Posted on 11/10/2009 3:01:14 PM PST by kronos77
TAMPA - A U.S. Marine reservist attacked a visiting Greek Orthodox priest he believed to be a terrorist, Tampa police say.
When the priest tried seeking directions from Jasen D. Bruce, 28, of Tampa, on Monday, Bruce struck the priest with a tire iron and chased him.
Police say he attacked the Rev. Alexios Marakis, 29, of Crete, Greece, who was visiting St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Tarpon Springs and wound up lost in Tampa.
Marakis had performed a blessing of another retired Greek priest in the West Shore area and then accidentally exited Interstate 275 north into downtown Tampa. He followed cars into the Seaport Channelside Apartments on Twiggs Street and got out to ask Bruce for help.
Bruce hit him over the head with a tire iron and chased him for three blocks, to the corner of Madison and Meridian avenues, police say.
"During the chase, the suspect called 911 and claimed an Arabic male attempted to rob him and he was going to take him into custody," a Tampa Police Department news release states. "When officers arrived, the suspect claimed the man was a terrorist."
Marakis, who speaks limited English, was treated at Tampa General Hospital and released.
Marakis declined to comment today, saying he did not speak much English. The Rev. Michael Eaccarino of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral said Marakis is doing well.
(Excerpt) Read more at 2.tbo.com ...
Ping!
Note to self: leave the cassock behind when in Tampa.
The assailant was probably afraid of a Big Fat Greek Beheading.
A Greek Orthodox priest usually wears a large cross. One would have thought that was a clue to the marine reservist that the man was not a moslem. I have never seen a Greek Orthodox priest without his full cassock on but like I said, a cross is always part of the attire. Perhaps, there should be some kind of education in the military about what Europeans look like, as well as Arabs. Oh but that would be profiling. Better to chase some poor Christian priest around with a crowbar because he has an accent and dark hair. I hope that reservist apologizes immediately.
I’m guessing the responses will range from calling this incident a hate crime on one end to characterizing it as the brave actions of a vigilant reservist thwarting a perceived terrorist threat. It appears to me from reading the article that it was a serious error in judgment on the part of the reservist, possibly marked by confusion and misplaced suspicion, resulting in an unprovoked assault on an innocent victim.
I would be disappointed if the Marines trained him to go after civilians on the streets of America, with his tire iron.
Better safe than sorry.
Stupidity isn’t a crime, but sometimes it results in one.
This already hit the Greek Satelites.
FYI for those who don’t know, in 1821 the person who raise the modern Greek flag against the ottoman empire was a priest. Priests activly fought against the ottomans with arms.
IN ADDITION, the traditional Greek priests have the stovepipe hats, beards. What was this reservist thinking?
Oh...and then after this marine reservist gets a lawyer, they concoct this story:
Attorney Jeff Brown tells FOX 13 he is representing Bruce. He said that Marakis was trespassing and made a sexual reference toward Bruce, and grabbed his genitals. Brown said Bruce was only defending himself.
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/local/hillsborough/marine-charged-in-attack-on-priest-111009
This was near Tarpon Springs which was predominantly settled by Greek Sponge Divers. In fact the area retains much of the Greek family friendly environment.
It can also be noted that St. Augustine was settled by Greek settlers in 1768. (for those in rio linda, that is 8 YEARS before the formation of the USA)
This reservist made a bonehead mistake. To be in the tampa area and not notice the Greeks is like being in South California and not noticing the illegal aliens.
IS this a real reservist?
The Greek Government has a consulate in the Tampa area. If his lawyer keeps this up he will create a full blown international incident.
How does one remove a reservist?
How does he get court marshaled?
Can a hate crime be committed against and othodox christian priest?
Putting the “Duh” in Floriduh
No matter what all else happens, I know for a fact that the entire week of this Marine’s squad leader, Platoon Sergeant, First Sergeant, Lieutenant, and Company Commander is going to be ruined.
I know what one Marine friend of mine (ret.) is going to say.
“what the heck is this reservist doing in the marines?”
How did this bonehead become a reservist?
I apologize if my post sounded insulting to the military; it was not meant to be. However, given the politically correct climate that seems ( as we contemplate the Fort Hood massacre) to hover over our military, some kind of profiling is necessary at this point.
"Marakis had performed a blessing of another retired Greek priest in the West Shore area and then accidentally exited Interstate 275 north into downtown Tampa."
That's about 3 miles apart. Let's hope the courts settle it.
On a side note, did you hear the one about the Marine and the Greek Orthodox priest?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.