Religious Intolerance & Anti-Semitism in Greece

During the endless debates between Albanians and Greeks concerning the continuity of the Albanian language & culture from its pre-Hellenic origins, I have been shocked and frankly revolted by the gratuitous anti-Jewish and anti-American comments that seem to sprinkle a majority of discussions which should normally concern just the subject matter at hand.

As an Albanian from a family that never taught a single iota of religious intolerance, I am compelled to present this video both as a tribute to the Jewish people and their incredible suffering at the hands of a hate-filled Europe, as well as for the purpose of exposing a very substantial and virulent pocket of intolerance that resides as a cancer on the body politik of modern Greek society.

This tendency towards a narrow self-serving interpretation of history, results in a terribly oversimplified view of human culture, and appears to stoke the flames of intolerance and even hatred towards all that is not loyal to a Greek nationalist ethos of superiority.

It occurs to me that hateful intolerance and a rigid loyalty requirement resemble in some ways the pre-cursors to a pogrom like mentality that is today directed towards immigrants of various stripes arriving in Greece, above all the Albanians.

My hope is that an honest discussion will ensue, one that challenges a small closed society to question itself and push towards higher ideals, such as those that once inspired a very different kind of civilization in these lands, many many moons ago.

For our part, as Albanians, we persist with our notions of religious tolerance, despite being surrounded by more hostile and less socially progressive societies.

"There is no trace of any discrimination against Jews in Albania because Albania happens to be one of the rare lands in Europe today where religious prejudice and hate do not exist, even though Albanians themselves are divided into three faiths."

-The Honorable Herman Bernstein, former U.S. Ambassador to Albania from 1930 to 1933.

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Category:

Education

Tags:

• anti-semitism
• antisemitism
• religious
• intolerance
• jewish
• jew
• israel
• zion
• greece
• greek
• anti-american
• civilization
• spirit

[theo9952]

you are an aLbanian chauvinist who pretents to be a defender of human rights by

slandering others !

YOU STINK !

[balkancoolhead]

theo, the history of Albanian religious tolerance is increasingly recognized by the primary European powers. you may not be happy with the reality of what your countrymen did to the jewish community of greece during wwII and to the cultural genocide that was inflicted on Salonika, but you cannot rewrite history and just make foolish accusations.

at least try to be more academically solid, do some research and be open to the possibility that your people & your society are not so perfect friend.

[balkancoolhead]

there is a great sense of liberation in being truthful and recognizing others for the good things they have done and not always focusing on the negatives.

we have far too much in common to be only focused on differences all the time. your society has a real problem of excessive pride and a lack of sufficient freedom of expression. your media is incredibly corrupt.

just read Takis Michas, "Unholy Alliance" and learn about the very sad reality of greece in the modern era.

begin with honesty.

[theo9952]

I AM GREEK and i am fiercely ANTI-NAZI and ANTI-RACIST.I am sorry to have to say that your video looks like propaganda against the vast majority of Greek people who have nothing against the jewish people. IF the anti-semitic videos by greek users appear to be more numerous than they really are, it is because each of THOSE NAZI SCUM, uses many channels under different usernames. ...(continued)

[balkancoolhead]

how can you have anything against the jewish people today? the community is only a few thousand people... you killed or turned over the the rest to the germans during WWII...

let's not even get into Zervas and the proven collaboration with the nazis...

shame... what kind of a nation is modern greece that you do not even learn any of your wrongdoings? and of your courageous acts, you are not even taught they emanate mostly from the Arvanites!

shame :-(

[tryphonkorm]

I am so sure of their feelings towards your people, that i dare you to visit any Arvaniti village or settlement in Greece and talk to its inhabitants, who of course don't have a MBA in history and they mostly know what their parents and family have taught them about their history, giving them a speech about how much albanian they are and how much Greeks they are not.

It may be the last speech you will ever make.

[balkancoolhead]

read Takis Michas my friend and you will see what kind of a free nation you live in...

then go and research the Helsinki Monitor official investigation of the Arvanites in greece... you will learn things you never imagined could be true... i am sorry to say it, but it is true...

[balkancoolhead]

you live in a nation of professional slanderers. much as the serbs, you are consumed with religious fanaticism and corruption. the recent history of both of your nations proves all the points discussed here. you have no leg to stand on friend. it's better to be humble and turn inward now to face your demons, of which you have many.

[balkancoolhead]

no senor, no es verdad. tiene que hacer estudios mas profundos para comprender la historia de nuestra region.

[mpleportals]

@balkancoolhead

Los albaneses no luchar contra los alemanes

Ellos colaboraron con ellos

[nekmissios1]

GOOD JEW DEAD JEW

[MTLSPARTAN]

hey are u a albanian kock sucking jew???

i think sooooooooooooo,be carefull to swallow everything my little albanian scum.