me-right Chrysi Avgi (Golden Dawn), party officials, MPs and volunteers started to distribute food packages free of charge on Wednesday morning at Syntagma Square in downtown Athens. To the needy Greeks of Athens.
Already at 9 o’ clock boxes containing potatoes, pasta, milk and oil were piled in an utmost discipline way, one would not see even in camps of the Greek army.
GD said it would give priority to jobless, poor and parents of many children. Provided they were Greeks and they could prove it.
In small groups, the some 400 beneficiaries gathered to receive the aid, approached the registration desk and showed their identity card. They left happily with the food packages.
GD-officials said the food items were bought from Greek producers with the money the MPs receive as compensation from the Parliament. A total of 5 tones of pasta, 5 tones of potatoes, 2 tones of milk and 2 tones of oil were bought, according to news portal News It.
It is not the first time GD triggers controversy by trying to separate Greeks from non-Greeks in a way reminding the Apartheid or former laws in the USA.
A month ago, GD had campaigned for blood donations in order to establish an “All-Greeks Blood-Bank” to be given only to Greeks in need of blood.
However their campaigned fell into water, as state hospital doctors rejected the idea and stressed that “blood donations would be available to any patient in need regardless of race, color, and party.”
GD & Athens Municipality
Meanwhile, a dispute broke between GD and Athens Municipality that did not give permission to the party to use Syntagma Square. Athens Municipality sent GD a letter saying they were not allowed to proceed with their charity plans and advised them to another square of the city centre. Chrysi Avgi just ignored the municipality letter and started the free distributions of food.
Athens Municipality had decided to scrap Syntagma Square, opposite the Greek Parliament, from charity events after the first Greek producers started to distribute vegetables free of charge during last winter.
Well, I suppose no one can be told who they can donate to. But, this certainly just shows what scum they appear to be if a foreign mother with hungry children showed up and they refused them. It would just galvanize how heartless this group is.
This publicity stunt will unfortunately work it the question is why haven’t other groups done this? Both the left and the greens should be doing more and doing it for ALL those in need. I know groups like Boroume do good work but has any other political group donated any of their salaries? Furthermore it should be illegal to discriminate against non Greeks like this. Maybe discrimination could be based on immigration status rather than need, but this pure blood stuff has to stop. It should be outlawed.
@JudyJagmohan: spot on. I’ve said this before, THE biggest mistake SYRIZA made was leaving the streets to the fascists, and it gave GD a totally undesereved presence in the Greek Parliament while costing SYRIZA the few % points needed to form a majority government. Bad, Bad mistake, but one that leftist parties all over seem to make. It’s all good and well to give lenghty speeches on what should be done, doing it never quite seems to happen. And now they have a serious uphill battle to fight because they gave GD the foothold they otherwise never would have gotten..
I believe that Syriza is more focused on putting the country on the rails again that doing charity. is that really the role of a political party to do charity, or is it populism ?
that’s a real question, not a judgement, i don’t have the answer ….
The ONLY way you can put a country on the rails is by making sure you have the people behind you. And you do that by supporting them when they need you most. That support is not given by talking to Francois Hollande, but by standing on the street and helping those incapable of helping themselves first. Hollande can wait (he doesn’t like being tolds so, but…). GD correctly saw that, and they now have the foundation they needed, and what’s worse, the foundation they were handed is also a fertile breading ground for recruitement and the spreading of their facist lies. They didn’t get it on merrit, they got it through neglect by their opponents. And it’s going to be a tough battle taking it back.
@ JudyJagmohan
You wrote, ” Furthermore it should be illegal to discriminate against non Greeks like this. Maybe discrimination could be based on immigration status rather than need, but this pure blood stuff has to stop. It should be outlawed “.
In the birthplace of democracy the voices from all sides of the political spectrum should be heard.
“Birthplace of democracy”: Are you kidding?
“Democracy” for 1000 bosses and slavery for the rest.
Discrimination without proper legal justification is a crime and so is inciting racial hatred.
Lots of supermarkets were pillaged in the last years and the food was distributed free at the next street market. Also the steel workers strike was supported in that way all over Greece.
???
I don’t understand. Syriza isn’t the police or military but a political party. How are they supposed to keep the streets free of fascists?
Why do people always think in terms of police or military in situations like this?
Syriza have plenty of supporters, activists and sponsors, just like GD, in fact, a load more. Why can’t they do exactly the same as GD did, or for that matter, the Farmers Coop from Crete?
Get those activists out on the streets and do practical things like food distribution, blankets in winter, helping little old ladies across the road, supply schools with copies and pencils for the kids, etc. That’s what builds grassroots. You can sit in a coffeeshop all day discussion the merrits of whatever philosophy you want, you are actually in the vast majority of the cases preaching to the converted.
I guarantee you that at least 50% of the GD vote came from people who received practical help from their activists.
Call it Practical Politics if you like, putting your money where your mouth is, interacting with people, talking and God forbid even LISTENING to what people have to say.
Sadly, the very wrong people seem to be the only ones to cop that this is the fastest way to get the votes they need. The very same thing happens everywhere. Unfortunately, their particular brand of People Politics is constructed on giving false, but easily accepted reasons why the situation is the way it is (scapegoat tactics), while the practical help is only bribery to con people out of their support for all the wrong objectives. People are only too ready to accept the false reasons becasue they give them a very clear reason followed by and equally clear, and false, solution. They don’t have to think about it! And that is what GD bank on. Proper People Politics is followed up with education, not indoctrination. Most people don’t see the difference, but they will never forget the food parcel they received, or who they got it from…
What’s wrong with Greeks donating to Greeks? Why should they donate to those who don’t support the Greek culture and in fact are there to tear down and destroy that culture? Someone has to keep the Greek culture alive, and it’s very clear that the corrupt politicians who feast at the trough of political correctness as dictated by the EU are not going to do it. Interesting that all of you who have cast aspersions on Golden Dawn are NOT GREEK. Maybe you should mind your own business?? Or perhaps your business is the elimination of Greeks and Greek culture ASAP by any means possible????
lol
The usual waffle from somebody who got his/her head so far up their **** they can’t smell their own shit.
1) the kind of “support” for culture you are advocating is not support, it is alienation of that culture from any and every influence it might receive from outside it’s own epicentre. Culture is a living, evolving thing, and those influences are the very life blood of culture. Culture, including Greek culture, evolves today ever more, and will keep on doing so, despite bigotts trying to stop it. What you try to portray as “support” is in fact nothing short of a death sentence for the culture you pretend to defend.
2) Preserving culture is not done by excluding individuals or groups of individuals. It is done by embracing and absorbing them. Not by starving them because they don’t happen the right kind of club-card. One of the greatest exponents of Greek culture, Pythagoras, received his education in Egypt, absorbed their knowledge, made it his own and shared it with the rest of the world. As did Hippycratos, Socrates and all they others who did indeed, unlike you, know what Greek culture is all about Culture is all about, inclusion, not exclusion. The contribution of the greats of Greek Culture is remembered because of their attitude of inclusion and sharing, not because of their self declared superiority.
3) As for people’s nationality, you can’t say what you say because you simply don’t know. At best, you can guess. But again, the fear of “losing your perceived superiority derived from a false and very damaging interpretation of Greek culture” is what drives you to make illogical statements like this. It is people of your mind set who destroy the culture you claim to protect through narrow mindedness, empty rethoric and dangerous twisting of reality to suit your illogical agenda.
4) Politicians are the last ones who will keep a culture alive, be they Greek or others. Culture belongs to the people, all of them It is not defined by geographical borders, it is not limited to race or colour, it is universal, evolving and forever changing. Local expressions of culture are, amongst other things, defined by geographicl region, religion, social fabric etc. But Local expressions of culture cannot survive, cannot exist without the universal culture.
5) The perception that an culture is expressed through waving national flags, wearing nationalistic symbols, standing to attention and claiming that one group of individuals is superior or has more rights than others is a false and dangerous perception. It is the great lie of nationalism, and serves those who are interested in power, not culture. Power is oppressive, culture is expressive, and they are mutually incompatible.
6) What drives you and the likes of GD is a percieved superiority born out of an unbridled fear of nothing. It’s called cowardice.
and to add to this
7) Culture is expressed through cooperation, respect, acceptance of difference and compassion. It is the logic of Culture and the unknown destination this leads to that frightens the likes of you and GD no end, because it has the inescapable ability to expose you for what you are instead of confirming your self declared superiority.
8) Cowardice is expressed through violence, oppression and intolerance.
As we see and read on a daily basis.
Thanks for this, I am too fed up to say all this, seems like we have been saying it for soo long… And still ignorant people fall into the trap every time of viewing “the other” as the problem and not finding common ground with all in our common struggle. But well said.
Do not make the mistake of labeling these people as “ignorant” in the sense of “not knowing”. The likes of the GD top know exactly what they want, self gratifying power at any cost, including the ultimate cost of the self respect and pride of the Greek People as a whole. They simply do not care. Their modus opperandus is simple:
“Repeat the same lie enough times, and people will believe it”
It still remains a lie, but if it accomplishes their narrow minded, selfish goals, it is, to them, justified. After all, they are the superior ones, or so they say…
And their followers are like drug addicts. Bereft of all ability to think for themselves through the constant feeding of blatant lies, they will do whatever they are asked to do to get their next fix of the drug of “self importance”. But it is very much like heroin. While it pretends to make them feel good, it will eventually destroy them, without fail.
And that is what the supporters of GD and the likes need to realise. They are both the junkies and the dealers of the fascist drug, and their only purpose is to assist their druglords in achieving their dream, ultimate power for themselves. In such a game, even the foot soldiers end up with nothing and are eventually sacrificed.
Suddenly, Golden Dawn’s policies appear to be working. They’ve managed to exploit the urgent needs of some Greek citizens to put food on their table and to seek protection from criminals. It’s about time for the Greek government to remove its earplugs & blindfold, hear the calls for help and become more responsive to the needs of all the people residing in Greece.
the government has nothing to say anymore and can’t do anything for the Greeks except worsening their situation, Nicholas.
Ann, i am a Brit Cit in living in greece for 10 years, am married to a Greek and have a dual nationality kid . From you is the first time I have heard that criticising GD is synonymous with destroying Greek culture! My Greek husband and all our Greek friends also agree with not discriminating racially against those in need. Look at the quality of this debate we are having here: critiscing GD equals being anti Greek! open your eyes as to what is happening here as we slide into totalitarian fascism. Open your eyes and find the human being in you who loves all of humanity before its too late!
And by the way, Greek culture, for me and the vast majority of Greeks, means something else rather than the negative characteristics being displayed at the moment , which in themselves are a reaction to extreme poverty and breakdown of social cohesion. Being racist is not a Greek tradition!
I hate to say it but these Golden Dawn and other types are really out there. I think that any Greek who thinks that they are somehow linked to the ancient Greeks by blood would be just as foolish as an American who thought that President Obama was descended from the Native Americans. No blood line continues that long really. Sure, you can get some scientists who say it does, but what really is the point? To secure a free meal or say that somehow you are better?
When the most powerful country on Earth militarily (USA) doesn’t give a crap about bloodlines and it’s racists (USA) somehow believe they are superior based on the USA’s military superiority as a type of racism and power (and certainly nationalism is not nice in that case either), THEN HOW IN THE WORLD can some little pipsqueak Greek Racist think that they are somehow superior when they have the military power of a wet britsoula and could be invaded/taken over by Turkey in a heartbeat. Sorry for being blunt here but I never understood Greek Racists and their rationalization for thinking they were somehow special just by being Greek?
In the end, why not just say we are all from planet earth and help everyone. Until then, I just laugh, cry or shake my head depending on the level of stupidity I hear.
It is not a question of logic. People can take hold of certain ideologies and only start seeing through them only no matter how smart they might happen to be.Look at all the wars on this planet stemming from one group of people thinking they are better, etc. I was reading this cartoon history book today by Terry Deary. It talked about some flagellants during a bubonic plague in the 1340s. They blamed the priests for the evil, but the priest had power and threatened to ban them. Then they turned to the Jews and started killing thousands of them. The easiest targets are always the minorities in any country or time.
As long as the main object of the people’s anger are migrants, they will forget to turn that anger against the crooks who are really stealing from them. Golden Dawn, i believe are paid by elements in the State Security Agency, the Army, police and ND. Maybe also foreign agencies. I do not see them as nationalistic Greeks but a fifth coloum of agent provocateurs whose goal is to undermine democracy. . GD’s long term plan is to create an atmosphere where ND can assimilate them and together they can implement strict neo liberal policies without opposition as society will be so fragmented and oppressed by that time that there will be no opposition. Also there will be no society.
well said and spot on!
I read all comments made here i can assume that you guys have NO idea what GD truly is . For start GD is a legal(!) organisation and a political party with socio-national ideology . It is falsely called as far right group since their ideology doesnt apply to those standards (such as support of capitalism , support of fascism even if syriza claims otherwise )
Now about food donations , why it should be illegal to donate only to Greeks ? It sounds the same with supporting the idea someone should not donate his own property to the ones he choose . I believe they have the right to donate wherever they want because it is THEIR property after all . The idea described in the comments , sounds like you have a house and you want to donate it to your children , and then some syriza followers come and say it should be illegal if you share YOUR property only with your kids and not also with the neighbours … If you find this example crazy applying to your property then why this should be applied to others ? Any ideas ?
You are right in two things:
First – GD ís a legal organisation and party in Greece.
Second – Their ideology is National Socialism.
Bit more subjective is that you are right about them not being right or left. Like all parties and ‘movements’ with their ideology GD’s ideology has elements from right ánd left and often is highly populist. Their use of the maiandros in a way that it resembles closely a swastika is probably not by accident. But the use of street violence (by people who are their followers) as a means to reach their goals makes the also not left or right as violence lives on both sides of the political spectre.
Were you are getting onto the ‘wrong’ side of the truth is when you state “I believe they have the right to donate wherever they want because it is THEIR property after all” GD made it clear that the goods they distributed were bought with the proceeds the perks that every MP gets with his job. And that is tax-payers money. And tax-payers in Greece are Greek nationals and foreigners alike.
And what is totally non-Greek is to only want to share with your own children. Real Greeks share with everybody around them. And that includes their neighbours and especially strangers that come to their doorstep.
Stating the opposite shows that the problem is not so much in the guys and girls here on KTG who might have no idea what GD is but the main problem is people who do not know what being Greek really entails.
Your comment about the “wrong” side doent say to me anything especially the last part of been Greek . Lets discuss about it a little bit .
First of all , by stating that GD receive their money from tax payers , you have to understand , that this DOESNT mean GD doesnt have the right to use those money , the best way they believe it is right , AS ALL other political parties do their . And the truth is that noone other political party gave part of that money back to the tax payers . So instead others see this as an example and try to do similar actions ( by any means how it suit their ideology ) some syryza members came and said that DONATING to the ones you want must be ILLEGAL . Are you crazy ppl or what ??? Sorry i cannot follow this logic since it DOESNT have one .
You say “And what is totally non-Greek is to only want to share with your own children. Real Greeks share with everybody around them. And that includes their neighbours and especially strangers that come to their doorstep.” According to this logic , will you share your house and car with everyone around you ? If yes , then why you lock them up ? Please Dont be a hypocrite .
Those strangers you claim that Greeks specially must help , you seem to forget that many of them are criminals , have NO respect to the country they entered ILLEGALLY , no respect to the ppl , to customs and their laws . They are nothing more than gold diggers and they do whatever it takes to take it . I prove my statements by just watching the news and daily police reports . Robbers enter homes , they hit the owners and rape the women . Robbers murder ppl in their attempt to steal them . Those incidents happen almost every day in Greece now and The majority of them are illegal aliens , according the arrests made by the police . Also by official statements illegal aliens cost to Greece 20 billion euros each year (social services including medic care , education , etc etc and ofcourse the cost also for imprisonment ones ) the moment Greece is near Bankruptcy and the majority of Greek citizens are near poverty and hunger . But for you we shouldnt say that illegal aliens is a cancer to Greece because it isnt in Greek ethics . How hypocritic does this sounds ? again .
Only in the place i live one woman was brutally murdered after been raped by two illegal aliens (Romanians-they have been arrested) in their attempt to rob her inside her own house and another woman was sent to hospital fighting for her life after an attack with knives of two again illegal aliens (Albanians-one was arrested the other not) trying to rob her and her son . Who is going to apology for letting those criminals and MANY other imported ones walk freely inside Greece ?
Greek ppl have left unprotected to the imported crime like sheeps to the wolves , that is why GD made their entrance to the parliament and not because “part of greek society accepted fashism” according to syriza , communist and some “human right watch” organisations HYPOCRITES .