By Michalis N. Katsigeras

The history textbook for the sixth class of primary school has thrown historians and teachers, as well as laypersons and other defenders of science, truth and nationalism – as each of us interprets these terms – into the fray, all sparring in groups, in newspapers and magazines or on the television screen, swapping arguments that are relevant, or irrelevant as the case may be, to the substance of a dispute that is so appropriate to our time.

So far, none of the sparring sides has put forward a warrior who, with passion and knowledge, can back up praise or condemnation of the unfortunate tome. A lampoonist who is sharp and witty, but not libelous.

Of course, there is no lack of the knowledgeable, talented or politely malicious. However, not even two duelists have yet appeared that would be worthy of the name. We are in need of two duelists who could make use of their talents in a noisy debate that has so far exhausted itself in the manner of a weak swimmer struggling in a muddy swamp.

We need two lampoonists who could transcend the uninspired apologetic stance taken by those trapped in the internationalism of the new empire of leftist educators. We need two or more judicious warriors who can cast aside both learned and non-learned super-patriots.

What is missing, or at least have not yet been heard, are voices with a knowledge of history, pedagogy and politics (yes, politics) that can throw into the wastebasket of history what needs to be discarded.

What is missing, or at least have not yet appeared, are brave and knowledgeable lampoonists who, even if they do not solve the dispute by annihilating the other side, at least will enrich modern Greek letters with pages of brilliant satire that are rarely found in the televised market of ideas.