Editorials & Other Articles

xchrom

(108,903 posts) Wed Mar 28, 2012, 12:14 PM Mar 2012

Amid Debt Crisis, Athens Falls Apart

http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,824011,00.html

Massoud starts walking faster as the shadows lengthen. He glances at the scratched display on his mobile phone. It's 7:15 p.m.

The sun is setting behind the large apartment buildings on Patission Street, disappearing behind the few remaining classical facades where the plaster is beginning to crumble. "For Rent" and "For Sale" signs are posted on boarded-up windows or behind sheets of opaque glass.

Massoud is in a hurry. He wants to get home before dark, because that's when the people who are out to get him come out.

The gangs of right-wing thugs, sometimes up to 20 at a time, approach their victims on foot or on mopeds, carrying clubs and knives. They are masked, faceless and fast. They appear suddenly and silently before striking.

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Amid Debt Crisis, Athens Falls Apart (Original Post) xchrom Mar 2012 OP

It sounds like Greece could be taken over by fascists. drm604 Mar 2012 #1

4% is hardly a takeover, and in this case both the left and right want the same thing magical thyme Mar 2012 #2

I know that there is a refugee problem and that many of them want to leave, drm604 Mar 2012 #3

of course the violence is unacceptable magical thyme Mar 2012 #5

Already happened. They just called themselves the 1st Bundesbank of Fascism kenny blankenship Mar 2012 #4

drm604

(16,230 posts)

1. It sounds like Greece could be taken over by fascists.

Reply to xchrom (Original post)

Wed Mar 28, 2012, 12:37 PM

Mar 2012

Not good.

magical thyme

(14,881 posts)

2. 4% is hardly a takeover, and in this case both the left and right want the same thing

Reply to drm604 (Reply #1)

Wed Mar 28, 2012, 01:36 PM

Mar 2012

The center of Athens has been overrun with illegal immigrants. This is a country that is on its knees. It cannot afford to take care of its own, let alone the refugees of the world.

At least some of the refugees want to leave as well, now that their new "home" is as bad or worse than the one they left. They just need a place to go and a way to get there.

drm604

(16,230 posts)

3. I know that there is a refugee problem and that many of them want to leave,

Reply to magical thyme (Reply #2)

Wed Mar 28, 2012, 02:32 PM

Mar 2012

that doesn't mean that the fascists mentioned in the article aren't a problem, and violence against the immigrants is in no way acceptable. It's good to know that they're only at 4%.

magical thyme

(14,881 posts)

5. of course the violence is unacceptable

Reply to drm604 (Reply #3)

Wed Mar 28, 2012, 03:26 PM

Mar 2012

My reading of the article suggests that the crime and violence is bi-directional. Note the shopkeeper toward the end who ended up paying the rightwingers for protection from criminals because it's not coming from the police.

KB, below, is right of course. Fascism already came to Greece when it's elected government was replaced with the appointed government.

kenny blankenship

(15,689 posts)

4. Already happened. They just called themselves the 1st Bundesbank of Fascism

Reply to drm604 (Reply #1)

Wed Mar 28, 2012, 02:50 PM

Mar 2012

(instead of invading with tanks)
they deposed the elected govt. and installed a Quisling govt. to carry out their orders for Greece.

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