By Nick Stamatakis
Archons John A. Catsimatidis, Andrew Liveris, Dennis Mehiel, Michael Psaros, and George P. Stamas last week sponsored a full-page ad in The New York Times, calling out the Republic of Turkey for its repeated violations of the religious freedom of Christians and other religious minorities, as well as for its belligerent and destabilizing activities in Southeastern Europe and the Middle East.
At first glance, this would be an act that deserved to be praised. As an observer of the community’s affairs for several decades, I can remember several occasions when we could use similar generous gestures to promote issues related to Greece, Cyprus, or our community.
However, we cannot fail to note that the real leader of the Archons is Karloutsos, especially when it comes to foreign policy issues. Karloutsos is “swimming” in the DC swamp for over 40 years, rubbing shoulders with Secretaries of State and US Presidents… Yet in all those years, despite his numerous connections, he managed a big fat “0” regarding the reopening of the Halki Theological Seminary, the biggest issue we face in Turkey regarding religious freedom. If he managed a big NOTHING for such a rather reasonable demand at a time when the US could exercise enormous power over the Turkish governments, what is the purpose of this ad now, when Turkey is one step away from being expelled from NATO? The ad was published a day after the US Congress voted and President Trump signed very serious sanctions against Turkey. Why would our Archons waste their hard-earned money on such an ad after the action the ad demanded had been already achieved?
Before answering this question, we should note that the title of the ad “Turkey and Greece CAN and MUST Live Together” is completely disconnected from the text which is a very well written list of all the violations of the Islamist Turkish regime. If Turkey is such a bad actor as the text describes, why then put a title that demands peaceful coexistence? Especially when it is known that for the past few months, and even now as these lines are written, Turkey continues the violations of Greek and Cypriot EEZ and that we reached several times the brink of war? Why promote peace when we are constantly threatened by a barbaric neighbor?
The answer may lie in this photo below:
It’s from the visit of the Turkish Consul Reyhan Ozgur to AB Elpidophoros on December 1st, just a few days before the ad was posted. We can imagine some of the exchanges and what was asked by the Turks: “You at GOA belong to a Turkish religious institution. Your role is to promote friendship between the two countries and not to excite animosity…Blah… Blah…” I could also swear that Mr. Ozgur could hardly hide some threats… This is what the Turks do. Elpidophoros, a Phanariot by training, agreed to take conciliatory action. Here is Elpidophoros’ statement after the meeting: “We welcomed the new Turkish Consul General in New York, Reyhan Özgür, today at the Archdiocese Headquarters. Our commitment to dialogue is part of the ministry of reconciliation and understanding.”
The result was the ad in the NY Times… At least this time AB Elpidophoros did not visit the consul at his office as he had done with Sultan Erdogan last year when he visited him at his Hotel in New York… Nor did we have to deal with the disgraceful act of Met. Nathanael of Chicago who accepted a visit of the Turkish consul in the city just a couple of days after his enthronement, while it took him months to see the Greek consul…
So, what about the unfitting title? Here is your answer: Of the wider public who would see the ad, 95-98% would just take a look at the title and turn to the next page, and so the Turks would be extremely happy. Who would read the text? Just some Greeks who would also be happy as the text is clearly supporting the Greek positions… The apotheosis of duplicity…
Did I mention that even today the Turkish foreign ministry is managed by Phanariots and their descendants? Don’t be fooled by the Turkish sounding names – they all have Phanariot DNA… At the minimum, their school of thought and their diplomacy is still practiced in Ankara in exactly the same way as it was practiced centuries ago in Constantinople…
Your Eminence, congratulations! You gave us one more reason to be disgusted by the Phanariots…
December 21, 2020, n.stamatakis@aol.com www.helleniscope.com
This is sickening!! Αηδιάζω μόνο με την σκέψη. Ντροπή, ντροπή μεγάλη ντροπή!! Οι Κύριοι που έχουν την μεγάλη τσέπη και πληρώνουν για να δημοσιεύονται τέτοια άρθρα είναι καθάρματα και δεν είναι Έλληνες!! Το έχουν παρακάνει και ανυπόμονο ποτέ επιτέλους θα τους βάλουν της χειροπέδες για να μην έχει ο κόσμος αμφιβολίες πλέον για της πράξης τους προς την ομογένεια!
Nick, congratulations on connecting these dots. The Turkish envoy complained to his lackey, ElpiServant and ElpiServant hits the panic button that he’s offended the Turks who control him.
Enter Superhero Alex the K to the rescue who quickly organizes this bizarre messaging with a conflicting title and main message.
Of course, the Courtiers in Chief sign on immediately because they want to be acknowledged as the most important Greeks in the US.
None of them behaved like Americans first and foremost. They slipped immediately into the subservient roles of Turkish Slaves.
This silly off-Broadway play has gone on too long. It’s time the lower the curtain on the production and its actors.
Merry Christmas Senator Archons ( if your slave masters don’t object).
They are most likely in the midsts of orchestrating a warped version of a “peace deal” that will be given -based on phony propaganda – trying to secure a Nobel for the uncle they put in power- the phony press- a dependable arm –state run– will proclaim them peace makers- dinners and praise at uncle joe’s and an early Nobel-for-Nothin….
AB Elpidophoros’ stated position as “the chief lobbyist for the Greek-American community” is completely untenable, if not dangerous, and borderline traitorous. It is now clearer than ever that our community, especially when it comes to political action, needs to move far away from the Church. We have nothing to achieve by having anyone in this Church hierarchy, who are completely controlled or compromised by an Islamist tyrannical Turkish regime, be part of our political affairs.
They all stink even at the secular level.
Σαπίλα, όλοι. Πίστη; Ας γελάσουμε φίλοι.
Thanks Nick for keeping those of us in the dark aware of what latest betrayal of Orthodoxy Constantinople is up to.
One more thing:
A Merry Christmas to everyone