-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: webmas...@ahepa.org To: tsarni...@aol.com Sent: 03/31/2010 11:48:52 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time Subj: AHEPA Condemns Vandalism of Oakland's Greek Orthodox Cathedral
Having trouble viewing this email? Click here Dear Brothers, Sisters, and friends of the AHEPA Family: For Immediate Release Wednesday, March 31, 2010 Contact: AHEPA Headquarters Phone: (202) 232-6300 Email: pr...@ahepa.org News Release AHEPA Condemns Vandalism of Oakland's Greek Orthodox Cathedral WASHINGTON - Nicholas A. Karacostas, supreme president of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA), a leading association for the nation's three million American citizens of Greek heritage, and countless Philhellenes, issued the following statement regarding the racist graffiti found spray-painted on the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Ascension in Oakland, Calif. on Palm Sunday, March 28, 2010: "We strongly condemn the vandalism of Oakland's Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Ascension that included the spray-painting of racist symbols, including a Swastika. This is simply unacceptable and an outrage. "We commend the strength of the congregation to go forward with Holy Week services and to come together to remove the racist graffiti from the church's walls. "We welcome the Oakland Police Department's official ruling that the graffiti attack is a hate crime, which means a more thorough investigation of the incident will be conducted. We call for Oakland's public officials to condemn this act of racism and vandalism. We also call for the swift apprehension of the perpetrators of this incomprehensible act." Parishioners of the cathedral arrived for Palm Sunday services to find a giant Swastika, profanity, and other racial epithets spray-painted on the churches outside walls, according to an Associated Press report. ### ------------------------------------------------------------------------ AHEPA is the largest Greek-American association in the world with chapters in the United States, Canada, Greece, Cyprus, and sister chapters in Australia and New Zealand. It was established in 1922 by visionary Greek Americans to protect Hellenes from prejudice originating from the KKK, and in its history, AHEPA joined with the NAACP and B'nai B'rith International to fight discrimination. The mission of the AHEPA family is to promote the ancient Greek ideals of education, philanthropy, civic responsibility and family and individual excellence through community service and volunteerism. For more information about the AHEPA family, or how to join, please contact AHEPA Headquarters, (202) 232-6300, or visit www.ahepa.org. This is an electronic news service of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association. For more information visit the AHEPA Online Headquarters at www.ahepa.org. 1909 Q Street, NW Washington, DC 20009 Tel: 202-232-6300 Fax: 202-232-2140 Email: ah...@ahepa.org Forward email This email was sent to tsarni...@aol.com by webmas...@ahepa.org. Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribeâ„¢ | Privacy Policy. Email Marketing by AHEPA | 1909 Q Street, NW Suite 500 | Washington | DC | 20009 _______________________________________________ News mailing list News@antic.org http://lists.antic.org/mailman/listinfo/news