Having cooled down

Hvaving cooled down some, I have come to realize two mistakes I have made. One, I neglected how general a phrase like "Greece is full of..." comes off in English. So, people have been right to point out that I have been accusing the Greek people themselves of being racists.

This is, of course, not true. I know this for a fact, having known and interacted with many Greek people during my life. What I should have said is that there appears to be a movement in Greece of people who seem to believe that the Greek people are of pure genetic stock and are superior to all other people. There are people here in the US who think the same, and in France, and in Argentina, and in China, etc. So, it was unfair of me to use so general a phrase, even if I did it unintentionally, because I should know to reread the things I write when I am feeling angered by others.

My second mistake, technically the first but I realized it second, was in engaging these kinds of people in an argument in the first place. Like religious zealots, racists and nationalists tend to adhere to their line of thought or belief with no chance of being argued out of it by anyone, especially anyone as limited as myself.

I should have just known better than to try to argue with them.

Now, this doesn't mean that I have changed my mind about anything that I said with regard to these people. They are an insidious cancer that has to be fought. I know that a lot of us "pagans" like to be incredibly accepting. That whole "let everyone believe whatever they want" thing does not sit well with me if the belief in question includes spreading a racist agenda.

I am not talking about supporting laws that restrict speech or anything like that, as I am a strong believer in free speech, free press, free expression, but in establishing groups and online communities that support and spread a more universal system for Hellenism.

So, Universal Hellenismos, the acceptance that the Gods are not meant for any one people, but can be, and seek to be found by all people. To some appearing this way, to some that way. That the Gods do not want us at war with each other over religious dogma, but for truly just reasons. That the Gods seek to help us become wiser beings, not their slaves. That all human beings are equal in their eyes and that it is the things we do and how we treat each other that matters in the end. That among the many things humanity should strive for, hospitality toward one another, love of family, protection of the defenseless, and above all others, the wisdom to act with justice always in mind, should be the most important and the ones that our religion promotes.

These are the ideals we must strive for. Because while live and let live can be a good thing, turning a blind eye to injustice is not.