Some of us in America recognize that a riot is the only way to bring an “unspeakable” issue to light too. Remember Rodney King? How about Berlin in 1961? Or Phnom Penh in 2003?

Sometimes people need to get a message out. Sometimes the only way to make people listen is creative destruction. There’s no better way to GUARANTEE news coverage and dialogue about a hard-hitting subject than a riot. With the coverage the Greeks are getting, there is obviously a message to be had here. LA riots in ‘92 only lasted three days, but there was a broad message that has now become commonplace. I wonder what messages will be taught there after the dust settles.

Rioting, looting, destruction of property and historical landmarks, disrespect for any and all authority, creating political instability is not the way. Anarchy by 14 to 17 yr. old teenagers, and a large number of ( illegal) immigrants who welcome the opportunity to loot the shops are not even thinking of what their “message” is. We, the taxpayers, the parents of these rioters, will just continue to pay the costs and therefore hurt these kids and the country even more. Foreign investment and tourism will diminish even more than it has. “They do protest too much”.

Police brutality. The dignity of state is lost when the law does not apply to law enforcement. Instead the officers and the government believe they are above it. They government could make many decisions to help but instead they thought….

“I don’t know what to do about the rioters, where is my next tear gas can? It was only a ricochet shot guys”.
People don’t riot without reason, there must be a lot bottled up that is not being resolved by means that are supposed to be provided by the state. Would you ignore brutality if when it started to happen to your kids?

What did Kennedy say?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, will make violent revolution inevitable.”

So now rioting is common place and the leaders still don’t want to change. They just want to keep doing what they’ve been doing.

You couldn’t wake them up if you rioted in the streets.

What have we also learn from history, that it repeats itself. So the comments i seem to be reaading is that the ends justify the means.
History has also shown and taught us that organized massed peaceful demonstrations bring about the same results.
Why tear down things that others have worked so hard to bring up, the only thing I see happening here is the opputunity some youth are taking to be misbehaving.
Want to make a point, organize a vote and elect those who will make a change.

To Pete: “Creative destruction????” That is an oxymoron if I ever heard of one. There is nothing “creative” about a destruction and/or rioting! Innocent people got hurt/killed. The poor mother of Alexandro can’t possibly understand why her son got killed the way he did. There is a wrong way and right way of getting one’s message across….this is definitely the WRONG way.

It seems that you fail to understand that the riots are bot meaningless protests. Yes, violence is usually not an answer however on a people who feel frustated by there voices not being heard by a corrupt government more concered about appeasing the EU rather then look at the internal problems of their homeland this sometimes becomes the only answer.. This is the case in Greece and has opened the eyes of Europe as a whole with the concerns of the people which would have not been heard otherwise. A angry customer will alwasy get what they want, one that never says anything will be abused..

Alex

I can understand the frustrations of these kids in Greece. Many of them want to receive a proper education. Every child deserves to get a good, solid education to make something of themselves. But the riots that took place the past couple of weeks is totally unacceptable. May innocent people were affected. We already have a compromised economy and many business were destroyed! These kids have to learn that there are better ways to get a point across! Use this wasted energy for something positive!

Also, the politicians in Greece have to LISTEN to the message these kids are trying to relay! The Greek politicians have to stop being selfish, worrying about “lining” their pockets! They should be proud that they are in these political positions! They need to work for the people!!!

The Left in Greece is simply continuing the Civil War they lost in the 1950s and uses popular myths to justify it. The one myth everyone takes for granted, especially the foreign reporters, was that “40 students were killed by the Greek Army when the tanks crashed the gates of the University on November 17th, 1973.” Yet there are no names, no graves and no grieving families for these supposed victims and martyrs of the Left. Why is that? A Greek terrorist group called November 17 assassinated dozens of people (and robbed many banks) over several decades. Who did they target and why? Every year on November 17th, a massive demonstration targets the US Embassy in Athens, blaming the US government for the Greek military junta, yet there are no demonstrations held against any of the Greeks who made up this junta. One junta man continues to be held in a Greek prison and refuses to change his story in any way in order to be released. Why doesn’t the media report on this? The Greek Socialists claim they can bring peace to the streets once the Conservative government is kicked out. Mussolini was a Socialist before he was a Fascist… Look at the similarity of their programs, their promises and their means – especially the shadowy links to the ‘anarchists’ who are throwing the Molotov cocktails and demanding the police be disarmed.

Fellow concerned Americans: what happens in Greece currently makes me sad. Although I am a citizen of the United States, I was born and raised in Greece. I cannot blame the frustration of the people or the fed up students for these events. Be advised that the people who cause this entire catastrophe are the same left-anarchist folks who create trouble especially when officials from the United States are visiting for official/diplomatic related business. I am sick and tired having America be the constant and most favorite target of these marginalized folks. A minor percentage of the Greek left makes such a negative impression on the vast majority of the Greek public. I cannot blame the everyday Greek citizens and students that they are fed up with their leadership. They should be, given the political corruption scandals that “decorate” the daily press. In addition, the bad shape of the global economy does not help. The Greek people are against the reforms in employment and education the current conservative government wants to institute. This is a concern for other European nations, such as France and Italy to name a few. Keep in mind that Greece is a democracy, allowing a bit too much. Why? Because the current political leadership is of the generation that suffered the wounds of 1974 Polytechnic University uprising, a major event that restored democracy in Greece by bringing down the dictators. The people suffered from a brutal police force during the dictatorship period (1967 to 1974). A determined police force these days does not “sell” well in Greece. In fact, it never did after 1974. The Polytechnic University uprising against the dictators is the very event the leftist anarchy has based its existence upon. It is a tragedy that the police knows who these anarchists folks are (everybody in the press calls them the “known unknowns”), but there is lack of political will/determination to resolve this issue. Same deal with the November 17 terrorist group (it never targeted ordinary US or Greek citizens). When political will developed (due to pressure for the Olympics) to clean up house, this group that eluded justice for about 30 years, dissolved. A British diplomat had to pay with his life in 2002 for pressure to build up.

Regards,
Leo M., Chicago

Greece has put itself in the unenviable position to attract or call all anarchists from other parts of Europe to Athens!. Corruption is not new in Greece but this level of destruction is worse than anything since an invasion from a foreign power. Bravo Greece!
What industry do you have in mind to replace tourism?

Seriously.

The officers defended their lives and the lives of others by acting to prevent a fire bombing. I would award them a medal for their resolve, not a prison sentance! What 15 year old boy throws gasoline bombs at police?? Certainly reasonable thinking people will recognize the right of police to stay alive and use their side arm against the most violent of aggressors!

As a Greek I am deeply embarrased by the anarchy in my homeland. Sadly the situation has been allowed to deteriorate so far that only aggressive countermeasures, including eliminating safe havens, will help quell the rioting. Also, the police must be SUPPORTED by law makers! Not thrown “under the bus for political” convienience!

These youngsters are frustrated ? This is why they set the City ablaze?? These frustrated youth get free education through University, unlike their American counterparts who have to pay to get an education. These “frustrated youth” are being encouraged by a left wing political party who magnifies the problems the Government has. These same people are the ones who said that the death of the young man is not the reason they destroyed and looted everything in their path. They are the ones who pay $4 for a coffee at fancy coffee shops, carry IPods and have You Tube profiles. What exactly are they frustrated about?
An angry customer does not always get what he wants. A polite concise thinking customer makes his complaint understood to get what he expected to get. What was the fault of the merchants whose property has been destroyed? Who is going to pay for the damage these hoodlums caused? The government will………then there will be less left for these “frustrated” unproductive destructive forces.

Pete suggested that such riots are sometimes necessary. I agree, but only when it’s the majority that are rioting. I have lived in Greece, and I know that the youth can become obsessed with destroying property. Once they begin, it’s similar to a feeding frenzy. Their real purpose seems to be simply to destroy property, whilst the purpose they proclaim becomes secondary. It must indeed be sad for the majority of Greeks who must watch these irresponsible youth destroy the beauty and infrastructure of their homeland. My word “irresponsible” was carefully chosen, based on my firm belief that none of those involved in the destruction of property will be willing to share the cost of repair. I witnessed something similar in Albania, wherein the “civil war” of 1997 crippled the county beyond belief. There are better, more civilized ways to challenge the actions of police officers. And let us not forget that this child who was sadly killed by police officers was indeed trying to harm, even though he was probably too young to understand.

First, I wish to thank CNN for always reporting the news in such a professional manner. CNN is the best and most reliable news source, and this is why I watch CNN, via satellite, as well as visit the CNN website. As a Canadian of Greek descent, it hurts me to see what is happening to the home of my parents and ancestors. This angry mob is just a lot angry youth – youth who want nothing more than anarchy and disorder; youth who do not respect law and order, and have little or no regard for Greece’s contribution to western civilization. This mob constitutes the opposite of civilization. The Greek philosophers regarded democracy as mob rule, but we should not base such opinion on the anti-democratic actions of some rebellious youth. Greece is a great democracy. Democracy can prevail.

CNN continues to do a great job when reporting the news. This is why I always trust CNN. It hurst me, and it hurts my parents even more so (since they were born in northern Greece), to watch what is happening on CNN, as well as on the Greek station ERT. I can only hope that Americans do not allow themselves to base their views on Greece on this one moment of anarchy. Greeks are a people who believe in order, justice and democratic principles – principles which have shaped the thought of many of my ethnic comrades.

Thank you, CNN, for reporting the news the way it should be reported: clear and simple, concise and to the point, without bias.

James Alexandros Papastamos
Hamilton, Ontario Canada

Greece has, from time immemorial, being suffering from endemic corruption. Corruption that has been actively promoted and established as part of life in Greece, by egregious, glibly and venal politicians with no vision what so ever, exercising a practice of extensive abuse of power with divisive policies that have created a nation and a society with the most audacious insolently disrespectful and undisciplined citizens.

EU the main provider of financial support for modernizing Greece has been advancing billions of Euros for various projects and schemes but in reality 75% of all these funds have been misappropriated. Scandal after scandal for which EU and their Pay Masters in Brussels are fully aware, but they have never took any action to penalize the Country and the guilty parties other than applying various fines resulting from actions through the European judiciary process.

The recent riots in Greece demonstrated unequivocally that this Country has no place within the European Union and the soonest it can be kicked out the better for all law abiding European Citizens. The inability of the Police to contain the riots, the complete lack of any fundamental training let alone a serious one for handling such cases it is a reflection of the true state of the Country.

The Greeks are renowned for hating the British, the Americans the Germans the Jewish the Muslims the Turks and everybody else, that’s how they have been brought up, but the recent events proved that they also hate themselves with their pernicious and slovenly behaviour.

Henry Kissinger has so correctly stated: The Greeks are extremely undisciplined and they must be hit in their roots

It is said, that these rioters, would rather destroy their country for the sake of one life. Do they really speak for the majority, or simply a loud minority. Don’t they realized that the property that they are destroying belongs also to private citizens. In short, if they have a brain, I hope that they know how to use it, and hopefully come to their senses.

After three weeks of this aimless rioting, the dissenters have blurred their message and impact. We have a short attention span. Now the world must be thinking how crazy this country is. I love Greece. It pains me to see my parents’ birthplace and the land in which I also have lived to undergo such destructive turmoil. A group of angry high schoolers will not effect any change. I remember Kent State. These children are lucky it is just tear gas they are encountering.

George (12:30 GMT),
Your post exhibits sweeping generalizations and lazy stereotyping that I and many other readers find offensive. I do not know where you have lived, but in the U.S., Australia, the UK, and throughout Europe, I have known many Greeks who are among the most friendly and welcoming to those of other ethnicities and religions. It is in fact a Greek virtue that we call “philoksenia.” The rioters do not reflect the entirety of Greece, and this should be recognized.

The quality and soundness of fhe comments made by George Anagnos are that a typical 1960’s Greek restauranateur in Chicago! Plates and politics! The Greeks have shown distrust/opposition the foreign policy of the USA not the American people (so does the Democratic majority of the USA!). German companies absorb the lions share of the armament procurements and maybe public works (consider the new Athens airport for example). The Europeans judgement was that Greece belongs not only in the EU but in Schengen too (i.e. the Eurozone). I guess George disagrees. Thanks for your opinion George!

Regards,
Leo M., Chicago

To George Anagnos, I have only this to say: you must be Greek. Only a fellow Greek could be so bastardly opinionated to say these things about other Greeks. That’s our problem: we only support each other in war, when faced with a common enemy; in peace, we are at each other’s throats. Not all Greeks hate Jews. The Jews are, after all, God’s chosen people. Jesus spoke two languages: Aramaic (a dialect of Hebrew) and Greek. The New Testament was written in Greek. I do not hate Jews. I know of many Greeks who distrust the Jewish, but we don’t all hate them. There is a hidden animosity, however, between the Hellenic and Anglo-Saxon mindset. We Greeks are family oriented people. The English prefer their brand of rugged individualism, and feel compelled to “Liberate” the non-English world. Anglophones around the world are jealous of Greek adults, such as myself, who live with our parents. Well, we can’t all be working class heroes? Just because I cannot support myself, does not mean I am not a productive member of society. I contribute in my own way. In our family, we are one for all and all for one – and the English/American mind cannot comprehend this. Well, the Protestant Work Ethic is just a child of the Industrial Revolution, which began in England. I am in no way insulting the British. England gave us: Shakespeare, Dickens, Churchill, and so many other contributions. I love the British. I love the American people, but I hate the U.S. government, which is corrupt and arrogant.

Stop insulting your countrymen, assuming you are of Greek descent. Stop insulting a nation with such a glorious history! I’m proud of my Greek heritage. I was born in Canada. I live in Ontario, Canada. I would not live anywhere else. But I am also proud to be Greek! The rioters in Greece are just a bunch of bums, spoiled and over privileged. This is the problem with young people today. We have it too good.

The European Union has benefited Greece, no doubt. As for hating Turks, who can blame the Greeks? Between the fall of Constantinople, in 1453, and Greek Independence, March 25th 1821, Greece enduring such brutal oppression. Had it not been for countries like Russia, Orthodox Christianity would have been wiped out by the Ottomans. But there are 250, 000, 000 Orthodox Christians, of which, I am proud to say, I am one of them. But past is passed. I don’t hate the Turks, nor do I hate Muslims. I do, however, believe that the Holy Land belongs to God’s chosen people – the children of Yahweh – the Jews.

Stop picking on Greece. Only those jealous of Greece’s contribution to western civilization would have the nerve to pick on Greece? Every country has its rebels. The media has been unfair to Greece. The world is jealous of Greece, with all its glory.

Ta Leme

To all you who have misinterpreted the facts and easily criticize the youth,
This instability Greece currently faces is due to long corrupt political parties. Therefore it is natural that this rage would eventualy break loose. Political scandals were and continue to be common these days. The educational structure, which is job/career-oriented cannot come to terms with the current state of unemployment, which is at its peak nowadays. I heard that we should consider ourselves lucky that we have free public universities, while in other countries education is paid. Well, considering that one has really low chances to get employed even if he/she is holder of a degree, that’s one of the many problems teens demonstrate for: the right for an economic stable future. And those are teens and not those hooligans. The government, while being incapable of dealing with this logical … anger of people tries in a desperate way to cover and distort the reality by itself creating states [of] hooliganism in order to lower the public image and purpose of the demonstrations…

The fact that riots are from all over Greece points out that this is not the minority that speaks aloud for a change in this country. I suppose you have noticed that riots have two main reasons that happen at this moment. One of them is the anger towards the police and wanting to “punish” them by closing down the police stations. The second one is taking over the parliament. People want to enter the parliament which stands out for this government’s power over us. People don’t need a building right now, they need hope and a new infrastructure for the country, and that is not gained by asking kindly or giving them another 4-year term to try fix it, but only by demanding what is rightfully our’s, and not the 300’s of the parliament….this country.

If you do not experience whats happening in this country, please refrain from criticizing the activists’ actions. You can never know why we act like this if you haven’t lived here over the past 10-15 years to know for yourself. It is easy to criticize. Everybody can do it. The difficult part is to understand why. Now that’s where I want you to show your skills…

Kind Regards,
Angelos S. , Athens

As a Greek American born of Greek parents, I can understand how many people are concerned with what is happening in Greece. However, after having made dozens of trips to Athens, I can attest that the younger population is spoiled and lazy. I had a job when I was 16 years old. You ask the Greeks over there why don’t their kids work, and they say “not my son/daughter!” They won’t do that type of work. Greeks need to get off their lazy, socialist views and realize that if they want a piece of the pie, they have to work for it. They need to quit blaming the government for everything and use the ingenuity and creativity that we all know we the Greeks possess. Greeks are one of the highest educated people in all of Europe. They need to bring in business and show the entire world that the Greeks are open for business.

“I you see a roach in the kitchen. It is not the only one.” If you see Bernard Madoff on the Wall Street, he is the only one!

Let me see if I get this straight about this “RIOT” in Athens. You hire the police to protect you, give them badges, demand that they put their lives on the line to protect you, your business, and your country and the GREEK LAW. So when some 15-year old (who is apparently a punk) decides that he wants to burn a few policemen to death, throws a firebomb at the police, you think that the police should just stand there in their nonfireproof uniform and take it?

I tell you what, maybe you should have been standing there instead of the policeman, and you take the flaming hit!

Now, just what would you do in the policeman’s shoes? Are you getting hot now?

The police have a right to protect their lives also (they are citizens too, just like you!).

So where do you get off at making the kid a saint? He’s a punk, the rest of the rioters are punks too! They need to be rounded up, put in jail, and then you will be able to enjoy your peace!

The problem with youth today is not limited to Greece. It is global. Young people have had it “too good”, and this goes back to the post WWII years. Thus, generations that grew up after WWII came to enjoy living in this material world to such a point that they abandoned Christianity, as well as the idea that this physical world we live in is temporal, while eternity will be spent in God’s kingdom. With the abandonment of Christian values, society began to fall apart. We have raised our standards of living to such a point, we spoiled ourselves. My parents came to Canada with absolutely nothing. They worked for whatever they had. I went to University in the eighties, and I did not have a computer, or the Internet, or any of these other gadgets, but I studied hard and earned my degree. Today’s kids are lost without this technology. For them, everything has to be “easy”. We spoiled ourselves. The problem is not just with youth in Greece; the problem is with young people all over the world – they have it too good. At this time of year, we must think about Christ, our Messiah, and how he suffered – just so that we could be saved. But do we appreciate what He did for us? No! We are rotten, ungrateful people. The whole world is corrupt – not just Greece.

Technology is great up to a certain point, but this technology has affected our social skills – including the communication skills which today’s youth apparently lack. We are cold, insensitive robots, obsessed with productivity. We are human beings, not robots. We must return to our old, Christian values. We must abandon secularism and return to our faith. Otherwise, society shall fall into another dark age. Why must every kid today have an Ipod? Why must everyone be “online” or use a computer to write? Did Euripedes use a computer to write his plays? Did Shakespeare use a computer to write his plays? Did Pindar use a computer’s word processor to write his lyric poetry? Did Charles Dickens use a word processor to write “Bleak House”, “Great Expectations” and, let us not forget, “A Christmas Carol”? No! They got along without it. The mind is the greatest computer of all. A computer will make your writing look better, but it won’t make you a better writer? Technology is great…up to a point. Today’s kids need to realize this. We must return to the old world family values – values our parents and grandparents were brought up on. It’s not just kids in Greece that are bad; it’s kids all over the world that have become spoiled and ungrateful.