Homer’s “The Odyssey” has apparently been removed from a school curriculum in Massachusetts because of its alleged racism and sexism. Also being targeted by other leftists is Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter” and the works of Shakespeare. The stupidity of political correctness ends the year that saw the eruption of violence throughout America and the destruction of statues of historical figures (including abolitionists).
Ideological lunatics control both the Universities as well as the public schools and it appears the time has come for the classics to take a beating. I happen to have received a membership card to join the Republican Party. I have hesitated to make a decision on the grounds that there is much about the Republican Party that I do not agree with. Neo-conservatives and “Christian” Zionists are elements of the Party that are not trustworthy.
Yet, the stupidity of political correctness and the insanity of the political left leaves one with no sensible choice other than to join and support the Republican Party. The Democratic Party is the party of the neo-pagans who support the gay, lesbian, and transgender ideology. It is also the party whose constituency believes in defunding (or outright abolishing) the Police.
The Trump administration was great because for the most part it stood in opposition to both the political correctness of the Democrats and to the worst elements of the Republicans (neo-cons). Now a decision has to be made. At least for the short term, I will be going along with the Republicans with the hope and possibility that the America first agenda of Donald Trump will have taken hold in the Republican Party and that the neocons can be kept in check.
The political left is completely insane and its agenda is aimed directly at the overthrow of Christianity, democracy, and all aspects of culture. Let it not be forgotten that the 2020 elections were conducted under the threat of riots and mass disturbances. The Democratic Party is the party of Marxism, neo-paganism, and censorship.
There is a teacher in that school in Massachusetts that is actually taking credit for being responsible for the removal of Homer’s “The Odyssey” from her school. She openly said that she is proud of this deed. Does anyone really need to guess her party affiliation or which political candidate she voted for in the 2020 Presidential elections?
The article in the link above about the last Greeks of Constantinople is very good. This is what the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Orthodox Church of Greece should be focusing on. Very sadly, the Greek Orthodox world has been led to disaster as a result of the collaboration of Patriarch Bartholomew and some Bishops in Greece with the State Department.
Patriarch Bartholomew had one major challenge confronting him when he was enthroned as Ecumenical Patriarch in November 1991. That was to save the Ecumenical Patriarchate and its remaining flock in Constantinople and the islands of Imbros and Tenedos. For a long time it appeared that Patriarch Bartholomew was in fact proceeding to revive the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
A major Pan Orthodox synaxis was held in Constantinople in March 1992 that was unprecedented. Patriarch Bartholomew showed a good deal of courage in surviving nearly a dozen assassination attempts or bomb attacks at the Patriarchate. It can still be said that he faced down Turkish-Islamic terrorism with great bravery.
Alas, with the convening of the problematic pseudo-council of Crete and the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s intervention in Ukraine much damage was done to Constantinople’s prestige in addition to the damage done to Orthodox unity. The plight of the Greek communities in Constantinople and the islands of Imbros and Tenedos is tragic. Quite noticeable is the fact that the Patriarch’s allies have done nothing to alleviate their plight.
The theological school of Halki remains closed and Hagia Sophia and the Chora Church of the Savior are being used as Mosques. The Greek speaking Churches need to end the crisis in Orthodoxy. Any Greek who believes that the Ecumenical Patriarchate ended the schism in Ukraine is deluded. Constantinople has in fact contributed to the persecution of the canonical Ukrainian Church and created a major schism throughout the universal Church.
As an old admirer of the Great Church of Constantinople I am now a profound critic of the Patriarchate and its policies. What the Patriarch needs is criticism and opposition and not blind obedience. This is the Orthodox way. In earlier centuries, the spiritual children of the Church of Constantinople criticized and rebuked their Patriarchs when they strayed from the truth as occurred during the iconoclastic crisis and after the convening of the false Council of Florence. The Patriarchate has an important function to play but not the function Patriarch Bartholomew wants it to play.
The Patriarch has the responsibility to protect itself, its important shrines that remain in Constantinople, and its remaining flock. The Patriarchate cannot fulfill these aspirations if it is defying the precepts of Orthodox ecclesiology and inventing a non existent role for itself and claiming to be “first without equals” in the worlds Eastern Orthodox hierarchy.
The Orthodox Church and Independent Greece 1821-1852 by Charles Frazee
Cambridge University Press. 1969
This book is an excellent companion piece to Steven Runciman’s “The Great Church in Captivity” (reviewed here https://thedoubleheadedeagle.blog/?p=1360) which was published one year earlier. Observers of present day ecclesiastical affairs in Constantinople, Greece, and Ukraine may be reminded of events that are presently playing out in our own day. From the inception of Greek independence the great powers began interfering in the internal affairs of Greece.
From the very beginning the western power of the day (in this case Great Britain) meddled unceasingly in Greek Church affairs. Frazee’s book recounts the problems that arose when the Church of Greece was declared “autocephalous” from the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1833. It is easy to forget that the Patriarchate has had legitimate grievances. Indeed, the autocephaly of the Church of Greece from Constantinople was uncanonical in 1833 much like the “autocephaly” that Patriarch Bartholomew attempted to bestow to Ukrainian schismatics in 2018 was uncanonical.
There are many ironies regarding the position that Constantinople finds itself in today and the position it found itself in during the period of 1833 to 1850. Constantinople today is the aggressor against the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church whereas in 1833 the Ecumenical Patriarchate was the victim of the western powers. There is also one identical cause both for the schism that took place between the Greeks in 1833-1850 and for the schism that has taken place in the Orthodox Church today and that is Russophobia.
It has been forgotten by everybody that the Ecumenical Patriarchate was allied with and was supported by the Russians during the nineteenth century. It is for this reason that the British and the German advisors to the Bavarian (Roman Catholic) King that was imposed on Greece demanded the autocephaly of the Church of Greece. One of those German advisors at the court of the young King Otho was Georg Von Maurer. Frazee writes,
“A second danger was seen by Maurer in the threat of Russia to Greece. It was obvious to all, according to him, that Russia was interested in expansion at the expense of the Ottomans and that the Orthodox populations in the Balkans could be used by that country as a means to reach her goal. Many of the Greek clergy were devoted to Russia and would support Russian ambitions in this area. The Tsar could easily use the patriarchal appointments as a means to control the Greek church, Maurer contended, so that the only way for the new state of Greece to withstand this pressure would be to have a synod independent of Constantinople”.
This assertion of the German Georg Von Maurer has been echoed in our own day by American officials such as “Ambassador” to Greece Geoffrey Pyatt who likewise accuses the Russians of attempting to control the Orthodox Church. The hypocrisy of western officials is identical. Von Maurer and his colleagues in Greece proceeded to do to the Church of Greece exactly what they were accusing the Russians of doing! Outgoing Secretary of State Mike Pompeo along with “Ambassador” Pyatt instigated the schism in Orthodoxy by interfering in internal ecclesiastical matters for political purposes and did exactly what they were accusing the Russians of doing!
One crucial difference between the Church crisis then and the Church crisis now has to do with the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The Church of Constantinople then was the victim of an injustice and Patriarch Anthimos IV who presided over the Church of Constantinople was a pious and holy man who would be known as a defender of Orthodoxy and whose signature appeared on the famous encyclical of 1848 that refuted Papal claims. Patriarch Bartholomew today claims Papal like authority and has colluded in the dismemberment of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Following the declaration of “autocephaly” for the Church of Greece in 1833, an anti ecclesiastical campaign was undertaken by the German King and his advisors. Over four hundred Greek Monasteries were closed. The septuagaint version of the Old Testament was prohibited, Byzantine style iconography was banned and replaced by western religious “art”, and Churches were built in a Protestant style without the Byzantine domes.
An Orthodox reader of this book is sure to be outraged as I was when I first read it back in the early 1990’s. It is perplexing to see how it is that today’s hierarchs in Constantinople and Greece seem to have either forgotten the unpleasant history of 1833 to 1850, or are simply ignoring it. The similarities between what transpired then in Greece, and what is now happening in Ukraine are unmistakable.
In the name of anti Russian hysteria, the Orthodox Church is being exploited and used as a political prop by the godless western elites just as the Church was used in the nineteenth century to undermine the Russians. In the nineteenth century, there was Greek opposition to what was happening, just as there have been signs of opposition in Greece to the recognition of the Ukrainian schismatics by the Greek synod at the behest of the American Department of State.
In the nineteenth century, a great monk by the name of Christophoros Papoulakos openly preached against the Roman Catholic King and his advisors. In recent months, Greek faithful in the city of Patras defended their beloved Cathedral of Saint Andrew which contains the relics of the holy apostle by preventing visiting “bishops” from the schismatic entity in Ukraine from concelebrating the liturgy.
The Frazee book is an excellent book that deserves to be reexamined by all Orthodox Christians (especially Greeks) in light of the present crimes being perpetrated against the Orthodox Church by the great western power of the day.
The spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova has publicly criticized outgoing American Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The Russian Foreign Ministry has accurately assessed the dominating role of Washington in Greek internal affairs. The Russian Spokeswoman pointed out that Washington demands that Greece and Cyprus not cooperate with Russia.
Furthermore, the Russian spokeswoman referred to the crisis in the Orthodox Church in Ukraine that was precipitated by American officials such as Mike Pompeo. The Russians have a firm grasp of the domineering attitude toward Greece and Cyprus by Washington. On the other hand, there are still issues to be ironed out between Athens and Moscow as well.
Russia has in recent months made many pro Greek statements such as condemning the Turkish opening of the beach of Varosha in the Turkish occupied territories and has endorsed Greece’s right to extend its territory in the Aegean Sea to twelve nautical miles. At the same time Russia maintains a friendly attitude toward Turkey.
Greek-Russian brotherhood based on Orthodoxy is desirable and Athens should pursue a pro Russian foreign policy. However, Athens and Moscow can and should discuss the problem of Turkey. Greece and Cyprus are in a struggle for survival. Turkey is a jihadist state that represents a menace to all, including Russia.
Greek-Russian relations have the potential to flourish. But at the same time Greece faces a threat from Turkey. As such, Athens needs to also maintain friendly ties with Washington as well. Ties with Washington are complicated by the latter’s dominating influence over Greece.
Greece has come far under Prime Minister Mitsotakis and his aggressive defense against Turkish aggression is admirable. Now the Greek government needs to also assert its sovereignty against its alleged “allies” in the west. Athens must pursue an independent foreign policy based on Hellenic interests above all.
There is a good deal that unites Greece with Russia. Russian-Turkish ties have been strained by Ankara’s support for international jihadism (mainly Syrian) and it is unlikely that these ties will hold indefinitely for a long period of time. Greece needs to negotiate seriously with the Russians on the matter of Turkey.
The Church issue in Ukraine has needlessly complicated Greek relations with Russia. Athens must distance itself from the actions of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and elements within the Church of Greece. It is important for Greece to maintain close ties with Russia for spiritual, historic, cultural, and national reasons.
Being close with Russia does not necessitate closing the door to Washington. Washington is sabotaging itself in Greece by interfering in ecclesiastical matters and seeking to dictate the formation of Greek foreign policy. Ultimately, the direction in Greek foreign policy depends on the national interests of Athens, Washington, and Moscow.
If the incoming Biden administration pursues a rabidly anti Russian foreign policy, Athens should not cooperate with Washington. Greece has one deadly enemy and that is Turkey. If Washington is interested in cooperation against Turkey then Greece can and should cooperate with Washington
The issue of Turkey is the complicating factor in relations between Athens and Moscow. But then again Moscow has expressed support for Cyprus (Varosha) and Greece (twelve nautical miles) as mentioned above. In any case, Greeks must behave with a sense of national honor and as an independent state.
All foreign relations should be based on the principles of Greek national interests and aspirations. Unfortunately, this is hindered by the overbearing policies of the United States and NATO toward Greece. The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman is correct in expressing Russian criticism of western policy in Greece.
The groundwork toward Greek-Russian relations should begin but such relations will take off when Russia’s friendship with Turkey ends. In the meantime, Greece must be cautious in its relations with Washington. Washington is more interested for now in going after Moscow than Ankara.
The Hagia Sophia diaries is a series of entries with commentaries pertaining to the latest developments on the matter of the Great Church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople.
It appears that UNESCO has sent a request to the Turkish government asking to examine the Churches of Hagia Sophia and the Saviour of Chora. UNESCO officials claim that that they are asking to examine the former Churches because of rumors they have heard “regarding the Christian elements in the building”.
This is actually a positive move because Turkish President Erdogan in the face of international criticism in response to his government’s action in converting Hagia Sophia into a Mosque gave strict assurances that Hagia Sophia would be protected. It will be very good if the experts sent by UNESCO were to actually make an inspection of Hagia Sophia and the Church of the saviour at Chora. It is unlikely that Turkey will not change the Christian character of Hagia Sophia assuming they have not done so already.
There is more hope to be put in the efforts of individuals working for UNESCO who have an expertise on Byzantine art and architecture than on the bureaucrats of UNESCO who failed to protest Turkish actions until it was too late. Putting people in the field who are serious academics and experts is a slight improvement over the efforts that were made by many supporters of Hagia Sophia and Chora toward UNESCO’s diplomats and political representatives who failed miserably to protect Hagia Sophia’s status as a world heritage site.
One one can only hope and pray that the struggle for Hagia Sophia is not over. We will wait and see if UNESCO has any backbone at this late date to actually send real experts on Hagia Sophia into the field to document what has been done.
FILE – In this Tuesday, June 2, 2020 file photo, people walk past a poster of a European Union flag in Istanbul. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)12/24/2020 By Theodore G. Karakostas
Considering the refusal of the European Union to impose sanctions on Turkey in response to Ankara’s aggressive and expansionist designs against Greece and Cyprus one cannot help but be reminded of he European betrayal of Greece during the effort by Athens to liberate the Hellenic populations of Asia Minor and possibly Constantinople. The Italians were the first to make deals with Mustafa Kemal’s murderous nationalists in Anatolia. The Italians were followed by the French and the British who imposed an arms embargo on Greece while the Kemalists were fully armed even as they slaughtered defenseless Greek, Armenian, and Assyrian Christians.
The sanctions imposed on Turkey by both Europe and the United States are based on Turkish purchases of a Russian air-defense system. While the short term goal of the sanctions may be directed against Turkey, the long term target is Russia. The anti-Russian policies of Europe and the United States will not be to the long term benefits of Greece. It is a historically proven fact that the Turks have always been the beneficiaries of the west’s Russophobia. No better example of this exists than the pro-Ottoman policies pursued by the British Empire and France during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Anti-Russian hysteria broke out in Europe in 1853 during the run up to the Crimean War. The British even composed a song, ‘the Russians shall not have Constantinople.’ Greece at the time was anxious to join the
Russians in their fight against the Ottoman Empire only to see the port of Piraeus occupied by the British and French. Anti-Russian sentiment among the Europeans permitted the Ottoman Empire’s murderous campaigns against the Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks to proceed gradually.
During the Cold War, when the Soviet Union was the adversary of the west, Turkey was considered a strategic asset. It is because Turkey was considered a strategic asset that America and Europe ignored the anti-Greek pogroms of 1955 and the subsequent ethnic cleansing of Greeks from Constantinople and the islands of Imbros and Tenedos during the 1960’s. Furthermore, the perception of Washington that Turkey was strategically important permitted Washington to support the Turkish invasions of Cyprus that occurred in July and August 1974. Therefore, the renewed anti-Russian hysteria in America and Europe should be of concern to Greece and Cyprus as Turkey may become the beneficiary of anti-Russian hysteria as it has been throughout the past two centuries.
While it is true that Russia and Turkey have been cooperating in recent years, the reality is that enemy states frequently form temporary truces and periods of cooperation. The most notorious example of enemies making nice with each other is the pact between Hitler and Stalin that was signed in 1939. Turkey has signed an agreement with Libya to divide the Mediterranean between the two of them. More crucially, Russia and Turkey are on opposite sides in the conflict in Libya. Russia and Greece are in fact supporting the same side in Libya.
Turkey and Azerbaijan have been supporting Syrian jihadists against the Armenians in Artsakh. This in addition to the Syrian jihadists that have been fighting for Turkey in Libya. Furthermore, Turkish officials have bragged that Syrian jihadists would fight with Turkey in the event of a Greek-Turkish war. It should be remembered and emphasized that Russia used its might to defend the secular and pro-Christian government in
Damascus against the Syrian jihadists that were being sponsored and supported by Ankara. Turkey is a jihadist state who supported the murderous Islamic State politically and economically.
With regard to the Turkish bragging that Syrians will fight with Turkey against Greece. Western foreign policy nearly turned Syria into another Afghanistan. During the 1980’s, jihadists who would later form Al Quada gathered in Afghanistan to fight the Soviets. Syrian jihadists have become a problem as a result of American and European meddling in Syria. Furthermore, the Greek islands have been flooded with refugees as a result of the western interventions in Iraq and Syria. Are Greek interests really intertwined with those of Europe and can Greece really trust the Europeans?
The Germans have worked to undermine Greek efforts to ensure that sanctions would be imposed on Turkey as a result of Turkish threats against European Union members Greece and Cyprus. The Germans are more interested in appeasing Turkey because of Ankara’s threats to flood Europe with millions of refugees. Other European countries such as Spain and Italy have rejected the possibility of ending their economic ties over Greece and Cyprus.
The Russians have recently been making statements very friendly to Greece. They have expressed support for Greece’s right to expand its territory in the Aegean Sea. Russia has also condemned the Turkish opening of the beach of Varosha in the Turkish occupied territories of Cyprus. Russia has also reminded the Turks of the Russian role in helping to free Greece at the Battle of Navarino in 1828. Greece hasexperienced great historical injustices at the hands of the Europeans throughout history. It should not be forgotten that the Greek and Armenian Christian populations at Smyrna were slaughtered while Italian, French,British, and American battleships in the harbor stood by without intervening. This after the European powers supported the armies of Mustafa Kemal.
Greek and Cypriot foreign policy changes need to be evaluated very carefully and all options must remain open. Options must include the possibility of aligning with Orthodox Russia under the right circumstances.
American and European perceptions that Russia is a threat may very well lead them to support Turkey. It is quite possible that nothing may come of any American and European efforts to reconcile with Turkey as Ankara is a jihadist state. Regardless, historical precedents remain as do certain geographical realities. The Greeks would do well to perceive European refusal to punish Turkey for its aggressive designs on Greek and Cypriot territory as unfriendly. Athens would also be wise to contemplate the possibilities of a Greek-Russian partnership in the probable event that Russian-Turkish relations fall apart, as they did in 2015.
On December 18, the New York Times published an op ed by former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates that talked about foreign policy challenges for the incoming Biden administration. Secretary Gates supported the sanctions that were imposed on Turkey for purchasing defensive weaponry from Russia.
Secretary Gates made an indirect reference to Greece and Cyprus. There is a link in the op-ed regarding the “eastern mediterranean” that takes readers to an article on Turkish aggression against Greece and Cyprus. Overall, the analysis by Gates is not bad.
But something more is needed regarding Turkish aggression against Greece and Turkey. The United States needs to be pressed by Athens to impose direct sanctions on Turkey specifically for its aggressive designs on Greek and Cypriot territorial rights. Furthermore, the United States needs to step up on behalf of the Armenians.
Turkey supports the genocidal regime of Azerbaijan which started a war with the peaceful Armenian community of Artsakh. Artsakh is part of the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh which has an overwhelming Armenian majority. Turkey supports Azerbaijan which claims it as part of its own territory. Historically, Nagorno-Karabakh has been Armenian and was part of Armenia until the communists in the former Soviet Union stupidly gave the territory to Azerbaijan.
The Armenians fought a war this year for their survival against the lunatic government of Baku which threatened to attack nuclear reactors in Armenia. The United States needs to step up to impose sanctions on Turkey for its acts of aggression against Greece, Cyprus, and Armenia. Azerbaijan should also be subject to serious punishment as should Israel which has inexplicably been supporting Azerbaijan.
There was a time when sanctions of any kind and for any reason against Turkey would have been unheard of. Sanctions against Turkey for the Russian purchases are good (as a beginning) but not good enough. Further sanctions must be imposed with direct linkage to Turkey’s aggressive and genocidal ambitions against Greece, Armenia, and Cyprus.
German chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas rejected Greek demands that a ban be imposed on weapons sales to Turkey. The Germans pointed out that Turkey bought from Russia because Ankara could not buy from the United States. Again, Greek national security interests have been completely ignored.
This is a major indignity for the Government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Turkey has changed dramatically in recent decades with the rise of Islamic fundamentalism. Greece itself has changed and for the better with the election of Prime Minister Mitsotakis.
What has not changed is the west’s slavish devotion to Turkey. The Europeans (and the Americans to a lesser extent) simply do not care about Greece and Cyprus. NATO has refused to intercede on behalf of Greece and Cyprus even as Turkey has become increasingly aggressive and claims outright several Greek islands.
Germany is without question the most contemptible of European countries. The one European country that will never change no matter what kind of government it has. Under the Kaiser during the first world war, Germany armed the Young Turks and abetted the Armenian, Assyrian, and Greek genocide. During the second world war, Hitler’s Germany robbed Greece of its wealth while massacring many Greeks and leaving much of the population to starve.
During the economic crisis, Greeks witnessed the self righteous arrogance of the Germans who maintained a hard line on Greeks suffering economic hardships. In 1952, the western world bestowed mercy on Germany when the Germans argued they could not pay the reparations to the whole of Europe for the crimes against humanity committed against all occupied countries. Still, the Greeks had to endure the overbearing lectures emanating from Hitler’s people.
It really is time for the Greeks to snap out of it and wake up. European countries are not friends of Greece. At present, it could be said that France, Austria, and Slovakia support Greece against Turkey. The rest of the Europeans remain friendly to Turkey.
Europe would be unfriendly toward Greece and Cyprus even without the influence of the Germans. The German domination of Europe makes the European Union evil. It should not be forgotten that Germany helped to ignite the wars of Yugoslavia in 1991 when it pursued its traditional anti Serb policies and recognized Croatia, Slovenia, and Bosnia.
The Germans now fear that Turkey will flood Europe with Muslims. Perhaps the Germans and the European Union generally should not have enthusiastically supported the Syrian war which led to the refugee crisis which has flooded Turkey, the Greek islands, and much of Europe. Greece is now going to be expected to eat shit as usual.
Europeans are not friends or allies of Greece. Germany has always been and will always be one of Greece’s greatest enemies right up there with Turkey.
This letter is intended to remind UNESCO of the Turkish Government’s misuse of the Hagia Sophia Church-Museum in Constantinople this past July. As far back as 2013 I began to contact UNESCO when the Turkish government converted the historic and spiritually significant Hagia Sophia Church-Museum of Trebizond into a Mosque. I also visited UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris in 2015 to ask that protests be taken with the Turkish government in order to prevent the conversion of Hagia Sophia. It was obvious for as long as seven years previous to the Turkish governments infamous conversion of Hagia Sophia that Ankara had designs on converting Saint Justinian’s Church into a Mosque.
I would like to remind UNESCO that Turkey has also converted the the Church of the Savior of Chora into a Mosque. Outrageous as these actions are, it is still possible for UNESCO and other organizations to do the right thing. As a result of Turkey’s seizure of two Church-Museums that were on UNESCO’s own list of world heritage sites, your organization should call for the imposition of sanctions on Turkey owing to these outrages. Hagia Sophia in Greek means literally “Holy Wisdom”. Justinian’s Church means literally “The Church of the Holy Wisdom of God”. Hagia Sophia is specifically named for Christ himself the second person of the Holy Trinity and the incarnate “logos” (or word of God).
Therefore, in the aftermath of the conversion of the Great Church (as those of us of Greek descent refer to Hagia Sophia) UNESCO should respond with wisdom. Considering Turkey’s endless list of crimes against humanity including genocide against Armenian, Assyrian, and Greek Christians, repression against the Kurds and many of its own Turkish dissidents, territorial expansion as with the case of Cyprus, and support for governments that sponsor terrorism and genocide as in the case of Ankara’s support for Azerbaijan, the opportunity is at hand for the civilized world to redeem itself for its long and inglorious tolerance of Turkish crimes against humanity.
UNESCO should push the United Nations and the international community to impose sanctions on Turkey both for the seizure of former Churches Hagia Sophia and the Church of the Savior at Chora, as well as its past and present crimes against humanity that have become infamous. UNESCO considers itself to be in favor of human rights. The time is at hand to hold Turkey accountable for its actions. The desecration of the Hagia Sophia Church-Museum should have sent a loud and clear message to the world that Turkey is a pariah state.
I am aware of the fact that UNESCO never made any protest against Turkish plans to convert Hagia Sophia into a Mosque until it was too much too late. It was only last July when Turkey fully intended to convert Hagia Sophia that UNESCO actually protested. Many years and opportunities to protest were wasted that might have made a difference in saving Hagia Sophia. In any case, UNESCO should seize the opportunity at hand to demand that international sanctions be imposed on Turkey in order to cripple this wicked and sinister government that pursues policies of aggression against United Nations members Greece and Cyprus, and that supports the aggression of the genocidal government of Azerbaijan against the peaceful and democratic Republic of Armenia and the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh.
UNESCO should use the wrongs against Hagia Sophia as a means of pursuing justice against the growing list of peaceful countries and civilian populations that are being threatened by the fascistic, racist, and theocratic government in Ankara. Sanctions on Turkey in response to the seizure of Hagia Sophia would be beneficial to the long list of people who suffer as a result of Turkish crimes against humanity. I respectfully request a response to my letter and that officials of UNESCO seriously ponder the points that I have made in this letter.
If UNESCO wants to honor Hagia Sophia, it can best do so by publicly condemning all the aforementioned crimes that have been and continue to be perpetrated by the Turkish State and by calling for international sanctions on Turkey.
Members of the Turkish speaking Muslim community of Thrace have apparently colluded with the Turkish consulate in Rhodes to provide Turkey with Greek state secrets. Those Greek citizens involved in this collusion should be prosecuted for treason and the Turkish consulate in Rhodes should be permanently closed and its diplomats expelled from Greece.
This is reminiscent of the activities of some members of the Muslim community in Thrace in the run up to the anti Greek pogroms in Constantinople in 1955. Some members of that community colluded with the Turkish consulate in Thessaloniki to bomb the birthplace of Mustafa Kemal. Kemal’s house is on property that belongs to the Turkish consulate.
The news in Turkey that Kemal’s house was bombed contributed to the rage of Turkish mobs who attacked Greeks and their Churches, homes, and businesses. Although members of the Turkish consulate in Thessaloniki were investigated, no arrests were made. Nor were the Muslims who were Greek citizens held accountable for their treasonous actions.
We will see if Greece has changed in the past sixty five years by the manner in which the Mitsotakis government responds to treason by Greek citizens and by espionage by the enemy. By all rights, the Greek citizens should be given life sentences in prison and the Turkish consulate should be closed.
Further Turkish hostility toward Hellenism can be ascertained by the comments of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Kavusoglu who said that Turkey only supports a two state solution for Cyprus. In fairness, it has been clear for decades that Turkey had no intention of ever withdrawing from the territories that Ankara seized through its invasions in 1974. Greece and Cyprus never took the Turks seriously.
Since Turkish officials are openly affirming that they have no intention of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cyprus, Athens and Nicosia should begin to see reality. Both Greece and Cyprus should declare to the European Union that failure to impose sanctions on Turkey over Ankara’s aggression against both Hellenic states will be seen as a hostile act.
Greece and Cyprus should cease cooperating with the European Union on other matters and should focus on relations with Russia. Greece and Russia are on the same side in Libya while Turkey is supporting a rival faction and has signed a bogus agreement to divide the Mediterranean with Libya. Greece has restored diplomatic relations with Syria which further demonstrates that Greece and Russia have many things in common.
Turkish aggression against Greece and Cyprus, and espionage in Greece by Turkey demonstrate that Greece cannot depend on its “partners” in the European Union. Whether Greece and Cyprus can depend on the United States remains to be seen, but Washington has other priorities and Turkey could very well take a back seat to the Biden administration’s anti Russian stance.
