Right-Wing Extremists Gaining Support in Greece

[mgc1961]

The Municipal Theater in Piraeus, Greece, was bathed in an eerie light, with yellow floodlights and red torches combining to illuminate the theater's neoclassical façade, which now served as the backdrop for a macabre spectacle: At least 1,000 neo-Nazis and their supporters had turned out for a march, and red flags bearing a large, black swastika-like symbol flew from the building's front steps.

The right-wing extremist party Chrysi Avgi, or Golden Dawn, convened this demonstration on a Thursday in February to protest an arson attack on its local party office -- and to make another display of its strength.

Ringed by a group of brawny toughs, party leader Nikos Michaloliakos, 55, bellowed: "No one can stop us -- not the bombs, not all your filth. We will triumph!" His listeners, many of them hidden beneath black hoods, replied with a thunderous "Zito! Zito!" The phrase literally means something like "Long live!" but the affect is more like "Heil!" -- and deliberately so. Many also raised their right arms, while the police remained in the background. The right-wing extremists then took their burning torches and marched through the downtown of this port city. Foreigners and any young people dressed in alternative-looking clothing made sure to clear out of the streets before they arrived. The scent of danger hung in the air.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/neo-nazis-and-right-wing-extremists-gaining-support-in-greece-a-894596.html

[BlueCaliDem]

1. Pretty much why that country's in such a

shithole. CONservative policies that have brought that corrupt country to its knees. But why should I worry about Greece when our own country is seeing a rise in extreme Right-wing extremists taking seats in our capitol? That's what the majority of Americans should be worried about.

[kysrsoze]

2. I've been to the ports in Piraeus. For this to happen in the birthplace of democracy is shameful

Seems ignorance and hatred will fester anywhere. Then again, what better reaction then to blame "foreigners and young people dressed in alternative-looking clothing" for the problem their greedy, bribe-taking, self-serving electorate (and all the willing tax cheats) created.

[Harmony Blue]

5. The anger of the average Greek citizen is as follows:

They watch as taxes are tagged along with utility bills while illegal foreigners flood their country taking the money to be used for citizens of their country to be used to house and feed the illegals that come into Greece, and mainly congregate in Athens. Most of the illegals are from war ravaged nations from the Balkans, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Tax evasion isn't as common as people believe in Greece, but this perception remains. The biggest issue, which is very real, is though corruption, and why the Greek government is on the verge of collapse.

The irony is the KKE (Greek Communist Party) is the only sane voice in Greece. They don't believe in austerity, and they believe the illegals should be housed and fed as that is the humane thing to do. The KKE firmly believes creation of jobs is what will pull Greece out of the financial abyss.

[pretzel4gore]

3. improbable....impossible!

there's NO WAY the rightwing can outperform the left. 'Privilege of the few' always succumbs to the 'needs of the many' and the math is simple. Ufortunately, the fascisti have figgered out this (from Michael Lind's 'Up From Conservativism') the electorate is 3 parts. 1 3rd votes rightwing REGARDLESS! 1 3rd votes left REGARDLESS! That means fascisti must win majority of the remaining 3rd. That is easy. Every half wit on the street wants more death penalty,more lawn order and harsher police powers etc! More taxes for WAR! Aristotle (ole white feller) once said Democracy just could not work because there too many selfish fools in a given population! example- 1 3rd of slaves on plantation vote for Jeff Davis! 1 3rd of amerindians vote for GEorge Custer! 1 3rd of inmates in Auschwitz vote for bush...

[Ian_rd]

4. Austerity might be an accessory.

I'm reading the Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, and it seems clear that difficult economic times during the Depression provided an opportunity to Hitler to offer the public scapegoats for their troubles, most notably socialists and Jews.

[Initech]

6. Right wing extremists = bad news no matter what the country.