|
New York, NY- (HLA) April -6th Across from the United Nations, they assembled. Greek American Community Leaders, American Scholars, and American Activists to remember the victims of the Greek, Armenian, and Assyrian Genocides perpetrated by Turkey from 1914 till 1923. The 3rd Annual Greek Genocide Commemoration was sponsored by Panthracian Union of America ‘Orpheus’ and supported by the Hellenic League of America, HLA. This year’s event, as always, was held on April 6th the Pan-Hellenic Memorial Day for the Genocide of Thracian Hellenism, which is in remembrance of Black Easter in 1914.
As in past years, UN workers, tourists and average New Yorkers were welcomed at Ralph Bunche Park by placards of reproduced American newspaper accounts of the Greek Genocide and enlarged photos of “Enver’ Pasha and Mustafa Kemal. Those who took interest in the commemoration received an educational pamphlet about the Greek Genocide produced by the Hellenic League of America, HLA. For the second year in a row the event commenced by the reading of the ancient Orphic Hymn ‘Thanatos’ by Georgia Nomikos. This year’s Master of Ceremonies was past President of Panthracian Union of America ‘Orpheus’ Ioannis Fidanakis. Mr Fidanakis began by thanking those in attendance and acknowledging such notable attendees as Mr. Bill Theodosakis who has been organizing a Greek Genocide Memorial at Three Hierarch’s Church in Brooklyn since the 90s. Afterward Fidanakis read a statement from Greek MP Dionysia-Theodora Avgerinopoulou who supported the event. He made public afterwards of his intentions to draft a letter with the support of the Panthracian Union of America ‘Orpheus’ to be submitted to the Greek Parliament to raise the question of officially recognizing April 6th as the day of remembrance for the Genocide of Thracian Hellenism, as the Greek Government did for May 19th in remembrance of the Genocide of Pontian Hellenism back in 1994 and September 14th for Genocide of Asia Minor Hellenism in 1998.
Speakers this year included such Greek American Community leaders as Mr. Dimitris Molohides, President of the Pan Pontian Federation of USA and Canada, and Dr. William Samonides, President of the Asia Minor Hellenic American Society, as well as Mr. Elias Tsekerides, President of the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York. In a powerful speech, President Tsekerides called upon the United States government to act now in keeping their promise to recognize the Armenian Genocide, but also to include all the Christian victims, Assyrians, Pontian Greeks, Anatolian Greeks and Thracian Greeks. At one point during President Tsekerides' speech, he stated, “ Ladies and Gentlemen, The Thracian Genocide, like all other Genocides was a systematic torture, massacre and ethnic cleansing of several millions of Hellenes (Greeks) perpetrated by the Turks throughout historic Thrace, an area that includes Constantinople (now called Istanbul by the Turks), Eastern Thrace, and the islands of Imvros and Tenedos. During the Byzantine Empire era, Thrace was regarded as an important center of Hellenism. As a result of the conquest of Constantinople there was slaughter and plunder against the Thracians causing them to flee towards Western Europe and the Balkan countries. Those who remained suffered forcible islamification. Among the people that were forced to change faith, the phenomenon of crypto-Christianity developed, a phenomenon that is also prevalent in current times”.
The true star of the commemoration, however, was Jewish-American Activist and Author Pamela Geller. Ms. Geller truly stole the moment with an electrifying speech, in which she stated, ‘How can we possibly address a problem if we are afraid to diagnose the problem and say what it is? Hitler himself said it was the template of the Armenian, Greek and Assyrian Genocides that formulated his plan for the Jews during World War II.” Ms. Geller continued to ask publically why the Islamic world has not been made to make amends for such horrible crimes against humanity, while other countries like Germany have for its past crimes. Ms. Geller commended the efforts of organizers to raise awareness of the Greek Genocide and at one point in her speech stated, “People need to see the pictures of the Armenian Genocide, people need to see the picture of the Assyrian Genocide, people need to know what happened. It is Genocide, and when Abe Foxman of the ADL says it shouldn’t be a Genocide, shame on you! You of all people, who know up close and personal what a Genocide is.” Ms. Geller who has made numerous appearances on network television is the Editor and Publisher of the popular Blog Atlas Shrugs, Executive Director of FDI/SIOA and the author of the book The Post-American Presidency, the Obama Administration’s War on America. Her complete speech can be viewed at the URL http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ChB6_PD7bFw
Readers can watch video coverage of the event at the following URL's:
Panthracian Union of America ‘Orpheus’ Inc., is a not-for-profit Philanthropic and Cultural Organization serving the Thracian American community since 1983. For more information contact the organization at PO Box 3280 Steinway St., LIC, NY 11103, http://www.panthracian.blogspot.com
The Hellenic League of America (HLA) is a cooperative and collective effort by Hellenes, Phil-Hellenes and Hellenic enthusiasts who come together for the Hellenic Cause. A register 501c nonprofit organization the Hellenic League of America, HLA works to spread awareness on Hellenic National Issues, as well as our ethnic traditions and culture. Founded in 2008 the HLA has been involved in organizing lectures, protests, rallies and commemoration across the tri-state area. For more invormation ot to contact HLA, see the group's website at http://www.hellenicleagueonline.org.
|
