Audio source missing
Palikari Project: Epilogue
By John Kass | August 18, 2024
We’ve finished the Palikari Project as a labor or love for the man who taught me everything:
My father.
Yea, he had a thick Greek accent, and sometimes invented new words that would make us laugh, words like “feet-fingers” for “toes” and “villiganeers” for “villagers.” But remove the accent and his story is a profoundly American story. It is essentially American.
If you click on the links above–either in the photo or in red letters in the text–you can hear in his own words how much he loved the United States of America. He taught us how to work hard without complaint, to get to work early, to stay until work was done.
And to always have love and respect for the kindness and optimism of the American people.
Yet now the hard left threatens that tens of thousands of angry protesters will hit Chicago for the Monday opening of the Democrat National Convention. And downtown Chicago businesses that still haven’t recovered from the city’s Black Lives Matter riots are busily boarding up their storefronts, I wonder what he’d think of it.
Americans forget everything as soon as it has been learned, and inconvenient truths are routinely stuffed by today’s media into the collective memory hole. Although the failed Marxist Mayor of Chicago and teacher’s union puppet insists on baiting people and relitigating the American Civil War, my father had personally witnessed civil war and the sorrow it left behind once the blood had dried.
He watched as the hard left tore nations apart. He didn’t forget a thing. And he would look at the left of today and see the truth of it.
In the butcher shop, he taught us how to cut steaks and to appreciate good American beef. He taught us how to serve customers, by treating them as people of great value. And they were of great value, because they helped feed us and helped us pay our bills, the same way that subscribers of johnkassnews.com are helping me pay the bills. Customers are everything. Without them, there is no business. I’m reminded of my friend James Banakis, who said “Write about the lesson your father taught you.”
And I did.
So I asked readers and listeners to share the Palikari Project with friends and family, and some did and some didn’t. Some weren’t interested. Perhaps they wanted something else, but others enjoyed it. The thing to remember is that the Palikari Project isn’t elevator muzak. It’s not a breezy listen. It challenges you.
Part of my daily routine is spending a couple of hours reading the great website Real Clear Politics and also listening to a variety of podcasts. One of my favorites is the historian Victor Davis Hanson, the classist and military historian. I don’t presume to be on his level, but for many years we shared the same newspaper syndicate at the Chicago Tribune. In one recent podcast, I heard him talking of how he lived in Greece and how he loved talking to villagers about World War II and their views of the world. VDH is a man with his feet on the ground, where real history happens. Perhaps he would like to listen to the Palikari Project, as so many of the themes VDH addresses in his columns are woven into my father’s story too.
The thing is I just can’t help but feel that if my dad was a hard leftist, a communist, or some mountain socialist, an Obama leftist Democrat. that journalists from other media, would be calling my friend, WGN producer Jeff Carlin to tell my father’s story. Jeff did a brilliant job producing the four episodes. But he hasn’t heard from NPR or others bringing their cliche of the pan flutes. Their silence is emphatic. But my father was not a communist from Central America. He was not a Venezuelan socialist. He was a Greek who fought against and hated communism.
So there is silence, especially in deep blue Chicago. And I don’t need to be told that the mountain music of my father is not the pan flute cliche of National Public Radio. Instead it is the piercing clarinet of the Peloponnesus, people dancing in a circle, their backs straight, eyes fierce, like the eyes of eagles in their songs.
It is a personal story, yes, but I know a little bit about stories. It has everything a storyteller would want. A boy who dreamt of America in a small village an ocean away. It would make a fine movie or a good book. I don’t know if I could write it.
But I just want my father’s story out there, because he loved America, and didn’t raise us to be hyphenated Americans. He taught us to be wary of the type of dangerous identity politics that spilled so much blood in the Balkans, the Middle East and elsewhere. In his heart, because he had been in war and had witnessed the spilling of the blood of so many patriots, you were either of one nation or another. You were either an American or you were something else. I know some Greeks love dual citizenship. But I don’t. My father did not. The responsibilities and obligations of American citizenship are that important to me. You give an oath to one nation and the people of that nation.
When I was a child and later, the American popular culture carried an attack on American men and American fathers. The left’s campaign against “toxic” masculinity was searing and shrill. TV commercials and episodic programs reinforced this theme daily. Hollywood carried it forward, and it was all about constant political attacks. Fathers were portrayed as stupid and bumbling and idiotic. They were weak and objects of derision. They were indecisive, or cowardly. And predatory.
But my father was none of these things.
He was a man.
(Copyright John Kass 2024)
-30-
About The Palikari Project: Thirty-five years ago in Oak Lawn, John Kass & his brother Nicholas set a card table with coffee, cigarettes, & a tape recorder, hoping to capture their family’s story from a primary source, their father, Spyros John Kass. The tapes were part of an art project John’s wife Betty put together, a ballet. But the tapes were thought lost and the voice of the Kass patriarch with them after his death in 1992.
Comments 30
How many of the younger generations of today can say of their fathers “He was a man’? How of today’s fathers value both discipline and self-discipline? Not a lot. Responsibility for the society of today isn’t much of a legacy. But too few care about the future or a legacy. It is all about me and what is in it for me today. I am a grandson of Croation immigrants. I, like John Kass, can only wonder what my father and grandfathers would say about today’s society. Those running the country today couldn’t live with my grandfathers’ and father’s values. Great column, John.
Thank you John Lisicich
The men who formed were fighters, for liberty, for the rights of working people, for their families and for their God and His Truth.
They were never easy with sham, nor would allow their children to follow dangerous ideas.
The corrupt media hates men and women who will not bend. John, keep writing with that fury. You are being heard and, most importantly, you are understood.
I’ll keep writing. Thanks Mr. Hickey
“It would make a fine movie or a good book. I don’t know if I could write it.”
You don’t know if you could write it? You were put on this earth to write. Your father and Jeff even broke it down into chapters. The epilogue has the beginning and final chapter. The material is 90 percent better than anything Nicholas Gage or Elia Kazan had to work with. You need to do this. It’s too good to leave on the tapes. Most people won’t listen because they have the attention span of an Instagram post.
James, thank you, Right now, considering it, it is like a mountain before me, unscalable. But I’ll think about it.
John, I listened to the whole podcast. The thing that caught my attention is when he was talking about Athens, and how those who lived in Athens never ventured out of it to see other parts of the country because to them, they were the insiders and the other side were the outsiders. Kind of how how Washington DC is today. They have no clue what is going on in this country and not do they care. And you can see the results of their attitudes every freaking day!!
God bless your father, and my father, who died 40 years ago this August when I was 24 years old. As a 22 year US Army Veteran, having fought the Communist is Korea and Vietnam, I am sure he is spinning in his grave with how things are going in the country and being lead by the far left.
Derqld: Thank you sir.
Often immigration can be a great thing for America. This is especially true when someone comes from a country that was under communist rule, and discovers freedom.
John: thank you for capturing and sharing this family history. Without writers like you, important stories like this would be lost forever.
John, your dad lives in these memories. Thanks for sharing them, I wish I’d met him. Oh,
but I forgot–I’ve met you!
The Palikari Project is a great adventure, and getting to know your father is a privilege. There’s some passage-of-time sorrow in the 2024 rarity of coming across people with your father’s strengths and values, but more happiness in those strengths and values being available through wise writing and recording.
Thank you Mr. Kass!
I look at my immigrant grandparents, immigrant parents, immigrant wife and immigrant friends and see basically the same theme. They came here because this is a great country. My family works because there is no substitute to getting ahead. Nothing in life is handed to you. We are perplexed why the Jacobin left hate this country. My family sees the likes of Ayers, Harris and Soros for what they are. Sick puppies; all we have to do is look around since 1918 and see the failure of communism yet these educated idiots (I think Khrushchev called the borzoi) keep entertaining the Marxist ideals. The Palikari Project is wonderful! Keep writing.
John, thank you for the Palikari Project. I have not listened to all of the tapes yet all the way through but it is such a great contribution to humanity. Society needs to put the importance of fathers back up on a pedestal where it was for all eternity – until it wasn’t. You have done that through your beloved father’s words. Incredible! Sometimes I ponder on where we’re at in this culture and wonder if there is enough good men like your father and you to carry forward life as we know it. It’s frightening that I have to even wonder about that. Keep writing, Yani! You are the absolute best! Thank you.
I’m a first generation American, same as you, so I understand the immigrant experience. My father came here with nothing, and what he earned he gave to my grandparents. He founded one of the largest flooring and tile businesses in the country, one that has always been synonymous with Chicago, and he did it w/o ever learning to read and write English, he did it by busting his a**, and that is his legacy. We don’t and have never discussed politics, he looks for the good in all people, regardless of what they believe. I look forward to reading about your Dad, but I’ll skip by the sections where you weave in your own MAGA agenda as some kind of narrative thread. If your Dad was like mine, I’ll bet he could care less about politics.
Senor Grande, you are certifiably a Grade A asshole!
Yikes. I thought me comment was fairly magnanimous (ask Mom to look it up for you..) My point was our fathers were too focused on providing for family to care about goofy politicians, who they inherently distrusted. Not sure what triggered you to go all keyboard warrior on me. Say, you know why you are still single?? I do..
First rule of social media – never trust a coward who hides behind an anonymous account! To quote Elon Musk, “Go fuck tourself.”
Tony Cesare, pleased to meet you Jimmy. Still single, right?? Ya..
Right, James, but a special sub-grade beloved of MSNBC and “The View”: the Caring-And-Sharing-And-Healing-And-Feeling Assholes.
Why did you use a picture of a 70 something old woman as your profile picture?? Weird.
I will disagree with you regarding politics. Many immigrants came to this country hating politicians because the politicians are one of the reasons they came to America. My father disliked politicians as well – his favorite term for most of was “communist”. Apparently, judging from today’s Democratic Party, he was ahead of his time.
Fair point, my ancestors came here not so much to escape politicians, they came to pursue opportunity. They brought a healthy distrust of politics with them.
John, I thoroughly enjoyed the Palikari Project. I too could not get through without getting choked up and sobbing. I moved to North Carolina & thought that was a stretch. Different culture, yet still the United States. I cannot fathom what those who came here from other lands felt. I miss Chicago. It is where I was born & raised and had a life full of great experiences. The people in North Carolina are great, but it isn’t home. My wife & I are talking about moving closer. We have been looking in your area in Indiana. If I have to travel an hour or two to get the foodstuffs & go through the winter months, so be it. Better than a 10-12 hour drive. Thanks again to you, Nick, Betty & Jeff for sharing this wonderful story.
Great stuff John. ABSOLUTELY. When the ###holes show up in Chicago tomorrow to burn the city down do you think the media will report it truthfully? Call it for what it is? A DEMOCRAT RIOT. DEMOCRAT RIOTERS? Will the media report this truthfully? BTW…it seems that renowned ####head Riga Tony is back under another fictitious name. You should make this forum open only to paid subscribers. I’m sure his mom won’t give him the money to pay for a subscription….
Mr. JK.
thank you for sharing your dads profound life with us. The dedication and love of all the immigrant families like yours is what make s our country great.
Its a real miracle he survived the war and occupation and then the civil war.
God was with us.
Your Pop is what this great country is all about. Makes us all realize we have more in common than we believe.
Thanks You JK, Mrs. K, Nick K and Mr. Garlin..
Mr. Kass, in my opinion you are comfortably the peer of Victor “The Stanford” Hansen. I love the guy, he is awesome and generous with his knowledge. A great Farmer!. I promised Leo Manta that I would quite down and pray for our country, so no more posts.
But look at what is happening, some rogue Manhattan judge believes he can single handedly disenfranchise 80 million plus Americans. The chameleon Kamala Harris said “I can do whatever I want in California, and by extension the United States”. Kick out the Coasts!
Γιάννη,
Both my parents grew up on the island of Ικαρία, and were fortunate to have left on the last ship to America in 1939, as WWII started. Their siblings left behind, lived thru the Nazi occupation, until the end of the war. We went back in 1951, and heard their stories as they related the horrors the occupiers inflicted on them. We, the children of these immigrants, know exactly how fortunate our lot in life was cast by our ancestors that came here. Loved hearing your Dad’s stories. Sounded like my uncle who lived it as well. There was never a day that ended that my parents didn’t thank God, and prayed to Him to bless America. We are the lucky ones. Thanks for sharing this invaluable part of your heritage.
Hello John, it’s been a long time. Glad to know you are doing well and doing what you love. Just finished listening to the Palikari Project and wanted to congratulate everyone that worked on this with you. Very powerful and pertinent given what’s currently going on in our world today. Listening to all four episodes, my emotions and thoughts went everywhere.
If I may, I would like to share a much lighter memory of your father. I vividly remember the Sunday nights when you, Pete, Nick and about nine other neighborhood friends would gather at the Kass house to watch Monty Python on TV. We would all be sprawled out on the couch, chairs and the floor, but everyone knew not to sit in Spyros’s recliner. Your father, Mr. Kass to us, would show up just before the 10:00PM start of the show after a long day at work. He was always in a pleasant mood, greeted all of us, sat down in his chair, and lit a cigarette. No one talked during the show. We would just all belly laugh through the whole thing like a bunch of goofy kids that we were. Spyro would have a good laugh along with us. I believe he really enjoyed those evenings laughing with his sons and their silly friends. It was a good light hearted way for him to end a long work week. He was always very gracious to us. Glad to have been a small part of his life. Take care and keep up the good work.
John – I want to thank you for sharing your Dad’s story, which brought tears to my eyes. It welled up in me memories of my mother and grandmother stories during the war in Greece. They both endured terrible conditions, but decided to help the war effort by working for the resistance and the British S.O.E. a forerunner of MI6. They both spied on the German HQ located in Grand Bretagne Hotel for two years! The full story of their exploits would make for a remarkable novel. Again thank you and stay well.