MICKEY MOUSE PHOTOS in this post related to AHEPA events: The ideology of “pure and undefiled Americanism” was enshrined in AHEPA’s charter
ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΜΕΤΑΦΡΑΣΗ ΑΚΟΛΟΥΘΕΙ
by Leonidas V. Georgiou
AHEPA is not a modern-day Filiki Etairia. The comical, if not offensive, comparison made by its leaders is completely baseless and misleading.
The two organizations were founded with opposite goals. Filiki Etairia was founded to strengthen the ethnic conscience of Greeks, organize their armed revolt, and build a new nation-state. AHEPA, however, as explicitly stated in its charter and constitution, was founded to promote “pure and undefiled Americanism,” to transform Greek immigrants into real Americans, i.e., crush their Greek conscience and eliminate their “foreign” character.
The Filiki Etairia swore its members to hate the Turkish tyrants who ruled them. It conspired to overthrow the Turkish yoke, i.e. the existing regime, by force. It did not resist the Greeks’ ethnic conscience, but passionately cultivated it. Its only goal was to organize and finance the start of a revolution.
AHEPA, however, was fanatically loyal to the American system of government. It swore its members to be absolutely loyal to it. It considered the culture imported by Greek peasant immigrants to be inferior to that of real Americans and acted as a catalyst to accelerate their Americanization. To AHEPA, that meant that Greek immigrants needed to adopt a new Anglo-Saxon identity.
The Filiki Etairia drew their greatest inspiration from the writings of Rigas Feraios, the great Enlightenment writer who was assassinated only a few years earlier in 1798. AHEPA, on the other hand, drew its inspiration of “pure and undefiled Americanism” from its co-founder, James O. Wood, a propagandist of the Ku Klux Klan. The writings of the two men could not be more different.
Rigas, who inspired the Filiki Etairia, wrote in his Revolutionary Proclamation:
“When Government rapes, disobeys, and despises the rights of the people and does not listen to their complaints, then the people or any part of the people must start a Revolution to seizes the chariots and punish its tyrants. That is the holiest of all rights, and the most necessary of all duties.”
School children in Greece are taught to memorize excerpts from Riga’s Thourios that calls them to arms:
“O how long then must we wait lads,
Upon the hills and glens?
Stalking on the mountains,
Like lions in their dens?
It is far the better,
An hour to be free,
Than to live a life of bondage,
In chains and slavery.
AHEPA’s patriotism, on the other hand, was properly directed toward America, not Greece. The need for immigrants to love their new homeland and become worthy citizens, worthy Americans, is obvious and needs no explanation. That is not where AHEPA’s problem lies. Instead, AHEPA’s huge problem arose when the organization’s founders adopted the Ku Klux Klan’s ideology of 100% Americanism, an ultra-nationalism based on xenophobia. It was an ideology that led to discrimination and conduct that, in due time, was condemned as unconstitutional.
The ideology of “pure and undefiled Americanism” was enshrined in AHEPA’s charter by its co-founder and first Supreme Counselor, Carl F. Hutcheson. Hutcheson and his law partner, James O. Wood, were leading officials of the Ku Klux Klan. They developed their xenophobic and nativist ideology in the newspaper they published, The Searchlight, which was the Klan’s semi-official organ.
Wood was a more prolific writer than Hutcheson. He expounded his views on American citizenship in his book, Are You a Citizen? The Klan Member’s Guide, where he wrote:
“We want America for Americans. Our message to all people is: ‘Welcome’ – ‘come and enjoy the fruits of liberty,’ BUT ‘don’t tread on our ideals, our principles or our morals!’… [W]e shall tolerate [you] until we see the tentacles of autocracy stealthily gripping the vitals of our democracy – then shall we rise up in righteous indignation and cry, ‘Go! Your works are not our works; your thoughts are not our thoughts – your ways are not our ways. We will have none of you!’” Wood, J.O., Are You a Citizen? The Klansman’s Guide, Atlanta: Searchlight Pub. Co., 1923, p. 9.
PHOTO: James Wood, law partner of AHEPA’s founder James Hucheson
Wood and Hutcheson defended the K.K.K. in its criminal prosecutions. Their defense team included George A. Nikopoulos (George A. Poulos or Polos), who worked in the Klan’s propagation department. An immigrant from Karpenisi, Poulos is now celebrated as the “visionary” who conceived AHEPA.
Wood attended many of AHEPA’s early meetings and influenced its early activities and the ideological principles it espoused. At Wood’s urging, AHEPA opposed the establishment of Greek parochial schools that Greek-Americans eagerly built to preserve their children’s Greek identity. AHEPA also supported the banning of all foreign-language newspapers, including Greek ones. When the U.S. government began to restrict the immigration of southern Europeans, AHEPA agreed and took a position in favor of immigration quotas. This made AHEPA faithful to the xenophobic ideology of James O. Wood and the Ku Klux Klan, but it pitted it against the interests of Greek-Americans.
The Klan’s influence on AHEPA was clear. For more than four decades, AHEPA barred African Americans from joining. For its first five years, AHEPA also excluded Catholics under the false pretense that since Catholics have parochial schools they violate the separation of church and state.
In the 1930s we find Wood organizing a fascist organization, the American Fascisti, who imitated Mussolini’s movement and became known as the Blackshirts. Needless to say, it took an entire world war to crush the ideology of hatred that Wood promoted to his gullible victims.
Clearly, Wood was not Rigas Feraios. Clearly, AHEPA was not the Filiki Etairia!
In more recent times, AHEPA adopted a new mission statement, “to promote the ancient Hellenic ideals of education, philanthropy, civic responsibility, family and individual excellence through community service and volunteerism.”
Why does the mission statement stop with “ancient” ideals? Is there no value to the Hellenism that followed the death of Pericles and Alexander the Great? Does the Hellenism of Christianity not concern AHEPA? Do Greeks not still contribute to the world of arts, science and governance? Also, what is wrong with the term “Greece” that makes AHEPA shriek?
AHEPA cannot lawfully be what it pretends to be so long as its Constitution prohibits it from engaging in political and religious activities. It cannot unleash its power so long as it still discriminates against women, excluding them from high positions. It cannot be taken seriously so long as it follows anachronistic and heretical Masonic rites that offend the Greek Orthodox faith of its members and the interests of Greeks. AHEPA cannot prosper so long as it is led by people who, on the one hand, violate their constitution and, on the other, engage in self-promotions that harm both the organization and Hellenism.
We know the Filiki Etairia. We also know AHEPA. AHEPA is not a modern-day Filiki Etairia!
Ferbuary 15, 2024, www.helleniscope.com
DISCLAIMER: The views and statements expressed in this article constitute constitutionally protected opinions of this author.
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Η ΑΧΕΠΑ ΔΕΝ ΕΙΝΑΙ ΣΥΓΧΡΟΝΗ ΦΙΛΙΚΗ ΕΤΑΙΡΕΙΑ!
του Λεωνίδα Β. Γεωργίου
Η Αχέπα δεν είναι μια σύγχρονη Φιλική Εταιρεία. Η κωμική, αν όχι προσβλητική, σύγκριση που κάνουν οι ηγέτες της είναι εντελώς αβάσιμη και παραπλανητική.
Οι δύο οργανώσεις ιδρύθηκαν με αντίθετους στόχους. Η Φιλική Εταιρεία ιδρύθηκε για να ενισχύσει την εθνική συνείδηση των Ελλήνων ώστε να επαναστατήσουν και να κατασκευάσουν ένα νέο εθνοκράτος. Η Αχέπα, όμως, όπως δήλωνε ρητά το καταστατικό της, ιδρύθηκε για να μεταμορφώσει τους έλληνες μετανάστες σε «αγνούς και αμόλυντους Αμερικανούς», δηλαδή για να συντρίψει την ελληνική συνείδησή τους και να τους απολυμάνει από «ξένες» μη-αμερικάνικες επιρροές.
Η Φιλική Εταιρεία όρκιζε τα μέλη της να μισούν τους τούρκους τύρανους που τους κυβερνούσαν. Συνομωτούσε να ανατρέψει τον τουρκικό ζυγό, δηλαδή το ισχύον πολίτευμα, με βία. Δεν καταπολεμούσε την εθνική συνείδηση των ελλήνων, την καλιεργούσε με πάθος. Στόχος της ένοπλης επανάστασης ήταν να δημιουργήσει ξεχωριστό ελληνορθόδoξο κράτος.
Η Αχέπα, από την άλλη πλευρά, υποστήριζε φανατικά το ισχύον αμερικανικό πολίτευμα. Όρκιζε τα μέλη της σε απόλυτη πίστη προς αυτό. Θεωρούσε όμως τους έλληνες μετανάστες, οι οποίοι ήταν φτωχοί χωριάτες στην πλειοψηφία τους, κατώτερους σε πολιτισμό από τους «αυθεντικούς αμερικανούς». Έτσι ενεργούσε για την επιτάχυνση της αμερικανοποίησής τους, δηλαδή την υιοθέτηση τους μιας νέας αγγλοσαξονικής ταυτότητας.
Οι Εταιρικοί αντλούσαν την μεγαλύτερη έμπνευσή τους από τα γραπτά του Ρήγα Φεραίου, του μεγάλου έλληνα διαφωτιστή που είχε δολοφονηθεί μόνο λίγα χρόνια νωρίτερα, το 1798. Η Αχέπα, από την άλλη πλευρά, αντλούσε την έμπνευσή της περί «αγνού και αμόλυντου Αμερικανισμού» από τον συνιδρυτή της James O. Wood, ηγετικό στέλεχος της ρατσιστικής Κου Κλουξ Κλαν.
Ο εθνομάρτυρας Ρήγας Φεραίος, εμπνευστής της Φιλικής Εταιρίας, έγραφε στην Επαναστατική Προκήρυξή του: «Όταν η Διοίηκηση βιάζει, αθετεί, καταφρονεί τα δίκαια του λαού και δεν εισακούει τα παράπονά του, το να κάμει τότε ο λαός ή κάθε μέρος του λαού Επανάστασιν, να αρπάζει τα άρματα και να τιμωρήσει τους τυράννους του, είναι πλέον ιερόν από όλα τα δίκαιά του και το πλέον απαραίτητο από όλα τα χρέη του.»
Όλοι γνωρίζουμε αυτολεξεί αποσπάσματα από τον Θούρειο του Ρήγα:
Ως πότε παλληκάρια, θα ζούμε στα στενά,
μονάχοι σαν λιοντάρια, στες ράχες στα βουνά;
Κάλλιο είναι μιας ώρας ελεύθερη ζωή,
παρά σαράντα χρόνους, σκλαβιά και φυλακή.
Από την άλλη πλευρά, ο πατριωτισμός της Αχέπα προς την Αμερική, την Μεγάλη Δημοκρατία, ήταν αυτονόητος. Όλοι οι ομογενείς ώφειλαν να αγαπήσουν τη νέα τους πατρίδα και να γίνουν άξιοι πολίτες της, άξιοι αμερικανοί. Ωστόσο, τεράστιο πρόβλημα προέκυψε όταν οι ιδρυτές της Αχέπα υιοθέτησαν μια ιδεολογία υπερεθνικισμού που βασιζόταν σε ξενοφοβία. Μια ιδεολογία που δήθεν δικαιολογούσε τις παρανομίες ρατσιστικών οργανώσεων. Μια ιδεολογία που εν καιρώ η ιστορία καταδίκασε ως παράνομη και αντισυνταγματική.
Η ιδεολογία του «γνήσιου και αμόλυντου αμερικανισμού» χαράχτηκε στο καταστατικό της Αχέπα από τον συνιδρυτή της Carl F. Hutcheson, ο οποίος ήταν επίσης κορυφαίο στέλεχος της Κ.Κ.Κ. και συνέταιρος του J.O. Wood. Πρόκειτε ξεκάθαρα για τις ξενοφοβικές αρχές του «100% αμερικανισμού» που υποστήριζε η Κ.Κ.Κ. Ήταν οι ιδέες που αναπτύσσονταν από τον Wood και Hutcheson στη εφημερίδα που εξέδιδαν, The Searchlight, ημιεπίσημο όργανο της Κ.Κ.Κ. Ήταν οι ιδέες που δημοσίευσε ο Wood στο βιβλίο του «Είσαι Πολίτης; Οδηγός Μελών της Κλαν», όπου έγραφε:
«Θέλουμε την Αμερική για τους Αμερικανούς. Το μήνυμά μας προς όλους είναι: Καλώς ήρθατε. Ελάτε και απολαύστε τους καρπούς της ελευθερίας, ΑΛΛΑ μην καταπατάτε τα ιδανικά μας, τις αρχές μας ή τα ήθη μας! … Θα σας ανεχόμαστε μέχρι που να δούμε τα πλοκάμια σας απολυταρχίας να εισβάλουν κρυφά τα ζωτικά στοιχεία της δημοκρατίας μας – τότε θα σηκωθούμε με δίκαιη αγανάκτηση και θα φωνάξουμε: Φύγετε! Τα έργα σας δεν είναι έργα μας. Οι σκέψεις σας δεν είναι σκέψεις μας. Οι τρόποι σας δεν είναι τρόποι μας. Δεν θα ανεχτούμε κανέναν από εσάς!» Wood, J.O., Are You a Citizen? The Klansman’s Guide, Atlanta: Searchlight Pub. Co., 1923, σελ. 9.
Ο Wood και ο Hutcheson υπεράσπιζαν την Κ.Κ.Κ. στις ποινικές της καταδιώξεις ως συνήγοροί της. Η συνηγορική ομάδα τους συμπεριλάμβανε και τον Γεώργιο Α. Νικόπουλο (George A. Poulos ή Polos), επίσης υπάλληλο της Κ.Κ.Κ. Πρόκειται για μετανάστη από το Καρπενήσι που σήμερα μνημονεύεται ως ο «οραματιστής» της Αχέπα. Μαζί αυτοί οι κύριοι της Κου Κλουξ Κλαν αποτελούσαν τους εμπνευστές και την πραγματική ιδρυτική ομάδα της Αχέπα.
Ο Wood συμμετείχε σε πολλές από τις πρώτες συνεδριάσεις της Αχέπα. Επηρέασε τις πρώτες δραστηριότητες της και τις ιδεολογικές αρχές που ασπάστηκε. Με τις παροτρύνσεις του Wood, η Αχέπα αντιτάχθηκε στην ίδρυση ελληνικών ενοριακών σχολείων που με πόθο έχτιζαν οι ομογενείς για να διατηρήσουν την ελληνική ταυτότητα των παιδιών τους. Η Αχέπα επίσης υποστήριζε την απαγόρευση όλων των ξενόγλωσσων εφημερίδων, δηλαδή και των ελληνικών. Όταν η αμερικανική κυβέρνηση άρχισε να περιορίζει την μετανάστευση νοτιοευρωπαίων, η Αχέπα πήρε θέση υπέρ των περιοριστικών μέτρων (immigration quotas). Δηλαδή, η Αχέπα παρέμενε πιστή στην ιδεολογία του Wood και της ξενόφοβης Κ.Κ.Κ. με θέσεις που έβλαπταν τους ομογενείς.
Η Αχέπα υιοθέτησε και άλλες απόψεις της Κ.Κ.Κ. Για πάνω από τέσσερις δεκαετίες, το καταστικό της Αχέπα απέκλεινε την προσχώριση μαύρων αμερικανών. Τα πρώτα πέντε χρόνια, η Αχέπα απέκλειε και τους Καθολικούς με το ψευδές πρόσχημα ότι αφού οι Καθολικοί έχουν ενοριακά σχολεία παραβιάζουν τον διαχωρισμό εκκλησίας και κράτους.
Στη δεκαετία του 1930 βρίσκουμε τον Wood ως οργανωτή της φασιστικής οργάνωσης American Fascisti, γνωστοί και ως Μαυροπουκάμισα. Περιττό να σημειωθεί ότι η υφήλιος χρειάστηκε ολόκληρο παγκόσμιο πόλεμο για να συντρίψει την ιδεολογία του μίσους που προωθούσε ο Wood στα αφελή θύματά του.
PHOTO: James Wood
Σίγουρα, ο Wood δεν ήταν Ρήγας Φεραίος, και οπωσδήποτε η Αχέπα δεν ήταν Φιλική Εταιρεία!
Σχετικά πρόσφατα, η Αχέπα δήλωσε ότι η αρχική της αποστολή έχει ήδη εκπληρωθεί, αφού οι ελληνοαμερικανοί έχουν πλέον αφομοιωθεί πλήρως στην αμερικάνικη κοινωνία. Επομένως υιοθέτησε νέα αποστολή, «να προωθεί τα αρχαία ελληνικά ιδεώδη παιδείας, φιλανθρωπίας, αστικής ευθύνης, οικογενειακής και ατομικής αριστείας μέσω κοινωνικής εργασίας και εθελοντισμού».
Δεν θέλησαν όμως να τροποποιήσουν το καταστατικό τους που εξακολουθεί να κάνει διακρίσεις. Περιορίζει τις γυναίκες σε βοηθητική οργάνωση και τις αποκλείει από υψηλά αξιώματα. Συνεχίζει να ακολουθεί αναχρονιστικές και αιρετικές μασονικές τελετές που προσβάλλουν την ελληνική Ορθόδοξη πίστη των μελών της και τα συμφέροντα των ελλήνων. Συνεχίζει να απαγορεύει πολιτικές και θρησκευτικές δραστηριότητες. Και, ίσως το πιο τραγικό, εξακολουθεί να ηγείται από ανθρώπους που από τη μια πλευρά παραβιάζουν το καταστατικό και από την άλλη εστιάζουν τις ενέργειες τους σε αυτοπροβολές που βλάπτουν και την οργάνωση και τον ελληνισμό.
Γνωρίζουμε την Φιλική Εταιρία. Γνωρίζουμε και την Αχέπα. Η Αχέπα ΔΕΝ είναι Φιλική Εταιρεία!
Ferbuary 15, 2024, www.helleniscope.com
DISCLAIMER: The views and statements expressed in this article constitute constitutionally protected opinions of this author.
Mr Georgiou,
All these things you write about AHEPA are correct. I disagree only about “Filiki Eteria”. It was invented after the assasination of Kapodistrias, in order to belittle his leadership in the process of the Greek Revolution. Everybody at that time knew that Kapodistrias was the brain behind the revolution. But after he condemned freemasonry and asked true independence for Greece, he became a target of the British, who orchestrated his assasination. That’s why the British still haven’t opened their archives about him! But killing him was not enough. They had to erase everything he offered to the revolution and to Greece.
And like this suddenly in the 1830s the Greeks learned that the Greek Revolution was not orchestrated by Kapodistrias, but by 3 unknown masons, that didn’t even fight in any battle! And furthermore, they had the nerves to claim that they offered the leadership of the revolution to Kapodistrias and he refused!
My conclusion is that Filiki Eteria is as fake as its makers in the Grand Lodge of Greece. AHEPA is also a Masonic organization, so don’t be surprised by the lies…
Greek elites have been rewriting history with an aim to suit their ideologies. Just ask the abbot of Agia Lavra monastery who attended the bicentennial celebrations there…
With regard to Kapodistrias, you should note that the Filiki Etairia was founded in 1814 and effectively ended in 1821 when the war started. Kapodistrias was assassinated a decade later, in 1831.
The Filiki Etairia was not into Freemasonry. It was secret for obvious reasons. Historians call it a secret national liberation conspiracy, “εθνικοαπελευθερωτική συνομωτική οργάνωση.”
The first five years it had only a handful members and not much happened. Xanthos, one of the three founders, offered the leadership to Kapodistrias, but he declined because he was the tsar’s foreign minister. The Vienna Conference, orchestrated by Metternich, had gotten a commitment from Russia, Austria and Britain that all revolutions would be crushed. Kapodistrias also thought Greeks’ ethnic conscience was not yet strong enough. Prior revolts failed, so he urged them to focus on education for a few decades before they plotted a revolt.
They then turned to Alexander Ypsilantis, the tsar’s aide-de-camp, who had lost his right arm in the Napoleonic Wars. He accepted the leadership and defined the struggle as being for Faith and Fatherland, “υπέρ Πίστεως και Πατρίδος!” Details of the revolt were worked out and money was raised and allocated. An outburst in Ukraine/Rumania failed, but the focus quickly shifted to the Peloponnese and the islands with the armatoloi. Kolokotronis was put in charge. Having done its work, the Filiki Etairia folded. The war continued for a whole decade.
No Freemasonry was involved with the Filiki Etairia, and it’s oaths prohibited involvement with Freemasonry. It was focused on a single goal, to liberate Greece and create a Greek Orthodox nation-state. There were no self promotions or paganism. Their practical goal was to organize, coordinate and finance a Greek revolt simultaneously in many parts of the Empire.
Some members did abuse the trust, but they were isolated. I know of two who were killed to prevent their revealing the secrets. There were also quite a few women initiated. Some gave all their wealth to the cause.
In any event, can we agree that AHEPA is not in the same league?
Leonidas
I agree with all of your points. And certainly AHEPA is no filiki etairia. And thank you for pointing out to the first commenter about Kapodistrias being assassinated by the Filiki etairia, which, as you pointed out was no longer active by 1830. Filki etairia certainly did its intended purpose. To creat and bring together a spread out people, instill to them a feeling of patriotism, which was mostly absent then and prepare the ground for a revolution. No easy task. A Great book to read is “The Greek Revolution” by Mark Mazower, a professor and specialist in Greek history. The details are amazing.
One thing that I dont understand from your post is what happened at Agia Lavra. during the bicentenial celebrations.
One more question Leonidas. I dont understand the connection of James O Wood and Hutchinson to AHEPA. Were they part of AHEPA’s founding cabal? Or were they just inspiration?
All things we know today about “Filiki Eteria”, were fabricated in the 1830s by members of the Grand Lodge of Greece. The 3 supposedly “founders” of “Filiki Eteria” were members of the Grand Lodge of Greece.
When Kapodistrias became governor of Greece, he condemned freemasonry and tried to expel masons from the government and state with these 2 orders he signed:
https://www.kapodistrias.info/dimosia-dioikisi/egiklios-2953
https://www.kapodistrias.info/dimosia-dioikisi/egiklios-4286
After these orders and his opposition to British domination on Greece, there is no doubt to me that his assasination was a British job, maybe with help from members of the Grand Lodge of Greece… I don’t believe that Greek minds would ever decide an assasination at the door of a Greek Orthodox church!
Dear Π.Γ.,
Your points are well taken, and we should take them into account. Reasonable people can disagree, so long as we rely on the truth.
The complete history of the Filiki Etairia was a bit beyond the scope of this article which merely makes a few comparisons with AHEPA. The historical facts I mention about both the Filiki Etairia and AHEPA are based on primary sources I researched and contemporaneous documents that are neglected by revisionist historians.
An old cliché says that history is written by the winners. I think we have an obligation to get the facts straight and let them lead us wherever they may. AHEPA has the potential to be an incredibly powerful association if we eliminate the problems that plague it.
With regard to Lambros’ question about what happened at Agia Lavra, I want to mention that for nearly 200 years historians accepted the role of the Orthodox Church in the Greek Revolution. The role of Deacon Athanasios Diakos who was martyred, Metropolitan Germanos of Old Patra who raised the banner at Agia Lavra on March 25th, and Patriarch Gregory V who was hanged as a result of it, were crystal clear. Every monastery in Greece donated its wealth to the sacred cause.
Today, Greece’s intelligentsia, the uneducated and unenlightened elite that governs what is left of the country, preach a new, revisionist history that is not based on any facts. Alexandros Ypsilantis is depicted as an anti-clerical French Revolution secularist who hated Orthodoxy. Patriarch Gregory V, who was hanged by the Turks, is depicted as the Turk who tried to quash the Revolution. Metropolitan Germanos’ raising of the banner (lavaron) on March 25th, 1821 is depicted as a lie.
My own research of primary sources tells me they are lying to support their flawed ideologies, Marxist, Eurocentric, or otherwise. They persuade uneducated people and those who don’t have the time or skill to research contemporaneous documents themselves. This is true with the history of Greece. It is true with revisions of American history. It is also true with the false narrative of AHEPA’s founding repeated by Tsivicos and his fellow supreme leaders.
Our democracy rests on an educated, informed citizenry. Similarly, the future of our revered organizations rests on dealing with the truth. Let the facts take us where they may, and let us deal with them appropriately. Why can’t AHEPA do that?
Leonidas.
I was hoping you would answer my question on who was John O Wood and Hutchinson. Were they part of the founding of AHEPA? Obviously they weren’t Greek. You are saying that they were part of the KKK.
My other question is what happened at Ayia Lavra in 2021. I know what happened in 1821.
There are some revisions in history. However, its not only due to today’s Marxists or Eurocentrists as you say. -I have a problem with the word Marxists thrown around- because it has become as popular as baseball, by some Americans, which Americans don’t know the definition of Marxism, and what it really means. Its like crying wolf. It loses its real meaning.
I would urge you to look at history with a critical eye. Just because of certain narratives, that were skewed to ideologies of the past does not mean that they were true and anything that comes out today is heresy. I was in Greece in my pre-teen years and we never heard that Greeks slaughtered the Turks in Tripolitsa and Nafplio and many other places. As for Gregory V, he had actually anathematized the Greek rebels and that had put a damper on Ypsilanti’s rebellion in Wallachia. The reason he was hanged was because he was born in Dimitsana, Peloponnese, a center of revolution. The patriarch had anathematized the revolt in order to save the Greeks of Konstantinople from reprisals. But, the fact is that he had. And we also know about the “secret school”. That never existed. Because there was no need for it.
As for the monasteries, I am currently reading Spyridon Trikoupis’, an eyewitness to the rebellion, “History of the Greek revolution” and it says nothing about monasteries giving away their riches voluntarily or otherwise. In any case, those riches were the people’s anyway. However, the klephts were really robbers and robbed anyone, including monasteries, if any rumors of wealth was circulating. I would urge anyone to read Mark Mazower’s “The Greek revolution”, for historical facts not affected by passions.
The clergy did take part in the revolution as you say. And Diakos was martyred. Papaflessas, a mercurial man, who indulged in the good life, also gave his life fighting against Ibrahim. Many priests and monks took part. The raising of the banner in Ayia Lavra is not recorded and probably never took place.
Leonidas. Not all revision of history is bad. I would suggest that you read the books that I recommended, instead of listening to talking heads.
Lambros,
Thank you for your advice that I should look at history with a critical eye and stop listening to talking heads. Now let me answer your question about AHEPA’s founders and where you may learn of them.
Our AHEPA brothers conveniently forgot to mention Hutcheson and Wood at your initiation. The fact that Klan leaders founded AHEPA is sacrilegious to the ancestor-worshippers that wear the awesome AHEPA jewelry.
The Bergen Knights Chapter of AHEPA in your own state manages a propaganda website that markets the tale of the “eight visionary founders,” a false myth of origin about fighting the Klan, written by James Scofield in 1992. They knowingly lie that they were founded at a meeting in the basement of an Atlanta church school on July 26, 1922. An organizational meeting did happen, but it was hosted by the Klan and it happened three days earlier.
To find out the truth, you should research the contemporaneous issues of the Klan’s newspaper and read the Klan reported about AHEPA’s founding — not from the brothers who were allegedly “hiding” from the Klan in a basement, but from the Klan that actually organized them on the main floor on Sunday, July 23, 1922, starting promptly at 3 p.m.
You should also read the admissions in the memoirs of eight-term Supreme President V.I. Chebithes published in 1950; the contemporaneous writings of Seraphim Canoutas in 1926, et seq.; the investigative reports of New York World in September 1921 that exposed the Ku Klux Klan; and the Congressional Hearing transcripts pertaining to the Klan’s operations. You should go through AHEPA’s original archives stored in Minneapolis; Senator Watson’s archives pertaining to the Klan; and pertinent documents in numerous depositories in Georgia, North Carolina, New York, Massachusetts, California, Oregon, and other places in the U.S., Greece, and the U.K. Don’t forget to also go through all issues of the Ahepan Magazine and, frankly, every newspaper archive available, in both Greek and English.
I did that. And I wrote extensively about my research findings. Some of it is online. Much of it is in Greek, but you can find the gist of it in English in various online postings.
I welcome all honest discussions on the subject but I detest AHEPA’s lies on such simple facts. The truth ought to be important to all of us.
Dear mr. Georgiou,
Like all Masonic organizations, AHEPA has a lot of skeletons in their cupboard… If you are interested, give me an email and I will send you an old story of AHEPA officials and their criminal activities…
Reply to PG
There is no doubt that the assassins of Kapodistrias were Greek, from Mani, from the clan of the Mavromichalis, who was being held in prison at the time, for disobedience to the laws of the new-born state and refusal to allow tax collectors to enter his fief. Maniates and most Greeks had no idea that they would have to pay taxes and obey the laws, after liberation. Their idea of liberty consisted of regional war lords, who collected their own taxes and stole live stock at will, and were acting tyrannically against the peasantry.
To get an idea of the Maniates, they lived by piracy and theft, because their land is so rocky. When they came out of Mani, on a miltary expedition, they were expected to bring back loot. In 1822, while they were investing Nafplio, waiting for it to fall, so they can take part of its riches, the big expedition of Dramalis was making its way to Nafplion, to relieve its defenders. The Greeks scattered in panic. They had never seen such an army. While the refugees were struggling to board boats, with their movable property, the Maniates, disappointed that they couldn’t lot Nafplio, raised a yel. THE TURKS ARE COMING. The refugees panicked and threw down their belongings and were running to save themselves. However, there no Turks yet. The Maniates helped themselves to other Greeks’ property and went happily back to Mani
Lambros,
It looks like you fall for every official story you hear. I guess you believe also that Oswald killed JFK… The problem is that Kapodistrias was not only shot by a gun, but at the same time was also stubbed by a knife!
My assessment is that there was a conspiracy by those who had the motive: the British government and the Grand Lodge of Greece. Because Kapodistrias was a mason who denounced freemasonry, they possibly used a Masonic ceremonial knife to punish him as their rituals describe… And they used Mavromichalis as a patchie, like Oswald. They exploited the feud between Kapodistrias and Mavromichalis family to cover up their conspiracy. There was never a proper investigation. Like in every conspiracy to overthrow someone, the conspirators who managed to get in power, did what they could to cover it up…
Hey PG
Personal assessments in historical events are amateurish at best. Unless you do forensic archeology, study and publish a paper on the subject and present evidence.
I am convinced that you are mistaken. kapodistrias was shot and stabbed, by the two Mavromichalis brothers. One of the two was killed instantly by Kapodistria’s bodyguard, the other captured and executed the next day. You’re saying that they were in the pay of the British, as assassins. There is no evidence in such an event. As for the “grand Lodge”, I have never heard of such a lodge and one never existed.
The fact that you believe that Oswald didnt kill JFK is evidence of you having succumbed to conspiracy theories and following narratives that suit your predetermined conclusions, instead of established truth.
Lambros you have had your share of attacks on others. I think we should move on – there is plenty to talk about without personal attacks. I frankly do my best considering the time limits.
Leonidas
Thank you for your post. It is very informative. I googled your name and I found some of your papers on AHEPA’s founding. I am looking forward to reading them.
I know Savas Tsvikos personally. We served together on our church’s board. And were part of the same AHEPA chapter. I dont think he is well versed in AHEPA’s history, as most people aren’t.
I took AHEPA to task, for the trade in babies, after the Greek civil war. They were bringing babies from Greece, to be adopted by Americans, and it had become so profitable, that they were literally stealing babies from mothers, by telling them that the baby died, or taking advantage of birth out of wedlock and the shame it generated in the villages. Those babies are now asking to be recognized as Greek citizens and I wrote to Tsivikos to look into helping them. Unfortunately, nothing has been heard. Once those babies, now in their 60’s and 70’s die, their stoies would be lost. Are you familiar with this story?
Tsivicos and his supremes are very-well versed in the history of AHEPA. Yet they prefer to recite the myth of origin or the comparison with the Filiki Etairia every chance they get. This includes to the president of the U.S., the president and prime minister of Greece, and members of Congress! Just see the references to AHEPA’s fight against the Klan found in the preambles of presidential proclamations and Congressional resolutions. That’s too sweet for Tsivicos to reject!
With regard to AHEPA’s tragic profiteering and other misconduct alleged in their mass import of war orphans and other infants from post Civil War Greece (taken as you note by questionable means from their families in the 1950s), I am not aware of anything AHEPA has done for the victims in recent years. They certainly have kept the subject off the radar.
As you may know, PSP Stephen Scopas was indicted in 1962 for making money out of these adoptions unlawfully. He was a New York magistrate (judge) at the time of his arrest and the matter was quickly resolved out of court.
I know a lawyer who was looking into helping the victims a couple of years ago, even at this late stage. I do not know what the current status is.
Who can disagree that AHEPA should offer to help in some way, even if it’s only with information that gives closure and peace of mind. Just don’t hold your breath for it.
;Hey Lambros ..this is a very moderated post by Helleniscope … so far you have confessed about the Criminal Activities of C.I.A and State department around the world , the Maniates of Greece who happen to be my family roots, Ahepa being party to lynching of Blacks by the KKK , and also Ahepa running a “Human Trafficking” operation using Greek Babies to supply the Evangelical population of America ! Quite a list !
Imjportantly, you implicate yourself win admitting you were an Ahepa Members with Savas Tsovikos ..leaders of the Ahepa, and that as a Member of Ahepa had great influence on the Orthodox Church in your position on the Church Board!
For your information , I was the President of an Ahepa Chapter who also took Ahepa to task for obstructing Petitiion that held US leader of Nato ..for the continued illegal occupation of Cyprus by “Nato Member” Turkey, and the genocide of Greek Orthodox Cyrprots from Norther Cyprus! Which begs the question have you ever reported these criminal activities of Ahepa and U.S government to the proper authorities, ro the Church administrations, and are you still an Ahepan member! You see, I did !
I demanded of the Archdioese and my Church …to sever all ties with the Ahepa,, ban them from having access to Church facilities for meetings and other Ahepa sponsored events, stop tainting the altars of her churches to Bless the Ahepa Members of our Church to portray them as the servants of God , like the U.S government, and certifying to our parishioners that they “Truly” are the representatives of the “Greek” Orthodox Community and we shoold all be proud to join them and nist umportantly Lambros, I demanded ..that you and all Ahepan Members be removed from any position on our boards , since, you have made me more aware of the criminal activities , and the fact that their allegiance is not to the religious order of the Church , but the religious order of a Secret Society!
So Nick , this “Good Guy , Bad Bad guy Act ” by an admitted member of Ahepa , fall far short of doing what I did ..cut mutual ties with Ahepa.. and begin prosecuting them! So please Nick , i hope this moderated version will not be cut by you..and post it..and then ..please Nick or Lambros you can show the readers why you don’t agree with it or not !
..
Lambros,
It is the easy thing to call me conspiracy theorist. Actually I am a fan of logic. Can you explain to me logically why 193 years after Kapodistrias’ assasination the British files about him are sealed? If Oswald killed Kennedy can you explain why most of the forensic evidence of the case are vanished? You think it is Oswald that they want to protect? What forensic research you want me to do, if the evidence is gone or is not accessible for some reason? Remember during Trump presidency, when Trump was cornered he threatened that he will release files from the JFK assasination! Finally he didn’t! They are still sealed…
Since you admitted that you are an AHEPA member, what exactly are you doing in this conversation? Are you trying to convince us that there is good and bad AHEPA? When you coexist in the same organization with bad or even criminal people you are responsible too. The only decent thing to do is to leave AHEPA or “sleep”, as many decent Greeks did and do…
Regarding your Cypriot friend Civikos, what to expect from someone who after his election the first thing he says is that AHEPA loves Israel? What about the Palestinians?
Not many things have changed. AHEPA supreme president of 1954-56 Stephen Skopas was selling the Greek orphans to rich Jewish families! I don’t expect that AHEPA will ever apologize for that. And there were also involved politicians and authorities from Greece. At the same time that they were accusing the communists for “παιδομάζωμα», they were conducting orphans trade!
Regarding the Grand Lodge of Greece that you say it doesn’t exist, I am glad to introduce them to you:
https://www.grandlodge.gr/indexeg.php
Συγχαρητήρια στον Λεωνίδα , έκανε
μία πλήρη περιγραφή της πραγματικότητας, όλοι αυτοί οι
κυνηγοί του εύκολου χρήματος που
προσκυνούν ακόμη και τον Σατανά για
να το αποκτήσουν , για να αισθάνονται
καλύτερα διαδίδουν ψεύδη πως και η
Φιλική εταιρεία και ο Καποδίστριας ήταν Μασόνοι . Μου το είχε πει και ο
Μακαριστός Ιάκωβος όταν του είπα πως λέγουν πως είσαι Μασόνος και μου
είπε Καπετάνιε το λέγουν αυτοί που
αισθάνονται άσχημα για το “ κατόρθωμά “ τους, για να γλυκαίνουν
το κενόν που τους κυριεύει .
Τελειώνοντας θα ήθελα να συμπληρώσω πως την εποχή ιδρύσεως
της ΑΧΕΠΑ υπήρξαν και άλλες Ελληνοαμερικανικές οργανώσεις όπως,
η Πανελλήνιος Ένωση Ελληνοαμερικανών το 1907 με
πρώτο βουλής του τότε Έλληνα
Πρέσβη Κορομηλά που όμως διέλυσε με τον διχασμό.
Επίσης στος 26 Ιουλίου 1922 στην
Ατλάντας της Γεωργίας ο Νικόπουλος
και ο Γιάννης Αγγελόπουλος ίδρυσαν
την Ελληνοπρεπή οργάνωση που έφερε το όνομα G.A.P.A ( Greek American Progressive Association) η
οποία πρέσβευε τα ακριβώς αντίθετα
από την ΑΧΕΠΑ , προωθούσε την παραμονή των Ελλήνων μεταναστών
στο Ελληνικό περιβάλλον , προωθούσε και υπερασπίζότανε την Ελληνική
γλώσσα και την Παραδοσιακή Ορθοδοξία και ήταν αντίθετη με τις
πράξεις της ΑΧΕΠΑ η οποία δια του
χρήματος παραπληροφορούσε τους
πάντες και τα πάντα και σιγά σογά την
έφθειρε και τελικά δεν άντεξε, όπως δεν θα αντέξει δυστυχώς και η Πατρίδα μας με τις καινοτόμες και βρομερές
ασχημίες που εισάγουν οι Μητσοτάκηδες και όλα τα τσιράκια της
Νέας Τάξης Πραγμάτων που τα
αρπάζουν και ευθυγραμμίζονται με
τις βδελυρές πράξεις της.
Τούτο το θέμα θα πρέπει να κρατηθεί
ζωντανό , όσο πιό πολλοί ξεσκεπαστούν τόσο το καλύτερο και
κλείνω με την συμβουλή του μεγάλου
ηγέτη Μακαριστού Αρχιεπισκόπου
Αμερικών Ιακώβου προς εμένα.
Καπετάνιε , μακρυά από τις στοές και τα αμαρτωλά περιδέρεια ……….
Σεβαστέ μου Καπετάνιε, τα λόγια σας είναι πάντα σοφά. Σας οφείλουμε ευγνωμοσύνη.
Μιά μικρή διόρθωση. Η GAPA ιδρύθηκε με τους στόχους που σωστά περιγράφετε, αλλά δε έγινε στην Ατλάντα από τα άτομα και κατά την ημερομηνία που αναφέρετε. Ο Νικόπουλος και ο Αγγελόπουλος ανήκουν στην ιδρυτική ομάδα της Αχέπας, όχι της GAPA.
Η 26η Ιουλίου, 1922 γιορτάζεται από την Αχέπα ως η ημερομηνία ίδρυσης της. Λένε ότι δήθεν συνεδρίασαν τότε οι οκτώ σοφοί ιδρυτές της στο υπόγειο της ελληνικής εκκλησίας (σαν το κρυφό σχολειό) για να ιδρύσουν την μυστική οργάνωση (Αχέπα) που θα προστάτευε τους έλληνες από την Κου Κλουξ Κλαν.
Η αλήθεια είναι ότι τα στελέχη της Κλαν (Νικόπουλος, Hutcheson, και Walter Sims, μεταξύ άλλων), μαζί με τον Ιωάννη Αγγελόπουλο, προσκάλεσαν τους έλληνες της Ατλάντα για να ιδρύσουν την Αχέπα. Συνεδρίασαν στο σχολείο της ελληνικής εκκλησίας τρεις μέρες νωρίτερα, 23 Ιουλίου, όχι στις 26.
Προσκάλεσαν τους Έλληνες της πόλης με ανώνυμες και ανυπόγραφες προσκλήσεις, α λα Κλαν, για να συζητήσουν κάποιο σπουδαίο θέμα. Οι Κλανσμεν ήταν οι οικοδεσπότες που μίλησαν για την ανάγκη μυστικής πατριωτικής οργάνωσης.
Ο Wood απουσίαζε γιατί ταξίδευε στην Αγγλία όπου άνοιγε παραρτήματα της ΚΚΚ και εκεί.
Η φυλλάδα της Κλαν, The Searchlight, ανακοίνωσε την ίδρυση της Αχέπα και παρότρυνε στους Κλανσμεν να θεωρούν τους Αχέπανς ως ισότιμους με τους Κλανσμεν.
Αυτά δεν τα λέω εγώ. Τα ίδια τα ντοκουμέντα τους τα γράφουν.
Άρα, η Αχέπα σήμερα ψεύδεται για την ιστορία της!
ON behalf of the captain and Helliniscope ..the post of the captain is translated into English! AS promised whenever i have the opportunity I will translate ..however Captain ..keep those Greek post coming , I love them!
Congratulations to Leonidas
, he made a full description of reality, all
those hunters of easy money
who worship even Satan to
obtain it, to feel
better spread lies that both
Filiki etairia and Kapodistrias were Freemasons. The
Blessed James had told me when I told him that they say you are a Mason and
he told me Captain it is said by those who
They feel bad for their ” achievement ” to sweeten
the emptiness that overwhelms them.
Finally, I would like to add that at the time of the founding
of AHEPA there were other Greek-American organizations such as
the Panhellenic Union of Greek Americans in 1907 with the
first parliament of the then Greek
Ambassador Koromilas, which however dissolved with the division.
Also on July 26, 1922 in
Atlanta, Georgia, Nikopoulos
and John Angelopoulos founded
the Greek organization called G.A.P.A (Greek American Progressive Association) which
advocated the exact opposite
of AHEPA, promoted the stay of Greek immigrants
in the Greek environment, promoted and defended the Greek
language and Traditional Orthodoxy and opposed the
The actions of AHEPA which, through
money, misinformed
everyone and everything and slowly
corrupted it and in the end it did not endure, just as our Homeland will unfortunately not endure with the innovative and filthy
ugliness imported by the Mitsotakis and all the minions of the
New World Order who
grab them and align themselves with
its abominable acts.
This issue must be kept
alive, the more people are exposed the better, and
I close with the advice of the great
leader His Beatitude Archbishop
James of America to me.
Captain, away from the galleries and sinful necklaces…
On behalf of leonidas and Helleniscope I have translated leonidas Greek Post to English for the readers! As I say I will translate if opportunity come up…and keep that Greek going !
Leonidas Georgiou February 16, 2024 at 4:30 pm
My respected Captain, your words are always wise. We owe you a debt of gratitude.
A small correction. GAPA was founded with the goals you correctly describe, but it was not done in Atlanta by the individuals and on the date you mention. Nikopoulos and Angelopoulos belong to the founding team of Ahepa, not GAPA.
July 26, 1922 is celebrated by Ahepa as the date of its foundation. They say that supposedly its eight wise founders met in the basement of the Greek church (like the secret school) to found the secret organization (Achepa) that would protect the Greeks from the Ku Klux Klan.
The truth is that Klan executives (Nikopoulos, Hutcheson, and Walter Sims, among others), along with John Angelopoulos, invited the Greeks of Atlanta to found Achepa. They met at the school of the Greek church three days earlier, July 23, not on the 26th.
They invited the Greeks of the city with anonymous and unsigned invitations, à la Klan, to discuss some important topic. The Klansmen were the hosts who spoke of the need for secret patriotic organization.
Wood was absent because he traveled to England where he opened CCP branches there as well.
The Klan pamphlet, The Searchlight, announced the founding of Ahepa and urged the Klanchmen to regard the Ahepans as equal to the Klansmen.
That is not what I am saying. Their own documents are written.
So, Ahepa today is lying about its history!
I know little of AHEPA except I knew one member, an acquaintance Trump supporter who complained AHEPA hated on Trump …
but what sounds excellent to me is they require members to believe in divinity of Jesus Christ. Nothing wrong with that!
Hey Zoey…they also believer in the divinity of Ahepa Member Senator Rebert Menendez of my state of New Jersey , George Bush Family, Biden family, or for that matter any member of the Republican Party, Democratic Party , Free Masons , that believe in the Divinity the Divinity of the Evangelical and Jewish Zionist lawmakers of the United States Crime families of the U.S. Congress to worship God to righteously spread Hate , fear and violence thruout the world to make the Crime families of America and Israel the dominant rulers of the world,, chosen by God ! Of course they use religion and Christianity as a tool of war to spread their wars ..you know “onward Christian Solders ” to fool the Public as to theri righteousness! Recently , Tucker Carlson called out Evangelical Zionist MIke Pence and former V.P of Trump Regime for funding Jewish Zionist Regime of Ukraine terrorizing the Orthodox Church of the Ukraine and banning them!
Bible Toting Evangelical leader of America responded .” I am a Christion leader and do everything based on my faith in God and don’t believe this is going on in the Ukraine ” And then when confronted by Carlson , he said ” Well you know they may have the wrong views to justify Zelensky terrorism”
Carlson said it loud and clear about the about the Criminal elements of America and Greece.the Ahepa,, Menendez , Pence, Bartholomew, , Epidophoros , Mistotakis and Evangelical leaders of the U.S Congress!
“If you’re a Christian leader and Christians are going to jail for their views, you are required to say something.” Carlson concluded. “And if you don’t, you’re not much of a Christian leader.! Source : Helleniscope and Independent News
While obviously, Nick …Putin is a Christian leader who went to Syria to liberate the Christian Communities of Syria , like Allepo ..who were occupied by the Radical Islamist Terrorist funded by U.S government, like in the Ukraine ! ; Please post and hope you and Lambros reply!
AHEPA works for the Deep State in DC because leadership promoted the CIA agent, Joe Biden, in 2020 and were actively against Trump.