This image appeared on my Facebook newsfeed and really made me smile. I’ve always been a believer that “being Greek” isn’t a state of DNA but a state of mind and a state of believing and espousing Greekness and Greek ideals.
The image shows a young boy– a young Greek-born child whose parents came to Greece as immigrants. He knows no other language, or no other country other than Greece. Yet today, politicians in Greece are trying to create laws to prevent him from having the same rights as other native Greeks.
The financial crisis in Greece is bringing out a lot of ugliness in people over there, allowing for the rise of the extreme right wing hate groups like Golden Dawn and other social phenomenon like that which allowed the Nazis to rise in Germany in the 1930s. But opportunity also exists in this crisis. And that is the opportunity to share “Greekness” and Greek ideals with anyone who wants to embrace them.
1 comment
I agree completely with your comment of being Greek is not just DNA, but also a state of mind, however there is an explanation for the “ugliness” going on here in Greece. Greeks have proven to be very hospitable people, but many of the immigrants here came here illegally, they don’t pay taxes, they work here illegally and they send their money to their own countries. It’s not fair to the rest of us. I’m not at all in favor of Golden Dawn, I just wanted give some sort of explanation as to why Greeks feel this way lately. I too truly like the photo in your article.