To the Editor:

I read the editorial on the White House Greek Independence event (Glum Greek Day in DC, March 31) and I was disappointed that an event that celebrates Greece, our culture and heritage, should be described so negatively in The National Herald. If I had not read President Trump’s speech in its entirety, it was published in the Orthodox Observer which I received at the same time as my copy of TNH, I would have thought he gave a terrible speech.

To be clear, I am not a huge fan of the President, but I will give him credit when he gives a good speech and this time, it was good. He mentioned all the aspects of Greek culture that make us all proud. What was so bad about it? It might be Trump’s best speech of the year. Even if I don’t agree with his policies or even like him, I can still give him credit for making a good speech. I know an editorial is an opinion, but the facts can’t be ignored. Friends of mine attended the event at the White House and assured me they had a fine time. They didn’t feel the melancholy that was suggested by the article.

Not every occasion is for advancing a political agenda, even if the situation with Turkey is as serious as it is today. The Archbishop himself brought up the issues (the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the tragic division of Cyprus, the former Yugoslav republic’s name) that have been ongoing for such a long time and no other president ever did anything about them either. Maybe we should lower our expectations so we won’t be disappointed next time.

Costas V. Perdikopoulos

San Diego, CA