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THE FUTURE OF HELLENISM IN AMERICA

Ancient Athens produced works of architecture, sculpture and literature which are a fountain of inspiration and wonderment. The depth and originality of scientific and political speculation has been unsurpassed until the present time. However, this unique Hellenic civilization succumbed to the law of flourish, followed by decay. At the turn of the first millennium it was the Byzantium and Christianity, and then came the Ottoman occupation for almost four hundred years. The revolution of 1821 was promulgated by Hellenes living abroad.The new Hellenic Nation State boasts about 140 years of democratic rule, out of 167 years of its existence.

HELLAS AS PART OF THE WEST

History has recognized Hellas as Democracy's birthplace and its people as inheritors of an enormous cultural heritage. The Hellenic civilization has been defined through the centuries by such common elements as: language, religion, history, customs, traditions and institutions and by intense identification of its people as Hellenes. Hellas is the originator of Western thought.

The modern Hellenes are Westerners, albeit with a special twist such as an exotic yet magnificent language, which has provided a cornucopia of terminology to the world (e.g.68 per cent of the Medical terms), a non-catholic and non-protestant branch of religious worship and a geographical location at the line of separation between two sharply different civilizations, the Western and the Islamic.

As allies of Western Democracies,the Hellenes fought in World War I and II, at El Alamein, Italy, Korea and the Gulf and defeated the Communist upheaval in the cold war, which was highly symbolic for the birthplace of Democracy. The recent fall of despotic regimes in Eastern Europe and former Soviet Union and the intensive demand for democratic rule,have brought Hellas and Hellenism,into sharp focus. Modern Hellas is a full member of the EU, boasts a huge Merchant Marine fleet prowling the oceans and two Nobel Prizes in literature and as fate would have it, the 2004 Olympic Games, will enhance the brightness of her shining star around the Globe.

HELLAS AND POPULATION GROWTH

However, the long period of peace among the Great Powers since the end of the World War II, has ushered in the Second Demographic Transition in the Industrialized Democracies, with low fertility rates and worrisome consequences for the future of Europe and its culture,including Hellas and Hellenism as well.This development which started around 1965, includes drastic shift to individualism, away from altruism, family and childbearing,with below replacement fertility and population aging.The brisk entry of women into the labor market, and urbanization,legalization of abortions and easy divorce, have compounded the problem.It does not take a rocket scientist to realize that an aging and static or declining population in Hellas and the rest of EU, with a high standard of living to boot, will be a magnet for in-migration from the south and southeast in the coming decades.

POPULATION AND HELLENIC CULTURE

Since the mid 1970's immigration of Hellenes to North America has been reduced to a trickle and as the first generation immigrants die out the ties with Hellas will be attenuated. Size and vitality of a given population or ethnic group, have a strong effect on cultural potency. The size of a population or ethnic group influences politics, power and economics, which are the key factors connected to culture and values.

Weak nations imitate big nations on the one hand and on the other, big and wealthy nations export goods and services but also culture,values,customs and ideas. Similarly, the size of the Hellenic-American community which depends on in-migration and on its own fertility rate, is pivotal for the survival of the Hellenic Culture and Heritage in the US.A static and aging Community of Hellenes in America, might accelerate its complete assimilation within this huge, multiethnic and multicultural society of ours.

HELLENISM UNDER SIEGE?

Hellas itself, is undergoing a slow but steady cultural and social transformation under EU membership and other homogenizing forces, due to revolutions in communication, travel, human rights, migration and the globalization of the economy.Even in America Hellenic Culture and Heritage are under siege, from the recent fad of "Multiculturalism", of "Global Education" and of "Cultural Inclusion". This new twists have developed at the expense of studies of Western Civilization, based on the Miracle of Classical Greece. This trend will certainly get worse, because of anticipated brisk population growth of various minority groups in America.

The Miracle of Classical Greece has continued to shine for over two centuries of glorious American History,as the bedrock of American philosophical,political and cultural heritage and fountainhead for the Declaration of Independence and the American Constitution.

It has shown enormous resilience through the centuries and has shined again and again bursting into the world scene, with renewed brilliance.However, the study of Classical Greece and Western Civilization has since 1991 been diminished by revisionists who characterize them as "Eurocentrist", and consider them biased for supposedly neglecting other cultures e.g.the "Afrocentrist" and others.An example of this is found in the Core Curriculum of the American Public School system and especially that of California, which together with Texas and New York, formulate the blueprint for all other states.

-The curriculum before 1988, emphasized Western Civilization, with Greece depicted as birthplace of Democracy and its cultural and political traditions. Students learned about Greece during sixth, seventh, and tenth Grades. They learned about Greece again in European History linking her to Renaissance and the Enlightenment. In American history, they learned about Greece during the fifth, eighth, eleventh and twelfth Grades.

-In the new curriculum, the learning of ancient history and Greece, occurs during the sixth Grade only. A course at tenth grade is now called "World History,Culture and Geography" and is concerned with learning about the modern world only since the French Revolution.In the context of "Multicultural" and "Global Education" the students in California will learn about the history of Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, and African Americans. This is extended to Jewish Americans and to Muslim Americans. A great deal of effort is been made(correctly I might add) to eliminate discrimination, bigotry and prejudice.

Many ethnic groups have shrewdly provided study materials for the Curriculum, from their own culture(e.g.Asian, Armenian, Slavic, Jewish,and Turkish).

This is why Educators of Hellenic ancestry and Hellenic Organizations should provide materials for curricula of Public School Systems and organize Student exchanges, Conferences, Seminars, Video-Tapes, Cassettes,and C-D Rom Discs to promote the study of Classical Greece.Also,a concerted effort should be made at the State Legislatures,to re-introduce adequate Western Civilization and Classical Greece material into the Curriculum of the Public School Educational Systems(Dr. Jim Dimitriou,L.A.).

A PLAN OF ACTION

Today, the Hellenic American Community finds itself at the crossroads. It needs a mighty alliance among its Academic and Professional elites and its Organizations, including the SAE and HANC, for promoting a host of goals:

-To generate strong support for the Rule of Law, of Human Rights, of International Treaties and the Environment,in E. Mediterranean region.
-To promote our Language,Culture and Heritage among young Hellene-Americans.The existing Language Schools are not enough, especially after elementary education; therefore, the new emphasis should be on additional schools for the post-elementary school years, on early home instruction by parents and on heavy use of special T.V. Programs(using instructional tapes) for our youngsters, right in their family room. Religious education in early years is a must.
-The fostering of career development programs aimed at our High School and College students, for helping them achieve their dreams and for attracting them into the fold of Church, Culture and Heritage.
-To support the Greek-Orthodox Church and to eloquently recognize our Church's contributions to Hellenism. The dynamic visit of our Patriarch should act as a catalyst.
-To develop Task-Forces in each Congressional district and in big cities for grassroots work aimed at presenting our concerns to all members of Congress and their Staffs.
-To promote development of Endowed Chairs and Departments or Institutes for Hellenic Studies at key American Universities.
-To achieve re-introduction of adequate Studies on Classical Greece and Western Civilization, into the Curriculum of Public School Education Systems and to publish in Newspapers,Monthly and Weekly Journals,presenting proactively, the views of the Hellenic American Community, on issues deemed vital to Hellenism.

-To organize and effectively carry out Voter Registration drives, to include all Americans, including those of Hellenic ancestry and to urge their participation in the democratic process, within Congressional districts.

-Finally, a permanent Task-Force should be formed, comprising key individuals, heads of Organizations,members of Academic and Professional elites and the Church, for bringing together the Brain Power and the financial resources, within the Hellenic American Community. The fragmented and Ad Hoc activities of our Community, are tedious and of low yield.The exceptional contributions of Mr. Angelo Tsakopoulos, should be augmented by the available Brain Power and grassroots dynamic of Omogenia.

-A Master Plan of action should be developed, by analysis, debate and strategic planning, of issues of concern. Ethnic politics have now been legitimized, vigorously developed and even encouraged in American political discourse and constitute the single most important determinant of American foreign policy. An energized Community, will then become a greatly potent force, in supporting Hellas and Cyprus and in maintaining the passion and faith in our Cultural Heritage, right here, in America. Thus, our Community's future, will not be in jeopardy within our experimental American society and within a rapidly changing and volatile world.

Professor(Em.) M. C. Geokas
President,Demokritos Society
of America(DSA).[ A Hellenic American Think-Tank].

Senator(Em.)Nicholas C.Petris
Vice-President(1),DSA.

Professor T.C.Theoharides
Professor A.T.Papathanasis
Member,Advisory Board,DSA. Vice-President(2),DSA.

Hon. Lou Papan
Assemblyman, State of California

Sources:
Donald Kagan: Pericles of Athens and the Birth of Democracy. The Free Press,New York,1991.
-Charles C. Moskos: Greek Americans.Transaction Publishers,New Brunswick,New Jersey,1989.
-Graham T. Allison and Kalypso Nicolaidis.The Greek Paradox.The MIT Press,Cambridge Massachusetts,1997.
-Nathan Glazer and Daniel Patrick Moynihan: Ethnicity:Theory and Experience. Harvard University Press,1975.