Welcome to Greece. The country where, as they say, “democracy was born but then went to study abroad”. Greece, which in the past decades has been reeking of racism, neo-fascism, filth, environmental abuse, animal abuse, femicide, hate crimes, injustice and police brutality.
Greece is a beautiful country. It’s the birthplace of rich history and culture, magnificent literature, moving poetry and mesmerizing music. It used to be unspoiled and pristine, with a varied landscape, tall, ancient trees, rich vegetation, waterfalls, rivers, lakes, enchanting beaches, breathtaking views, and unique wildlife. It is a place that still combines the green colour of the trees with the turquoise to deep blue colour of the sea, a place of high mountain peaks and endless coastlines.
It’s also however the birthplace of entitled, shallow, ignorant people. The country where minimum wage is lower than rent and yet, people keep voting for the same good-for-nothing lot over and over again. The country where volunteers who save refugees are slandered and scorned and where people who are well-known for embezzlement, criminal activity and murdering nature in the name of profit become mayors and get awards.
It is the place where political activists, LGBTQ ambassadors and immigrants get murdered. It is where children are pushed from rafts back into the water and drowned. It is where women who fancy themselves public figures or ‘influencers’ belittle other women for their appearance, the place where being different is rejected and those who dare to differ, to resist, are bound to get attacked, bullied, tortured, and even killed.
Welcome to Greece. A place where arson has become a national summer sport. A place where firefighters are praised and called ‘heroes’ in the summer but when they participate in a peaceful demonstration to claim their rights to higher salaries they are thrown teargas and face police brutality.
Welcome to Greece. You are welcome, because you bring your money with you.
However, we are not.
