
“The underlying issue is not
winter as such but the slow registration procedures. If they
were speedier, it would allow
faster transfer of people to
mainland Greece where there is
better
accommodation,”
Schoenbauer told Reuters.
Distribution of winter items
continued across Greece, including the islands, with close to
360,000 items given out, such
as high thermal blankets, sleeping bags, winter boots and
clothes, UNHCR said.
FROZEN HOPES
Police in a region of Greece
that borders Turkey said another
person died of hypothermia on
a route used by migrant smugglers despite freezing temperatures.
Authorities said the body of
a man was discovered buried in
snow outside a Greek village on
Jan. 16. They think he probably
died over the weekend.
The man was the second to
succumb to the cold in less than
two weeks. Another died of hypothermia in the same area on
Jan. 3.
In a separate incident, a migrant man was treated at a hospital for symptoms of frostbite.
Greek authorities have reported a recent surge in the
number of people attempting to
reach Europe while avoiding detention by crossing a river on
the Turkish border.
(Material from the Associated
Press was used in this report)
Cyprus Peace Deal Nudges Closer, Tsipras Tells Turkey Drop Tough Talk
TNH Staff
With technical talks over security in a hoped-for Cyprus
unity deal resuming, Greek
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras
said it’s up to Turkey to stop
talking tough.
Greece – along with Turkey
and the United Kingdom – is a
guarantor of security on the island divided since a 1974 Turkish invasion, and with Turkey
still keeping a 30,000-strong
army on the northern third it
has unlawfully occupied since
then with a self-proclaimed Republic only Ankara recognizes
in the world.
Tsipras said Turkey, which
has insisted on keeping the
army, should stop “aggressive
rhetoric” that could foul a
prospective solution.
“We are optimistic but with
prudence and responsibility, as
this situation merits, we will
continue to work hard…and
hope that we have positive results in the near future,” Tsipras
said in a speech in the Greek
Parliament, the Reuters news
agency reported.
“A precondition to that is
that the other side… particularly Turkey, come to negotiations in similar spirit, putting
aside aggressive rhetoric, and
work seriously and responsibly,”
he said.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has accused Greece of
“fleeing” efforts to reunite
Cyprus and said Turkey will retain troops there forever to protect minority ethnic Turks,
which Cypriot President Nicos
Anastasiades said would be a
deal-breaker for him.
Anastasiades has been negotiating with Turkish-Cypriot
leader Mustafa Akinci since
2015, with both sides, along
with UN Special Envoy Espen
AP Photo/Petros kArADJiAs
Cypriot President, Nikos Anastasiades, left, welcomes Greek
President, Prokopis Pavlopoulos, in Nicosia, Cyprus, Thursday,
Jan. 19, 2017. Pavlopoulos is in Cyprus for a one-day visit.
Barth Eide, repeatedly saying
there has been significant
progress without any evidence
there was.
Talks in Geneva last week
failed to produce a breakthrough over the former British
colony after Anastasiades and
Akinci put together a map carving up the island and showing
how much property and territory stolen by Greeks should be
returned. It’s locked in a UN safe
for the negotiations.
Turkey also wants to keep
the right to military intervene,
as it did 43 years ago, causing
the whole problem.
TOUGH GOING
Diplomats met in the Swiss
resort of Mont Pelerin, charged
with figuring out if the differ-
ences are bridgeable in a deal
to reunify ethnically-split
Cyprus.
The report they produce over
three days will determine
whether the Cypriot leaders and
the foreign ministers of Greece,
Turkey and Britain will reconvene in Geneva to thrash out a
security agreement that will
likely pave the way to an overall
reunification accord.
A complex web of interlocking interests has scuttled previous rounds of talks that have
trudged on in successive failures
since the island was split in
1974.
Anastasiades and Akinci have
sketched out the basic framework of a deal reunifying the island as a federation that they
feel can earn the backing of the
majority of both communities in
separate votes. If all goes well,
the referendums could happen
by mid-year. The two men have
made much progress on how to
share power in a federation, as
well as on the economy and
how the federation will function
as a member of the European
Union.
What remains are issues that
lie at the heart of Cyprus' division — highly emotive issues
that play on the deepest fears
of both Greek and Turkish
Cypriots.
MAPPING TERRITORY
Both sides have submitted
maps delineating the territory
they believe their respective federal zones should control.
The difference is a single percentage point – the Turkish
Cypriots want 29.2 percent of
Cyprus' land mass, down from
the more than 36 percent they
now control – while the Greek
Cypriots have proposed 28.2
percent.
Although it seems like a
small difference, neither side is
happy.
Greek Cypriots want what
was previously densely populated territory to be returned
under their control in order to
allow at least 90,000 Greek
Cypriots displaced from the
1974 invasion to reclaim lost
homes and property relatively
quickly.
They say the more people
who reclaim homes, the less
costly a peace deal in terms of
compensation for those who
cannot get their property back,
and the more support for the
deal.
Conversely, Turkish Cypriots
want to limit the number of people now living in Greek Cypriotowned homes who have to relocate.
This Week in Greek History (January 16-22)
Compiled by
Eraklis Diamataris
JaNuarY 17: On this day in 1939,
Archbishop of Athens and All of Greece,
Christodoulos (1939-2008) was born in
Xanthi. Christodoulos became an ordained
priest in 1965 and served as a parish priest
in Palio Faliro , the Chief Secretary of the
Holy Synod of the Church of Greece and
the bishop of Demetrias in Volos prior to
his tenure as Archbishop. Christodoulos is
fondly remembered in Greece for his unique
connection to the youths of the country
leading to rising church attendance numbers from younger people. Additionally,
Christodoulos launched many social services
through the church such as welfare care for
drug addicts and immigrants. The Archbishop died at the age of 69 due to liver
cancer in Athens, Greece. Ieronymos of
Thebes succeeded him as Archbishop.
JaNuarY 18: On this day in 1913 Greek
Rear Admiral Pavlos Kountouriotis triumphed over Ottoman Captain Ramiz Bey
in the Battle of Lemnos during the First
Balkan War. Admiral Kountouriotis used the
legendary Greek flagship “Georgios Averof”
which was faster and better equipped than
the 3 battleships, 1 cruiser and 5 destroyers
deployed by the Ottomans. In challenging
and defeated the flagship of the Ottoman
navy at Moudros and then pursuing,
Koundouriotis made sure that the Ottoman
fleet would remain a non-factor in the coming conflicts in the late 1910s and the early
1920s. The victory sealed sole Greek dominance of the Aegean Sea.
JaNuarY 22: On this day in 1942,
Greek and Panathinaikos footballing icon
Dimitrios “Mimis” Domazos was born in the
Ambelokipi neighborhood of Athens,
Greece. Domazos is often regarded as one
of the finest footballers that Greece has ever
produced. The attacking midfielder garnered the nickname “the general” due to
his outstanding leadership qualities that
were recognized by the fact that he was
Panathinaikos FC’s captain for 15 years and
was the captain of the Greek National Team
as well. Known as the Greek player with
the longest professional career, Domazos
was a force to be reckoned with on the pitch
of an incredible 21 years. In total Domazos
made 510 appearances for Panathinaikos
scoring 134 goals and appeared for one season with AEK Athens 34 times scoring 5
goals. Domazos became known internationally as leading Panathinikos onto the field
at Wembley Stadium in London, England
as captain for
the European
Cup
Final
against Ajax. To
this day that
Panathinaikos
team is the only
Greek club to
ever reach a
European final.
Mimis Domazos continues
to support the
club he loves
today and is an
advisor to the
board of directors at Panathinaikos.
The two sides also remain
stuck on the concept of a rotating Presidency.
The Turkish Cypriots insist
the future federation's Presidency should alternate between
the Greek and Turkish communities to ensure reunified Cyprus
would be a genuine partnership.
Greek Cypriots oppose the
idea, arguing that according executive parity to the minority
Turkish Cypriots would warp
democratic principles. Some of
the more suspicious Greek
Cypriots see a rotating Presidency as Turkey running the
country by proxy.
Officials said the two sides
didn't even take up the issue last
week because the two sides are
so far apart.
Cyprus' 1960 constitution accorded Britain, Greece and
Turkey the right to underwrite
the security of the island. Turkey
invoked its intervention rights
from its status as a guarantor to
justify its 1974 invasion following a coup aiming to unite
Cyprus with Greece.
Greek Cypriots are deeply
concerned about the military
might, especially as Turkey descends into deeper authoritarianism.
They insist no non-EU country should station troops on the
island or have the right to intervene militarily. Anastasiades
has proposed the deployment of
an international police force.
But the Turkish Cypriots see
Turkish troops as their sole insurance against possible hostilities. Akinci has said this can
come under review after a number of years when fear and mistrust melts away.
(Material from the Associated
Press was used in this report)
Greece Wants IMF Pullout
from Bailout, Schaeuble
Says Terms Would Change
Continued from page 1
bailout talks.
“If the IMF wishes to not participate with financing in the
Greek program, that would be
a good development not just for
Greece but for all of Europe,”
he added. “We have always said
that Europe is able to handle its
problems on its own.”
Tzanakopoulos also said the
better-than-expected 2016 budget execution figures included
boosted tax revenues, which he
said showed that efforts to fight
tax evasion are paying off.
According to the Finance
Ministry, the 2016 primary surplus was 4.4 billion euros, compared to a budget forecast for 2
billion euros. The figures are
calculated on a modified cash
basis, and differ slightly from
the final budget data.
Greece has committed to
budget surpluses in coming
years, under the terms of its
bailout program. The country
has depended on rescue loans
since 2010.
GERMANY SAYS NEIN
German Finance Minister
Wolfgang Schaeuble said terms
of
Greece’s
international
bailouts would have to be revised if the IMF isn’t involved.
Germany is the biggest contributor to 326 billion euros
($347.03 billion) in three rescue
packages but demanded, and
got, harsh austerity measures
that have brought Greeks to
their knees with big pay cuts,
tax hikes, slashed pensions,
worker firings and the sell-off
of state enterprises and assets.
The IMF joined the European
Union and European Central
Bank in the first two loans of
240 billion euros ($255.48 billion) but has stayed out of a
third so far of 86 billion euros
($91.55 billion) until more reforms are made and as it has
called for its European partners
granting debt relief to Greece
while insisting it be paid back
in full.
Schaeuble, who, along with
Chancellor Angela Merkel, have
been relentless in demanding
repeated brutal conditions, told
the Wall Street Journal that a
potential withdrawal of the IMF
could require a renegotiation of
Greece’s bailout.
That came as envoys from
the lenders are in long-stalled
second review talks with Greece
over terms of the third bailout.
“Should it not come to a successful second review (of the
steps Greece must fulfill under
its support program,) and
should the IMF draw the consequences from this, then the current program would be obsolete. The program was agreed
to only on the expectation that
the IMF would participate,”
Schaeuble was quoted by the
WSJ as saying.
“If it became obsolete, then
we would have a situation in
which one would need to come
up with something new. I
wouldn’t recommend this to the
Greek government,” Schaeuble
added.
“But I would be completely
relaxed. The German Bundestag
would first need to discuss and
agree on whether or not it approves negotiating a new program.”
SYRIZA said it would welcome an IMF decision to pull
out of the country’s bailout program, which is bogged down in
disagreements on further spending cuts.
Athens hopes a deal with European creditors and the IMF
will boost Greece’s battered
economy, allowing access to the
European Central Bank’s bondbuying program and, later, to
international markets.
The IMF participated in
Greece’s two previous bailouts,
but is still deliberating whether
to finance the current, third program signed in 2015. It says fiscal targets agreed upon between
Greece and the Europeans are
too optimistic.
(Material from the Associated
Press was used in this report)
EDITORIALS LETTERS
10
THE NATIONAL HERALD, JANUARY 21-27, 2017
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
The National Herald
A weekly publication of the NATIONAL HERALD, INC.
(ΕΘΝΙΚΟΣ ΚΗΡΥΞ),
reporting the news and addressing the issues of paramount interest
to the Greek-American community of the United States of America.
Publisher-Editor Antonis H. Diamataris
Assistant to the Publisher, Advertising Veta H. Diamataris Papadopoulos
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Contributing Editor Constantinos E. Scaros
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On Reconnecting Readers
With their Greek Roots
To the Editor:
I just read the article by Eleni
Sakellis on the Most Requested
Books of 2016. Thank you for
including Hellenic Tour USA.
I just got an e-mail from a
young man in Virginia and he
said he feels lost at times because his grandmother and
mother never talked about their
life experiences. I told him that
is why I wrote the book...to help
people discover their roots and
it is never too late to do so. It
was your articles that prompted
him to contact me. You are doing a wonderful service to the
Greek-American community
and I thank you personally for
doing so.
Cleo Rumpakis
Portland, OR
to our reaDerS
the national herald welcomes letters from its readers intended for
publication. they should include the writer’s name, address, and
telephone number and be addressed to: the editor, the national
herald, 37-10 30th street, long island City, ny 11101. letters can
also be faxed to (718) 472-0510 or e-mailed to [email protected]. We reserve the right to edit letters for publication
and regret that we are unable to acknowledge or return those left
unpublished.
GeorGe sArAfoGlou / sPeCiAl to the nAtionAl herAlD
COMMENTARY
Trickery without Limits
Inaction as National Policy
Upon returning from a transatlantic trip, I am aware that
life goes on as usual.
But the world seems to be on the verge of major changes.
For the first time in decades, a leader who has attracted
great international interest has emerged, who combines hope
and uncertainty to an extent that few have done before.
A leader, as we shall see further along, who threatens to
turn everything on its head.
So we are on the verge of changes that are possibly significant
and on a large scale.
With the exception of Athens, where the government continues to be living in other times, and is moving at a pace of
relative indifference as if nothing is wrong, despite the river
that is swelling more and more each day by the waters of economic disaster and the nightmarish pressure on its sovereignty.
But this inaction is not a solution, and certainly not a painless
solution.
I read British Prime Minister Theresa May’s recent and muchanticipated speech about her country’s relationship with the
European Union.
And I was pleased with her clear stance that Great Britain
will not enter into a "half-in, half-out" relationship with the European Union.
This, of course, also refers to Greece’s relationship with the
EU. "Half-in, half-out" with the capital controls, the memoranda,
the impasse.
But for how long?
How long can this situation continue without leaving its indelible marks on the nation? How long can a country be suspended in uncertainty? Doesn’t it have to finally decide what it
wants to do, if it wants to be "in or out"?
But this is not the only point which PM May made that must
be taken under consideration. It is also her position on immigration, through which she emphasized that it is impossible for
the UK to remain a member of the EU because it is impossible
for them to control its borders and to define its laws.
But if this is true for the UK, is it not also the case for other
countries, e.g. such as Greece that is carrying a hefty portion of
the refugee burden?
Does this issue no longer reach epic political dimensions?
Last - but not least - I am referring back to Donald Trump’s
statements about NATO being "obsolete" and his prediction that
other countries will follow Britain's lead in leaving the European
Union.
It is not clear to which he is referring. What is clear is the
tone and attitude of the American president-elect on the EU.
And it is certainly and obviously not the same as that which
the Obama administration followed for Europe - and possibly
for Greece.
Year 8 Grade: Another Average Year for Barack Obama
I have written this column
for The National Herald for
eight years, the same amount of
time that Barack Obama has
spent in the White House. At the
end of each year I gave him a
grade.
This piece explains his grade
for the final year, and his eight
year “grade average,” though by
no means should that be taken
as a serious evaluation of his
presidency, because it is far too
early to do such a thing.
Presidential historians, in
fact, recommend waiting a full
20 years after a president leaves
office before evaluating him. By
that measure, it would be too
early to evaluate even Presidents George W. Bush and Bill
Clinton, as neither has been out
of office for that long yet. To
evaluate Obama so soon, thus,
would be premature indeed. On
the other hand, as long as we
realize that our perspective may
change over time, there’s nothing wrong with discussing how
we see things at present.
To review, I gave President
Obama a B Minus in each of his
first two years, followed by
three C Pluses, and then his
highest grade of all in Year 6: a
B. Last year, I gave him his lowest grade of all, a C Minus, and
wrote this: “You’re a good guy,
Mr. President, but this is no time
for droopy shoulders on the
world stage. Although I doubt
you’ll listen, I wish you all the
success in the world to
straighten up and stand tall –
so that you can salvage your
presidential legacy in your last
year and, much more importantly, give America the leadership it deserves. Nothing would
make me happier than to be
able to give you an A on your
final report card. I don’t know
if you can rise to the occasion,
but I’ll be rooting for you to do
so.”
Alas, it was not to be. Another C Minus this year, bringing his cumulative average right
in the center of a C Plus.
But first, as I’ve done for each
of the previous seven report
cards, some “teacher’s comments”: a C is the break-even
point, and also the starting
point. First, I considered
whether anything particularly
good or particularly bad happened in our country specifically
in 2016. The answer, as I see it,
is no. We did not obliterate terrorists who pose a threat
the
throughout
timent that as a
world, but neither
country we’ve been
did they gain any
heading in the
significant strongwrong direction.
Vladimir
holds.
In considering
Putin didn’t annex
Obama’s presidency
any more territory,
as a whole it is usebut neither has he
ful to compare his
backed off from
first and second
what appears a determs. The first
sire to reclaim Soterm, perfectly in
viet glory.
between a B Minus
The stock marand C Plus, clearly
by CoNStaNtINoS e.
ket soared to
describes a betterSCaroS
record highs, unthan-average presiemployment
dent poised for reSpecial to
The National Herald
dropped
even
election but subject
lower, and the
to defeat at the
economy continued to grow. But hands of a very strong chalwhen taking into account the lenger. In 2012, Mitt Romney
overall shrinking of the labor was not that strong challenger,
force, an anemic rate of growth, and so Obama eked out reelecand a wealth gap that has not tion. A lot of voters stayed
significantly narrowed, those home, and some, like me, voted
other statistics don’t translate to third party. My Republican
very much in terms of quality of friends pleaded with me to vote
life for the average American.
for Romney, assuring me that I’d
The consistently low price of be “throwing away my vote”
gas – even with a recent uptick and thereby would help Obama
– is one of the best pieces of win reelection. “I don’t care,”
good news on President was my response. “In fact, I like
Obama’s watch. But that is not Obama much more than I do
enough to counter Obama’s fail- Romney, even though I may
ure – after trying surprisingly agree with many of Romney’s
hard – to achieve an electoral policies. So, either way, I can
victory for his preferred succes- live with the outcome.”
sor. Losing presidential candiObama’s second-term grades,
dates – whether Hillary Clinton, however, barely average over a
Mitt Romney, John McCain, or C, and were it not for the B I
anyone else – are predominantly gave him in year six, which in
responsible for their own defeat. hindsight seems overly generBut to considerable extent, ous, his last four years collecObama’s record was thrown into tively would have been below
the equation this year, by Clin- average.
ton, Donald Trump, and Obama
That B, incidentally, was
himself, and there is no denying based on the dramatic drop in
that while much of the nation gas prices at the end of 2014,
continues to like Obama person- which I thought would have led
ally, there is a great deal of sen- Obama to seize the moment and
Congratulations Mr. President
and Best of Luck
As Donald Trump is about to take the
oath of office as the 45th president of the
United States, admittedly there is a lot of
skepticism about his performance so far and
his temperament to lead the country and in
so many aspects the world as well.
One thing that seems to be certain at
this moment is that the Trump presidency
will be unlike any in memory.
He carries the promise to act as a revolutionary agent in many respects, even to
turn things upside down, at least as we
know them, since the end of World War II.
Any change, even on a small scale, is terrifying to many people. And Trump
promises big ones, so the fear factor is even
Call us for any information pertaining
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Constantinos E. Scaros' latest
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the 2016 presidential election),
is available for purchase on
amazon.com and in bookstores
nationwide.
Observations By Antonis H. Diamataris
Services to our readers:
Expand your mind...
couple that with aggressive oil
drilling as a short-term advance
to render any Middle East
strongmen irrelevant. Instead,
he played it cautiously, as he always does. Ironically, the man
referred to as a “radical leftist”
and a “Marxist” by so many of
his detractors was actually one
of our most conservative presidents, if the meaning of that
word is taken to convey low-risk
steadiness.
Finally, it is important to note
that presidential rankings are
largely subjective. A relatively recent (2009) addition to the collective scholarship is Recarving
Rushmore, by political think tank
fellow Ivan Eland. Ranking all
the presidents from George
Washington to George W. Bush
(Obama had yet to take office)
except for William Harrison and
James Garfield (due to the sheer
brevity of their time in office),
Eland’s top five are presidents
John Tyler, Grover Cleveland,
Martin Van Buren, Rutherford
Hayes, and Chester Arthur, and
included in his 10 worst are FDR,
Harry Truman, John Kennedy,
Ronald Reagan, and his worst of
all, Woodrow Wilson. Though at
first glance one might think
Eland’s rankings are a joke, a
closer reading reveals that they
are consistent with his penchant
for limited government and presidential deference to Congress.
It is no wonder, then, that his
top-ranked president, Tyler, was
a Whig: the party that embodied
that ideology.
Keeping that in mind, it is
quite reasonable to infer that to
those who consider the rights of
the LGBTQ community, an
abundance of compassion for
non-felon illegal aliens – particularly ones brought here underage – deep appreciation for the
potential dangers of climate
change and generally for polluted air and water, a shift from
America-led international policies to a multinational approach, broader access to health
insurance, a default mode of restraint when tempers flare, and
the normalization of relations
with Cuba, Barack Obama’s
presidency was quite extraordinary.
tnh ArChives
It is not every day that Greek-Americans occupy leading positions in an American government.
And yet, under the Donald Trump administration, Reince
(Hercules) Priebus is assuming the key position of White House
Chief of Staff, while George Gigicos will serve as Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Advance. (In order to fully
understand the significance of this, note that Gigicos was one
of the four aides to accompany Trump during his first visit to
the White House as president-elect).
Of course, these top officials of the new US government are
first and foremost American citizens.
And that is certainly what they should be.
But we can’t help but hope that their Greek origin might
help somehow.
For example, Priebus spent several summers as a child in
Greece, since his mother was born there. Something must have
stuck with him. In fact, he speaks enthusiastically about his
visits and the political discussions he has had with his grandfather.
But, at the same time, there is the risk that these officials
are quite aware of what is happening in the country – very
likely - and will act based on reality, despite the promises they
make but never keep or the government’s ideological orientation, with which they certainly do not identify...
And so, they make up an excellent leadership team of expatriates led by Andy Manatos, who is hosting a reception in their
honor in Washington. It is, theoretically, in honor of the Archbishop, but essentially in honor of the Archons of the Ecumenical
Throne, Priebus and Gigicos as well as Congressman Gus Bilirakis, for general reasons.
Greek-Americans from across the country were invited and
will attend this event, regardless of their political affiliation, to
honor these worthy children of our Community.
Naturally, when the Greek diplomatic authorities in America
learned about the reception they requested and, of course, secured seats at the reception for two senior members of the
Greek Government: Nikos Pappas, the Prime Minister’s right
hand man, and Defense Minister Panos Kammenos.
Why not? You might ask.
I would agree, provided that they would not attempt to misinform the Greek people about allegedly... having meetings with
White House officials to put issues such as the IMF and Cyprus
on the table, as their "parrots" are propagating in Greece. Such behavior is unworthy of Greece.
It is most certain that they will be photographed with Priebus
and Gigicos at the reception. Everyone will be photographed
with them in the short time that they will be present.
But they should not expose Greece - all of us, that is – and
they should not deceive the Greek people with these antics by
top ministers of a supposedly… leftist government.
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greater.
But is this necessarily bad? Could it possibly be that a fresh look at things after such
a long time of stalemate is indeed necessary
as an engine of progress?
It might very well be time for a shakeup
of things. Then, if that is the case, Trump’s
election can be seen as a mandate given to
him by the people for change.
Now, one needs to be very careful both
of the kind of change that is needed in
America and the world and on the way it’s
implemented.
That can make all the difference.
Trumps choices for the cabinet posts so
far, especially the most consequential ones,
seem to be solid.
Provided that he delegates properly and
lets his picks do their jobs, the country– and
the world– will be fine.
If we are to believe the polls– and admittedly our faith in them has being
shaken– his popularity is the worst of any
president in a decades. Yet, this can change
fast if his policies win the approval of the
people.
And it is crucial to stress that what we
should focus on and draw our conclusions
from should be his policies, what he does,
rather than what he says.
All and all this promises to be an interesting time in the life of the nation and the
world.
For the sake of every one we should give
President Donald Trump at least the benefit
of the doubt. We should not be rushing to
definitive conclusions even if we are inclined to.
Congratulations Mr. President and best
of luck.
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VIEWPOINTS
THE NATIONAL HERALD, JANUARY 21-27, 2017
The New Middle East:
Turkey, Russia, Iran & Iraq
while the US is batThe ceasefire in
tling ISIS at home
Syria brokered by
and in the Middle
Russia and Turkey is
East, Saudi Arabia
a clear indication
continues to fund
that there is a major
Wahhabi Mosques
realignment in the
around the world.
Middle East. InPrior to 1979, most
deed, when the new
Imams followed the
“allies,” Vladimir
training and teachPutin and Recep
ing of the moderate
Tayyip Erdogan, beSunni Islam as adgin the process of
vocated by the Musrestoring peace and
by Dr. aNDre
lim scholars at al
in Syria, without
geroLYmatoS
Ahzar University in
the United States, it
Cairo.
is testament to the
Special to
The National Herald
Few American
colossal foreign poladministrations
icy failure of the
have understood the Middle East
Obama Administration.
Although Mr. Putin and Mr. and today the layers of complexErdogan are on opposite sides of ity have become even more
the Syrian crisis – Turkey sup- opaque. Washington is never sure
ports the Sunni rebels and Russia when an event or crisis is trigthe Alawite regime of Basir al- gered by sectarian issues or by
Assad- the two authoritarian conflict over land and resources.
leaders are looking beyond their A good example is Turkey. Mr. Erdifferences towards the disposi- dogan is quickly transforming
tion of the Middle East. The Turkey into an Islamic dictatorAlawite minority, which has dom- ship. His tiff with Assad, Erdogan
inated Syria since the end of the took offense when the younger
Second World War, is cast as the Assad did not kowtow to him sufmortal enemy of the Sunni ma- ficiently, has undermined Turkey’s
jority and that the struggle in that position in the Middle East. The
unfortunate country is sectarian Turkish leader has watched with
based. The crisis in Syria, how- alarm as Iran and Shia dominated
ever, is about power and regional Iraq are emerging as the potential
spheres of influence, and less power houses in the region, while
the success of the Kurds in fightabout religion.
For example, until 2012, ing ISIS has given them a chance
Sunni Turkey was the primary to establish a Kurdish state.
Mr. Erdogan had the opporally of the Assad regime, whereas
today Shia Iran and Eastern Or- tunity to destroy ISIS, but bethodox Russia have replaced lieved he could manipulate the
Turkey. The Alawites are an off- terrorists and use them against
shoot of the Shiite version of Is- Iran and a Shia dominated Iraq.
lam, and the Syrian civil war has Perhaps, he believed he would
often been portrayed as a clash be able to secure Aleppo – a prebetween Alawites and Sunnis. dominant Sunni city or even use
The logic in the Obama White- ISIS as a means to kill more
house was that the Arab Spring Kurds. When that failed, he exexposed the inequities of the ploited the refugee crisis to extort
Alawite Assad regime, which had money from the EU. If the EU
persecuted and kept in poverty does not pay then Erdogan will
the majority Sunnis. Sadly, Pres- throw open the refugee flood
ident Obama and Secretary of gates and overwhelm Europe.
State Hilary Clinton misunder- This, however, did not solve his
geopolitical problems.
stood the Arab Spring.
When ISIS is eliminated, Iraq
As a result, the Obama Administration failed to support will have one of the largest and
Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian best trained and equipped armies
strongman, and risked Egypt be- in the Middle East. Meanwhile,
coming a radical Islamic state Turkey’s influence will further diruled by the Muslim Brother- minish. At the same time, Russia’s
hood. A smaller version of what success in defeating the Syrian
could have happened was the rebels will reduce the exodus of
case of Libya. Secretary Clinton, refugees and prevent Erdogan
in a fog of confusion, convinced from continuing to blackmail the
Mr. Obama to topple Muammar Europeans. Thus, his only option
Khadafy and subsequently turned was to cozy up to Putin. Together,
Libya into a failed state – and a Russia and Turkey plan to arbibase for ISIS. But the foreign pol- trate the redrawing of the Middle
icy of errors culminated with East map. Accordingly, Mr. ErdoSyria. Mr. Obama, his advisors, gan assumes he will have a place
and Secretary Clinton wrongly at the grownup’s table.
At best, however, Mr. Erdogan
assumed that the crisis that exploded in Syria in March 2011 will be a junior partner. It would
was about sectarianism and the have been different if the United
States were part of the process,
absence of democracy.
Consequently, the American since traditionally America always
government refused to back As- favored Turkey. On the other
sad, preferring to demonize him hand, the Americans will be
instead, and covertly supported spared having to constantly asthe Syrian opposition that had suage Erdogan’s ego and it will
coalesced in and around Aleppo. be the turn of the Russians to
The US contributed billions of cope with the petulant Turkish
dollars, training, and military president. In the new Middle
hardware only to discover that a East, the primary winner will be
large segment of the opposition Mr. Putin. The Russian strongman
included Islamic terrorists – will expand Russia’s sphere of inmany are now part of ISIS. The fluence in the region. Behind the
Obama Administration then Russians, of course, are the Chiabandoned Syria, sending signals nese, who will greatly benefit ecothat America was pulling out of nomically and strategically.
Ultimately, America will have
the Middle East.
The difficulty with the Middle to adjust to a multipolar world
East is that it is layered with and seek new allies as well as ensmoldering tensions over land, hance relations with existing partresources, and religion. On one ners such as Canada, Israel, and
side is the Saudi-Iran conflict Greece.
The full article can be read
over the hearts and minds of
Muslims. Ever since the oil em- online at www.thenationalherbargo of 1979, petro dollars have ald.com.
poured into Saudi Arabia and the
Gulf States. The Saudis then ex- André Gerolymatos is Director of
ported the extreme Wahhabi ver- the Stavros Niarchos Foundation
sion of Islam – it is the same ver- Centre for Hellenic Studies at Sision of Islam followed by mon Fraser University in Vancoual-Qaeda and ISIS. Even today ver.
11
Foreign Reactions to Trump and a Lesson in Austria
The “Who is Donald J.
Trump?” question dominated
every conversation I have had in
Europe and the Middle East
since November. In almost every
case, no one really knows what
to expect from the man who will
soon hold the most powerful office in the world.
Londoners and other Brits believe Trump benefitted from the
United Kingdom’s vote In June
to leave the European Union
otherwise known as “Brexit.”
They argued that the British
voter’s willingness to take a wild
emotional leap into unknown
territory emboldened Americans
to vote their emotions as well.
The “Brexiteers” hailed Trump’s
election as a vindication for their
vote. Both Trump and Brexit
campaigners won elections on
twin themes: stopping immigration and restoring manufacturing jobs lost to international
trade agreements. Both campaigns also played on contempt
for establishment politicians and
disdain for expertise.
The Remain voters saw the
defeat of rationality and human
rights. “Remainers” also see future vindication; they point to
the chaos and discord within the
British government as it seeks to
design a Brexit strategy following an unexpected victory and
confidently expect the same will
happen in America once the internal contradictions of what
Trump promised collide with political and economic reality.
In the Middle East and especially in the Gulf Region, my
Arab interlocutors appeared utterly confident they knew “who
Trump is.” Almost all my contacts argued that Obama was
America's worst-ever foreign policy president for having reduced
America’s presence in the Middle
Trump would do in
East. He had withthe region but
drawn from Iraq,
asked them if they
allowed
Hosni
had read or lisMubarak’s dictatortened to any of Mr.
ship in Egypt to colTrump's
foreign
lapse, and had
policy rhetoric. Had
failed to go to war
they heard Trump’s
to depose Syrian
effusive praise for
dictator Bashar alRussian President
Assad in favor of
Putin or about his
the
revolution.
intent to line up
(Oddly, the Iranian
with the Russians
nuclear agreement
by amB. patrICK N.
and
Syrian Presidid not come up in
tHeroS
dent Assad to crush
conversations very
ISIS? Had they
much. Although the
Special to
The National Herald
heard Trump conSaudis, Israelis, and
temptuously disothers opposed the
agreement, only the Israelis miss the Syrian rebel groups the
would still like to see it Gulf Arabs support as a bunch
scrapped. The Arabs have gen- of “losers” whom “we don’t
erally found its good points to know much about?”
What, I asked, did they think
outnumber the bad.) Arabs have
so accustomed themselves to of Trump’s tweet that “I Hate
seventy years of America as the Proliferation but It would be betregion’s policeman – even if we ter if Japan, Saudi Arabia, and
often did more damage than South Korea had Nuclear
good – that they feel naked in a Weapons.” The one or two who
world where they must stand on had noticed insisted he did not
really mean what he said or had
their own.
All my Arab interlocutors in- been misunderstood. The others
sisted President Trump would were simply shocked. Israelis
reverse Obama’s policies, again had a different take than Arabs
recognize the Middle East as on Trump; their right-wingers
America’s single most important believe the United States will do
foreign policy concern, and rein- give them everything they want;
sert major American military other Israelis are terrified that
forces into the region. President we will.
A week in Austria produced
Trump would again put the protection of their own government the most surprising take on the
and/or regime as the center- U.S. elections. Austrians told me
piece of his Middle East policies, that Trump‘s victory opened
put down the Syrian dictator as their eyes to the dangers in voting your emotions rather than
well as go after ISIS and Iran.
To oversimplify slightly, they your brains. In Austria, July’s
believed that Trump would re- run-off election between Norbert
store the interventionist policies Hofer, a young attractive neoof previous American adminis- Nazi promising “change,” and
trations. Trump would become Alexander van der Bellen, a boring and uninspiring septuageGeorge W. Bush on steroids.
I told my Arab friends, truth- narian “Green” candidate, was
fully, that I had no idea what Mr. so close that Austria’s Supreme
Court ordered a new run-off.
Hofer conducted a campaign
that owed Mr. Trump’s campaign royalties for ripping off its
tactics and symbolism. Van der
Bellen, on the other hand, was
not Bernie Sanders. Trump’s unexpected victory in America reminded older conservative Austrians of another famous
Austrian who won using identical campaign tactics in 1933. My
friends lamented the fact that,
as in 1933, the Western mainstream politicians had gotten
elitist and complacent, ignoring
the real grievances of common
people. Hofer, Trump, and Hitler
all skillfully exploited middleaged resentment at economic inequality, young people, immigrants, and loss of jobs. To
paraphrase one good friend, “we
don’t know if Hofer and Trump
are personally Hitlerian. However, their campaign tactics convinced us that we don’t want to
take the risk.” Aroused, Austrians went to the polls in droves
and handed the neo-Nazi a
thumping defeat.
Sadly, I have almost nothing
to report on conversations with
Greeks. They are so overwhelmed with their own problems that they appear not to
have noticed what happened in
America. In the meantime, when
will the real Mr. Trump stand up
and be recognized?
The Hon. Ambassador Theros is
president of the U.S.-Qatar Business Council. He served in the
U.S. Foreign Service for 36
years, mostly in the Middle East,
and was American Ambassador
to Qatar from 1995 to 1998. He
also directed the State Department’s
Counter-Terrorism
Office, and holds numerous U.S.
Government decorations.
LETTER FROM ATHENS
The Secret Sellout of Cyprus, or Blue Smoke & Mirrors
Try as he might, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades – his
protests notwithstanding – hasn’t
yet been quite able to try to polish his shaky legacy by sealing a
deal to reunify Cyprus, divided
since an unlawful 1974 Turkish
invasion.
He’s willing to concede property and territory stolen by Turks,
hasn’t said no to a rotating presidency where a Turk would oversee the island, and wasn’t willing
to walk away from the negotiating table in Geneva when Turkish-Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci
said Turkey would keep a standing 30,000-strong army on the
island and would have the right
to military intervene.
Translation: Turkey, if granted
a unity deal that would set up a
two-state federation (that’s actually disunity), could then waltz
over to the Cypriot side with its
army and take what it wanted,
stopped only by Cypriots, and
not NATO – to which Turkey and
Greece belong.
Nor by the European Union –
which Turkey wants to join and
to which Cyprus already belongs
even as Turkey refuses to recognize the Cypriot government and
bars its ships and planes.
Nor by the United States,
which was complicit in the invasion 43 years ago by looking the
other way and letting Turkey
take what it wanted, as it would
again if Turkish Dictator Recep
Tayyip Erdogan – who said his
army “is there forever,” deal no
deal – decides he’s unhappy with
the terms.
A solution has evaded diplomats and envoys and politicians
for decades because it’s an intractable problem of a resistible
force meeting a movable object
Head Cheerleader
in the two sides siEspen “Mr. Happy”
multaneous intransiEide have progence, although the
claimed a solution
burden is on Turkey
was at hand, was
as an invading and
imminent,
was
now partially-occucoming any day
pying force.
now, that there
Only Turkey recwas “significant
ognizes the self-deprogress” (at the
clared Republic in
same time they
the Northern third it
said there were
unlawfully occupies,
major obstacles)
even as Turkishby aNDY
and did everything
Cypriots’ standard of
DaBILIS
except sing Happy
living is far below
Days are Here
those of Cypriots just
Special to
The National Herald
Again, so eager
across the Green
were they get a
Line that divides the
capital Nicosia and the two sides. deal at any cost, including the
The negotiations were con- selling out of their souls and of
ducted in secret, where Anastasi- everyone on the island.
So far, all we know is that
ades and Akinci – with no Cypriots or Turkish-Cypriots having a Anastasiades and Akinci each
say or being informed – carving proposed a map of where Cyprus
would end and Turkish Cyprus
Turkey, if granted a unity would begin, and then had it
locked in a UN safe because, you
deal that would set up a
know, you can’t trust the voters
two-state federation could and if the real news leaked out
the whole deal could be scuttled
then waltz over to the
before it reaches them.
Cypriot side with its army
If Erdogan prevails, and don’t
count
it out, a unified Cyprus
and take what it wanted
would be the only European
up the island and drawing up a Union country with an occupying
map placed in a United Nations army on its territory. So why not
let Turkey send some troops to
safe.
This is how politicians, most Germany where there’s a huge
of whom have never had a real Turkish population and then Erjob nor had to worry about their dogan could say he’d be ready
next paycheck or meal – work: to act to protect them against
in secret while proclaiming trans- skinheads.
This folderol, disguised in
parency. In this case it affects the
whole population on both sides diplomatic code and encrypted
of the island, who won’t have a in triple-spin political language
say until a referendum if a deal for decades, is a disgraceful endaround the people whose lives
is reached.
For more than a year now, will be affected forever, and who
Anastasiades and Akinci and es- have no say until the final prodpecially UN Special Envoy and uct is handed to them for thumbs
up or down.
This is stuff that requires a
good, old-fashioned New England town meeting where the
proposals are put on the table
before a vote so they can be
hashed out and everyone can
have a say without being left out.
While Akinci and Anastasiades were in the room in Geneva
doing the talking, before the
guarantors sent their Foreign
Minister flunkies for failed talks,
it was the 300-lb. gorilla not in
the room whose specter was hovering over everyone: Erdogan.
Now that Turkey has done
away with a Prime Minister and
he’s moving ever close to open
dictatorship, Erdogan is emboldened by his own ego and the
EU’s feeble protests about what
he’s doing, how he won’t recognize Cyprus but wants to join the
EU and he will have the last
word, not Cyprus or Anastasiades or the UN, the EU, the
United States, or anyone else.
“We told them clearly. When
it comes to guarantees and security, do not expect Turkey not
to be included. We will stay there
forever,” Erdogan told reporters,
showing his apparent willingness
to let the talks fail rather than
remove his army.
Akinci, who came into the
talks as a moderate and has
growing increasingly hardline,
said if one side demands “no soldiers,” that there won’t be a deal,
so there goes Mr. Moderate.
Now, to the 1508 missing
Cypriots from the war, and the
493 Turkish-Cypriots still unaccounted for, you can add the 1.1
million people living on the island.
states where most Americans
live. This is due to the winnertake-all system in place in most
states. A candidate can win narrowly in several smaller states
while losing badly in some large
states and still come out as the
winner in the Electoral College.
Presently votes for president
have unequal electoral weight.
Wyoming, for example, has a
population of 560,000 and 3
electoral votes. Thus, each
Wyoming Elector represents
186,000 citizens. California has
a population of 37 million and
55 electoral votes. Thus, each
California Elector represents
670,000. In short, the Wyoming
voter has 300% more value (influence) than a California voter.
Abolishing the Electoral College by constitutional amendment
requires approval by at least twothirds of the states. Such an outcome is unlikely as there is no
practical reason for smaller states
to give up their electoral advantage. The unfairness involved is
further aggravated by the fact
that smaller states generally receive more funds from the federal
government than they render in
taxes. The gap is covered by federal revenue derived from larger
states. This amounts to de facto
taxation without equal representation.
Several plans now being aired
would drastically reform the Electoral College system through legal
means that do not require approval by two-thirds of the states.
The specifics of these plans are
too complex to detail here, but
each effectively addresses the present inequities. To date, the voting
public has yet to mobilize to enact
any of the proposed reforms.
The Electoral College is an
anti-democratic poison pill devised to serve the immediate
needs of a marginal, slave-holding society. The time is long overdue to dump or drastically reform
it. Even in a nation as politically
divided as the United States, we
can surely agree that the presidential choice of each American
citizen should have equal value.
[email protected]
The Electoral College: Time to Go
Donald Trump lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton by over
2.5 million votes, but due to winning the Electoral College he will
be the forty-fifth president of the
United States. Four previous presidents also were elected without
winning the popular vote. That
comes to over 10% of all presidents. Once again, the public is
questioning the role of the Electoral College.
The concept of an Electoral
College was devised by the
founding fathers (yes, all men)
to protect the social order of eighteenth-century America. The
founders feared that voters in
presidential elections might be
swayed into senseless decisions
by gifted demagogues or emotional single issues. To curb such
possibilities, the founders created
a system where the public voted
for Electors who would then vote
for the president. These Electors
were imagined to be intellectual
and moral guardians of the Constitution. The development of
permanent political parties was
not foreseen. Further diluting direct democracy was that states
denied the vote to women, males
who didn’t own land, native
Americans, and, of course, slaves.
A major issue was if slaves
should be counted as part of a
state’s population for purposes of
representation. If they were not,
power in the proposed United
States would rest with the Northern states that had a limited number of slaves. When the Southern
states balked at this prospect, the
Constitutional Convention determined that five slaves would be
counted as three free citizens.
Added to the two senators accorded each state, the South’s
power in the Electoral College
was vastly out of proportion to
the nation’s actual voting population.
The first difference between
the popular vote and the Electoral College vote came in 1824.
For the first and only time in
American history, the president
in a multi-candidate field did not
win a majority of either the popular or the Electoral College vote,
and had to be elected by the
House of Representatives. John
Quincy Adams emerged as the
president even though Andrew
Jackson had a larger popular and
lenged until the
Electoral College
1960s.
vote. In the followBenjamin Harriing election, Jackson becoming presson, a leader in exident despite losing
tending
voting
the popular vote to
rights to all free
incumbent Grover
males, would defeat
Cleveland in 1888
Adams’ bid for rehad minor longelection.
term repercussions.
A far more conHarrison’s crippling
sequential election
high tariff policy led
occurred in 1876,
to Grover Cleveland
when the final vote
by proF. DaN
regaining the presiin several states was
georgaKaS
dency in 1892.
contested. RepubliGeorge Bush lost
can
Rutherford
Special to
The National Herald
the popular vote to
Hayes who had lost
Al Gore in 2000, but
the popular vote to
Democrat Samuel Tilden became won the Electoral College due to
president when he agreed to re- contested votes in Florida being
move federal troops from the left unchanged. Bush, advised by
South. Democrats acquiesced due neocons and Vice-President Dick
to their correct assumption that Cheney would launch the illtheir making withdrawing fed- fated war in Iraq in 2003. Gore
eral troops a condition to accept- almost certainly would not have
ing Hayes as president would cre- done so.
Nationally, Gore edged by
ate
a
long-term
solidly
Democratic South. The with- Bush by 500,000 votes. Clinton’s
drawal ended Reconstruction margin over Trump was five
and opened the door for the for- times greater, clearly demonstratmer Confederate states to impose ing that voters in states with low
legal racial discrimination that populations have considerable
would not be successfully chal- advantages over voters in larger
Prof. Georgakas is Director of the
Greek American Studies Project
at Queens College – CUNY and
Consulting Editor of CINEASTE
magazine.
12
THE NATIONAL HERALD, JANUARY 21-27, 2017
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