Most Louisianans are familiar with our woeful placement on the best and worst lists of various kinds.  It is a depressing situation.  However, God’s Providence has intervened at times in other places when things looked spectacularly bleak.

Greece in the early 20^th century offers us an example of that very thing.  During many of those years, she was rife with economic problems, political divisions, and nearly continuous warfare.  But in 1936 a remarkable leader by the name of Ioannis (John) Metaxas took hold of the reins of government as Prime Minister.  What he was capable of doing in four short years with the chaos he inherited should fill every Louisianan’s heart with hope.  Here are some of his achievements that are most worthy of notice by our State:

-Strengthened agriculture:  ‘By 1938, the cultivable acres of Greece had increased to 25.841.400 from 12.452.980 that was since 1922.’

Farming is the South’s primordial economic/cultural enterprise.  A leader who could arrange a large-scale return to the land for Louisiana families like PM Metaxas would be a great blessing, especially when so many of our rural communities have been hollowed out by bad policies in recent years.

-Strengthened traditional Greek culture:  ‘ . . . establishing organizations, institutions and cultural centres, most notably Stegi Grammaton kai Technon, organized theatrical presentations for the first time in ancient theatres, founded the national organization for publishing school books.’

Imagine a governor of Louisiana setting up cultural centers in major cities to promote Louisiana/Southern heritage, as well as presses to print school books that present that history in a positive light, as opposed to the current deluge of woke slander.

-‘Cancelled the Greek national debt.’

This is very much in the mold of the Jubilee year debt cancellation in the Old Testament Law (Leviticus 25) and dovetails very nicely with the Holy Apostle Paul’s injunction to owe no debt but the debt of love (Romans 13:8).  It is also in keeping with Jefferson’s vision of a debt-free government rather than the permanent, financialized debt of Hamilton.  Whatever debts Louisianans have accumulated because of the unconstitutional excesses of Washington City should be repudiated by a strong Louisiana leader, and unfunded State liabilities must also finally be resolved.

-‘Established protection and restoration of every archaeological artefact and monument in the country. It is interesting to note that during wartime, Metaxas ordered the protection of as much archaeological artefacts and monuments as possible by hiding them underground.’

This doesn’t need much comment.  The destruction of memorials honoring the virtues of Southern leaders is a travesty on a number of levels.  A protector/restorer of these monuments is certainly needed.

-‘Responsible for the Metaxas Line, one of the largest fortification complexes at the time . . .’

Such a line isn’t quite as important as it once was, in our age of drones, missiles, etc., but for keeping out large numbers of illegal immigrants and their contraband, a series of barriers of some sort might prove necessary.

-‘Fought against communism, which had begun expressing anti-Hellenic ideologies.’

-‘Fought against crime and drugs. He deployed units which uncovered drug dealing companies and confiscated huge amounts of imported drug substances. In just 5 years robberies had dropped from 82 to 13 and assassinations had dropped from 360 to 67.’

The necessity to combat evil ideologies and crime of all sorts hardly needs comment either, yet the lack of competent leadership has left Louisiana vulnerable to and weakened by scourges like violent crime, drug overdoses, homosexual rights, transgenderism, communism, atheism, the occult, and such things.  There is unfortunately quite a battle to wage in Louisiana in this regard.

-‘He organized, educated and armed the Greek Army so well that in 1940 everybody in Europe was amazed from its triumphant victories in the mountains of Epirus to such an extent that the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill proclaimed “From now on, we will not say that Greeks fight like Heroes, but that Heroes fight like Greeks”.’

This is familiar enough to Louisianans.  Such a figure would be another manifestation of the martial spirit so prominent in Southern life heretofore.  In the fight against criminals and other wrongdoers, that spirit will be essential.

All that said, however, like anyone to the right of Mitch McConnell or Paul Ryan, PM Metaxas is often labeled a ‘fascist’ (which is ironic considering his opposition to the Italian fascists who invaded his country), but this should not make us turn a blind eye to what he was able to accomplish in Greece:

‘Harold Nicolson, a member of the British government said about Metaxas: “John Metaxas, who assumed in 1936 the governance of his divided country, managed in just a few years to imbue it with determination and to make it strong and capable to confront, with the nation united behind him, the greatest challenge that Greece had ever faced in its course. We the British bow in respect before the memory of this great man…”’

Thanks to the guidance of PM Metaxas, Greece survived many dangerous and harrowing trials; and not just survived.  She has come to lead the world in fields such as shipping and military technology and has also become an important energy producer.  Even her Christian Faith has touched people around the world through holy elders like Sts. Paisios of Mt Athos, Porphyrios of Athens, and Iakovos of Evia.

God had mercy on Greece, and now we ask Him to extend His mercy to us, to send us a wise and courageous leader who will help Louisiana put right what has gone very much awry lately; that we may also have a contemporary hero whom we may describe in words similar to these penned about John Metaxas:

‘As the greatest political and military figure in the history of modern Greece, he encompassed every ideal that ought to encompass a political leader, taking place in battles, organizing the country’s army and defences and reforming every single field of the country, always to the benefit of the peoples and country. His act of refusing to surrender the country to the enemy, Metaxas’ OXI, is alone an act that characterizes a Great Greek.’

And yet, possibly obstructing the path of that person to Louisiana’s governorship is another clownish election spectacle.  How sad and unnecessary.

Notes:

All quotes about PM Metaxas are from this article: https://greekcitytimes.com/2022/10/29/ioannis-metaxas-prime-greece-oxi-2/