Greece is falling apart...

[ThaBigP]

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D94UPPQG1&show_article=1

Now...I want everybody to put on their thinking caps and ponder something. Take this story...add it to the "tear the doors off the Wal-Mart for a Wii" story...and consider this: none of these people were hungry...trying to feed themselves. How bad could it get around the world if food supplies start to dwindle? They already have dried up in Zimbabwe...and they were a "breadbasket" of Africa not too long ago. Oh, and for the record, Zimbabwe is falling apart as well... And if anybody replies with "that'll never happen", I swear I'll reach right through my Cat 5, through the phone line, switching equipment, find my way to your modem, my hand will emerge from your monitor and give you one big, old, ever-loving pimp slap. :mad: :cool: With love and smile on my face of course...

[burmafrd]

One simple reason. We have a redundant system here with much more backup and reserves then greece does. Not even in the same galaxy as zimbadwe. Greece frankly is not really first world; more like second world.

[ZeroClub]

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D94UPPQG1&show_article=1

Now...I want everybody to put on their thinking caps and ponder something. Take this story...add it to the "tear the doors off the Wal-Mart for a Wii" story...and consider this: none of these people were hungry...trying to feed themselves. How bad could it get around the world if food supplies start to dwindle? They already have dried up in Zimbabwe...and they were a "breadbasket" of Africa not too long ago. Oh, and for the record, Zimbabwe is falling apart as well... And if anybody replies with "that'll never happen", I swear I'll reach right through my Cat 5, through the phone line, switching equipment, find my way to your modem, my hand will emerge from your monitor and give you one big, old, ever-loving pimp slap. :mad: :cool: With love and smile on my face of course...

The riots in Greece were sparked by the death of a boy who had been shot by police.

There is a very strong anti-authoritarian sentiment in modern Greece (perhaps in part due to having lived under a dictatorship for some time). They also have a healthy tradition of public protest and social disobedience.

But sometimes the anarchism gets the best of them and there are overreactions.


It would be a mistake, though, to think that these riots are about economic conditions or the lack of redundancy.

[Aikbach]

Those fires last summer did a number on their infrastructure as well, it was quite devastating to their tourist season and well being.

Certainly they have a glorious past from antiquity that has shaped Western civilization but I was tickled beyond belief recently by a Greek acquaintance here in LA that was moaning about America and dismissing it as culture-less; this of course as he listened to his ipod, wore blue jeans, a polo shirt, sneakers, a baseball cap, aviators, attended UCLA and aspired to make a career in Hollywood, irony.

Rant done.:)

[burmafrd]

This is what happens when you do not crack down after what happened last summer in Greece. This is what TOLERANCE for breaking the law gets you.

[DIAF]

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D94UPPQG1&show_article=1

Now...I want everybody to put on their thinking caps and ponder something. Take this story...add it to the "tear the doors off the Wal-Mart for a Wii" story...and consider this: none of these people were hungry...trying to feed themselves. How bad could it get around the world if food supplies start to dwindle? They already have dried up in Zimbabwe...and they were a "breadbasket" of Africa not too long ago. Oh, and for the record, Zimbabwe is falling apart as well... And if anybody replies with "that'll never happen", I swear I'll reach right through my Cat 5, through the phone line, switching equipment, find my way to your modem, my hand will emerge from your monitor and give you one big, old, ever-loving pimp slap. :mad: :cool: With love and smile on my face of course...

How many threads are you going to harp about this in?

[ThaBigP]

The riots in Greece were sparked by the death of a boy who had been shot by police.

There is a very strong anti-authoritarian sentiment in modern Greece (perhaps in part due to having lived under a dictatorship for some time). They also have a healthy tradition of public protest and social disobedience.

But sometimes the anarchism gets the best of them and there are overreactions.


It would be a mistake, though, to think that these riots are about economic conditions or the lack of redundancy.

I understand that's their "claim" as to the reson for the riots...however...within about an hour or so of the shooting, they had organized, nation-wide protests with young radicals having ready-made Molotov cocktails to hurl at authorities. Too organized too soon over too wide an area to be spontaneous. Fact is these elements in Greece are almost 24x7 at the ready for mass riots. Any excuse'll do. The killing of the boy was merely a pretext.

And I'm also not saying "this is because they're hungry", etc. Quite the opposite. I'm musing as to how they would react when they have survival as a goal rather than merely causing a mass ruckus. Bear in mind that with the worldwide economy unraveling, they're causing tremendous amounts of infrastructure damage...infrastructure that (if things get much worse) won't be replaced for quite some time. That alone could push Greece over the brink. I'm quite sure they either a) don't give a crap, or more likely b) want PRECISELY that so they can sieze power.

[ThaBigP]

How many threads are you going to harp about this in?

You can always stop reading...or put me on ignore.:rolleyes:

[joseephuss]

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D94UPPQG1&show_article=1

Now...I want everybody to put on their thinking caps and ponder something. Take this story...add it to the "tear the doors off the Wal-Mart for a Wii" story...and consider this: none of these people were hungry...trying to feed themselves. How bad could it get around the world if food supplies start to dwindle? They already have dried up in Zimbabwe...and they were a "breadbasket" of Africa not too long ago. Oh, and for the record, Zimbabwe is falling apart as well... And if anybody replies with "that'll never happen", I swear I'll reach right through my Cat 5, through the phone line, switching equipment, find my way to your modem, my hand will emerge from your monitor and give you one big, old, ever-loving pimp slap. :mad: :cool: With love and smile on my face of course...

That'll never happen. There is a good firewall here, so your hand ain't getting close. :p:

[ZeroClub]

I understand that's their "claim" as to the reson for the riots...however...within about an hour or so of the shooting, they had organized, nation-wide protests with young radicals having ready-made Molotov cocktails to hurl at authorities. Too organized too soon over too wide an area to be spontaneous. Fact is these elements in Greece are almost 24x7 at the ready for mass riots. Any excuse'll do. The killing of the boy was merely a pretext.

And I'm also not saying "this is because they're hungry", etc. Quite the opposite. I'm musing as to how they would react when they have survival as a goal rather than merely causing a mass ruckus. Bear in mind that with the worldwide economy unraveling, they're causing tremendous amounts of infrastructure damage...infrastructure that (if things get much worse) won't be replaced for quite some time. That alone could push Greece over the brink. I'm quite sure they either a) don't give a crap, or more likely b) want PRECISELY that so they can sieze power.

The motive for the rioting is the most interesting question, I think.

It is true that protests, marches, strikes are common in Greece. It is part of their populist activist bent. Their readiness for and tolerance of socially disruptive behavior is higher than the majority of Americans (who are comparatively passive).

The riots don't make logical sense to me, from my perspective, but the riots likely do make sense to those who are rioting.

The killing of a boy by police has a different sort of baggage to it in Greece. Violence and especially gun violence is less common in Greece than the U.S., so death by shooting is generally more shocking and exceptional there. Also, it wasn't so long ago that Greece was ruled by a military dictatorship; the population is quite sensitive to displays of military / police power. So when the police shoot and kill a kid there, it's a big deal. And it pushes peoples' anarchist anti-authoritarian buttons.

I think you are right about how much worse things might be in Greece right now if living conditions were harsh (survival mode). That country has had a difficult history in modern times (violent civil wars, world wars, tension with Turkey, military dictatorship), so things could be and have been much worse.

[JiggsCasey]

Those fires last summer did a number on their infrastructure as well, it was quite devastating to their tourist season and well being.

Certainly they have a glorious past from antiquity that has shaped Western civilization but I was tickled beyond belief recently by a Greek acquaintance here in LA that was moaning about America and dismissing it as culture-less; this of course as he listened to his ipod, wore blue jeans, a polo shirt, sneakers, a baseball cap, aviators, attended UCLA and aspired to make a career in Hollywood, irony.

Rant done.:)

great... besides the college, and parts of Hollywood, how many of those items do you believe were made in the U.S.?

[burmafrd]

Its been 30 years since the military dictatorship. Trying to use that as an excuse TODAY smells. Its more like they are LOOKING for an excuse. As was pointed out, all this protest and rioting has been tolerated for a long time. You set the bar low, why be surprised when they try and push it lower?
You do not punish them for last summer, how can you be surprised you have more trouble THIS year? The Greeks are just reaping what they have sowed.

[ZeroClub]

Its been 30 years since the military dictatorship. Trying to use that as an excuse TODAY smells. Its more like they are LOOKING for an excuse. As was pointed out, all this protest and rioting has been tolerated for a long time. You set the bar low, why be surprised when they try and push it lower?
You do not punish them for last summer, how can you be surprised you have more trouble THIS year? The Greeks are just reaping what they have sowed.

To have an informed opinion about what's going on in Greece, you have to have an understanding of their culture which, in part, means taking into account what's been going on there for the past 100 years. It's pretty amazing, actually, the turmoil that society has seen.

You should check it out sometime, if you are interested.

Best wishes,

[burmafrd]

And they do it to themselves. So frankly no sympathy from me. Those that do not learn from their own history are doomed to repeat it- which they seem to be on the road to doing.

[Chinfu]

And they do it to themselves. So frankly no sympathy from me. Those that do not learn from their own history are doomed to repeat it- which they seem to be on the road to doing.


Don't condemn an entire people over the response of a few.

[JBond]

Where are the Spartans when you need them?

[burmafrd]

chin, there are more then a FEW doing this, Try hundreds of THOUSANDS.
And their enablers in the country. Greece has NO ONE to blame but themselves.

[Chinfu]

chin, there are more then a FEW doing this, Try hundreds of THOUSANDS.
And their enablers in the country. Greece has NO ONE to blame but themselves.


Students and those who look to take advantage of the situation. Half of my family live right outside Thessaloniki, they know who is doing it they are there.

According to your logic every American was rioting in the LA riots.