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1-12-2013 William Mallinson at the EPAM Athens Meeting

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vBTl_rgwF8&feature=youtu.be

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ΠΩΣ ΝΑ ΚΑΤΑΣΤΡΕΨΕΙΣ ΝΕΑΝΙΚΑ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΜΥΑΛΑ

ΠΩΣ ΝΑ ΚΑΤΑΣΤΡΕΨΕΙΣ ΝΕΑΝΙΚΑ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΜΥΑΛΑ

Του William D.E. Mallinson

Απόδοση στην Ελληνική: Θοδωρής Μπουχέλος

Ας θυμηθούμε τα λόγια που ο Γιάννης Μαρίνος αποδίδει στον Χάινριχ Κίσινγκερ:

Ο ελληνικός λαός είναι δύσκολο -αν όχι αδύνατον- να υποταχθεί, και γι’ αυτό θα πρέπει να τον πλήξουμε βαθειά στις πολιτισμικές του ρίζες: ίσως τότε να τον εξαναγκάσουμε να συμμορφωθεί. Εννοώ, φυσικά, να πλήξουμε τη γλώσσα, τη θρησκεία, τα πνευματικά και ιστορικά του αποθέματα, προκειμένου να εξουδετερώσουμε την ικανότητά του να αναπτυχθεί, να διακριθεί ή να επικρατήσει, ούτως ώστε να τόν εξαλείψουμε ως εμπόδιο στα ουσιώδους σημασίας στρατηγικά σχέδιά μας στα Βαλκάνια, τη Μεσόγειο και τη Μέση Ανατολή.

Η βέλτιστη μακροχρόνια άμυνα κάθε χώρας είναι το εκπαιδευτικό της σύστημα και, πιο συγκεκριμένα, το επίπεδο παιδείας των νέων της.

Το μέλος της λέσχης Μπίλντερμπεργκ Άννα Διαμαντοπούλου, διαβόητη για την πρότασή της να γίνει η Αγγλική επίσημη γλώσσα της Ελλάδος, διετέλεσε Υπουργός Παιδείας από το 2010 έως το 2012. Η τεχνική ανταρτοπόλεμου που εφήρμοσε, αποδεικνύεται τώρα να έχει βλάψει σοβαρότατα τα ελληνόπουλα και την ελληνική οικογένεια γενικότερα. Αφού δεν τής έφτασε που προσπάθησε να κάνει την Αγγλική επίσημη γλώσσα της Ελλάδος (όπως έγινε στις πρώην βρετανικές αποικίες!), στη συνέχεια φρόντισε να μην υπάρχουν αρκετά σχολικά βιβλία για όλα τα παιδιά. Αλλά αυτά ωχριούν μπροστά στην πλέον πρόσφατη φρίκη, δηλαδή τις δήθεν εισαγωγικές εξετάσεις στα Πειραματικά Σχολεία. Τη φαντάζομαι κάλλιστα να κρυφογελάει αραχτή στη βίλλα της και να τρίβει τα χέρια της με ικανοποίηση, ενώ ο Αρβανιτόπουλος προσπαθεί να συμμαζέψει τα ασυμμάζευτα, αλλά αυτό δεν ισχύει ούτε για τα παιδάκια που δέχθηκαν το πλήγμα, ούτε -φυσικά- και για τους γονείς τους.

Στην αρχή είχαν ιδρυθεί ως ‘σχολεία αριστείας’ και τα παιδιά επιλέγονταν με κλήρωση, προκειμένου να εξασφαλισθεί μια όσο το δυνατόν φυσιολογική και αντιπροσωπευτική συμμετοχή μαθητών. Όλα καλά και ωραία. Τότε, όμως, η Διαμαντοπούλου πέρασε έναν νόμο που τα μετέτρεψε σε ελιτίστικα. Ας το δεχθούμε και αυτό: άλλωστε, υπάρχουν κι εκείνες οι πολύ σοβαρές απόψεις διανοουμένων που λένε ότι ορισμένα δημόσια σχολεία θα έπρεπε να δέχονται μόνο τους καλύτερους μαθητές, περίπου όπως τα πάλαι ποτέ αξιοσέβαστα Grammar Schools της Αγγλίας. Ως εκ τούτου, από αυτό το καλοκαίρι, πολλά παιδιά χρειάστηκε να συμμετάσχουν σε αυτές τις ιδιαιτέρως απαιτητικές εξετάσεις σε μαθηματικά και γραμματική, προκειμένου να διεκδικήσουν μια θέση σε Πειραματικό Σχολείο. Με την οικονομική κρίση, ακόμη και γόνοι συστηματικών φοροφυγάδων επιχειρηματιών των βορείων προαστίων αποφάσισαν να πληρώσουν ώστε να κάνουν τα βλαστάρια τους ιδιαίτερα φροντιστηριακά μαθήματα -πολύ συχνά παρανόμως, αφού τα διδάσκουν καθηγητές του δημοσίου που ‘έχουν άκρες’- προκειμένου να περάσουν τις εξετάσεις των Πειραματικών Σχολείων, εγκαταλείποντας τα πανάκριβα ιδιωτικά σχολεία για να απολαύσουν υψηλού επιπέδου εκπαίδευση στο τσάμπα.

Ας πούμε ότι ως εδώ, όλα καλά, εκτός από μια μικρή λεπτομέρεια η οποία φαίνεται να διέλαθε της προσοχής της -κατά τα άλλα ΠΑΣΟΚ και ‘όλοι-είμαστε-ίσοι’- Διαμαντοπούλου: τις εξετάσεις αυτές, έπρεπε επίσης να τις περάσουν και όσοι μαθητές πήγαιναν ήδη σε Πειραματικό Σχολείο, προκειμένου να παραμείνουν στο σχολείο τους. Τα αποτελέσματα ήταν καταστροφικά.

Οι γονείς πολλών μαθητών Πειραματικών Σχολείων απλούστατα δεν είχαν τα χρήματα για να στείλουν τα παιδιά τους σε ιδιαίτερα, εν αντιθέσει προς ορισμένους καραμπινάτους φοροφυγάδες των βορείων προαστίων.

Στο Πειραματικό Σχολείο Πλάκας, από τους σαράντα πέντε μαθητές γυμνασίου, μόνον οκτώ πέρασαν στο λύκειο. Οι υπόλοιποι τριάντα οκτώ θα πρέπει να πάνε αλλού σχολείο. Φοβερή ταλαιπωρία για νεανικές καρδιές και εγκεφάλους. Ακόμα χειρότερο είναι ότι σε ορισμένες περιπτώσεις χωρίστηκαν αδελφάκια. Αυτά τα παιδιά του μέλλοντός μας έχουν αποπροσανατολισθεί, εξαναγκασθεί να αποχωρισθούν τους συμμαθητές και φίλους τους, και έχουν υποστεί συναισθηματική αποσταθεροποίηση. Αυτά τα σκληρά μέτρα, στα οποία οι νεαροί μας έφηβοι χρησιμοποιούνται ως πολιτικά κλωτσοσκούφια, είναι αντι-οικογενειακά και απάνθρωπα. Το μέλλον ανθρώπων έχει καταστραφεί ολοσχερώς. Ο εν λόγω νόμος είναι ξεκάθαρα απότοκο ανικανότητας, απερισκεψίας και έλλειψης ευαισθησίας. Φαίνεται ότι το όνομα των σχολείων αυτών επιβεβαιώνεται, αφού πειραματίζονται με τα παιδιά μας, αλλά όχι όπως ήταν ο αρχικός τους σχεδιασμός.

Θα έχει, άραγε, ο κ. Αρβανιτόπουλος το σθένος να τροποποιήσει τον νόμο, έστω εξαιρώντας από τις εξετάσεις τα παιδιά μας που ήδη έχουν κληρωθεί σε κάποιο τέτοιο σχολείο, επιτρέποντας σε όσα εξ αυτών απέτυχαν να επιστρέψουν Πειραματικά Σχολεία τους και αποτρέποντας την επανάληψη αυτού του φαινομένου στο μέλλον; Δεν μπορεί κανείς να ρίξει το φταίξιμο γι’ αυτό στους Γερμανούς -αυτά είναι φίλια πυρά, ο ελληνικός μαζοχισμός σε όλο του το μεγαλείο. Θα δείξει ο Υπουργός ότι νοιάζεται για τα παιδιά μας και για την παιδεία, αυτήν την βέλτιστη άμυνα της Ελλάδος;

CHILDREN AS POLITICAL FOOTBALL FODDER

                            HOW TO MESS UP YOUNG GREEK MINDS

                                                                                                                             

Let us recall what Heinrich Kissinger is credited by Yannis Marinos with saying:

The Greek people are a difficult if not impossible people to tame, and for this reason we must strike deep into their cultural roots: perhaps then we can force them to conform. I mean, of course, to strike at their language, their religion, their cultural and historical reserves, so that we can neutralize their ability to develop, to distinguish themselves, or to prevail, thereby removing them as an obstacle t our strategically vital plans in the Balkans, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East.

The best long-term defence of any country is its education system and more specifically, how well educated its children are.

Bilderberger Anna Diamantopoulou, infamous for suggesting that English be an official language of Greece, was Education Minister from 2010 until 2012. Her hit-and-run tactics are now proving damaging to Greece’s children and family life. Not satisfied with having tried to make English an official language of Greece (like ex-British colonies!), she then proceeded to ensure that there were not enough schoolbooks for children. But that is nothing compared to the latest horror, namely the so-called examinations to enter Experimental Schools. She may well be sniggering on the sidelines in her villa, while Arvanitopoulos tries to pick up the pieces, but the children who have been damaged are certainly not sniggering. Nor are their parents.

Originally set up as ‘schools of excellence’, the children were chosen by lottery, so as to ensure a normal cross-section of pupils. All very well and good. But then Diamantopoulou passed a law making them elitist. Also fine: after all, there are strong intellectual arguments for some state schools to take only the best-performing pupils, rather like the once respected Grammar Schools of England. Thus as of this summer, many children found themselves taking a competitive examination in mathematics and grammar to gain a place at an Experimental School. With the economic crisis, even some of the northern Athens tax-avoiding business community decided to pay for their children to be privately coached – often illegally, by state teachers in the know – to pass the Experimental School examinations, leave their expensive private schools, and get a superior education on the cheap. 

Well, so far, so good, apart from a detail which apparently escaped Diamantopoulou’s allegedly PASOK equal rights brain: those pupils who were already at the Experimental Schools would also have to pass the examination to remain in their own school. The results were devastating.

The parents of many pupils in the Experimental Schools simply did not have the money to pay for the extra coaching for their children to pass the examination, unlike some tax-avoiding fat cats in the northern suburbs.

At the Experimental School of Plaka, out of forty five pupils in the gymnasio, only eight passed to the Lykeio. The remaining thirty eight have to find other schools. A terrible wrenching of young hearts and brains. Worse than that, some siblings have been split. These children of our future have been disoriented, been forced to leave their schoolfriends, and been emotionally destabilised. The harsh measures, using young adolescents as political footballs, are anti-family and cruel. Futures have been damaged. The law is clearly the result of incompetence, thoughtlessness and a lack of tactility. It seems that the schools are living up to their name, by experimenting with our children, but not in the way intended.

Will Mr. Arvanitopoulos have the courage to amend the law, so as to exclude those of our children who had already been selected by lottery from taking the examination, to send those who failed the examination back to their experimental school, and to prevent this happening again? You can’t blame the Germans for this, this is home-grown damage, Greek masochism in full swing. Will the minister show that he cares for our children, and for education, Greece’s best defence?

Fear detracts from honesty, is indeed its enemy. A good man who is a Freemason is a good man; a bad man who is a Freemason is a bad man, because he will have joined the Craft to further his own interests, using Freemasonry as his cover. There is nothing wrong with the idea of the Establishment. The problem is that these days, too many so-called members of the 'Establishment' are dirty. Thus, one of society's worst enemies is the dirty part of the Establishment. Bilderberg is currently full of it, as is the Trilateral Commission. It is time for a clean-up!

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Fear detracts from honesty, is indeed its enemy. A good man who is a Freemason is a good man; a bad man who is a Freemason is a bad man, because he will have joined the Craft to further his own interests, using Freemasonry as his cover. There is nothing wrong with the idea of the Establishment. The problem is that these days, too many so-called members of the 'Establishment' are dirty. Thus, one of society's worst enemies is the dirty part of the Establishment. Bilderberg is currently full of it, as is the Trilateral Commission. It is time for a clean-up!

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Sex and Politics for Rhodes

Words and Music

                   THE NEW GREEK JUNTA AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

One doesn’t have to be acquainted with George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’ and ‘1984’ to understand what is happening in Greece, the cradle of democracy: it is enough to recall Guicciardini’s dictum that the same things return with different colours.

In this case, instead of the junta’s Foreign Minister, Pipinelis, refusing (in 1970) to renew the famous Greek poet, ambassador and Nobel prizewinner, George Seferis’, diplomatic passport, we have the current Greek Foreign Minister, Mr. Avramopoulos, attempting to annul a recently retired Greek ambassador’s title of Ambassador ad honorem. The next stage is the attempted withdrawal of the retired ambassador’s diplomatic passport.

Avramopoulos actually went to the trouble of preparing a decree for the Greek president, Papoulias’, signature, annulling the title. Papoulias, himself a former foreign minister, signed it, despite the fact that he was once a vociferous critic of the junta. Plus ça change: the piercing analyst is entitled to think that he is now a mere instrument of the new Euro-German quisling junta: the image that comes to mind is that of a drunken fish swimming feebly with the current.

My tetchy and colourful rhetoric apart, let us take a quick but incisive look at what lies behind this bizarre and irrational act by Mr. Avramopoulos, bearing in mind the studiously oft-ignored human factors of greed, fear, ambition and envy. Avramopoulos is a former Greek diplomat, who resigned to pursue a more lucrative career in politics. Apart from emitting a good deal of hot air, including attention-seeking impractical ideas such as ‘merging Greek and Turkish society’, he has done nothing substantial for his country. This contrasts with Chrysanthopoulos, who stuck it out, and has constantly fought, with considerable panache, for his country. Avramopoulos actually praised Chrysanthopoulos only a few months ago for his long-standing service and his work as Secretary General of the Black Sea Economic Co-operation Conference. Thus there is a curious dichotomy here, which leads one to wonder whether outside influence has played any part. Greece has an unfortunate historical tendency to succumb to various foreign pressures.

Unlike most Greek politicians, Chrysanthopoulos cares for his country rather than for his personal image. He is a leading member of an organisation that, inter alia, advocates Greece’s exit from the Euro. He has written a number of articles critical of the government, and has expressed strong views in interviews by leading international journalists. Although Avramopoulos would not dare admit the reasons behind his silly move, it is clear to even the most naïve observer that Chrysanthopoulos is being attacked because his views have embarrassed the government.

As for President Papoulias, who once fought vigorously against the 1967-74 junta, he now seems to have transmogrified into a broken reed: one is inclined to wonder if he even thought about what he was signing.

Let us return to that great poet and Greek diplomat, George Seferis: his ‘crime’ was to have given an interview to the BBC in 1970 that was critical of the junta. It was picked up by the Soviet media, whereupon the junta accused him of acting against the national interest. His treatment, and that of Chrysanthopoulos, smacks of Goebbel- and Stalin-type behaviour, as well as that of the 1967-74 junta.

Who are the real traitors in this tawdry tale? Certainly not Seferis or Chrysanthopoulos, both of whom love their country, and who are exercising their democratic and constitutional right to help Greece by justifiably criticising the quisling neo-Ottoman plutocleptocratic junta that is destroying the fabric of the country. By their silly action, Avramopoulos and President Papoulias have not served the interests of Greece.

Dr. William Mallinson

Athens, 5 April 2013

"I’m sorry to tell you that although this disgusting story about backstage diplomacy, double-dealing, danger and death is presented as fiction, it is really faction: what you are about to read has happened, is happening, and will happen. The US and its close allies Britain and Israel are desperate to invade Iran, and need Turkish compliance. Just as not everyone approved of Germany’s invasion of Poland, which led to the most devastating world war ever, so not everyone would approve of an attack on Iran ..."

An action-laden political thriller about a conspiracy between two NATO powers, who formulate the methods of ensuring Turkish support for an attack on Iran.
Britain has been chosen as the main protagonist, since its bases on Cyprus underpin their American-sponsored supremacy in the Mediterranean.

The game revolves around possession of the island of Rhodes - with Greece as collateral damage. Will they succeed in their plan?

They might, but for for two honest diplomats, an Englishman and a Greek, who bring the Russians into the game ...

Written by William Mallinson, a former member of the British Diplomatic Service, diplomatic historian and academic at the Ionian University. Dr.Mallinson is known for his books on British and American policy in the Mediterranean, and in particular in the island of Cyprus.

Order Kindle e-book at:http://www.amazon.com/The-Game-for-Rhodes-ebook/dp/B00C1CGQR6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1365089278&sr=8-2&keywords=The+Game+for+Rhodes

Greece crisis: Readers reflect on parallels with Argentina

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Related Stories

• Will Greece learn where Argentina failed to?
• Greek MPs approve austerity plan

The recent turmoil in the Greek financial markets has been likened by experts to the crisis in Argentina which resulted in the collapse of the peso in 2002.

The BBC introduced Argentinian Nora Casiello to Greek William David Eustratios Mallinson. We asked them to share their thoughts on the economic and political issues that led to financial difficulties in their countries.

William Mallinson is a university lecturer, writer and political activist in Greece. He believes that Greece must leave the euro in order to survive the current crisis.

Nora Casiello is an English teacher and political sciences graduate in Rosario, Argentina. She was in Buenos Aries at the time of the 2001-02 crisis.

So why did it all happen?

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“Start Quote

Greece needs to leave the Euro now”

William Mallinson

William: The situation in Greece occurred, in an immediate sense, because of some false numbers which allowed the country to join the Euro.

Greece's debt is now growing faster than its economy.

It is a vicious circle - the more the borrowing, the smaller the economy becomes.

Default is a mathematical certainty.

Greece therefore needs to leave the euro now and regain its sovereignty.

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“Start Quote

I would rather an orderly austerity plan than chaos”

Nora Casiello

Nora: I am sure the IMF and the main economic powers had their own agenda when they lent money to my country, but somebody in Argentina accepted that money.

The worst thing was that most of the money lent to my country was not invested but squandered.

When Argentina fell into a recession, the prices of our products were no longer competitive.

Devaluation meant a huge transfer of money from those who had saved to those who had not.

Who was to blame?

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“Start Quote

Greek MPs are primarily responsible”

William Mallinson

William: Greek MPs are primarily responsible for agreeing to this economic situation in order to save their positions and their skins. They earn far too much, about four times as much as a full professor.

By voting for imposed measures that are destroying the lives of ordinary Greeks like me they have shown that they care more for themselves than for Greece."

Nora: In the case of Argentina, everyone was to blame. Of course, politicians and the establishment were mainly responsible, but everybody enjoyed consuming imported goods and the possibility of buying with credit cards.

How did the community react?

William: The community has reacted with angry restraint, despite the use of illegal gas by the police, which caused hundreds of metro passengers at the metro of the main square, Syntagma, to collapse on Wednesday.

For several weeks, hundreds of thousands of ordinary citizens have been petitioning parliament, which has ignored them. Democracy is dying.

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“Start Quote

People reacted with anger”

Nora Casiello

Nora: When the government announced austerity measures, the people reacted with anger, because they were either directly affected by it or found it unfair.

Then, the government established the "corralito", which imposed restrictions on peoples' bank accounts. This triggered the first big demonstration and "pot-banging", which was followed by violent demonstrations.

Several people died in Buenos Aires and the provinces and, once again, supermarkets and shops were vandalised and robbed. But only a very small part of the population took part in this.

What was the personal impact on you?

William: The personal impact on me is that my net salary was cut arbitrarily by a quarter. I have less money to feed my family and have had to take out a hated bank loan, which helps the bank more than my family.

Prices have also shot up. Greek petrol is the most expensive in Europe, while Greek salaries (except for politicians) are very low. The pips are being made to squeak.

Nora: I was one of the lucky ones: I did not have savings at the bank, having used my money to fully purchase an apartment, so I neither lost nor gained. And, fortunately, I kept my job.

Are austerity measures the right way forward?

William: Greece must no longer succumb to the European Central Bank, European Commission and IMF's blackmail and leave the euro, declare the debt illegal, nationalise the big banks and regain our sovereignty.

More co-operation with Russia is also required, since it is the most powerful local country, and has traditionally been friendly towards Greece.

Nora: Yes, I think they are. I would rather have a government applying an orderly austerity plan than the chaos and unfair distribution of effort that resulted from devaluation in my country.

Final thoughts ...

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“Start Quote

The average Greek citizen simply cannot pay”

William Mallinson

William: I think there will be backstage pressure by the IMF and the European Central Bank. There will certainly be more chaos in the meantime, since the average Greek citizen simply cannot pay, while the corrupt high-level politicians, shipping people, some club-owners and some private doctors and lawyers continue to hide their taxable money.

If the Greek government does not resign soon, I foresee targeted violence by extremist groups.

Nora: Based on my experience (I have lived through terrorism and repression, hyperinflation and several devaluations), I would say that we, the people, are resilient, and we always find a way out. But we rarely review our own mistakes, we blame others (who very often deserve the blame) but excuse our own actions.

We must learn to improve the institutions and the laws, and not just expect the "magic solution" promised by anyone seeking our vote.

More on This Story

Related Stories

• Will Greece learn where Argentina failed to? 28 JUNE 2011, BUSINESS
• Greek MPs approve austerity plan 30 JUNE 2011, EUROPE

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