[wildandcrazyrussian]

ACtually, that is precisely the point I myself was making. It is not in the slightest an "inferiority complex" to complain about Western Europeans and especially Americans denigrating the contributions of the Eastern Roman Empire (if they are even the least bit aware of them). WE are not the ones who denigrate Western society and consider it laughable, but that is the treatment dished out by the West. Or are you unaware the word "byzantine" is used as an insult, as when talking about politics? When is the last titme you personally tried to set the record straight to get others to use a different word and teach others about the existence and glory of the Christian civilization of Byzantium, which made it possible for your ancestors to even be Christian? I always thought that it was (some) Westerners who have an inferiority complex which makes them feel better only by insulting others.

Overall, we appreciate those who laid their life on the line, as in the original article posted above. Let's see more of that joint effort in the future!

[Antoninus]

Or are you unaware the word "byzantine" is used as an insult, as when talking about politics?

Duh. It's also the term of choice for academics studying the medieval Eastern Roman Empire. Somebody should tell the folks at Dumbarton Oaks that their Byzantine Studies library is an insult.

When is the last titme you personally tried to set the record straight to get others to use a different word and teach others about the existence and glory of the Christian civilization of Byzantium, which made it possible for your ancestors to even be Christian?

Never. I'm not a politically-correct nincompoop who thinks that guilting people into using different terminology actually accomplishes anything.

Furthermore, the Byzantine Greeks weren't terribly kind to my ancestors on the Italian peninsula. And yet a person with my surname was among the Genoese defending Constantinople in 1453. Go figure.