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Greece reacts with protests to a visit from Germany's Merkel
A protestor holds banner which reads 'Frau Merkel Get Out' in front of Parliament on October 9, 2012 in Athens, Greece.
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German chancellor Angela Merkel spent about six hours in Greece earlier today -- and then flew home. Merkel's not exactly a popular figure in that country since she's pushed for painful economic reforms in the country mired in deficit. She assured the Greek people today that those reforms will pay off. But Merkel's "charm offensive" didn't assuage tens of thousands of Greeks who responded to her visit today with massive street protests across the city.
John Psaropoulos is a blogger at TheNewAthenian.com. Of the protests, he says many Greeks were in the streets because they are genuinely frustrated with the rounds of austerity measures that have chipped away at the middle class in that country. But others were organized along ideological lines -- namely the anti-banker, anti-Wall Street types we saw in the United States.
But for some Greeks, especially the youth, frustration has given way to apathy, in a market where unemployment for young people is at 54 percent.
"They tend to sit on stoops in front of houses," says Psaropoulos. "They clearly have nothing to do all day and they sit there well into the night drinking sodas and beers. And you know, there's a reason it's called a depression. People are depressed."
But, says Psaropoulos, many Greeks are still finding ways to socialize with friends and "making merry" to forget about their economic woes.
Sarah Gardner's interview on the reaction to German chancellor Merkel's quickie visit to Greece today ended horribly when she inappropriately asked the blogger John Psaropoulos to tell her about the Greek's "black humor that goes" with all their bleak economic woes. Come to think of it, she started voicing her disrespect over this tragedy at the top of the story when she inserted "You guessed it" before "massive street protests". Soon after, before the interview began proper her words ". . .Leads us to ask YET AGAIN. . ." reiterated her boredom with this tragedy. If sound of voice and tone has meaning on the radio then Gardner's indicated one that is moneyed, insensitive, and completely out of touch with the situation in Greece and, indeed, the modern financial crisis.
I know this is not how anyone wants to portray some of today's worst victims of modern global economics. Nor is it how anyone wants an American financial broadcast projected. If you agree, then it's time to treat respectfully the real-world tragedies like the hundreds of thousands of flesh and blood lives who are ruined in Europe with no purpose or way to make a living. So what that this is happening half a world away? So what that they are taking a long time to metaphorically die? Frankly, it's the way I hear many of the repeat economic tensions in America addressed also. Seems like instead of boredom over these same-old-same-old reiterations, reporters would ask the tough questions like, "Gee, why haven't we fixed this problem yet? Where is the incompetence? Who slacked on their responsibilities?" Complex issues require not just glib airing but repeated tough questions. It's what I expect from public radio and its financial broadcast.
