The poison of violence
The politicians governing Greece today have taught their supporters that the tactic of using physical and verbal violence against their opponents is acceptable and will help them achieve their goals.
During the protests against the landfill in Keratea, eastern Attica, and in sundry parades and marches, the ruling SYRIZA party encouraged aggression, got its supporters to carry vulgar signs and created an atmosphere by which we even saw mock gallows set up outside Parliament.
Today, the leftists are getting a taste of some of the poison that they fed the country’s desperate and angry citizens. They are getting a taste of it in the vehement opposition sparked by the name deal with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, as well as other issues.
This is not something that anyone can rejoice in, though, as the risk of the country becoming trapped in a vicious cycle of hate and division is all too real. Such a development needs to be prevented at all costs.
