Pouring oil into the flames
It?s hard not to notice that protest rallies in Greece are becoming more and more violent. It?s easy to see that a continuation of this trend could result in a state of anarchy, even deaths.
Responsibility for this lies mostly with politicians, mayors and union leaders. Their fiery populism and vitriolic phraseology ? members of Greece?s communist party, the KKE, have compared the country?s economic supervision by the International Monetary Fund and the European Union to an ?all-out war? – is effectively throwing oil in the flames.
However, responsibility also lies with Greek state officials who have for years turned a blind eye to lawless behaviors ? and, in fact, continue to do so, as in the case of former conservative minister Costis Hatzidakis who was recently attacked by a mob during a public protest.
The daunting financial measures have brought Greek society at near breaking point. But that does not mean that we can allow society to slide into a lawless abyss dominated by blind violence.
