Talk:Mikis Theodorakis

Antisemitic statements
I agree that if it were just covered once in the news once and quickly forgotten, then you could argue it was WP:UNDUE to mention. However, the reality is that Theodorakis' comments have been discussed in several books and academic papers about antisemitism, even years or decades after the fact. The following is just what I found in a quick Google Scholar search. WP:BLP is not and has never been an excuse to whitewash negative information about the subject that has been extensively covered in reliable sources. When reverting it was claimed that the remarks were "taken out of context". That may be the opinion of some wikipedia editors, but not what WP:RS says. So I suggest the following content is restored: "In 2003, he stated, "Everything that happens today in the world has to do with the Zionists … American Jews are behind the world economic crisis that has hit Greece as well." He has described himself as "anti-Israel and anti-Semite," because "this small nation (Israel) is the root of evil"." (t &#183; c)  buidhe  06:59, 31 May 2021 (UTC)
 * Since neither of the two editors who reverted bothered to reply here, I have posted to WP:NPOVN. If that doesn't work, I'll have to start a RfC. (t &#183; c)  buidhe  05:24, 6 June 2021 (UTC)
 * It's not so simple. The remarks are clearly taken out of context, and Theodorakis has repeatedly deplored the Holocaust, and apologized for those comments, yet you do not see it fit to include that in the article. Only the cherry-picked comments that seem to conform to a particular POV. Khirurg (talk) 05:40, 6 June 2021 (UTC)
 * My position to include is based on the many reliable sources that have discussed the comments in question, most of which have labeled them as antisemitic. Your opinion or mine is simply not relevant, unless there are reliable sources that back it up. (t &#183; c)  buidhe  05:46, 6 June 2021 (UTC)
 * Sure thing. Starting with this, much more coming soon. Khirurg (talk) 05:52, 6 June 2021 (UTC)


 * I don't believe that general-interest sources are particularly good sources on antisemitism, which is why I cited academic publications. Furthermore, if considered reliable, it's an additional source covering the issue so can only bolster the case for inclusion. If Theodorakis later stated that he does not consider himself an anti-Semite, that could be added to the article: "In a later interview, Theodorakis stated that he does not consider himself an anti-Semite". (t &#183; c)  buidhe  06:00, 6 June 2021 (UTC)
 * The only criterion for inclusion is whether a source meets WP:RS. Whether you believe it is "general interest" and not "particularly good" is not relevant. Khirurg (talk) 17:22, 6 June 2021 (UTC)

*Relevant. Still being covered in 2020 coverage of him like this piece about him at age 95 that has a whole section of "accused of antisemitism".VikingDrummer (talk) 10:04, 6 June 2021 (UTC) sock puppet of banned user-  GizzyCatBella  🍁  14:03, 11 June 2021 (UTC)


 * Since neither of the two editors who reverted bothered to reply here... Nope, inaccurate statement. This is a diachronic dispute which has flared-up many times before, as I have written in my edit-summary. My very extensive comments from the archives are included here: Regarding Mikis Theodorakis' Anti-Zionism and Accusations of anti-semitism section. As I have written in the archives, Mikis Theodorakis's extensive work creating cantatas supporting the Jewish victims of the Holocaust with poetry distinctly supporting the Jewish hero of the Mauthausen cantata, and denouncing those who perpetrated and supported the Holocaust, speaks to the fact of Mikis's pro-Jewish historical stance. Therefore, adding the anti-semitic comments should be balanced by Khirurg's clarifications at a minimum. Dr.   K.  18:03, 6 June 2021 (UTC)

This revert is very odd. The DW source explicitly says "apology", and I've even included the inline quote. It is very strange that someone would think that this "failed verification". Khirurg (talk) 18:40, 6 June 2021 (UTC)
 * Fair enough. I mentioned the following on the NPOV noticeboard: One of the sentences at issue is "He has described himself as "anti-Israel and anti-Semite," because "this small nation (Israel) is the root of evil"". I don’t have access to the source but from information provided on the noticeboard, this seems to be a synthesis of a remark made at press conference in 2003 and something he said in a TV interview in 2011. Can anyone confirm this? Burrobert (talk) 22:17, 6 June 2021 (UTC)

::However the Droumpouki source,, has :. User:buidhe, I think dw.com is more precise with the dates than Droumpouki's article, even in Droumpouki it is evident that some of these comments have to do with 2008+ economic crisis, so not from 2003.VikingDrummer (talk) 07:08, 7 June 2021 (UTC) sock puppet of banned user-  GizzyCatBella  🍁  14:03, 11 June 2021 (UTC)
 * That is odd. These sources say he called himself an anti-Semite both in a TV interview in 2011 and at a news conference on 4 November 2003. Burrobert (talk) 09:17, 7 June 2021 (UTC)


 * There was nothing in 2003. The economic crisis didn't occur until 2010. This actually calls into question the factual accuracy of Droumpouki and the process of peer-review it went through. Btw, I find the category "Antisemitism in Greece" to be grossly undues. A single off-color comment during a long and grueling interview by and 85 year old man with the Mauthausen Trilogy in his track record, for which he later apologized, is not even close enough to lump him literally in the same category as Golden Dawn. Khirurg (talk) 03:16, 8 June 2021 (UTC)

Theodorakis may be different from Golden Dawn, however his inclinations are clear as daylight.VikingDrummer (talk) 05:17, 8 June 2021 (UTC) sock puppet of banned user-  GizzyCatBella  🍁  14:03, 11 June 2021 (UTC)

Any more thoughts on whether the statement "He has described himself as "anti-Israel and anti-Semite," because "this small nation (Israel) is the root of evil"" is a synthesis of a remark made at press conference in 2003 and something he said in a TV interview in 2011? Burrobert (talk) 13:31, 14 June 2021 (UTC)