Convalesco

The story of young Alexandros has been transmitted all over the world by now. Quoting Reuters:

On the fourth day of violence, protests spread to the Athens suburbs after the funeral of the boy, Alexandros Grigoropoulos, whose killing on Saturday triggered Greece’s worst riots in decades, fanned by discontent over government and a slowing economy.

This is true. It’s totally true, the Hellenic people is really angry with the lack of punishment for the mistakes made by the police all these years. This action of brutal violence deserves a the attention of the entire population and a big share of the news and headlines.

It’s true that Greece has a stagnant and inefficient state-driven economy that gets worst the last years. The finance minister, Mr. Alogoskoufis, has failed miserably to bring any security and prosperity to the place. The government is truly buried from corruption scandals, there’s no trust in none of the ruling parties. People is kinda desperate and fear grows along with insecurity about the next future.

However, it’s totally unclear who is protesting really about the matters stated above and who is trying to take advantage of the situation to create chaos. The truth is somewhere in the middle they say. I can’t even imagine where is this middle point. I might have lost something here.

The so-called anarchists say that they don’t produce mayhem. You can clearly read their statements to the Patra’s indymedia. I’m quoting a few lines written on the website:

Περιμένουμε σήμερα τη νύχτα κι άλλες προβοκάτσιες από το κράτος και τα τσιράκια του. Καταστροφές που θα αποδοθούν “βιαστικά” απο τα κανάλια στους “αυτοαποκαλούμενους αντιεξουσιαστές” ή όπως αλλιώς θέλει το κράτος να βαφτίσει τον εχθρό του.

Here the so called “anarchists” say that they are erroneously blamed by the media. They also say that other right extremist groups such as Chrisi Augi are supporting the police when police attack the rioters. But if they are not part of the rioters and the rioters are right-wing mad mans who are trying to get anarchists into trouble, why would they care?

On the other hand, I am really confused about the stance that the police must keep, in order to find a way to drive the country out of this madness. Daije Black states in her very interesting blog post that:

but honestly, you don’t have to shoot someone in the chest to stop him setting fire to an apartment building. There must be a middle way. I’m sure that is part of police training somewhere on this planet.

Well, I seriously doubt about that. What exactly a 23 year police man has to do exactly? I guess that at least of half of the policemen there, are wondering why on earth they choose this job to make a living. Yes, I went to the army and I saw right-wing uneducated people with power, they can cause great damage. But not all the police is to blame here. We have a murderer and he must pay for his actions. I can’t see where in the scenario is written that the entire police body is like him.

If I were a policemen I would do two things: Shoot or leave. I can’t think of any other thing. I’m not right-wing or left-wing, I’m just trying to make sense.

On Monday morning I was heading to the Bank. On the way I had to pass through square “Eleftheria”. It’s the city’s central square. I saw 200 or more 14-year old kids insulting brutally a police office who was controlling traffic. Is that it? Should I approve this gesture? There was a chaos and traffic was blocked by the kids but it was crystal clear that without the police officer the cars would be able to move either way, because there were a traffic jam on the centre of the city. It happens everyday. This man was peacefully doing his important job when this crowd appeared and start to insult him about the death of the young Alexandros. After listening a discussion about the matter on the Bank, I’ve heard that representatives of the opposition Greek party, PASOK went to the local schools and after they spoke to the kids, the kids decided to leave the school in order to protest. A bit later, I’ve heard on the radio NET station, Mr. Georgios Papandreou, speaking. The point was that the government was to blame for the death of young Alexandros.

Okay, I’m outraged. I’m outraged with the opposition who is using the death of an innocent kid to play a game of impressions. These people are so unscrupulous that I couldn’t even imagine. Are these people really going to rule us? How can I expect any better than the current government from these hypocrites? I’d be naive to believe so.

And what about the crowded kids? Does it really matter if after shouting out the police office went to the cafe and relaxed enjoying the December sun? They lost the school day after all. I’m wondering how many of them lost their evening support lessons. None? I’m taking a wild guess here.

I was in school ten years ago and I can remember school occupancy is made in schools: The school’s headmaster goes to the kids pseudo-council, and tells them to do the occupancy. Afterwards the teachers leave the school and go home. The young raged crowd just sits to the school at night in order to “protest“. When the entire matter is over, because teachers are afraid to loose too many days of their monthly pay-check, they pretend to care about the kids so they just go the school and let them know that tomorrow the school will be open normally again.

Of course in many schools, at night things are destroyed, usually from outsiders that take advantage of the pathetic situation to plunder. That’s it, there’s no ideological background or any kind of fight against the system or freedom.

So now, who is to blame? Everyone and none. All the media claim that “everybody knows who they are“. Shit! I don’t. Actually, I don’t have a clue about who the rioters are and why are doing this!

If anyone can see a solution except from a mass military action, please let me know. I was in the army about 7 months ago. I can’t shoot a civilian, I’d rather go away than shoot someone. I don’t even know if I would be able to point a gun on a someone’s chest. I just don’t want to. But on the other hand, if someone would destroy and steal from it, I would demand from the police to do something. I pay taxes for it!

I’m really confused.

You can read three very nice posts about the riots here:
The Guns of Tzavela
Πόλεμος
Rant about Athens Riot which describes the disgraceful game of the Greek media.

The points made by these three bloggers are true. For instance:
I live in Drama, I rarely go to Athens. If you ask me, Exarchia is compared to NY’s Bronx because this is how the media in Greece present the place to us, outsiders while Dajie states otherwise. I choose to believe, because I’ve been tricked by the TV media too many times in the past. Internet saves.

For those who don’t disregard reading, I’d say to read the Indymedia news and other sources before concluding your ideas about the matter. I’m far from a clear idea of what is going on and why…