Greek Tragedy Exposes Greek Mendacity

It seems as though Greeks will soon get the loan/bailout they've been looking to get from the IMF and the EU. Although few in the European Union are happy about this, it is worthwhile to note that this tragedy has also served to highlight the mendacity of the Greek government throughout the years. If you ask me, it all stems from a delusion of grandeur that modern Greek governments and the Greek Orthodox Church (and, to an extent, the people) have had about themselves. They still fancy themselves the same as their ancient forebears and demand the respect and regard worthy of the latter. As a result, the Greek machine has felt undeservingly entitled to the same advancements that the rest of Europe has achieved and has disingenuously portrayed itself as the economic and political equal to its European peers in order to obtain, first, EU membership and, secondly, the Euro.

At the same time, while touting once again their glorious past, and while exploiting their position in the EU they have become nothing short of a bully in Balkanic relations. They have set conditions (read, obstacles) for Albania's and Macedonia's membership in the EU and other European/North-Atlantic alliances, quoting as reason, in the case of Macedonia, a name, and complicating relations with Albania because of a Greek minority there of less than 3%, which has enjoyed special rights more than Albanians have ever dreamt of enjoying in Greece. It is of importance to note here that Greece is the only country in Europe (and perhaps in the world) that does not recognize religious or ethnic minorities within its territory.

Similarly, Greek governments have continuously been clutching to what they call The Great Idea, which consists of territorial pretensions in southern Albania. Greece has thus become a country with overt pretensions over another territory (and today, the Albanian nation) since its inception in 1829, and has recently become an insurmountable, unreasonable obstacle over a question of simple toponymy/onomastics, bringing the etymology of the word 'hypocrisy' closer to its meaning. At the same time, Greece has yet to invalidate its declaration of war on Albania since the latter was used as a platform by Mussolini to launch his attack on Greece. In other words, Greece is still at war with Albania and refuses to act to change that status.

I don't know if I am happy to see Greece where it is today. Behind a government's machinations lie the common people and I do not wish them any ills. I do, however, hope—for Greece's best and for the best of Balkanic and European relations—that this crisis, however tragic and taxing, will serve to set the current and future Greek governments along the path of better neighborly relations and more earnestness with themselves and their European counterparts.

[Yes, this is a rant.]

Balkanic Parallels and Paradoxes

I posted a shorter youtube version of this video a year or so ago on facebook, but I was reminded of it today and was able to find the full-length documentary on this song that people from Turkey and the Balkans claim as their own.

I don't think the answer will ever be found and there's the rub and the beauty of it. These are all countries with very rich and distinct musical and cultural traditions and therefore justified in claiming it as their own. From an objective point of view, however, and relying on their common historical point, the Ottoman invasion, I'm inclined to say that the melody is most likely Turkish.