My country is in a very difficult position. A bunch of people (and certainly not all Greeks, as some might think) drove the county where it is now. We are forced to lower the quality of our lives even more than before. We don't like that and we manifest our anger in the streets.
A person (or more) is responsible for the death of 4 (a woman was pregnant) people. Death is death. Murder (by accident or not) is murder. But I really hope people don't believe that a nation shouldn't protest when it is forced to pay for others' sins.
The point is that once again, the crimes of politicians, business-men etc cause suffering to people whose faults have by no means created the problems my country has now to deal with.
Whatever the media want to achieve, I hope people all over the world form their opinions using their own brain.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I was just thinking about you this morning when I read about the protests!
ReplyDeleteI don't know enough about it to form an opinion, I just feel overwhelming sympathy for everyone involved.
That's not totally all of it. While I agree with being able to demonstrate and have your voice heard through rallies, etc. It is my idea they should be peaceful, non-destructive.
ReplyDeleteProtest, yes. But destroying your own city doesn't acheive anything in a crisis.
I don't know if that's what you meant at all, but I was just thinking if we're going to have a conversation about it, we should converse.
A nation should protest, should encourage action, should rally and speak and garner world attention to find solutions... without destruction, looting, murder or vandalism.
While I don't like destruction myself, I think (as long as we're not talking about living creatures) it at least helps in sending a stronger message. The damage these people have caused is much greater than some burnt cars or banks.
ReplyDeleteDon't take this the wrong way but one of the things I hate is when journalists and politicians give so much emphasis on condemning violence as if killing is not obviously wrong in the minds of most people. Violence towards objects is a grey area for me but that's the limit.
Today's (yesterday's, whatever) events have been presented in a way that gives the impression that the protest caused the death of 4 people. I am not sure how many people were on the streets but I think they were about 150,000. Most of them did nothing but protest peacefully (I hope I understand the syntax correctly and it didn't come out as the opposite of what I meant). When we have 150,000 people, it is not unlikely that some of them might exhibit criminal behavor (assuming they did not serve some specific cause). When the media put emphasis on the death of those people, some might think that the Greeks are just crazy, violent creatures.
Your syntax is perfect. I wasn't talking living creatures, either. Stictly things like buildings, etc. I understand your meaning with the journalists. In no way do I look at Greeks as crazed or violent people. The actions of few do not, in my mind, reflect on the country as a whole. I am sorry the media is taking these events and making it worse. (That is sort of the nature of the beast..the media)
ReplyDeleteFor instance, where I'm coming from- The Civil Rights Movement in the South in America in the 1960s. Much more good came out of sit-ins and peaceful protests .. like Rosa Parks than came from burning churches and buildings. What good does it do to the people to burn that which is theirs to begin with?? If I'm angry and I burn my house, my bank, my church, my school to show it- I'm worse off at the end of the day than I started. Now I'm short a building which will cost money to rebuild.
That was just my point. Someone's car...it's theirs. It may be all they own in the world and to destroy it to show you're angry at a government doesn't encourage anything positive.
I agree the media pointing out killing is wrong makes it seem like people don't already know that. And that's unfair. Violence towards objects (not talking flags or anything) is absurd to me. All anyone is hurting is themselves.
150,000 is a large number and the "mob mentality" is a dangerous thing. Take heart in knowing anyone I've spoken with only thinks of Greeks in high esteem and only want to help your country get back on its feet financially. We're all in this together and a solution will be found.
A big thanks for your comment.
ReplyDeleteAnd I would love it if completely peaceful protests produced results but in our case, nothing came out of them when they happened. What I'm saying is that even though I wouldn't do any damage, I understand why someone would and I think that as bad as it may be, at least it would make the protest more memorable. I know theoretically it's wrong.
But I do believe peaceful protesting is the ideal form.
Indeed. Which is my problem... I'm an idealist. Though I comprehend and identify with realism.
ReplyDeleteIt does make it more memorable...things like that get stuck in the memory more. It's an interesting psychological subject.
I can only hope that the UK doesn't end up in a Hung Parliament tonight. Our (the US) own system wobbled in a huge way (DOW dropped 1,000 points to revocer at 300 point down) in response to both Greece and the UK national election. Everyone is very twitchy and nervous. I'm sorry the state of things is so precarious. We can only work hard to recover and to make sure it doesn't happen again. When we (you, me and everyone in our age group) take the reigns and strt to run things, we'll have to make sure to makes ideals a reality.