A Blue Print for Democracy: Greece Goes on Strike and Shuts Down the Country
The city streets are filled with garbage and there is no news coverage. The politicians are resigning one by one rather than involve themselves in something they think is a lose lose vote and only the most delicate of civil service employees are upholding their duties with the blessing of the union brotherhood.
I was left in awe at this article about how the people of Greece have joined together in a social movement that does not involve #hashtags and a corporate media kaleidoscope.
Rather than having to take to the realm social media to rally up support, citizens and those politicians that support social sectors have quietly chosen to stop participating in their civic duties.
The widespread reach of social displeasure is due to a new bill that will be introduced for a vote on Thursday. Citizens and officials fear this bill, which was created at the business end the barrel of a gun held by Greece’s numerous creditors, will further drive up the number of unemployed Grecian citizens.
Can the birthplace of Democratic philosophy remind America of who she aspired to be? We built ourselves from the dust of Ancient Grecian theory in logic, civility, and inclusiveness. The ideology of shared brotherhood has not been lost on them, but can we say the same of ourselves?
The aviation workers, sanitation department and high ranking members of the police department have already walked out.
Executive member party members are walking away one by one rather than have to vote and face their constituents…or maybe these politicians do have a conscious?
Those that remain in their legislative seats are left to face a harsh choice come Thursdays’s vote.
Either they vote in favor of the bill and then get their asses handed to them by the Greek citizens and civil servants who will feel screwed over by their decision or they can sit and vote against the bill, possibility watch it pass and then have to live with the shade of party members who will forever feel a tinge of betrayal.
It’s an ugly situation all around, however, I applaud the solidarity of the citizens against the hot breath of the banking creditors. Imagine what we could get accomplished if we were all collectively angry as the Greek people are about the plight of the American citizen.
Image, for a moment, the type of impact we could send to all of those ABOVE us working class people if we chose not to work, for one day, or more. Fuck it, if I can’t get what I want, then you can’t get what you want. For those that didn’t agree, societal pressure would motivate them to sit the hell down somewhere and not make any sudden movements.
Is this a solution to the problem? No, but neither is squeezing the opportunity to exist out of the people whom society as a whole depends on for our very existence.
I don’t know about you, but starving is much more satisfying after having NOT had worked a full 40 hours to be unable to shop in the brand name food aisle. Let’s hope that Greece may again inspire our political philosophy.
One can only hope that America is as assertive as she once was.
