June 11, 1999
Isn't it nice that we can still stir up passions over ownership of a name?
The latest example concerns the "Greek Picnic" sponsored by the "National Pan-Hellenic Council" of college fraternities and sororities.
Greek-American ("Hellenic-American") ethnic, religious and social organizations object to use of "Greek" in describing this annual picnic comprised predominantly of African-Americans.
Instead of thanking fraternities and sororities for such recognition, some of my Greek friends are threatening lawsuits because they don't want to be confused by the public with those other "Greeks," even though Isocrates 2,400 years ago proudly welcomed everyone to share in the name "Hellene."
The Hellenic cultural legacy from the Minoan, Mycenean, Periclean, Hellenistic, and Byzantine periods on up through the modern era of Cavafy, Kazantzakis and Serefis is of great pride to Greeks, as they are fond of reminding everyone.
But today, Greeks, as Hellenes are referred to outside of Greece, are exercised by someone else's use of "our" name.
The reaction comes from the same group that proudly claims all learning, virtue, justice, medicine, science, culture, politics, law and just about anything else originated with the Hellenes, and that therefore everyone in the world is really a Hellene (Greek).
I intend no disrespect, but forgive me if I find humor and irony in the debate over who is, or may be called, "Greek."
It's certainly not as wrenching or substantive an issue to Americans as the current flap in Israel over who is a "Jew." But as the news accounts on the "Greek Picnic" make almost comically clear, some people care enough about it to reach for blood pressure medicine and cry "slander."
Perhaps I can shed some light on the paradox by sharing an example or two to help illuminate something about the Balkan psyche.
The first concerns the name "Macedonia," which is what just about everybody but the Greeks now call the country that borders Serbia (Kosovo), Albania, Bulgaria and Greece.
Greece formally refers to it as "FYROM," short for "Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia," or informally as "Skopje," which is the capital city of FYROM.
Five years ago, however, Greece issued threats just short of an invasion, because this neighboring, eastern Orthodox but non-Greek, newly-independent country that for decades was part of Yugoslavia had decided to use the "Greek" name "Macedonia" as its official name.
Without getting lost in a Balkan maze, it's worth noting that the north-central region of Greece is also known as "Macedonia."
"Macedonia" is a name perhaps 5,000 years old which once covered what is now both Greece's Macedonia and most of FYROM Macedonia.
Not surprisingly, "Macedonia" was the birthplace of Philip of Macedonia and Alexander the Great, from which rights of ownership emanate.
The town of Pella where they were born is presently in Greece's Macedonia but was part of a greater Macedonia at that time.
And it's of interest that neither Philip nor Alexander was fully accepted by the Hellenes as a "Hellene" until Alexander conquered the world.
Now, closer to home, what's the rationale for using "Greek" to describe the "Greek Picnic" of non-Hellenes?
The answer lies in 223 years of American collegiate history.
Beginning on Dec. 10, 1776, at the College of William and Mary when "Phi Beta Kappa" was established, and from 1825 at Union College with the social fraternity "Kappa Alpha," virtually every American university has had social fraternities, sororities and some honor societies known by their Greek letters, e.g., PÙf, åAå, DTD.
Inter-fraternity and inter-sorority councils are universally known as "Pan-Hellenic" or simply "The Greeks."
That's been the consistent practice among historically white and historically black colleges, and their students.
When they have a party or picnic or sponsor a charitable event, it's "The Greeks."
Shouldn't it be considered an honor for Greeks to be thus emulated and immortalized?
A half century ago, when I became a college student, I'll admit that I was surprised when I encountered "Greeks" - fraternity "brothers" and sorority "sisters" - who were not Greek as I was.
Many were considered "party animals" and "boozers," the "in" groups on campus. When some got in trouble, "Greeks" were blamed.
It could be confusing, I thought, if somehow I was blamed or praised for what some "Greek" fraternity brother or "The Greeks" did or said on campus. I'd have enough of my own problems to deal with, I reasoned.
Although I declined invitations to become a "Greek," I came to grips with the situation.
I accepted individual responsibility as the fundamental precept of Socrates' teaching. I distinguished between individual merit and individual fault. I avoided judging an individual because of someone else's actions or some group-centered generalizations.
It wasn't long thereafter that I also began to understand that certain words, even "Greek or "Nescafe," can have generic uses.
For decades, "Nescafe" was synonymous with "American coffee" in southeastern European restaurants even though "Nescafe" is a corporate trademark and was one of many choices among such coffees, some of which were bad.
Those same eateries had specialized in "Turkish" coffee, which in Greece since the 1974 occupation of Cyprus, has become "Greek" coffee.
And so, here is my solution to the battle over words, with a tip of the cap to Gertrude Stein:
Greece, and the Greeks who care enough, should sue to be known as "Ellada" and "Hellenes."
Aside from historical and linguistic accuracy, others can then use "Greece" and "Macedonia" and "Greek" as in "Greek Picnic."
Then, we Hellenes can crash "their" party.
Or even better, when the lawsuit is dismissed, we'll all be Hellenes.
Finally, lest you conclude that "this is all Greek to me," please try not to confuse "Papadakis" and "Liacouras."
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Reprinted as an editorial (op-ed) in Philadelphia Daily News, June 11, 1999