Today,
I was going to post the article below. However, this morning, new events
unfolded and first of all, I would like to mention this morning’s news…
As
I sat there, sipping my morning frape, I watched the live news show on Antenna
channel. The usual morning line-up of politicians, analysts, discussion,
disagreements and then suddenly Golden Dawn MP, Ilias Kasidiaris, got up and physically
attacked two women on the panel. He threw a glass of water on Syriza MP Rena
Dourou, (who sat across from him) and then proceeded to hit/slap/punch the MP
of KKE (Communist Party) Liana Kanelli who was sitting near him. State
prosecuter Eleni Raikou has already issued a warrant for Kasidiaris’ arrest but
for now, he is on the run and has yet to be apprehended.
***
I
have not posted anything in over three weeks. The only reason why I hesitate is
because I find myself in an atmosphere of constant doom and gloom; negative
news swirls around us every day. Trying to stay positive is very difficult. I
don’t want to dwell on ‘the bad’ – but ‘the good’ seems ephemeral while ‘the
ugly’ abounds… so bear with me…
There
have been a few things on my mind these past few weeks; for some reason I
cannot get certain ‘news items’ out of my head…
…for
exmaple the recent spate of attacks on immigrants.
On
May 29, a 32-year old Pakistani man was attacked by a group of about 12 men
while he was riding the train. The group of men boarded the train at the Attiki
metro station and brutally beat the Pakistani man, dumping him on the platform
of the next stop, Agios Nikolaos station. He was taken to the hospital. Witnesses
reported that the attackers shouted anti-immigrant slogans.
On
the night of May 31, three attacks on immigrants occurred in the Neos Kosmos
area of Athens. The victims of the three separate attacks (an Albanian man and
two Polish men) were hospitalized with stab wounds. Witnesses reported that the
attackers wore helmets.
On
the night of June 1, on Pireos Avenue in the Tavros area of Athens, a group of
motorcyclists participating in a Golden Dawn rally attacked and injured a
31-year old Pakistani man. Police rushed to the scene but were unable to find
the assailants who had already fled. However, police intercepted another group
from the same rally, who attempted to attack a group of immigrants at the
intersection of Konstantinopoleos and Irea Odos. Police detained six people,
including the daughter of Golden Dawn’s leader (Nikos Michaloliakos) and two
Golden Dawn parliament members, Ilias Panagiotaros and Giannis Voulidis. All
were released without charges and Golden Dawn issued a statement denying any
involvement in the incidents of violence.
***
I’ve
read many articles about the sharp increase in suicides in Greece – nationwide,
the suicide rate has risen by 40% in the first half of 2011 compared to the
same period in 2010. Experts have been studying the effects of austerity
measures in Europe, in terms of mental health. They report that austerity
measures can turn a crisis into an epidemic and this crisis may leave behind a
legacy of mental illness in younger generations who are faced with years of
living in hopelessness. Job loss can
lead to severe depression – and untreated mental illness can intensify into
problems that are difficult to reverse.
Recently
there have been many reports about suicides which took place all over Greece
during the past few weeks. However, I can’t stop thinking about these two cases
in particular…
On
May 30, a 61-year old man hung himself in a park in the Piraeus suburb of
Nikaia. His suicide note said that although he worked hard all his life he
found himself in so much debt that he could no longer survive. His note also
said “I hope my grandchildren are not born in Greece, seeing as there will be
no Greeks here from now on. Let them at least know another language, because
Greek will be wiped off the map unless of course there was a politician with Thatcher’s
balls so as to put us and our state in order.”
On
May 24, in the central Athenian neighborhood of Metaxourgeio, a 60-year old man
and his 90-year old mother stood on the roof of their apartment building,
joined hands, and jumped. The man, Antonis Perris, was a musician. His mother
suffered from Alzheimer’s.
He
left one last post on a website dedicated to music and lyrics. In this last
post, he explains that he had been caring for his elderly mother for the past
20 years but in recent years her condition had worsened and she suffered bouts
of schizophrenic episodes. He also wrote that nursing homes would not accept
her because they do not accept patients who suffer from such ‘overburdened
conditions’. He also explained that he
had not foreseen the economic crisis and when it hit, he did not have enough
cash in his bank account. Although he owned plenty of property, of which he
kept selling off at any price just to survive, he found himself without enough money
to live on – he did not have enough money to eat, care for his mother, pay his
bills… and he noted that he was recently informed that he also had a “serious
health problem” but he did not go into further details about it. He ended his
post with the lyrics to a song he wrote himself. These are his last words:
Don’t leave any of them standing
If
you want to fix this world, first you must change its foundation,
before,
due to our own inaction, the decline obliterates us…
We
are governed by thieves, bankers and crooks
and
all of their minions.
So
without mercy, then, without pity,
Strike
them down before you are destroyed
Because
otherwise you will live in misery, without justice
So
without mercy, then, without pity,
Don’t
leave any of them standing.
The
commandment states you shall not commit murder,
but
by necessity you kill yourself
Strike
them down before they destroy you,
Idleness
is a crime
of
our moral inaction and of our indolence…
let
us no longer be sick and weak.
In
the meantime… politicians continue their debate on whether or not they should
have a televised election debate; experts examine the possible effects of a
possible Grexit; bankers discuss the prospect of some kind of EU rescue plan… but
I just wanted to mention what’s been on my mind these past few weeks…
Comments
Hopefully the Greeks will not vote for them this time.
In his latest video he saying that the 1967 - 1974 dictatorship was a good thing for Greece, and they should have it back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxxDsXS0zJ0
But I agree with you, while I sit on balcony drinking my morning frappe I can think of nothing good happening around me...
In this condition, austerity is not the answer, I realise but country is told by other countries that's what is necessary...
Typical condition of a person or entity that lives beyond its means.
What is the solution ? I realize there is no magic bullet.
The volunteers & good social support organizations and other charity can I think make a difference, in spite of what Govt. is doing, if they pull themselves together to :
(1) Provide food to the needy
(2) Health, Medical care to the needy
(3) Safety and security to the hard-working immigrants. Spread the truth that immigrants are the real boon and not bane. They escaped even worse situation than what you have there to live there.... so make best of their experience and hardwork.
(4) Elect people who will not encourage and indulge in violence, ethnic cleansing etc. - whatever is their economic political ideology, that's secondary.
Currency change is the last thing you want in such an environment. Drive this point to the leaders. You can walk out of a currency when you are strong. When you are weak, it is elixir of life. Do not use it as an issue to make a hanging rope...
It seems small in light of such enormous negativity, but for what it's worth my heart, my thoughts and my prayers are with you and those sharing in the difficulties there.
I heard once a long time ago, that there is no darkness so black that a single candle flame cannot chase it away. There are times I've doubted that myself but none-the-less I have always held onto that belief.
So, from one heart to another a candle burns here for you and yours that you might find light in the darkness. Be strong, keep hope and know that others truly do care about you and what's happening there.