BBC1 Breakfast Program: Stelios and the Parthenon Marbles

[tuxedomoon]

Stelios was an extreme polited on that more than he should ,the fact is that these are STOLEN and they should have been reutned back a long time now ,end of story,would you like to see any british marbles to Greece and not returned ,i am sure then england would make a war to Greece,we are not polite any more GIVE THEM BACK ?

[SirGeorge8600]

As a Greek I say keep them in the British museum; Brits have the best world historians and they fully regard them as Greek and have the most to say about them. The Greeks just want them to boost up tourist economy now that the recession hit...long before they didn't say a single word about these stones...

[athenslarge]

@SirGeorge8600 The Greek goverment and greeks in general have been asking for the marbles to come back where they belong for decades. So its not a case of recession times and boosting the economy.

[1213Roxana]

@SirGeorge8600

stop posting against Greece and calling yourself a Greek,you ugly fat polish



[SirGeorge8600]

@1213Roxana I'm not posting against Greeks...I'm giving an opinion on museum availability of rare artifacts. and who the fuck are you supposed to be?

[tzoyia1]

The repatriation of the Marbles has been an issue in Greece long before the crisis. Melina Merkouri has fought for the cause since the 60's. Αν είσαι όντως Έλληνας, δικαίωμα σου να πιστεύεις οτι θες. Άλλλωστε η δημοκρατία και η ελευθερία του λόγου είναι γνώρισμα του ελληνικού πολιτισμού. Όμως μην χρησιμοποιείς αβάσιμα επιχειρήματα.

[intelectualdark]

It is a moral duty to return the marbles to Greece, we must not forget that we owe the legacy of our Western culture back what is not theirs for the love of the culture and humanity.

[intelectualdark]

Es un deber moral devolver las pizas robadas a Grecia, no debemos olvidar que le debemos el legado de nuestra cultura occidental, devuelvan lo que no les pertenece por amor a la cultura y humanidad.

[costarelos]

Like most british collonies, they will come back to the people of their motherland

[tigerwa]

London is full of museums of British history, the British Museum is a world museum and it has items from every culture that has existed in global history it is in itself one of the greatest pieces of British history and a key achievement of the enlightenment nothing else like it has ever existed in the world before and to destroy it to satisfy someone’s false pride would be a disaster.

[QueenClarisse]

I was simply appalled by the way the BBC treated this interview! The interviewers questions and more importantly the introductory video gave the impression that the Greeks were destroying the parthenon and Elgin did them a favour! Simply by calling them the Elgin marbles during the interview got their point accross! You know what they say: ignorance is bliss! Well done Stelios Hadjioannou! If only more people followed his lead!

[Livass4]

You can keep the marbles for ever my friends from england. This will remind the whole world what kind of people you are. no values no dignity, no respect for other countries culture and heritage. cultural criminals that dismantled and raped one of the world's best historical monument.

[Kongkos]

God! Two days ago I wend to the museum and it was a breathtaking experience! And now I wonder how the other countries dare to look the greeks in the eye when their culture and the things that they have to show to the world is the plates of princess Sisy and the toylete of Napoleon...and the Big Ben clock...God...!Greece is the Queen of all...Like it or not...!

[MAKEDANOS]

"Acquired" by Elgin? Stolen, more like.

[3274030]

don't call them Elgin Marbles....sounds stupid. PARTHENON MARBLES OR GREEK MARBLES is the right name to call them!

[exilefromthefireland]

@3274030 parthenon sculptures is the most appropiate..

[achelleos14]

They are not elgin marbles they are stolen marbles from elgin

[r70ula]

HE WAS NOT A LORD HE WAS A THIEF

[nikiforo5]

Τhe marbles are Parthenons not Elgins.

[chr04]

No marbles = No flame

[tigerwa]

Yes and I am sure that is going to affect anyones decision hahahahahahaha.

[chr04]

use a match and the queen's bottom to light the flame in the stadium then ....

hahahahah

[tigerwa]

That would be far better than giving any grace to you petty idiots.

[Thiseas1974]

Look at a mirror to see a petty man. And an ungrateful one.Because you would've been chasing each other from a tree to another if it wasn't for the Greeks. You and the rest of the Europeans.

[RebelVoDKa]

The Greeks didn't invent civilisation; the people of Mesopotamia did.

[Thiseas1974]

You're missing things..

[tigerwa]

@RebelVoDKa most Greeks on here seem so xenophobic they probably have no idea who the Mesopotamians are, I think they should go to the British museum and find out.

[Thiseas1974]

Aren't you ashamed to posses and expose as "national treasures" the herritage of other nations?

Aren't you ashamed that people all over the world consider you to be nothging but thieves?

Aren't you ashamed that you took advantage of fellow Christians, dealing with Ottoman Turks, in order to steal their herritage?

Off course not, you're Saxon-Mongols, like the Turks.

[tigerwa]

I do not posses them unfortunately I am not one of the trustees of the brutish museum, you are just being a twat by suggesting that I am, if Greece is so fucking great then why do you not still have your marbles anyway?

[Thiseas1974]

In a "democracy" the people are responsible for their government's acts.

And Greatness don't goes with those that just put it on their name. Goes with those who earn it through millenniums.

[tigerwa]

No. the British museum is the most important cultural centre in global history, it is a jewel of the enlightenment, why would I be embarrassed about that? Greece is angry because your capital city is just an ugly concrete shithole, with an ugly bland glass museum stuck in the middle of it.

[Thiseas1974]

Our Capital city is a symbol of Classicism in Art and Knowledge.Your Capitol is a symbol of Imperialism and decay.

Cultural centre? It exposes nothing but stolen treasures. Nothing made by you. What have you ever made? In stealing you're experts.

[JimmyTheGreek2000]

Come now!

Most of London is A third world shithole!

[AthrihosPithekos]

@tigerwa For your information,many of the British museum's exhibits are stolen or bought in an illegal way.If they were sent back,the museum would get almost empty.

[EbsNhexz]

@AthrihosPithekos I think Stelios explained things very well, each collection is an individual matter. The fact that the marbles hold such cultural importance to Greece means that they should be treated in respect to that. There is no mutual agreement for the artefacts being held in London and therefore they should be displayed in Athens. The culture would still be shared and there would be no more animosity.

[RebelVoDKa]

I'm an internationalist, so I just believe in human heritage.

I'm also an atheist, so the appeal to Christianity doesn't work with me, nor does your ridiculous racism.

[FOTARAStheGREEK]

haha.atheist huh?that's why my friend you can't understand why the marbles MUST be in Athens.but what can you understand.you are only a gay-atheist-english asshole...

[RebelVoDKa]

If you're a Christian then why don't you forgive all the gay people and love them?

[tigerwa]

It is pointless arguing with Modern Greeks, they seam to be very bitter and petty, just leave them to pay money to see cheap plaster casts in their plastic museum while we stay in London and pay nothing to see the greatest treasures the world has to offer. They can argue over which is the best country in the world while we just get on and live in it.

[RebelVoDKa]

Yes, you're quite right.

[MichaelPaleos]

Arguing what? there is no argument to argue because it wasn't the Greeks that handed the Marbles to Elgin but the Ottomans.

The Greeks had no say in any of this scenario.

Imagine Britain was under occupation and a memeber of Greece went an took parts of theStone henge without your permission, how do you think British Civillians would react? Delighted?

Remove religion, politics aside and have some common sense.

The Parthenon marbles belong to the world but their home is Greece.

[tigerwa]

Hypothetical scenarios are pointless and prove nothing.

[JamesMichaletos]

@tigerwa

Don't be offensive. Indeed, the extraction of the Elgin Marbles is a sad historical event for my country but that doesn't mean that all Greeks are savages! Nevertheless England in general loves Greeve just like Greeks like English people! Don't you agree?

[tigerwa]

@JamesMichaletos I would be more inclined to agree if 90% of the Greek people who have posted on here did not seem to be xenophobic insane freaks.

[MAKEDANOS]

@tigerwa Well, it certainly isn't Britain. What a dump.

[tigerwa]

It does not really matter if they were stolen or not, they are not going to move out of the British museum particularly while you silly Greeks insist on acting like a bunch of stupid children.

[Alkob]

....wake up , asshole........the whole world is accusing the British Museum for its arrogant policy.....

[1989panos]

the marbles was not bought of the greek people but of the othomans that had greek occupied... you should ask your money back from them and give us the marbles back.

thieves

[spyros117]

No Marbles No Flame...

[hellasgr2007]

The presenter said "If we return the marbles what else will go o the museum"..You know something?! I DON"T CARE!These stolen marbles are Greek so they belong to Greece..I Don't care what you british will do with your museum..That's your problem..

[timotheos66]

If London does not return the marbles back you should not give them the Olympic flame

[RaniaSmallville]

The Parthenon Marbles are Greek and must return to their home... They're not British and they have no right to keep them in the British museum... The Parthenon Marbles must return to Athens, where they belong.

[Alkob]

Elgin did to Parthenon exactly the same thing that Americans didi to the Museum of Bagdad........only the arrogant director of BM doesn't want te return of the Marbles.....it's embarrassing for the british nation....

[papiacanne]

He took the marbles to decorate his house in england..not to preserve them or something like that..!! he sold them to the british museum when he was broke

[crarecra2]

A nation without civilization can apriciate any civilization.The act of the exploiters who strictly commercialize the artefacts for more visitors cann't really be considered an act of apriciation or respect to the artefacts!No offense...But try to understand what the marbles r to us!See what Melina Mercuri said in '74 (i think) when she paid a visit to UK..ITS PART OR OUR PRIDE, OUR HISTORY,OUR ROOTS!ITS OUR SPIRIT AND THE SPORE TO SPREAD THE MEANING OF OUR CULTURE.

[kajamix]

It;s a political vendetta. The strong british far right want to keep the marbles. at the same time international communism is utilising the issue againt Britain. The marbles belong to Greece. Even if Elgin did well to take them during the Ottoman Era, from the time the modern Greek state was formed in 1840, it's inexcusable. Greece and Great Britain were allies but the extremist political parties do not want this to be so.

[otheod]

it's the Parthenon marbles!!!! not the British museum, not UK's and certainly not Elgins!!!!

[smile1966]

I do believe the majority of the British people support the return of the marbles back to Greece. It seems a small elitist group is preventing the marbles from being sent home.

[orasisdimensional]

.. and this is exactly the opposite of Democracy (Δημοκρατία), where PEOPLE have the power, and NOT the few.

[armavid]

what will you do if somebody had stolen the STONE HEDGE????

[crazyjedimindtrick]

You can take that piece of crap.

[crarecra2]

Looks like you dont care..well..tell u what..if u really didnt care u wouldnt write that a day after the new museum opened!But calling the Parthenon marbles "pieces of crap" prooves that UK has no civilization.Cuz a nation without civilization cant apriciate any civilization!Is it really that way?

[RebelVoDKa]

Yes, that's right. The comment of one person on YouTube tells you everything you need to know about the culture he comes from.

[RebelVoDKa]

Have we got a stone hedge? Cool. Where is it?

[chr04]

pesta stelio

[Aussiemarco]

Stelios is wrong in saying 'I don't want to get into the legality of it'. Its all about the legality of it! Elgin got permission from the TURKISH (not Greek) Governor of Greece to take away 'Various stones and inscriptions' from the Parthenon. Elgin instead took most of the sculptures, not the inscriptions. This makes it an illegal act.

[Sergio022s]

yes but he is smart enough to avoid it for now. We need to start from somewhere and baby steps is the only way forward. Raisig the legality issue would mean a strict, rude, loud "no" from the british government.

[Aussiemarco]

You're right there. Strict, rude and loud is what Britain and all British do very well.

[RebelVoDKa]

Yet you choose to live among us all the same.

[Aussiemarco]

Sorry, mate. I don't choose to live 'among' you. I live in the UK for my job, and the fact that its so close to Europe, so I can hop over the Channel any time. I try to avoid the Poms, and keep to myself.

[RebelVoDKa]

So there's no job for you in the entire world except England?

I know your sort. You haven't made any friends here and instead of improving your own social skills, you decide to blame and then hate 45 million people as if it's their fault.

Keep telling yourself that it's YOU who are shunning THEM, Marco. You might end up believing it one day.

[crazyjedimindtrick]

Who ruled Greece at that time? was it the Greeks or the Turks.

[paokthess]

It was the Othoman Empire. this is how they take the marbles.

[Aussiemarco]

Greece was ruled by the Turks at the time. The Greek people had no say at all in what happened in their own country at that time. So their national treasures were at the mercy of corrupt Ottoman officials, who were paid off by unscrupulous rich people from Northern Europe wanting to illegally get their hands on ancient 'trophies'. This is how the Parthenon Sculptures ended up in the British Museum. How difficult is it for the British Govt to understand??? They were STOLEN by Elgin.

[crazyjedimindtrick]

If the Turks ruled at the time (unscrupulous or not) then until you guys won independence they owned the marbles, right? Permission from said owners was given freely to Elgin to take the marbles (even if he bribed them) . Whether or not its part of your history is irrelevant. As far as the British museum is concerned we broke no laws in the transaction that put the marbles in our hands.

[Aussiemarco]

Spoken like a true Imperialist. So according to your logic here, if someone steals a DVD player, and then sells it to you down at the local pub .... because you paid for it, its now legally yours? This is the same thing. You would be the receiver of stolen goods, just as the B.M. was the receiver of stolen goods. Go and read the history of Elgin and how he got them and then eventually sold them to the B.M.

[crazyjedimindtrick]

But they were no stolen in the first place, permission was given by the then legal owners the Turks. The turks were in charge then right?

[Aussiemarco]

Elgin was given permission to 'remove certain stones and inscriptions'.

He was given permission to take a couple of stones that had words carved onto it. But he took most of the statues and carvings, not a couple of inscriptions. Here's the legality of it. He wasn't given permission to take the sculptures. And the Turkish governor was paid off to look the other way while he did it.

Incidentally I'm not Greek I'm Australian. I care about country's heritage, and this case I side with the Greeks.

[tigerwa]

I think a more accurate analogy would be if someone came and ruled my house for 300 years and then sold my cd player to someone who then looked after it for 200 years would I have the cheek to go around to his house and ask for it back? The answer is no because I would have died a very long time ago.

[costasir]

@tigerwa you are truly descendant of Elgin...common thieves stealing other countris heritage in order to feel important

[tigerwa]

@costasir yep all 60 million people in britain are close relatives of lord elgin.

[costasir]

@tigerwa i know that....so its not a surprise that you dont want to give back the stolen marbles. you are like him

[raphaelthe1]

no marbels no flame!!!

[yannis13]

He gain permission to stole them, not remove them... STOLE them not "remove" or "took" them. And no need to say "please" to thiefs.

[nixter888]

Give them back PLEASE!