What do Greeks think of Greek-Americans?

Question

Slaveof12gods: I would be careful when I use the words "ungreek" and "unethical" and put someone on the defensive for asking a question.
(Maybe some anger management classes will work for you...just an idea:)

As you see from the answers above not many Greeks consider Greek Americans the same as themselves and eventhough Greek Americans ARE Greeks, they are...well...special:)
(in lack of a better word)

Answer 1

The Greek Community in USA is a Strong Community, well organized, tight and keeps strong relations with Orthodoxism and Motherland

I am truly proud of them!

They keep the traditions, customs and language, though they are millions of klm far away from home.
They are always by our (Greeks in Greece) side, and they contribute when their help is asked (or not) and needed! For example they participated as volunteers in Olympic Games in Athens, they were there for us when earthquake stroke Greece, and recently when fires burn down the Peloponnese

Far from Home but so close to us - the bounds between us can never be broken and forgotten

they are Greeks, and we are One Nation

Answer 2

Transnationalism is a complex matter. Genetically, I am involved in four cultures and living most of the time in a fifth.
The Greek diaspora including that of the USA has historically and traditionally not only supported the homeland but much of the time produced individuals and movements which strengthened Greece. re: Filiki Etairia, Ahepa et al.
Look closely at the men of Letters and Sciences and see how many were ex-patriates, whether they were from Alexandria, Smyrni, or Cambridge Massachusetts.

Answer 3

You are American. The end. Your father could be considered Greek American. All this hyphenated BS is ridiculous. If everyone used this method of identifying themselves people could go for days explaining what they are.

Answer 4

Most of them do not consider themselves as Americans and even if they try hard, they don’t consider themselves as Greeks either. They give me the impression that they have no roots.

All these thumbs down indicate such empathy about an opinion!!!
Get your self a life…

Answer 5

what does it matter?? why does it matter??? give me one good reason to ask this question ,other then to see if one is accepted as an outsider into your own cultural back round! and if not accepted by the Greeks from Greece why be hurtful by saying something negative against them just because they reside somewhere else????

how good of a Greek are you by saying American Greeks are not like Greeks ,or don't count like Greeks!

so what this accomplishes is ungreek and unethical! we love and admire standards of living as we have taught from generation to generation and not point fingers at someone lesser then us - because there is no such thing!

not nice ,not nice at all!

Answer 6

Years ago they thought of them as well off - rich cousins etc. Now they seem to think of them as Americans. They will claim a Greek American when they do somethig worthwhile - like discover a cure for something!

Answer 7

it doesnt make any difference to me.The truth is that the raise up their children in a stricter maybe way, and this, in order to preserve the traditions and the greek rules, and to transfer them from generation to generation.
Sometimes, they are more ardent greeks than us

Answer 8

There are 2 pre-conceptions about Greek-Aamericans, which are based on the image Greek Americans give of themselves sometimes (e.g. in "My big fat Greek wedding").
The first preconception is that they are very "Americanised", especially if they can't speak Greek. This makes us sad, because we feel Greek-Americans are still Greek people, and we are sad if we feel we lose them.
The second preconception is that in the effort to keep their Greek character, they tend to keep habits of their parents' village when tehy left them, like in the 50's. So for example they tend to keep customs -e.g. breaking dishes or choosing some architectural styles- that we don't have any more, as we follow the lifestyle of any western world society.
But overall we love them, and we feel they are close to us.

Answer 9

I do not have a good impression of them actually. I lived as a student in N America and most of them (with notable exceptions) are not people I want to associate with.

Answer 10

IM GREEK