Greeks the EU's Most Fervent Anti-Americans: Poll (And the big, fat Greek horse…)

EUbusiness ^ | February 2, 2004 | Unattributed

[quidnunc]

More than any other nation in the European Union, Greeks believe that US foreign policy damages world peace and does not help fight terrorism, according to an EU-wide poll, the Greek part of which was published here Monday.

Eighty-five percent of Greeks said the United States played a negative role for world peace, against a EU-average of 53 percent, according to autumn figures of the Eurobarometer, a EU-sponsored, periodical survey across the bloc's 15 current member states.

Washington's policies also played a negative role in the struggle against terrorism, three in four Greeks said, compared with a 37-percent average across the EU.

-snip-

[Clemenza]

Most US Greeks have some form of connection with the old country, whether it is family or property.

Correct. My landlord still spends about 6 months out of the year at his home in Greece. Alot of the old Greeks around here who came in the 1960s have been selling their property (lots of Greeks in real estate around here) or passing it on to their children, returning to Greece to retire.

I greatly appreciate the Fig trees my landlord grows in front of our building.

[longtermmemmory]

If you read the olive oil bottle in your supermarked you will find the itallian oil includes olives from spain and greece. I have family in the olive oil business.

[longtermmemmory]

Fortunatly in March Pasok is bracing for more losses. The New Democracy (the conservatives) prime minister candidate was born in the USA. Wisconcin, I believe.

Part of the problem is that Greece has a between the big countries mentality. Lets be honest, its a small country in comparios to others. Smaller ecconomy, too.

The big complaint about the Iraq invasion was not that it was over oil. The socialists were arguing the American's were going to hog all the oil.

If only the Greek Government would get off their corrupt posteriors and develop the oil reserves in the Agean and off the coast of Thesaloniki. Supposedly it has reserves to Rival many other sources.

[Clemenza]

If you read the olive oil bottle in your supermarked you will find the itallian oil includes olives from spain and greece. I have family in the olive oil business.

True, but I am lucky enough to have a Greek food market four blocks away that sells Horio, the best mass market EV olive oil, at a reasonable price.

I also went into my local Food Town the other day looking at "Roma" Olive Oil that was on sale. When I looked on the back it said "Product of Turkey."

[Clemenza]

I am also the only non-Greek that I know of who enjoys Retsina. Compliments mezes better than any other beverage.

I could be wrong, but it appears that those Greeks who like the United States come here to live, while those who hate us seem to stay behind.

[the FLY]

Let's hope PASOK (PAnhellenic SOcialist Party) loses and loses big. George Papandreou is part American as well. As far as the oil reserves, the Greeks will tell you that the Americans won't let the Greeks pursue them, as well as the Americans backed the Junta, the Americans are keeping Cyprus divided, the Americans favor Turkey, they even believe the Americans caused 9/11 in order to hurt Greek tourism!?!?

The problem with Greece is that the people have turned into a bunch of whiners, not doers. If PASOK loses and the new gov't tries to privatise, you'll have anti-government and anti American rallies until the goats come home. The people have become dependent on the government.

Greece's infrastructure and institutions are crumbling around them while their socialist leaders live in posh villas but the Greeks rally outside of the US embassy at the drop of a hat. I was in Greece a week or so after 9/11 and there were nightly protests in Athens against the US, and this was before we even retaliated. They are an ignorant people who have fooled themselves into thinking that they are informed. (again, like most of europe)

[kabar]

The USG including the CIA was involved in the process for myriad reasons. If you recall, Greece almost went Communist in 1947. The Socialist PASOK party headed by Papandreou was thought to be a precursor to another Communist attempt to take over the country. Check out the link below.

http://www.fas.org/irp/news/2002/08/tv081702.html

[kabar]

Re: Greeks and Italians. The Greeks believed anyone not Greek was a barbarian. The Romans believed anyone who didn't shave and bathe was a barbarian. This attitude still persists.

LOL. I enjoyed the insight. I also live two years in Naples and got married there. Of course, Naples is not Italy since, according to Northern Italians, Africa begins south of Rome.

[PsyOp]

That does it! No more goat cheese and Ouzo for me!

[Johnny_Cipher]

The reason for this ridiculous and chauvinistic attitude on the part of the Greeks toward America is obvious - they've lost their marbles.

That's because the British have them.

[MarMema]

Greece actually has one of the lowest homosexuality rates in the world. And they are 98% Orthodox Christian.

But they can be snobby - I hang out with them a lot.

[rightisright]

Boy wish my country had enough free time on its hands to bitch and moan about such silliness.

He says as he wades through 250 threads on Free Republic about Janet Jackson's right breast

LOL

[KantianBurke]

Its for scientific purposes :>

[longtermmemmory]

actually the British have agreed to return the Elgin Marbles. The Greeks are Building a special Museum to permanently house the Marbles. It is some convoluted permanent load agreement to allow everyone to save face.

[Johnny_Cipher]

They've agreed to return them? I hadn't heard that. I know its a controversial subject though.

[longtermmemmory]

They alos follow the tennent that you choose that behavior not born that way.

fun fact: Greece has traditionally hit the top 10 logest lived peoples. Greece also has a 65+% of the population that smokes. Must be the high antioxidant diet.

fun fact II: Now that restaurants have placed those little plastic no smoking L shapped signs due to the EU pressured no smoking in public places laws, the Greeks who smoke in resaurants have gratfully been using them as convenient ashtrays.

[raloxk]

I remember in April 1986, after TWA 727 from ATH to FCO was bombed, Reagan went on TV, said Greece was unsafe and presto their summer bookings dropped like a rock.

[longtermmemmory]

Forgot to mention, can't swing a dead cat without finding even a tiny church of some form.

I heard there was a big debate over a group's desire to place a mosque in athens. All of Athens went Nimby.


In thesaloniki, there is a former mosque that has been turned into retail stores and a nightclub. It is from the late 1800's. You can't tell it was a mosque unless you know where to look.

Greeks remember slavery under the ottoman empire.


Piece of history: those little kiosks which sell cigaretss that are prevalent in greece were started with a purpose. The were licensed to give military veterans a job. You had to be a veteran to own one. They are now passed that but there are some that passed for generations.

[MarMema]

Must be the high antioxidant diet.

More likely the amount of fasting we do in the church.

effects of fasting

Though it doesn't seem to work well in Russia...

[MarMema]

Forgot to mention, can't swing a dead cat without finding even a tiny church of some form

That would be good news. :-)

Greek knew about islam before the rest of the world woke up to it. See this from 1999. It was published one year earlier in an Orthodox Christian magazine. I was handing it out to people right and left here in the US and they thought I was nuts.