Most of you have seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding. That movie demonstrates part of my Greek-American culture. We like to eat, be involved in each other's affairs, and exhibit our strong passion for our culture and rich history…until now.
In times like this, I'm not proud to be Greek. The Greeks in Athens are rioting and destroying downtown buildings and artifacts to make a point. I know children throw temper tantrums to try to get their way from parents. Good parents stick to their guns, and sometimes they back down and enable the child's bad behavior and teach the child to have a fit every time they want to get their way. I don't have children and feel certain that temper tantrum can be quite persuasive, especially in the middle of a store or when there isn't time or energy to deal with it appropriately.
This is what the Greek government is facing now. Will they enable bad behavior yet again, listen to rioters, strikers, and overall poorly behaved people, or will they do what is right and teach the disgruntled population that changes will have to be made in order to recover from economic crisis?
We all have to make adjustments to our lifestyle from time to time. It's not fun or easy, but it is often necessary to recover. If the people will just accept it, they can have a greater effect by pulling together to overcome adversity as a people, a nation.
The Greeks can reinstate their once celebrated history of philosophers and wisdom. They can trade misfits for real heroes.
What is the breaking point? Who will surrender? Who is stronger, the government, European Union, or the anarchists? Is the government actually instigating the rioting? Guerrilla warfare is a powerful strategy, but peace and cooperation are more powerful.
My message to the Greeks is cooperate and rebuild because you can!