Categories
cinema

The Last Mob Movie

Film Review

The Irishman Directed By Martin Scorcese (2019)

Martin Scorcese’s “The Irishman” arrived on DVD and blu ray last week. I saw this film in November 2019 when it was released theatrically in limited release. It played at my local theater which screens art films. “The Irishman” was financed by Netflix and aired on Netflix not long after its theatrical release.

As an avid cinephile I make it a point to see films for the first time in the theater. Widescreen televisions and home theater are great but they can never substitute for the theatrical experience. Going to the movies is always a good time but there are filmgoing experiences which are better than others and then they are great.

“The Irishman” was my last great cinematic experience before the damn coronavirus set in. I saw movies after that and some were good but they do not compare with the experience I had when seeing “The Irishman”. This was a special occasion as it was the last hurrah for the legendary Scorcese and his longtime actors Robert Deniro, Joe Pesci, and Harvey Keitel. In addition, Al Pacino was in this film as Jimmy Hoffa.

“The Irishman” could be known as the last great mob film. There have been many great mob films such as the first two “Godfather” films, “Donnie Brasco” and “A Bronx Tale” but Scorcese will forever be identified as the director of the most realistic and intense mob films. “The Irishman” finishes off Scorcese’s mob films which began with “Mean Streets” in 1973 and include “Raging Bull”, “Goodfellas”, “Casino”, “Gangs of New York”, and “The Departed”.

“Mean Streets” starred Robert Deniro and Harvey Keitel. Deniro reappeared in “Raging Bull” and Joe Pesci won a best supporting actor nomination for his role in that film. It was “Goodfellas” that became the greatest mob film of all time and won Joe Pesci a best supporting actor Oscar. “Casino” was a great film as well.

“The Irishman” was based on a book whose facts are disputed by many. That is beyond the point. “The Irishman” is still a powerful and well directed film that focuses on the Mafia at the height of its power in America. The film runs at three and a half hours and the theatrical experience was absolutely riveting.

Scorcese’s films are not only entertaining, they are educational. No matter how many mob movies he directs there is always something more to learn about the mob. Like his previous films, Scorcese crams information into his films and there is never a dull moment.

The film depicts some of the most important events in the history of the American Mafia which makes it a part of American history. The acting is superb and both Al Pacino and Joe Pesci were nominated for best supporting actor at the Oscars. Scorcese has an almost theological interpretation of the events he is educating his viewers on.

Previous films such as “Goodfellas” and “Wolf of Wall Street” had to do with main characters who sold their souls and were to pay a price. At no point does the violence in “Goodfellas” or the debauchery in “Wolf of Wall Street” look glamorous. “Raging Bull” was largely about the redemption of its main character. Scorcese makes films about sinners and the price to be paid for selling ones soul.

Many of his films have Christian imagery. “Mean Streets” is a perfect example where the character of Charlie (played by Harvey Keitel) aspires to join the Mafia while trying to remain a faithful Catholic. In “The Irishman” the main character of Frank Sheeran having lost his family as a result of his life choices and having survived the demise of his Mafia bosses and associates spends the final period of his life alone.

He confesses his sins to a priest and there is religious imagery throughout the film. Classic Scorcese. Scorcese makes moral films and in many ways his films are very Christian. He is a masterful director and story teller.

Martin Scorcese did not get the honors he deserved in 1990. “Goodfellas” should have been best picture for that year, and Scorcese should have been best Director. Which brings us to the Oscars for the best films of 2020.

The best film of the the year was unbelievably the Korean film “Parasite”. No disrespect intended as “Parasite” was a good film but not the best movie of the year. “The Irishman” should have been best picture and Scorcese should have been best Director.

In any case, “The Irishman” was a wonderful trip down memory lane. A great theatrical experience which brought back fond memories of Scorcese’s earlier films. “The Irishman” is probably the farewell of Scorcese’s mob films and the end of the historic collaboration with Robert Deniro and Joe Pesci. A great film that evolved from the earlier mob classics but never became repetitive or boring.

“Mean Streets” began with low level mob associates on the fringes. “Goodfellas” was about a crew under a capo played by Paul Sorvino and was a vivid description and recollection of mob life. “Raging Bull” was the mob in boxing and “Casino” was the mob in Vegas. Whereas “Goodfellas” looked at the life of an associate who was part of a crew under a powerful capo, “Casino” showed the power of bosses who ruled entire crime families and who controlled Vegas through the activities of soldiers and associates.

“The Irishman” focuses on bosses played by Joe Pesci and Harvey Keitel and their relationship with Teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffa. There are numerous other bosses depicted throughout the film and a great many historical events are depicted including the complicated relationship between the mob and the Kennedys.

“The Irishman” is a masterpiece from the master himself. A glorious farewell to the genre.

Categories
faith

Church Crisis Worsens

The Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus voted ten to 7 not to oppose the decision of Archbishop Chrysostomos to establish communion with the schismatic entity of Ukraine that masquerades as a Church. While it is still not entirely clear what this means for the Church of Cyprus over the long term it is apparent that nothing good can come from the outcome of these deliberations. The best case scenario indicates that the Church of Cyprus is going to be split with a possible schism occurring.

Patriarch Bartholomew’s destruction continues. Patriarch Bartholomew openly challenges Orthodox ecclesiology by claiming Papal style authority for himself and has made a mockery of the conciliar tradition of the Orthodox Church. The Church of Ukraine (the real one) has been undergoing a process of persecution by the government of Ukraine and a variety of neo-Nazi militia groups and white supremacists. The Greek Churches are all in a state of chaos having been morally and spiritually compromised as a result of blindly obeying the dictatorial Patriarch Bartholomew.

The Church of Greece has been split because of this Ukrainian situation. The Patriarchate of Alexandria has been split by the Greek hierarchy and many of the native African priests which has resulted in ugly allegations of racism being directed against the Greeks. The Patriarchate of Alexandria was a bright light in Orthodoxy and had very warm relations with the Russian Orthodox Church. Those relations are destroyed.

The chaos has spread to the Church of Cyprus. Even more disturbing are the rumors surrounding the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Hitherto, Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem has been a rock and stood firm in refusing to recognize the schismatics. Early on in the Church crisis, the Patriarch cancelled a meeting with Ukrainian President Poroshenko when he realized he was going to be pressured to recognize the schismatics.

Patriarch Theophilos also called a Pan Orthodox meeting in Jordan back in February in defiance of Patriarch Bartholomew. This was a sign that the Patriarchate of Jerusalem was maintaining its independence. Now it appears Patriarch Theophilos has met with the Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel, a sign that appears to be ominous.

Greeks forget that the Patriarchate of Jerusalem is not an ethnically Greek Church. Its hierarchy is mostly Greek but its faithful are Palestinian Arabs who have legitimate grievances over the way they have historically been treated. If Jerusalem recognizes the schismatic entity things are going to get very ugly real fast. Other Orthodox Churches have refrained from interfering in the internal affairs of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

This may very well change if Jerusalem recognizes the Ukrainian schismatic entity. The Russian Orthodox Church has a strong presence in the Holy Land and the Russians may very well back the Palestinians with their legitimate grievances. On the other hand, the Patriarchate of Jerusalem has historically maintained its independence from Constantinople.

Jerusalem has never adopted the modern calendar and throughout the twentieth century maintained communion with the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Of Russia (ROCOR). Patriarch Theophilos may very well resist Constantinople’s encroachments. It not, the Greek speaking world will find that losing Hagia Sophia is by no means the worst thing that could happen to Greek Orthodoxy.

The Holy Shrines in Jerusalem have for centuries been maintained by the Greeks. On the one hand, this is a source of pride for those of us who are Greeks, but on the other hand the treatment of the native Arab Orthodox has been racist and shameful. The Patriarch of Jerusalem should refuse to bow to Patriarch Bartholomew’s bullying and should maintain communion only with the canonical Church of Ukraine.

In addition, Patriarch Theophilos should finally proceed to admit Arabs into the hierarchy of the Patriarchate and begin the process of reconciling the hierarchy with the faithful. The Arab faithful have a right to determine the course of their own Church and to decide what happens in relation to Church finances. Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem has stood bravely against the pressures imposed on him by the thuggish Patriarch Bartholomew. He must remain strong.

This entire Ukrainian affair has been nothing but utterly destructive for Orthodoxy. Only the blind can continue to support Patriarch Bartholomew at this point in time. Patriarch Bartholomew must be deposed! Of this there can be no question.

Categories
political

Greek Foreign Policy(An assessment)

https://www.thenationalherald.com/greece_economy/arthro/aimed_at_turkey_greece_uae_signed_mutal_defense_pact-1269412/

The Greek government has signed a defense pact with the United Arab Emirates which is directed against Turkey. This is yet another example of the assertive and bold foreign policy being conducted by the Mitsotakis government. Turkish President Erdogan has made many enemies through his arrogance and aggressive designs. Athens has wisely been establishing closer ties with those countries who perceive Turkey as a threat.

The Mitsotakis government is the best government Greece has had in a long time. It has built real and genuine alliances with countries that share Greece’s interests. The alliances with France, Egypt, and now the United Arab Emirates are real and genuine as they share Greece’s interests in resisting Turkish aggression. This is in contrast with NATO which is a fake alliance and which does not support or share Greek interests.

Germany is a perfect example which is in theory an ally of Greece. In fact, Germany is no friend of Greece and Berlin is interested only in appeasing the Turkish aggressor at the expense of Greece and Cyprus. The Mitsotakis foreign policy is a demonstration of Greek sovereignty which is coming alive.

The Russian Embassy in Athens has recently condemned the reopening of the beach of Varosha in the Turkish occupied territories of Cyprus. Russia has likewise expressed support for the right of Greece to extend its territory to twelve nautical miles in the Aegean Sea. Closer ties with Russia look promising.

In any case, Mitsotakis has done much to liberate Greek foreign policy from the traditional constraints imposed upon it by the United States and NATO. Greek policy is headed in the right direction but the danger of an American intervention in Greek affairs should not be ruled out. Greeks should remember the downfall of the Karamanlis government in the final stage of the Bush administration.

The Karamanlis government had concluded an agreement with Russia to build an oil pipeline that would carry oil through Bulgaria into Greece. Washington bullied Prime Minister Karamanlis and brought down his government. The major beneficiary of that coup was the internationalist George Papandreou who won the elections that took place soon after.

Part of the reason for recent Greek success in deterring Turkish aggression has been the Trump administration’s absence from the scene. Traditionally, in all cases of Greek-Turkish conflict all administrations applied pressure on Athens to appease Ankara. The Trump administration should be seen as pro Greek simply on the grounds that if refrained from getting involved. The Trump administration was the first administration that did not bully Greece into submission.

Greece may very well come to rue the downfall of President Donald Trump. In addition, Russophobia could become a serious problem for Greece. The Democrats being motivated by a hysterical anti Russian hatred could seek to embrace Turkey as a counter to what they perceive as the “Russian threat”. Historically, the Ottoman Empire was the beneficiary of British and French Russophobia and was backed in its wars with Russia.

Turkey was a beneficiary of the Cold War in which the Soviet Union was the prime enemy of the western world. If the Biden administration targets Russia as a threat the “Deep State” could very well look to embrace Turkey as a counter. This would not be to the interests of Greece, Cyprus, and Armenia all of whom have traditionally suffered as a result of the west’s pro-Turkish policies.

The Erdogan government is led by a fanatic and an extremist so it may very well be that Ankara will not be inclined to cooperate with the United States. Still, as long as Russophobia remains entrenched within the American foreign policy establishment the danger will remain that the US will attempt to revive the traditional pro Turkish policies.

The Mitsotakis government has been doing well in foreign policy but needs to be very careful and should do nothing to alienate the Russians especially at a time when Russia has been publicly expressing support for Greece and Cyprus.

Categories
books

Revisiting a Classic

Book Review

The Great Church in Captivity A Study of the Patriarchate of Constantinople From the Eve Of The Turkish Conquest To The Greek War of Independence

by Steven Runciman

Cambridge University Press. 1968

The late Steven Runciman was a real historian and scholar. He was an expert on Byzantine history and Orthodox Christianity. He was also an avid Philhellene who loved the Greek nation. He authored masterful works such as “The Fall of Constantinople 1453” and the three volume “A History of the Crusades”.

Steven Runciman stands out in an era when academia has been infiltrated and corrupted by ideology. The works of Steven Runciman were based on historical research and the gathering of facts and evidence. “The Great Church in Captivity” is arguably the most influential work in the English language on the history of the Patriarchate and the Greek nation under Ottoman Turkish rule.

The book features a lengthy and not insignificant background to the history that preceded the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople. Church history and theology are explained in the run up to the fall of the City. The heart of the book arrives with the aftermath following the Turkish conquests.

Runciman vividly describes the character of Sultan Mehmet II and the Monk George Scholarios whose reputation as a scholar the conquering Sultan was fully aware of. When the City fell, Scholarios was taken as a slave but was freed by the order of the Sultan. The Monk Scholarios was not only a learned monk but a conservative theologian who had been a fierce opponent of the Council of Florence in 1439. The Sultan decided to grant the Greek Orthodox Church a certain degree of autonomy and Scholarios became the first Patriarch under the Ottomans.

The new Patriarch took the ecclesiastical name “Gennadios” and took on the task of rebuilding the Church and its Synod. The Patriarch had the difficult task of negotiating the terms of relations between the Church and the Ottomans. A very difficult task but one in which the new Patriarch carried out to the best of his abilities.

It was certainly made clear by the Sultan that the Greeks were to be second class citizens. At the same time, the Greek Church was given autonomy which the Patriarch embraced as a means of survival. With the Greek nation now condemned to endure Turkish rule, the Patriarch gained whatever concessions he could which meant religious freedom (in a limited capacity) and limited self government.

The Church would handle baptisms, divorces, and the collection of taxes from its Greek faithful. In return, the Patriarch and the Bishops committed themselves to discouraging revolution. These were the best terms possible at that particular time.

Over the centuries, the Ecumenical Patriarchate exercised a great deal of power and influence over not only Greeks but Orthodox Serbs, Bulgarians, and Rumanians whose autocephalous Churches were shut down and placed under Constantinople’s authority. During the eighteenth century, the Patriarchate came under the influence of the Phanariots, wealthy and powerful Greeks who dominated the Church and used their influence to impose Greek hierarchs on the Rumanian and Slavic Churches. This misguided and foolish attempt to “hellenize” the non Greek Churches poisoned relations between the Greeks and the Rumanians and Slavs.

Runciman covers much ground in his history of the Patriarchate. The most interesting chapter is entitled “Constantinople and Moscow” which recounts the history of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Russian Orthodox Church during these difficult centuries. In 1448, the Russian Church had revolted against the Ecumenical Patriarchate as the latter had accepted the Papal demands at the Council of Florence in 1439 and declared itself autocephalous.

After Patriarch Genndadios became Patriarch, Constantinople was restored to Orthodoxy. By 1589, Patriarch Jeremias II was invited to visit Russia by Tsar Feodor. The Patriarch agreed to recognize the Metropolinate of Moscow as a Patriarchate and so Moscow became the fifth ranking Patriarchate after Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem. Patriarch Jeremias II was able to win the diplomatic and political support of the Russians.

Runciman writes, “Jeremias thus makes it clear that he recognizes Russia’s claim to be the third Rome politically but not ecclesiastically.’ Patriarch Jeremias was a shrewd Patriarch who wisely chose to pursue warm and friendly ties with the Russians. The policies of Patriarch Jeremias should be the basis for the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s policies toward the Russian Church. As is known now in our own day, the Ecumenical Patriarchate pursues policies opposite those of Patriarch Jeremias.

Runciman sheds light on the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s understanding of events in the west. The Patriarchate became aware of the Protestant reformation. Lutheran theologians contacted Patriarch Jeremias who subsequently broke off dialogue on the grounds that the Lutherans were not receptive to the message of Orthodoxy.

Runciman covers other ground as well. Policies of Turkish repression are not ignored. At the outset of the conquest of Constantinople, Hagia Sophia was taken away. The Greeks were initially permitted to maintain the second most important Church that of the Holy Apostles. Due to the poor condition of the Church, Patriarch Gennadios moved the Patriarchate away from hostile Muslim settlers to a more friendly Christian area. The Patriarchate would move several times and would arrive at its present location at the Phanar in 1599.

Over the course of centuries, several Patriarchs were executed for treason. The most infamous was that of Gregory V in 1821. The executions of Patriarchs demonstrated the fragility of relations with the Ottoman State. One of the most tragic Patriarchs was Cyril Lukaris who was murdered by the Turks in 1638.

Lukaris was a brilliant theologian and spiritual leader who was the victim of politics. At the time of his Patriarchy the Roman Catholics were waging war on the Orthodox in Ukraine (an event that is still happening). Cyril Lukaris adopted a staunch anti Papal attitude and blinded by his ferocious hostility to the Papacy became subject to the influence of Protestant diplomats at Constantinople. In our own day, the Ecumenical Patriarchate continues to be the victim of unscrupulous foreign diplomats.

Both Roman Catholics and Protestants vied for influence over the Patriarch. The Patriarch sadly came under the influence of the Protestants and promoted Calvinist doctrines that were in conflict with Orthodoxy. Controversy in Orthodoxy erupted and the Greek Bishops and faithful revolted against him. The Sultan being concerned over the destabilizing effects of the controversy among the Orthodox ordered the murder of the Patriarch.

There is also a chapter on the state of the Greek Church outside Constantinople. In parts of what are now modern Greece, many of the priests were deprived of the learning and qualifications that their counterparts in Constantinople enjoyed. Many priests were semi literate and poorly educated and the spiritual state of the people in these parts of Greece was very poor.

Over the centuries, generations of youth belonging to Greek and other Christians in the Empire were lost after they were forcibly recruited into the janissaries. The Janissaries were the elite fighting force of the Ottoman Empire. Boys were taken from their families, converted to Islam and sent off on their careers to serve the Sultan. The janissaries were an utterly destructive force on all the Christian populations.

No review can do justice to Steven Runciman’s fine and influential book. Runciman’s book is very sympathetic to the Patriarchate and examines all parts of the Patriarchate’s complex history under Ottoman rule. Both religious and diplomatic policies of the Patriarchate are examined. The book ends by recounting the outbreak of the Greek War of Independence and the execution of Patriarch Gregory V.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate is a glorious institution full of immense spirituality, history, and civilization. No one can read this book and be unmoved by its tragic plight since 1453. The Patriarchate was fortunate during its darkest period in 1453 to have a superb theologian, scholar, and diplomat such as George Scholarios take the throne.

George Scholarios may have saved the Patriarchate and provided much spiritual solace and diplomatic efforts for the well being of the Greek nation during a time of darkness. The Ecumenical Patriarchate would be fortunate today to be governed by the wisdom and abilities of Patriarchs Gennadios and Jeremias.

Categories
faith

Orthodoxy and the Virus

Patriarch Irenaios of the Serbian Orthodox Church passed away from Covid 19. His memory be eternal! In addition, the primates of the Orthodox Churches of Greece and Albania have both been hospitalized after coming down with covid 19. Best wishes for a speedy recovery to both of them.

Categories
political

Mike Pompeo and the Patriarch

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople. The purpose of the visit was to discuss religious freedom. Basically, the Patriarchate finds itself in the same position it has been in for decades. It still faces an existential crisis.

Without the theological school of Halki reopening, the Patriarchate will not have future priests and bishops. The prospects of the reopening of Halki are just as dire as they have ever been. The collaboration of the Patriarchate with the American government on the Church issue in Ukraine has in fact left the Patriarchate in a far more catastrophic position than before.

Notwithstanding nice words from the State Department the theological school of Halki remains closed. In addition, Hagia Sophia has become a Mosque as has the Church of the Saviour of Chora. These are disastrous setbacks for the Patriarchate.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate would have been much better off establishing closer ties with the Russian government and should have stayed out of Ukraine. All Orthodox agree that Patriarch Bartholomew is “First Among Equals”. This however may not be for too much longer considering the disaster that has spread throughout the Orthodox Church.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Patriarch Bartholomew is the leader of the Orthodox. Such a vague statement does not describe in any way, shape, or form the role of the Ecumenical Patriarch. Going by the book, the Ecumenical Patriarch is “First Among Equals” with a “Primacy of Honor”. The Patriarch is not a Pope like figure and this misconception has contributed to the chaos in the Orthodox world.

In 1439, Emperor John Palaeologos of Constantinople and many Bishops travelled to Florence where they signed the notorious union with the Papacy. However desperate the Greeks were to avoid falling to the Turks, that Union did not save them in the end. Nor could it have saved them considering that Christians do not improve their status in the here and now by sacrificing their souls and their salvation.

There are still many things unclear about what transpired in 2018 that led to Constantinople’s invasion of the Russian Church’s territory in Ukraine. Theories abound that promises were made or that threats were made. Although it is clear the United States foreign policy apparatus was behind this the specifics are still unclear.

What is inherently clear and what the Greek speaking world continues to ignore is that the theological school of Halki remains closed and the Patriarchate’s position in Turkey is just as precarious as it has ever been. The losses of Hagia Sophia and the Savior Church of Chora could be construed as a sign from heaven that the Patriarchate is on the wrong track.

The United States has provided nothing for the Ecumenical Patriarchate in terms of its future. Even if the US had provided substantive results for the Patriarchate’s standing in Turkey , its intervention in Ukraine would still be wrong. In any case, Patriarch Bartholomew has gained nothing and lost virtually everything.

He has gained nothing from the Turks but he has lost Hagia Sophia and the Church of Chora. He has destroyed whatever standing the Patriarchate had among the Orthodox Churches. It is becoming increasingly unthinkable to suggest that the Patriarch could be “first among equals” with the right of initiatives to convene Pan Orthodox gatherings in the future after the destruction that has been caused by his Ukrainian intervention.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate runs on blindness and fails to see that in addition to damaging Orthodox unity it has badly damaged itself in the eyes of the Orthodox world. Having placed the Ecumenical Patriarchate in American hands, Patriarch Bartholomew may have set the stage for its final demise.

Categories
political

Cultism of the Greek Left

Monday is the anniversary of the 1973 student uprising that was ruthlessly crushed by dictator George Papadopoulos in which dozens of students were killed or injured. It was a tragedy and a dark day to be sure. Every year, the extreme left in Greece gathers outside the American embassy for loud and aggressive demonstrations.

This is their anniversary. The anniversary of the Greek left. They do not commemorate national days such as Greek Independence day or OHI Day. They do not not commemorate the twin anniversaries of September in which Smyrna was burned to the ground by the Turks and the days of the anti Greek pogroms in Turkey in 1955. They commemorate a day they associate with their own ideology.

The Greek Colonels are long gone. Papadopoulos fell from power in November 1973 and the regime from which he was displaced collapsed in July 1974 following the anti Makarios coup and the first Turkish invasion in Cyprus. The junta issue ceased to be an issue and there is no need for the fanatical behavior of Greek leftists who act as if the junta is still ruling Greece.

There are other issues to be dealt with. Notably, the Turkish aggression in the Aegean against Greece. Also, the current meddling in the affairs of the Orthodox Church by Washington. These mass gatherings that take place every November 17 are a manifestation of cultism that do not make any sort of sense in today’s political realities .

In the last national elections, Greece liberated itself from the extreme right when Golden Dawn failed to win enough seats to enter the Greek Parliament. Just as the extreme right has been repudiated, Greece must also rise to the occasion to tame the extreme left as well.

Categories
political

Good News on Greece and Russia

https://greekcitytimes.com/2020/10/23/putin-greece-2021/

It appears Russian President Vladimir Putin will be visiting Greece on the anniversary of the two hundredth anniversary of the Greek War of Independence. This is an excellent opportunity for Greece to get closer to Russia. The Russians as of late have openly expressed support for Greece’s territorial rights in the Aegean Sea and have condemned the Turkish reopening of the Cypriot town of Varosha.

Russian-Turkish relations are a matter of temporary diplomacy. The strain on these relations can be seen through Turkey’s links to and support for Syrian jihadists. The Russians fought against the very same jihadists that Turkey now supports in Libya and Artsakh. Add to the fact that Turkish President Erdogan is emerging as the jihadist successor to the Islamic State which was being supported by Ankara at the height of its power.

The Russian maneuvering can be interpreted as a sign that Moscow sees its “alliance” with Turkey as temporary and that its cooperation with Ankara will be concluding at some point. The defeat of President Donald Trump in the American elections complicates matters because Trump favored cooperation with Russia. The Russophobia of the Democrats may very well complicate Greece’s interests.

The Democrats see Russia as a major threat having blamed Moscow for Hillary’s election loss in 2016 as well as the riots in American cities. The possibility exists that the Democrats will focus on Russia as a national security threat. On that basis, Turkish strategic value for the United States could be reestablished.

In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Great Britain and France favored the Ottoman Empire over the Russian Empire. This western backing enabled the Ottoman Empire to survive into the twentieth century. The Turkish Republic emerged as a strategic “asset” to counter the Soviet Union, and later Iran, Iraq, and Syria.

As such, both the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union were the targets of western hostility and Turkey was a beneficiary in so far as the Russians were considered an adversary. Therefore, if the Democrats target Russia as as enemy they may very well embrace Turkey in the some way as both their American and British and French predecessors did.

It is of extreme importance for Greece for America and Russia to have friendly relations as Turkey would not be able to benefit from such a scenario. It is too early to tell, but the election of the Democrats could possibly revive old strategic considerations regarding Turkey and could convince Ankara to restore the old ties between Turkey and the west.

In any case, Greece is doing the right thing by remaining friendly with Russia and America. The Mitsotakis government has worked hard to build a wide anti Turkish coalition that includes Egypt, France, and the United Arab Emirates. May it come to pass that Russia joins this coalition.

The old bright side to the Democratic victory is the downfall of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Hopefully, American Ambassador to Greece Geoffrey Pyatt will be reassigned. These two men have done enormous damage to the Orthodox Church as a result of the Ukrainian schism.

In any case, there is reason for cautious optimism regarding Greece and Russia.

Categories
political

The Election Results

At this point it is clear that Joe Biden won the elections of 2020. President Trump should be more gracious than the Democrats were four years ago when he was elected President. The President should congratulate the President elect and move on.

It it is true that their was fraud in the elections, it would not be the first time. Richard Nixon was aware of the fact that JFK stole the elections of 1960 but accepted the results anyway for the good of the country. President elect Biden spoke well as did Vice President elect Harris. But then again politicians speak well and they read speeches written by others. Let us wait and see if they put their nice words into practice.

President Donald Trump was a President of substance and not empty rhetoric. We shall not see another President like this in our life time. An outsider who spent his life in the private sector who went straight to the Presidency rather than being a career politician. Trump was not particularly articulate but he governed well and was effective in the formulation of policy.

As the Trump administration exits, so does this bloggers purpose for voting. Even if Donald Trump has won the election this would have been the farewell vote for this blogger. With the exit of Donald Trump, a genuine independent, the Republican party will likely be retaken by the neoconservatives

Therefore, there is no reason to support either party in the future. This blog has criticized the Democrats and will criticize the pre and post Trump Republican Party. Before Donald Trump, the Republican Party was the party of the war criminals George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, John McCain, and Mitt Romney. I expect the parasitical neoconservatives to reclaim the Republican Party.

Greek American organizations endorsed Joe Biden. It should be remembered that American foreign policy began tilting away from Turkey toward Greece under the Trump administration. Greece found new life and assertiveness under Prime Minister Mitsotakis and credit should be given to the Presidency of Donald Trump. All previous administrations of both parties have supported Turkey and always bullied Greece.

The Trump administration never exerted pressure on Greece to appease Turkey and this has shown itself as Athens has stood up to Turkish bullying. The Trump administration adopted a sane policy toward Russia and removed the United States from Syria. There was the danger of instigating war with Iran but the Trump administration reversed itself after the mistake in killing Iranian General Soleimani.

We have now an incoming administration talking about “science”. Both the President and Vice President elect mentioned science in their speeches. Do they think that the idea that a man can get pregnant is scientific? Do they think that there are sixty three genders? We shall see what kind of social agenda they pursue.

Hopefully, the election of an African American Vice President will contribute to easing tensions in America. This should contribute to killing the idea that America is racist. It should not be forgotten that the elections of 2020 were conducted under the threat of civil unrest and political violence mainly from the Democratic side.

In any case, it is time to wait and see. In the Orthodox Church, it is customary to pray during the divine liturgy and in private prayers for the head of country. Throughout history, the Church has prayed for Christian and non Christian rulers alike. For Byzantine Emperors and Ottoman Sultans. For Russian Tsars and Communist leaders.

The President elect and the Democratic Party cannot be considered Christian. But they are not the Ottomans and Communists either. We will pray for them in our Orthodox prayers as we have for all previous Presidents. Let us hope that they will be enlightened and respectful of the right of Christians and others to profess their faith and dissent from the new radicalism that the Democratic Party embraces.

Categories
political

The Coup of the Media

For four years, the Democrats and their media (CNN, MSCNBC, The New York Times, and all the rest) declared war on democracy. They did not like the outcome of the 2016 elections and so they dragged a foreign country (Russia) into American domestic politics. The Russians were to blame. It could not possibly be that the American voter did not want Queen Hillary for President.

From the get go, the Democrats showed how incapable of rational thought they were. In 2017, Democratic Party official and former Bill Clinton advisor Paul Begala openly called for the bombing of Russia. Think of this, a prominent Democrat called for the bombing of a nuclear armed country and the media did not think this was worthy of universal condemnation.

Many Americans are unaware of the Begala comments because the media has not publicized them. Americans are also not aware of the scandals involving Joe Biden and his son Hunter which the media ignored. The media is an active participant in the political process not an objective critic and observer.

The farce that is now playing out in America in the aftermath of the elections began in 2016 when the Democrats and the media refused to accept Donald Trump’s victory. We are being lectured on Covid-19 but it has been forgotten that when this disease was coming to America and spreading the Democrats distracted the country with their attempted Coup against the President. The month of February where time should have been used to protect the country from Covid 19 was wasted because the Democrats sought to impeach the President for something that Joe Biden did!

That’s right, they tried to impeach the President for something that Joe Biden did. Joe Biden can be found on Youtube openly admitting that as Vice President he threatened to kill a $100 billion aid package to Ukraine if that government did not fire the prosecutor that was investigating the gas company that Hunter Biden was on the board of. All Donald Trump did was congratulate Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky on his election victory and merely asked if his government could supply evidence of wrongdoing by Hunter Biden.

The impeachment was garbage and was simply an attempt by the Democrats to reverse the outcome of the 2016 elections. Democrats and their media friends should not be surprised that the President has his suspicions regarding the electoral process. They have been trying to bring him down for four years.

It is the story of the boy who cried wolf. Tell too many lies and no one believes you. The Democrats and the media have whipped up anti Trump hysteria to such an extent who can now take them seriously?

Let us look at where we are at the present time. We are enduring the repressive conditions created by Covid 19. Exactly how are the Democrats going to make things better? The Democrats and their followers are more concerned about abortions for pregnant men (Julian Castro), supporting the murder of live babies (Governor Ralph Nordham), and promoting sex changes for children.

Yeah, let’s have a political party whose supporters believe there are sixty three genders have a shot at ruling America. The Democrats who have maligned Russia repeatedly because the Russians objected to the LGBTQ agenda being taught in their schools. China runs concentration camps that have incarcerated over one million Ughyur Muslims and not a word about China. Nor is there any condemnation of China’s attack on Hong Kong democracy.

It appears as of this writing that Trump has lost the elections. In that case, Trump should be gracious and step aside. On the other hand, it is entirely understandable why Trump is fighting considering four years of unceasing attempts to discredit and undermine his administration. It is time to move on and get on with the business of finding a vaccine and moving as quickly as possible to restore normal living conditions to the entire world.