CounterPunch Exclusives

CounterPunch Exclusives

The Greek Way is Better

Minerva, Roman goddess guardian of civilization, modeled after Athena, Greek goddess of intelligence, freedom, civilization and protector of Athens. By Elihu Vedder, American painter, 1836–1923. Mosaic, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, 1897. Public Domain.

Prologue: Trump and the Pope

The US-Israeli war against Iran / Persia did more than rain bombs on Iran, Lebanon and throughout the Middle East. It brought to light the theocratic proclivities of Trump and his Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth. Ignoring the separation of church and state, Trump almost made himself a new Jesus. This infuriated Pope Leo XIV who said such behavior was unacceptable. Others said Trump committed a blasphemy. Hegseth warned the Pope to tone down his criticism of Trump and the American Biblical onslaught on the Persian enemy.

Maureen Dowd, opinion columnist for the New York Times, described Trum and the Pope in stark terms. She wrote: “President Trump has been rampaging around the globe like Grendel at dinner time, a rapacious, feral creature. Who could stand up to him? The soft-spoken, humble Leo, who strives to unify, squared off against the bombastic, solipsistic Trump, who strives to divide.”

Thomas Jefferson: Greek thought dispelled Gothic darkness in America

I found the crusading rhetoric of Trump and Hegseth very disturbing. The American Pope had it right.

Thomas Jefferson would be astonished at how far the American head of state has fallen.

David French, an opinion columnist for the New York Times, said that, “If you take an already grandiose man [Trump] (whose commercial brand is his own name) and fill him with a sense of divine purpose, you can uncage a tyrant.” True, “divine purpose” has been corrupting strong men forever. It has been defining monarchy, plutocracy, oligarchy and tyranny. During the dark ages and modern times, that is, a period at least 1,600 years long, ambitious rulers married religion to stay in power. In fact, monotheism was a product of that political ambition. European monarchs / emperors / dictators made Jesus their co-ruler. Moslem Califs (heads of state) thought they were the shadow of god on Earth. Thus, Trump is following successful precedents. The founders of the American republic, endless wars, World Wars I and II and the Cold War and nuclear weapons gave presidents so much power that, in fact, presidents have become uncrowned monarchs.

On October 31, 1823, Jefferson sent a letter to Adamantios Koraes, a Greek scholar he met in Paris. The 1820s was the time the Greeks were fighting their War of Independence against the Mongol Turks occupying their country. Koraes was assisting the revolutionary Greeks by spreading the ancient Greek ideas on freedom, patriotism, strategy, the rule of law, justice, moderation, democracy and science. He edited Greek works like the epic poems of Homer, the scientific medical writings of Hippocrates, the philosophical, political and ethical works of Plato, Aristotle and Plutarch and other relevant and timely writings of ancient Greek and modern thinkers. Jefferson had read some of those works by Koraes. In his letter to him, he was straightforward about the political and liberating benefits of studying ancient Greeks, their ideas and science. He said to Koraes:

“Your favor of July 10. [1823] is lately received. I recollect with pleasure the short opportunity of acquaintance with you… and the fine editions of the classical writers of Greece, which have been announced by you from time to time, have never permitted me to lose the........

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