Racism from Greece and Greeks

[Philosopher]

Philosopher, where is your "free speech" with regards to golden dawn's reactions to the publishing of a greek/macedonian dictionary in 2009, for example?

Did you see how they reacted? They entered the building like it was a military operation behaving like outright thugs. Intimidating and threatening innocent people of a peaceful book launch that may be controversial for some greeks.

This is just one example of a day in the life of what golden dawn stand for.
Why these people should be afforded the same right they deny of other individuals? The AMHRC are valid in their stance to show concern and the requests they make.

If golden dawn “intellectually” protested their points of view, I would therefore not object to them coming here to express their views to a select group.

However, definitely not in this case.

Honestly, I am not familiar with this story. Maybe you can provide me an online reference or link.

The only thing I can state is that when speech turns to action, whether trespassing, or assault, it is illegal, but only the actions themselves, not the speech.

[spitfire]

Just choose the subtitles. Everything is there about the the reason of the rise of golden dawn. You will understand everything.

FASCISM INC MULTILINGUAL OFFICIAL - YouTube

[Stojacanec]

Philosopher, where is your "free speech" with regards to golden dawn's reactions to the publishing of a greek/macedonian dictionary in 2009, for example?

Did you see how they reacted? They entered the building like it was a military operation behaving like outright thugs. Intimidating and threatening innocent people of a peaceful book launch that may be controversial for some greeks.

This is just one example of a day in the life of what golden dawn stand for.
Why these people should be afforded the same right they deny of other individuals? The AMHRC are valid in their stance to show concern and the requests they make.

If golden dawn “intellectually” protested their points of view, I would therefore not object to them coming here to express their views to a select group.

However, definitely not in this case.

[Soldier of Macedon]

http://www.macedonianhr.org.au/wip/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=182:amhrc-calls-upon-australian-government-to-deny-greek-qneo-naziq-group-mps-entry-into-australia&catid=34:-amhrccat&Itemid=50

AMHRC calls upon Australian Government to deny Greek "Neo Nazi" group MPs entry into Australia

Melbourne, Australia

27 August 2014

The Australian Macedonian Human Rights Committee (AMHRC) is deeply concerned about reports that European Parliament MPs from the Greek political party Golden Dawn, Eleftherios Synadinos and Georgios Epitideios, are set to visit Australia in October in order to “raise funds and increase awareness among Greek-Australians” according to a statement by Golden Dawn's Australian representative.

At present, the Golden Dawn political party has no less than 18 members in the Greek Parliament and 3 seats in the European Parliament. The party preaches an openly “neo-Nazi” platform, promoting the supremacy of the Greek nation and hatred of others. According to a report submitted by the Greek Helsinki Monitor (an Athens based human rights organisation) to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racism and Discrimination (UN CERD), Golden Dawn is “openly neo-Nazi, anti-Semitic, racist and white supremacist and have been involved in many violent incidents against migrants, Macedonians ... as well as in desecration of Jewish monuments” (See full GHM submission here: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cerd/cerds75.htm)

In the Greek Parliament, MPs belonging to the Golden Dawn party frequently refer to Macedonians as “Gypsy-Skopians” (a highly offensive term of abuse) and call for the destruction of the Macedonian state. On the 4th of June 2009, Golden Dawn members forcibly disrupted the launch of a Greek-Macedonian dictionary in Athens by the ethnic Macedonian political party in Greece, Ouranio Toxo (EFA-Rainbow Party), threatened the participants, damaged equipment and destroyed promotional materials. The party regularly threatens and harasses activists belonging to Greece’s sizeable Macedonian minority, deeming them to be a “traitorous fifth column” simply because they demand respect for their basic human rights.

While such manifestations of intolerance and racism may be acceptable to Golden Dawn supporters and more widely to certain elements within Greek society itself, they have absolutely no place in Australian society.

The AMHRC calls on the Minister for Immigration, the Hon. Scott Morrison MP, to take action to prevent the abovementioned Golden Dawn MPs from visiting Australia for the purpose of disseminating their racist propaganda. Under Section 501 of the Australian Migration Act 1958, the Minister has the power to refuse entry into Australia of persons who do not meet the character test as defined in the Act. We strongly believe that no sitting MP in the Greek or European Parliaments belonging to the Golden Dawn party or any office bearer of the Golden Dawn party would meet the character test requirements as defined in subsection (6) of Section 501. Namely, we believe that there is strong evidence to support the view that in the event that any such person as described above were allowed to enter or remain in Australia, they would:

(iii) vilify a segment of the Australian community; or

(iv) incite discord in the Australian community or in a segment of that community; or

(v) represent a danger to the Australian community or to a segment of that community, whether by way of being liable to become involved in activities that are disruptive to, or in violence threatening harm to, that community or segment, or in any other way.

The AMHRC also appeals to all community organisations in Australia, especially those of the Greek and Jewish communities, to join this call from within the Australian Macedonian community for the abovementioned European Parliament Golden Dawn MPs and indeed all Golden Dawn MPs and representatives to be denied entry into Australia.

[Phoenix]

Protests are already being organized for the event, I just feel the Macedonian community should be apart of it.

Valid point.

[Liberator of Makedonija]

Protests are already being organized for the event, I just feel the Macedonian community should be apart of it.

[Philosopher]

I think it is a big deal, these people are outlawed in their own country, they now come to mine to spread their Nazi views to the thousands on Greek's living here, these views also support territorial gains on the Republic.

I understand. But suppressing free speech does not make this ideology go away. The whole purpose of free speech is to protect speech you do not like.

I am against the arm of the State being used to crush speech it does not like.

[George S.]

azis.thugs and every vile thing under the sun.Will australian authorites listen and do something .??

[Liberator of Makedonija]

I think it is a big deal, these people are outlawed in their own country, they now come to mine to spread their Nazi views to the thousands on Greek's living here, these views also support territorial gains on the Republic.

[Philosopher]

I have been told in the past to organize a protest coincide with event of meaning, I feel this would be the perfect time...

abc.net.au/news/2014-08-25/golden-dawn-meps-to-visit-australia/5694960

Protest for what. You can disagree with them and you can choose to boycott them but I see no reason why they or any group should not have the right to speak at public events. Whoever wants to attend, let him attend. If you do not like what they have to say, then do not attend and do not listen to their speeches.

Now I'm not suggesting you are against them speaking (I have no idea where you stand on this), and you have every right to protest, but I really do not see the big deal either way.

Instead of protesting, however, it would be nice for once to have intellectual debates on this and other subjects.

Free speech is a beautiful thing.

[Liberator of Makedonija]

Golden dawn comes down under

I have been told in the past to organize a protest coincide with event of meaning, I feel this would be the perfect time...

abc.net.au/news/2014-08-25/golden-dawn-meps-to-visit-australia/5694960

[Solun]

I've always suspected Greece was more than happy to rid itself of its Jewish inhabitants. It appears more recent publications from survivors confirm this. Golden Dawn would be proud of the work of its predecessors.

http://www.dnevnik.mk/default.asp?ItemID=E8EB1AA229284C4A983C4A2438CB0B5F

[Soldier of Macedon]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-28/greek-police-arrest-leader-senior-members-of-fascist-golden-dawn/4987310

Greek police arrest leader and senior politicians from neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party

Greek police have arrested the leader and more than a dozen senior members and politicians from the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party.

The arrests come as police investigate the killing of an anti-fascist rapper by a party supporter, in a case that has triggered outrage and protests across the country.

The party's leader Nikolaos Mihaloliakos, spokesman Ilias Kassidiaris, two other politicians and 10 members were arrested on charges of founding a criminal organisation.

They are due to appear in court this weekend to be charged formally.

Police confiscated two guns and a hunting rifle from the home of Mihaloliakos, saying he did not have a licence for them.

Golden Dawn, ranked Greece's third most popular party, is under investigation for the murder of Pavlos Fissas, who bled to death after being stabbed twice by a party sympathiser.

"Shame on them, the people will lift Golden Dawn higher," Ilias Panagiotaros, a Golden Dawn politician, told reporters before his arrest.

Several hundred party supporters gathered outside police headquarters chanting slogans and waving Greek flags. The party on its website called for protests in solidarity with its leader.

Greek PM rules out snap elections

Greek prime minister Antonis Samaras's government has so far resisted calls to ban the party, fearing it could make it even more popular at a time of growing anger at repeated rounds of austerity measures.

Instead, it has tried to undermine the party by ordering probes that could deprive it of state funding.

Mr Samaras ruled out snap elections after the arrests.

Finance minister Yannis Stournaras said Greece did not face the risk of political instability and justice minister Haralambos Athanassiou said all Golden Dawn members who had been arrested would receive a fair trial.

The party has denied any links to the killing and Mihaloliakos has warned the party could pull its politicians from parliament if the crackdown does not stop.

If potential by-elections were won by the opposition, as some polls indicate, Greece's fragile two-party coalition would become politically untenable, Mihaloliakos has argued.

Poll shows support has fallen after murder

The party has 18 of parliament's 300 representatives and scored 14 per cent of voter support in opinion polls before the stabbing.

A poll this week showed this had fallen as low as 6.7 per cent.

Greek representatives do not lose their political rights or seats unless there is a final court ruling against them, but the government has proposed a law that could block state funding for Golden Dawn if police find links to Fissas's murder.

Golden Dawn, whose emblem resembles a swastika, rose from obscurity to enter parliament last year after promising to mine Greece's borders to prevent illegal immigrants from entering.

Its members have been seen giving Nazi-style salutes but the party rejects the neo-Nazi label.

Human rights' groups have accused the party of being linked to attacks on immigrants but this is the first time it is being is investigated for evidence linking it to an attack.

[George S.]

GOCKA THE Greek people are to blame for allowing the greek govt free rein to do as they want.Sounds too familiar to therom govt & the macedonian people.They are doing exactly the same thing & taking advantage of the apathy & ignorance that exits & the indifference as well.THe govt is perpetuated by its people.Don't give me any crap or shit that it'sd the govt of the day.Look at what they have allowed them to do & to become fascists & nazis.

[Gocka]

Golden Dawn are merely the most prominent and outspoken fascists in a country where fascism is considered 'normal' by many people. The (lack of) human rights of the Macedonians and other ethno-linguistic minorities is clear evidence of this. So, when people like Papoulias say that it is their "duty not to allow any space whatsoever to fascism", it is downright hypocritical.

Thank you, well said. Golden dawn wouldn't be so popular if fascism wasn't popular. Fact is the Greek government, no matter who was in power, has always used the inherent racism of its population to its advantage, and has helped spread it. Its absolutely no shock, if it wasn't golden dawn it would be someone else. That's what decades of brainwashing and hate get you. A morally bankrupt and racist group of people.