I recently returned from five weeks in Greece. I had a similar trip last year at this time.
I wanted to write this column two weeks into my Greece trip. However, I was concerned. Perhaps afraid might be the more appropriate word. I feared that once published, I might be detained and interrogated. Or, interrogated and then detained. Either way, not a comfortable situation.
You may think I am a bit daffy at this point. You will not by the time you finish reading what I have to share with you..
Greece has suffered the most of the euro nations. There are 1.4 million unemployed. The unemployment rate is 27 per cent. Sixty five per cent of the 27 per cent unemployed are under 25. The Greek Stock Exchange has fallen 85 per cent since 2007.
Men cannot feed their families. Single mothers, their children. A new group of impoverished is visible on the streets. The Greek people themselves.
Demonstrations flourished last summer. Thousands would gather to protest in the front of Parliament in Athens. I was there when three occurred. I walked through them. No one bothered me. What I saw were people of all ages angry at Merkle and Germany. Every time Merkle's name was mentioned, male and female alike would spit on the ground.
There are no demonstrations this summer, except for a few union organized ones. Things have moved beyond demonstrations and protests.
Whereas last year, the people were openly angry with what they perceived as their German caused plight, this year there was almost a reverent silence. Like everyone was waiting for something to happen.
People are still hungry. Families still miss meals. Never the less, this quiet exists. Perhaps the quiet before the storm.
Hitler came to power as a result of Germany's economics at that time. The Allies had foisted unreasonable reparations upon Germany which made Hitler's ascent possible. The German people were broke because of the reparations that had to be paid. Similar to the Greek situation of today where the Greek people are economically depressed because of the euro/Germany problem.
There is a Nazi party in Greece today. It has been in existence in one form or another for more than twenty years. Some years actually dead. Existed merely on paper. The Nazi party was revitalized several years ago. It is called the Golden Dawn Party.
Initially, a nothing. Today, it is the third largest political party in Greece. Greece has a coalition government. No administration can survive without the 18 votes of the Golden Dawn Party. Ergo, its influence is significant.
It has been suggested that if a new national election were held today, the Golden Dawn Party would capture significantly more seats.
Now for the practicalities. As you read through the next few paragraphs, think of the similarities with what occurred in Nazi Germany beginning in the late 1920s.
There are blackshirts. Young good looking men. Black shirts and pants. Walk the busy streets Athens in large groups. Like 15-20 at a time. Ride mopeds two at a time, generally on two or more mopeds.
My Athens hotel was in the downtown area near Parliament. I am not ashamed to admit I felt intimidated each time I walked past such a group. Even when the mopeds drove past me. Sometimes they starred like they could see every part of my being.
There is a Youth Movement. The young wear only black shirts with the Party's insignia. No black pants.
The Golden Dawn Party has a flag. It has an insignia that appears to be a swastika. Not exactly. Close enough however so there is no question.
Hitler needed a scapegoat. Someone to blame for Germany's ills. He picked the Jews. The Golden Dawn Party, immigrants. Greece has had a massive influx of peoples from all over in recent years. Most escaping wars and/or tyranny. The claim is the immigrants took jobs that should have gone to Greeks and that the Greek government is broke because it cannot afford to support dependent immigrants.
Several years ago, Greece started a program of arresting and deporting immigrants. For no reason other than they were immigrants. In 2010, Parliament passed a law granting citizenship automatically to second generation persons. It was almost immediately repealed. A new law replaced it. The new law gave police the power to detain people for HIV testing and sex identity. Many immigrants had become part of the sex industry in order to survive economically. Once arrested, most are never released. They are kept jailed for months or forever. No judge, no nothing.
Hitler's Jews of yesterday are Greece's immigrants of today.
The Golden Dawn Party is not to be outdone, however. They are negative about Jews as well. They claim Jewish bankers internationally are partially to blame for Greece's economic woes.
The Greek police and Golden Dawn Party members have an informal affiliation. It has been reported that at least one half of the Athens police force are members of the Golden Dawn Party. The blackshirts carry weapons illegally. Nothing is done.
One of the reasons for the police support is that during the early demonstrations, no one came to the aid of the police. The mobs were incensed and the police many times could not contain them. The blackshirts came to help. They stood with the police.
During recent demonstrations, the police have supplied the black shirts with batons and radio communication equipment.
There are beatings. Openly on the streets of Athens. Of immigrants. The police stand by and do nothing. Store fronts of businesses owned by immigrants have large X's painted on their doors and windows. Plus signs saying..... Do Not Do Business Here. Again, the police do nothing.
The government does not interfere either.
It is claimed that at least half the judges are supportive of the Golden Dawn Party.
The Party continues to experience growing influence and power in Athens itself. It is spreading its tentacles to the suburbs. It wishes to capture the hearts and minds of the middle classes living in the suburbs.
The Golden Dawn Party's new member gathering techniques speak volumes. If you are hungry and can feed neither yourself or your family, the Party will give you food. Bags of food. If you are in trouble with the police/charged with a crime, the Party will resolve the problem to your satisfaction.
All that is required in either instance is allegiance to the Golden Dawn Party. In writing. Coupled with open participation in the Party's activities.
Frequent bags of free food are handed out at various intersections to those who are hungry. Immigrants of course are precluded from receiving this help. A person must first prove he or she is not an immigrant in order to qualify for the free food.
Party members are viewed as Robin Hoods. Not my description. The label given to them by the Greek people.
The Party has frequent rallies. The organization has a theme song. Auschwitz. The lyrics are anti-Semitic. One line goes.....F--k Anne Frank. Another.....Juden rous, Jews out.
Strangely, the Golden Dawn Party denies the Holocaust. An inconsistency.
American and Israeli flags are burned.
The party's hero is Adolph Hitler. He is viewed as a great social reformer and military genius. They believe in "Hitler for a 1,000 years!" They believe the Golden Dawn Party will succeed where Hitler failed.
They greet and otherwise recognize persons with the Nazi salute.
There are moneyed people who support the Golden Dawn Party. Their identities are unknown.
All of the preceding results from the poverty and despair brought on the Greek people by euro/German inspired austerity programs. Ironically, the Greek people blame the Germans for the euro and austerity problems. Yet they are leaning the way of Hitler's Germany in order to survive.
While all this is going on, the Greek people and government stand silently by. The people because they are eating or are afraid. The government because it wants to stay in power.
Why do I have to tell you what is happening in Greece? Where is the media? Isn't a growing Nazi party in Greece worthy of consideration? Why are we not being made aware? Why the silence?
History does repeat itself. It is happening again.
Scares the hell out of me!
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