In 1971 John Lennon
released the single, “So This Is Christmas”.
It has nothing to do with Christmas; instead, it speaks to a war and to
a year end.
At the time of writing I am
in Athens, Greece. I last worked in Hellas almost 30 years ago. There is
nothing Greek about me, yet everything here Greek to me.
It was a hot Sunday
afternoon when I arrived. Within an hour I exchanged a cold, wet and windy Rome
for a warm, even hot Athens – National Election Day.
The usual suspects were in
run-off. The conclusion, a hung result, and the government cannot be
formed. Horse trading followed for three
days; but no conclusion was in sight. Some say that the Greek temperament gets
in the way. Is this an anathema, I
wonder? Seems like new election as are to be held during June should the last
ditch effort of Friday, 12 May fail.
Will the next result be different?
Since arriving I continue
to struggle in order to understand the issues. The Temple of Poseidon, a heap
of stacked stones and some remaining pillars sits on a hill over-looking the
sea, no different to what I saw back in the day when my eyes were brighter and
baldness a fresh developing prospect. In an acerbic tone I tell all who care to
listen, “I am not here to see heaps of stones, old buildings and the like”; in
the same way I think that driving, adding to pollution, and crawling about
tarred roads in a nature reserve so to see an elephant a complete waste.
Pictures of the wild beasts, and pictures, stones, even broken buildings, have
always been more beautiful to me. The Greek temperament may not smile upon my
view, so my thought stayed in my head lest I give offense.
Then I do a night tour of
the Acropolis and I eat my thoughts, bitter thoughts, unnecessary thoughts,
thoughts entertained in haste and in ignorance!
The cradle of modern
civilization beckons before my shifty eyes. Empires, the knowledge of which
make for sit up straight action in the wagon-cart drawing some 50 people up
against the hill, windowing in and between the seat of history and through the
most arduous of curls and bends as he, the
seemingly can’t care-less skillful driver negotiates the route. Not once
do I feel apprehensive afraid or concerned that this country is in crisis. The
others on the little train-bus, children in their final year of primary school,
they chant (Imaste apo K R I T I) [we are from CRETE]. The children wave at
ones on foot and to those in the closely arranged cafés, restaurants and bars;
others who stop to look at the funny little train-car transporting excited
children under the deft leadership of their man teacher who proudly wore a
moustache in the style made famous by American actor Tom Selleck, those people
there too exchanged waves. I am taken by
the moment and too am waving; with both hands, waving because there is no
reason why my Cape Flats temperament too cannot come from KRITI, for we come
from any and everywhere, anyway. The Greeks, however, are not a disparate
people instead they are a proud people.
My hosts and I stop to eat
Souvlaki. I do not let on how the recent experience has caused a lump in my
throat. I think of stuff; the stuff about Twelve (12) Gods in Greek Mythology
that pre-date Christianity - the Goddess, Athena, the olive tree and
Acropolis. I think about religion and
how it is made by man because man has this need to worship, give thanks and in
part be worshipped. Maybe it is because man is too little, or man is not
enough, but this evening my conclusion is that, like Greek Mythology is a myth,
so too are these religions we manufacture.
My friends, whom I love and
who love me, know where this comes from. I cannot have a good friend unless I
am a good friend first. We have to continue to do to others what we wish to
have done to us though.
I speak with the Greek
friends and I learn that the Germans and the French, the strength of the
European Union that Greece is a part of, that these nations are at odds with
how the austerity measures are unfolding in Hellas. The Greeks have not complied; they have not
held their side of the deal. The Greeks signed the agreement, but no longer
wish to comply with the provisions thereof.
The brothers and sisters here in Hellas insisting that their land, the
land of Apollo, Athena and others, this land is not to be exchanged for money
from Germany and France. I learn that
the interpretation of austerity measures is that it, the austerity measures, is
a farce and a ploy to own this land.
A better solution must be
in the offing because when a people feel that exchanging their land for money
is due process then this is a wrong.
This is wrong and no different to the wrong requirement, which
requirement is determined by my skin colour before gaining entry to certain
courses at the University of Cape Town, as example. This, no matter whether the
so-called commentators, like Pierre de Vos, directs me to read articles dealing
with Substantive Equality before venturing an opinion – how pompous and vile
can one get! De Vos accuses me of being racist because I dare express a view
without first reading a paper of his direction.
Equal fit and proper
academic achievement proves ability and not skin colour. I do not support the
notion that because in South Africa we had apartheid 20 years ago that I
continue to require a handicap as defined by admission policies to
universities. I need no handicap because
my brain is at least comparable to other brains no matter what skin colour
envelopes it.
The Hellas solution should
be determined by the people of this country. Debates about withdrawing from EU
and returning to the Drachma based economy, a stricter application of the
austerity measures and even a coup d'état informs the discussions amongst the
Seven (07) parties in their animated discourse to find the most suited way
forward.
Greek temperament! All of
us have our respective temperaments. Greeks strike me as being a people who
prefer to do the opposite. A solution is
needed though. The solution could also
be found in identifying a group of people, preferably successful business
people, international beings who understand that change is required before
Hellas will work in its own interest, recover and again claim its independence. This is where modern civilization began. Democracy as we know it was born here. That democracy is outdated is a view I
subscribe to. Outdated, because it has
become a mere label. Anything containing
a smattering of “… people by people…” is deemed to be a democratic process.
This is trite because the label is not more important as the process and the
result.
The solution is not to
access greater loans; more loans and more money because this will result in a
deeper vortex of depression emerging.
This is no different to the plans put out in spurious and gentle tones
by the Minister of National Planning in South Africa when he pontificates, via
little cartoons, the dream that unemployment will resolve when 11million jobs
are created by 2030. Meanwhile, 700000 jobs are required per annum, as is the
requirement in 2012. At the time of writing the total inclusive unemployment
figure in South Africa is again 36%!
We need draconian measures
imposed on education.
Sustainable jobs are
required, not the little tasks that absorb some and later discard many.
The talk of people dying of
long-illnesses, instead of telling that the spectre of AIDS continues is
exacerbating our dreaded crisis. Are we
already nothing at the hands of the government we deserve?
In Hellas there is a need
for people who know and understand economic development. Independent people with integrity are
required to facilitate an understanding and emerge with a supported inclusive
plan. I am not going to speak in fancy
terms. If the plan is to be complied with then ordinary people should
understand it. We cannot find the best
solutions if only some people understand the jargon used to describe these
solutions.
Hellas wants an economy
that can reinstate need for self-determination and independence. In order to
achieve this there is a need for renewed disciplines. Austerity se moer!
Facilitate a solution that
all parties can comply with. Agree to implement and do so consistently.
Develop plans to grow the
GDP. Marshal the application within the country and; let the Greeks do it for
themselves.
Germany and France were in
the same position and the German experience was more recent, therefore, what is
their insistent beef with the people of Hellas, and why?
So this is Hellas.
