Recently I put a video on youtube I made comparing the movie 300 to modern day U.S. Marines. I got one response from a Greek citizen I thought you'd all like to read.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc-IQ1DOtTI

HIS COMMENT:
"I really dont try to underestimate the ability of your armed forces. It's obvious that you are a military superpower. But there is no relationship between you and us. We will be proud if someone who is fighting for his/her freedom try to use our name.
But you? What are you fighting for? For freedom? Who you?
Secondly what you have to understand is that for people in Greece the last years "mania" of Americans about Sparta and rest of ancient Greece in the beginning it was just humorous but by the time and the increasing interested of your people about our history had begun insulting also.
The reason for that is that is obvious that you keep what you like from us (military discipline etc.) by trying to "cover" it with your behaviors and acts and trying to equalize our heroes with what you call fight against terrorism.
Your behavior to the humanity is disgusting I will really feel ashamed if the future historians have the same view for both of us.
Before starting making comments about Greece try at least to know us through reality for our past and for our present not by Hollywood movies which are showing us like a group of cartoon heroes, or by novels like Hotgates.

To be equal with a Spartan begins from stopping screaming like a barbarian (OORAH!!!)

You don't have an idea who we were and who we are."

MY RESPONSE:
"haha really, a wannabe spartan? Actually, I'm quite happy as an American Marine Infantryman. You should eat your own words son, because if you refuse to take what I have told you from first hand experience (seeing as how I've been to Iraq, I guarentee I know more than you do about its people, the persian culture, and the state of affairs as they now stand), to heart, than you refuse yourself TRUTH and VIRTUE, and that my friend, should be a crime. Now since you seem to be so worthy, as to call yourself a Spartan, lets here why.. What have you done to better this world? What have you done to fight for freedom? Ill bet you do nothing but talk. You preach all day and all night, and yet you never act. I acted on what I believed and still believe to be an honorable course of action, freeing the people of Iraq from tyranny, and supplying the world with oil (seeing as how we get little of our oil from Iraq, and Greece gets more than 4 times the amount from their sand than we do). You sit on your computer and use improper grammar to offend a people you know nothing of (though you think you know much). Why don't you spend more time worrying about yourself an d doing things (physically, not verbally), to make your own country great and advance its democracy and freedoms, than spend time trying to belittle others. That is my challenge for you friend. Accept it if you have the grit. If not, coward away like a rat. Wide is the gate and easy is the path that leads to destruction; however, narrow is the gate and difficult is the path that leads to glory."

HIS COMMENT:

You compare yourself to an honorable pure spartan, and yet you kill innocent people and rape 14 year old girls. youre nothing but a payed mercenary. a bUNCH of barbarians.

MY RESPONSE:

Actually yes I would. Seeing as how I am a U.S. Marine Infantryman whose been to Iraq, I can pretty well guarantee I know more about whats going on over there than you do, so I'd be more than happy to fill you in. First of all, U.S. Marines are not mercenaries, they're professional warriors; however, you are correct in that we are barbarians. Second, there have been few, if any cases where a U.S. Marine rapes a 14 year old girl in the middle east, and if there has been a case, than one incident cannot define a group. If you honestly believe that than give me your ethnicity, nationality, race, sex, whatever, and ill find you ten examples where your people have done worse. Next, the incident at Abu Gharib was isolated and it has not happened since then, not to mention no one was tortured to death. I'm not sure where you got the idea that thousands of poor, "innocent" people were humiliated, except those who chose to fight us "barbarians" as they were defeated quite handily and quickly.. And finally, we have plenty of our own oil in the United States and latin America, not to mention oil from Iran, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Syria, and Chad. I would appreciate it if you kept your ignorant comments to yourself since, seeing as how you've not been to Iraq to see for yourself, you know very little.
P.S. Those pure spartan warriors really aren't so pure.. Read a history book. Don't believe everything you hear on the t.v. news kid. If thats the case, well, can you honestly tell me you believe in the Men in Black?

If you have any more questions, let me know! I'd be glad to help!

SEMPER FI US MARINES! OORAH!

HIS COMMENT:

Beyond the rest you just prove me how unworthy you are to call yourself Spartan the time that you delete my comment.
Spartans don't afraid of free speech. They don't afraid because they are looking for virtue in any sector of their lives. And free speech could lead to TRUTH and VIRTUE.

You are just an other wannabe Spartan.

MY RESPONSE:

Alright, I honor your words friend, and I take heed of how strongly you feel about your country, but first of all, you are not an American fighting man. You think you understand our people, but you do not. Our country breeds a man to honor his father and mother. We teach our children that it is every American's duty to serve their country, however that may be (whether it be militarily, politically, economically, by advancing ourselves through education). But what no one understands, not even the American civilian, is that the American fighting man does not fight for his flag, or for glory, but for the man next to him. I know this because I have seen combat. I have faught and killed my enemies, not because I have a particular disdain for he or she, but because he or she endangers my brothers in arms. This directly relates to the spartan phalanx, the use of a shield to defend not yourself, but the man next to you. You have little experience in your life, though I respect your opinion as a fellow patriot. My parents emigrated from Italy, right across the way from Greece, so I understand more of that region's culture than what you may think. You said that, and I quote, "to be equal with a Spartan begins from stopping screaming like a barbarian (OORAH!!!)". This is clearly incorrect, as many scholars will agree, if you research your own people, that the Spartans used scare tactics like loud screaming to intimidate their enemies and to inspire courage. I am proud of my actions in Iraq. Several hundred Iraqi's approached me in particular with tears in their eyes, thanking me for ridding them of the Saddam regime. They cry uncontrollably as they were allowed to vote for real, and this time, it counted. I built many schools and many homes. I defended families from vicious attacks by Iraqi's previously imprisoned as murderers. So do not pretend to understand my people. You understand only what you have been told, or what you see on one-sided biased news stations like CNN, BBC, MSNBC, Fox News, or other American and european news organizations.

Lcpl

You really dont want to be like Spartans. They were bunch of crazy jihadists of their time.

OORAH! LCPL. Well said my man. I cant stand people that are like that. great video too.

Originally Posted by phoenix80

Lcpl

You really dont want to be like Spartans. They were bunch of crazy jihadists of their time.

You are correct. I do not want to be a Spartan, as I outlined in my responses to this ignorant young man. I'm proud of being a grunt.

LcplSmith,

I am about as pro US as you will find, however this whole argy bargy falls into a category that I have difficulty dealing with.

You must understand that there are people in this world that do not take it kindly to be associated with American culture. This is especially so with persons who are very proud of their own culture and see little comparison with the US. I admire the US, however I would not like to see our Australian culture associated with your own, we do have our own separate and distinct way of life. Not all of your culture suits our country or lifestyle and I can sympathise with your Greek counterpart.

Your title is typical of what is perceived by others as typical American arrogance. Because a foreigner is patriotic does NOT make him ignorant.

It is not his patriotism that maks him ignorant. If you notice, I even told him that I admired his patriotic attitude. Its his comments to me, clearly ment to insult. Its the lies he spoke about killing and humiliating thousands of people, and its the way he called me a and my fellow Marines payed mercenaries and barbarians. That, my friend, is what makes him ignorant. I respect your opinion though, and I can see where you are coming from.

I think that you are wearing your heart on your sleeve. We are all ignorant to one degree or another, there will always be people with other points of view, and they are not all completely wrong, and they are entitled to their own points of view. We may not necessarily agree with them, but that's democracy. (another Greek export)

haha yes brother I agree! He is entitled to his opinion and, as you can see, I even mentioned that I valued his opinion. Im not perfect, nor is my country.