Posted by GS on April 30, 2001 at 04:45:32:
In Reply to: ARE YOU ALL REALLY GREEK!!!!!???????? posted by Gunter Steiner on April 26, 2001 at 11:09:39:
Modern Greeks are as ancient Greek as the modern Italians are Romans, the English Anglosaxons etc.
As far as some influence coming from the Turkish occupation, slavic presence and italian presence especially in the islands, it is as normal and similar to the Greek presence in the south of Italy or the Germanic in the north etc.
In general your message is a very stupid one and you just posted it to create some trouble, since you like everybody else know that greeks do not look like turks or (for god's sake!!) arabs. You probably have never met greek people or visited Greece in your life. All the young Greek people I know they always get confused either with Italians or Spanish due to their similar looks and especially through their accent and body features. Now if some individual Turks or Arabs also look like us, then good for them!!
I believe that you are a very insecure person with many complexes who tries to degrade one nation in order to feel good about himself. I'm not saying that we the Greeks are the best in the world but at least in countries like that you should at least pay some respect for their heritage as I would pay respect to something good that your country has produced and given to the rest of the world.
As far as the connection of the modern Greeks to the ancient ones, one key factor is the language that has survived through the years (with its subsequent variations that have occured through the centuries of course) which remains impact for thousands of years. A second is the looks of the hellenic youth where the majority resembles the ancient statues as you know them and thirdly most of the general characteristics of the people that remain the same as back then. Especially the sence of freedom and democracy against conquerors and kings, invaders and dictators and any unwanted political situation(from ancient times till now), a great sence of religion and tradition but also a more relaxed and objective view of life in general.
You can also find negative characteristics that have survived through the years like the friction and conflict between the Greeks themselves from the Peloponnisian wars of the ancient times to the civil war of the left and right in the late 40s and the most recent examples of Panathinaikos against Olympiakos nowadays!!
Anyway, I spent enough time with your message and I don't believe it is actually worth the effort...