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	<title>Love of History &#187; Greek protests</title>
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	<link>http://loveofhistory.com</link>
	<description>A historical perspective of current events</description>
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		<title>The end of democracy in modern Athens</title>
		<link>http://loveofhistory.com/the-end-of-democracy-in-modern-athens/</link>
		<comments>http://loveofhistory.com/the-end-of-democracy-in-modern-athens/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 30 Jun 2011 05:33:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[constantinakatsari]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Opinions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[athens]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[democracy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eu]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Greek debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Greek protests]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[IMF]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Otto. syntagma]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[riot police]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://constantinakatsari.wordpress.com/?p=1047</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Yesterday I witnessed the Greek protests in Constitution (Syntagma) square in the center of Athens. The square took its name from the chants of protesters during the uprising of the 3rd September 1843. Back then, the Greek people forced their Bavarian king, Otto, to abide by a constitution. Back then, my country was a protectorate of England, France and Russia. Today, Greece is a protectorate of the European Union and the International Monetary Fund. As in 1843, Greek people today are asking for independence and a new constitution. We fight a financial war as brutal as the War of Independence. Only this time we seek independence from the French and German Banks that hold Greek bonds at exorbitant interest rates. In the last two days the need for a new political system and constitution became abundantly clear. Hundreds of thousands of people started gathering in the center of Athens in order to protest against the new package of austerity measures, the new loan they try to force on us. Protesters attempted to block the entrance of our 300 elected MPs to the parliament. These efforts did not persuade our representatives to stay home or even to take into consideration the wishes of their electorate. It has been estimated that 80% Greeks oppose the new measures, not because we do not want to pay for the debt but because we do not wish to lose the sovereignty of our country. Selling the most important (and highly profitable) national assets and agreeing to external political and economic supervision of our government should not have been part of the deal in the first instance. No democratic country should be reduced to this state; not least the cradle of democracy. As if the MP&#8217;s decision to disregard the wishes of the people was not enough, the government employed 15000 riot police officers to suppress any kind of opposition. The police started a chemical war against the peaceful residents of the square (people who stayed there for more than a month). Hundreds ended up in hospitals with serious breathing problems, broken bones and bleeding heads. The police has even thrown teargas into the underground station of syntagma with dire results to the passengers of the passing trains. The presidents of the pharmaceutical association and medical association intervened asking the police to stop using chemicals, so that we do not mourn dead protesters. If you want to get an idea of what happened on the ground, please, watch the video I include here carefully. http://t.co/KJgfGIj Greeks today talk about the junta (dictatorship) &#8211; our government. There is fear in the hearts of the people and despair about the future. I would like to finish, though, with a positive note. The Greek revolution taking place these days in Athens need not end up in another totalitarian regime. It is in our hands to change the constitution by taking into consideration the decisions of the popular assemblies of the squares. An air of Direct Democracy circulated in Greece for more than a month. Direct Democracy may not be a viable political system in a modern national state but the direct participation of its citizens in political life is essential and could be achieved.]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Argentine tango and the Greek revolution</title>
		<link>http://loveofhistory.com/argentine-tango-and-the-greek-revolution/</link>
		<comments>http://loveofhistory.com/argentine-tango-and-the-greek-revolution/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 04 Jun 2011 05:15:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[constantinakatsari]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Opinions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Argentina]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Greek protests]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tango]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://constantinakatsari.wordpress.com/?p=1017</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[By now it is twelve days since the protests started in the city of Athens. The message of the protesters was adopted by several other cities (Yiannena, Corfu, Patras, Larissa e.t.c.) while the number of people who wish to join seems to be on the rise. Apart from the usual shouting, chanting, marching and occupying public building, the meetings (surprisingly) include cultural activities. The other day in Thessalonike the protesters decided to dance argentine tango outside the White Tower! Several couples exhibited their abilities in this (exotic by Greek standards) dance. Whether they impressed the crowds is not the issue. What matters is the choice of dance. Argentine tango became extremely popular across the world only during the past decade, after Argentina defaulted. Argentine teachers travel continuously to European countries in order to teach, preach and advertise this beautiful experience. Tango is firmly connected with the national identity of their country, even though it recently took international character. The choice of the Thessaloniceans could be interpreted (subconsciously) as an attempt to show solidarity with the Argentineans and to declare that they anticipate to follow their fate. You can take a look at pictures from the event here http://www.olathessaloniki.com/2011/06/oi-tango.html]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>Magic gestures of disapproval in Greece, ancient and modern</title>
		<link>http://loveofhistory.com/magic-gestures-of-disapproval-in-greece-ancient-and-modern/</link>
		<comments>http://loveofhistory.com/magic-gestures-of-disapproval-in-greece-ancient-and-modern/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 02 Jun 2011 07:09:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[constantinakatsari]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Opinions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[faskelo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Greek protests]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Magic gestures]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mountza]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://constantinakatsari.wordpress.com/?p=1012</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[During the recent Greek protests we notice the extensive use of &#8220;faskelo&#8221; or &#8220;mountza&#8221;. This is an open palm gesture directed against the person you would like to insult. The protesters have been using it against the building of the parliament. See example here http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_MrdWO02quAA/S_PdiKvySNI/AAAAAAAAR14/CO4Gt7krY4s/s1600/βουλη+μουντζα The origin of this gesture is contested. Some say it derives from the ancient Greek word sfakelo (spasm). Allegedly, it was used to cause disease to the adversary. Others believe that the gesture has Byzantine origins. It is, thus,connected to mountza, the act of smearing someone&#8217;s face with ashes. Either way, in modern Greece it is insulting and should be avoided at all cost. Its employment in current political affairs can only indicate the desperation of the crowds. If democratic procedures are not working, then magical acts may be more efficient.]]></description>
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