The attack against Koumoutsakos from Golden Dawn supporters and enraged super-patriots is not, unfortunately, a flash in the pan. The game with fire, primarily as part of the anti-bailout struggle, which is being play in recent years has left a mark on an important section of society. The national populism that was cultivated as a counterbalance to the “bad” Europeans on the one hand contributed towards the bulging of the neofascist beast and on the other, towards the proliferation of a deep hatred for politicians.
With the tolerance or collusion of the left, which considered the depreciation of parties in power was convenient vehicle to take over power itself. As a result it is now paying the price for the populism it bred. We forgot about Marfin, the violence and attacks against politicians, the violence in the universities and now, once again, we are faced with it all.
We forgot that democracy means discussing and debating ideas and we tolerated the depreciation of Parliament and extreme populist as the default field of political confrontation. We invested in nationalism to cover for our sins and blame them on the European who supposedly vied for our subjugation and exploitation. Once again, we reap what we sow.
We read a monster and now we are faced with it and we insist on making the same mistakes, exchanging the same accusation and continuing the same political, apparently, conflict. After five years of the crisis, with society having reached it limits, both the government and opposition – with few exceptions – insist upon this populist game of fire, rather than seek out a national consensus.
It is time they came to their senses before the beast is completely out of control. They must realize that they are all in the same boat, which if it sinks because they cannot agree on the obvious, the consequences will dire for everyone.
TO VIMA
