Following the Christmas spirit of these days our beloved mayor mr.Kamminis, following his will to make our city and life better, removed the benches from Klatmonos square so homeless people won’t sleep there anymore. It seems we are not bothered by the fact that some of our fellow people have lost their homes but by their annoying presence in glamorous Stadiou street. For some it is a matter of survival and, for others, a matter of aesthetics.
In the same mood, state authority attacks repeatedly the immigrant salesmen using extreme violence. By targeting the most repressed part of the working people they are trying to mislead people’s rage away from the real causes for the foreclosures and the unemployment, which are the capitalistic crisis and the government politics which serve the interest of the wealthy few.
The immigrants chased by extreme poverty and imperialist wars, instead of the better future they are looking for, they find themselves, with no rights at all, dealing with fascists, police brutality and constant oppression from state authority. In addition, many of them are trapped in this country because of Dublin II European law act. So, since they were no alternatives, 300 immigrant workers chose to go on hunger strike in order to demand their basic rights. Their victory was a victory for all the working people and a great example for all of us. We shouldn’t forget that immigrants and Greeks have a lot in common. We are both oppressed by the wealthy few and the government. And Greeks used to be immigrants too and it seems they will become again soon.
The city as a shopping Mall
We see that in this Christmas period, which our rulers have managed to link with consuming, the authorities want to clean the center of the city from anything which might spoil the shopping atmosphere, without caring about the problems people face. As we can see from the municipality’s movements, they are trying to create a false image of well-being without facing the real problems, in the name of profit and consuming. But, what matters for us as a society? Not having our fellow people starving or having a “nice” city where we can do our shopping?
What should we do?
Nobody should be left alone in this time of economic crisis. We should show our solidarity to everyone with acts, not just words, no matter where he comes from. We should stand against social cannibalism which makes us fight between us. Only this way we will survive as a society. Let’s rebuilt our communities with democratic assemblies in every neighborhood and solidarity networks and create a movement to resist to the policies which destroy our lives and everyone who carries them out. This way we will be able to create the basis for another social road based on our needs and not on their profits.
We are not problems! We have problems!
We heard the minister of health mr.Loverdos saying with no shame that all women prostitutes caring HIV should be forced out of the country in order to protect the “greek client” and the “greek family”. We believe that medieval opinions as the above, which see oppressed people as a “bad product” for the customer, have no place in our society. And as the crisis deepens even more extreme ideas will be heard, which will put entire parts of our society in the edge. Will we tolerate this?
Left Unity
from central Athens campuses
Athens University of Economics and Business (ΑΣΟΕΕ)
Athens Law School (ΝΟΠΕ)
NTUA School of Architecture (ΕΜΠ)
In the same mood, state authority attacks repeatedly the immigrant salesmen using extreme violence. By targeting the most repressed part of the working people they are trying to mislead people’s rage away from the real causes for the foreclosures and the unemployment, which are the capitalistic crisis and the government politics which serve the interest of the wealthy few.
The immigrants chased by extreme poverty and imperialist wars, instead of the better future they are looking for, they find themselves, with no rights at all, dealing with fascists, police brutality and constant oppression from state authority. In addition, many of them are trapped in this country because of Dublin II European law act. So, since they were no alternatives, 300 immigrant workers chose to go on hunger strike in order to demand their basic rights. Their victory was a victory for all the working people and a great example for all of us. We shouldn’t forget that immigrants and Greeks have a lot in common. We are both oppressed by the wealthy few and the government. And Greeks used to be immigrants too and it seems they will become again soon.
The city as a shopping Mall
We see that in this Christmas period, which our rulers have managed to link with consuming, the authorities want to clean the center of the city from anything which might spoil the shopping atmosphere, without caring about the problems people face. As we can see from the municipality’s movements, they are trying to create a false image of well-being without facing the real problems, in the name of profit and consuming. But, what matters for us as a society? Not having our fellow people starving or having a “nice” city where we can do our shopping?
What should we do?
Nobody should be left alone in this time of economic crisis. We should show our solidarity to everyone with acts, not just words, no matter where he comes from. We should stand against social cannibalism which makes us fight between us. Only this way we will survive as a society. Let’s rebuilt our communities with democratic assemblies in every neighborhood and solidarity networks and create a movement to resist to the policies which destroy our lives and everyone who carries them out. This way we will be able to create the basis for another social road based on our needs and not on their profits.
We are not problems! We have problems!
We heard the minister of health mr.Loverdos saying with no shame that all women prostitutes caring HIV should be forced out of the country in order to protect the “greek client” and the “greek family”. We believe that medieval opinions as the above, which see oppressed people as a “bad product” for the customer, have no place in our society. And as the crisis deepens even more extreme ideas will be heard, which will put entire parts of our society in the edge. Will we tolerate this?
Left Unity
from central Athens campuses
Athens University of Economics and Business (ΑΣΟΕΕ)
Athens Law School (ΝΟΠΕ)
NTUA School of Architecture (ΕΜΠ)
