Kudos to Messrs. Nikolaos Piperis, Stavros Piperis, and Niko Poulos for calling out the Flagship Restaurant Group regarding the cultural misappropriations appearing in a new, apparently Greek-themed restaurant in Omaha, Nebraska (‘Young Greek-Americans Raise Concerns over New Omaha Eatery,’ The National Herald, July 6).

To start, anyone can open a Greek, or Thai, or Italian-themed restaurant; you do not have to be Greek, Thai, or Italian to open such an establishment. The trouble occurs when cultural images or symbols are displayed in a false, defamatory or negative light. It does not emerge from the article if this was the cause of the consternation expressed in these young men’s excellent letter to Flagship Restaurants Group regarding the new restaurant. The article should have given more background information regarding what the restaurant group was doing and how it was displaying these images.

Nonetheless, congratulations and thanks must be expressed to these young men who perceived Greek symbols and associated images being misappropriated and who stood up in defense of our heritage.

Far too often such offenses go unopposed and unanswered. That is why it is so important to recognize and encourage those who do protect our singular and seminal culture, including our culinary history and influence on other nations’ cuisine.

Further, these men deserve special praise for recalling South Omaha’s wretched past regarding its Greek-American community during the anti-Greek riots of 1909, during which the entire Greek community of South Omaha was forced to leave the town in one day. A 14-year-old Greek boy was murdered by the mob of 3,000 that descended on the ‘Greektown’ of South Omaha. Hundreds of businesses and buildings owned by Greeks were destroyed. Many Greeks were beaten bloody by this mob of bigots. Messrs. Piperis, Piperis, and Poulos were so right to point this horrific event up.

Omaha’s government and business community can ill afford any further insults and denigration of its Greek-American community and its culture. These will not go unnoticed or unanswered thanks to these courageous and vigilant young men.

Paul J. Kutscera, Esq.

Bayside, NY