Ovi Magazine Issue #24: Nationalism - Published: 2013-01-31

Theme
A Greek living in Ireland, a Journalism student and interested in politics,
history, art,nature,traveling and music. His blog aims to give an alternative
perspective of EU and European politics to the citizens of EU, and re-enact
their interest in European politics. He believes in an equal and prosperous
Europe for all its people and nationalities, but with an equal distribution of
wealth, equal opportunities and development for all the continent.
Yes, Greece has an immigration problem that
must be solved soon. And indeed people are angry
and rightly so, because they were let down by
their politicians. But why is that the immigrant
communities are used as scapegoats for all the
country’s difficulties?
I am also a proud Greek and a bit of a nationalist.
I love my country and I want it to shine, to be
prosperous and its people to have the same living
standards as any other country in Europe. I also
want to promote and preserve our culture and
heritage, while making Greece an example
for other countries to aspire and follow.
But Ireland has managed to attract a right mix
of immigrants that come both from poorer
developing countries and richer, developed ones.
In that way Ireland has managed to benefit more
than Greece from its immigrant population.
Socially Ireland changed drastically and it
all comes down to one factor: the Irish came in
contact with other cultures, either by travelling
or by interacting with them at home. When the
Irish became wealthier, they
started travelling a lot and that
was a positive factor.
Now how can we achieve all the above
if we want to close the borders, deport all
immigrants and allow such groups like
the Golden Dawn to exist? What is the
example we give to the rest of the world?
Where is the preservation of the Greek
culture that these brutes are claiming
they are promoting?
Yes Greece right now has too many
immigrants and cannot cope with the
crisis, the unemployment, the economic collapse
and the immigration issue. But that is not a reason
for violence or hatred; it is a reason for better and
more functioning immigration and integration
policies. Why hasn’t the Greek state promoted
those, while it relies on those bullies to offer a
solution to the problem by promoting a fizzling of
the public’s anger?
This can have disastrous consequences for the
social order in the future, as well for the country’s
reputation in the world; funny how the supporters
of the Golden Dawn think that this is what the
country needs right now.
When trying to compare Greece with the country
I live Ireland, one can draw interesting conclusions.
Not that there are not any racism incidents here.
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