Who is Golden Dawn and what is their problem?

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
10/24/2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

A country once occupied by Nazis may soon be occupied by them once again.

In 1941, the Nazis invaded Greece, aided by Italy and Bulgaria. The next four years were filled with hardship. Hundreds of thousands died from starvation and tens of thousands were murdered in Nazi reprisals. Hyperinflation destroyed the economy and when the war ended, a civil war erupted.

Nikolaos Michaloliakos speaking at a conference for Golden Dawn.

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ATHENS, GREECE (Catholic Online) - In the wake of the civil war, the Nazi collaborators soon became the ruling class, chosen by the people over an extreme leftist alternative.
More recent times have seen moderation in Greek politics, but since 2008 the financial devastation in the country as seen the Nazis both resurgent and violent.

Greece is a traditional gateway into Europe. About 90 percent of the immigrants to Europe from Africa and the Middle East pass through Greece. Many continue on to other states, but some stay on for various reasons. Many become stuck, unable to leave because they have little means of support.

These immigrants take the dirtiest jobs, often making their diving on a few euros a day. Until 2008, this wasn't considered a problem. Greece was traditionally welcoming of immigrants, many who helped rebuild the country after the devastation it suffered following its occupation and civil war.

However, the Greek government has not been known for fiscal discipline and lavish spending policies bankrupted the country. To keep money flowing, the government borrowed against the good credit of other Eurozone member nations. This kept creditors at bay until 2008.

Once the Greek economy collapsed, the government was forced to accept strict austerity measures as part of a structured bailout. This austerity has the government selling assets and cutting spending and jobs on an unprecedented scale.

The result is a largely unemployed workforce, a 40 percent increase in the suicide rate, and growing public discontent with government and immigration.

Immigrants, once welcome, are now seen as competition.

To answer the call, the Greek Nazi Party, known as "Golden Dawn" is surging in popularity. Hundreds, if not thousands of youth have flocked to its banner donning the black tee shirts that have become a trademark of the organization. In this year's elections, Golden Dawn has won 18 of 300 seats in parliament. It's a start.

The party was established by a former mathematician and felon, Nikolaos Michaloliakos. After leaving prison in the mid 80's, Michaloliakos started a publication that glorified Nazi ideology and applied it to Greek affairs. For nearly two decades, he was dismissed by the people as a disaffected ideologue.

His chance came with the financial crisis. Golden Dawn began by providing social services to those in need. Legal and medical aid, medicine, and private security were among the services it provided. For Greek natives, Golden Dawn represented help in a time of crisis.

But along with the help for native Greeks, came aggression toward immigrants. Beatings became increasingly frequent and are now regular occurrences. Ethnic minorities are intimidated into abandoning businesses and homes as Golden Dawn thugs threaten and brutalize them.

On a routine basis, Golden Dawn patrols marketplaces and stores, ensuring that shopkeepers hire only Greeks.

All this is part of their plan to "clean up" Athens where they are based, and other metropolitan areas.

Targets are easy to come by. New arrivals in the country have no place to go since the government provides no formal assistance. That means many immigrants find themselves on the streets, sleeping in parks when they first arrive.

Golden Dawn thugs target these people with great regularity, making clear they are not welcome in Athens.

Meanwhile, the government is practicing its own brand of xenophobia, detaining more than 20,000 suspected illegal immigrants in the past three months alone.

The Nazi problem is not just one of a few extremists perpetrating gang-style violence on foreigners. There's a much larger issue of small political parties eroding support for the leading factions of the Greek government. As the country becomes increasingly polarized and factionalized, the makings of civil conflict are brewing.

So as Greece continues down its path of forced austerity and unsuspecting immigrant continue to arrive in the country, groups like Golden Dawn will continue to gain in popularity and power until they have enough strength to wield genuine political authority. When that day comes, the Greek people will find themselves occupied not by invading Nazis from Germany, but ironically, by themselves.

� 2012, Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.

- - -

Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: Golden Dawn,

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1 - 10 of 14 Comments

Nik Karchaw
5 months ago
As others have pointed out, you shouldn't refer to Golden Dawn as a Nazi organization. They are ultra-nationalist, like the ruling party of Serbia. There is a big difference.
Flashman
6 months ago

Regardless of what you think of it, at heart the Golden Dawn is a chauvanistic nationalist party nearer to the authoritarianism of Ioannis Metaxas than Adolf Hitler. In fact, to label Nikolaos Michaloliakos a Nazi is clearly just a childish slur.

Have you never heard of the sin of detraction?

So should I be surprised or disappointed to see such an article on a site that claims to be authentically catholic?
Judy Claar
6 months ago
Wow! After reading the article and posts I am speechless. Blessings to All...
Trehas Girodopoulos
6 months ago
First of all, the article has some things that need correction. For starters, Golden Dawn has never claimed to be a neo nazi organization and continues to deny that allegation put forth by the mainstream media. I prefer to think of them as ultra-nationalists. Secondly, you mentioned that these so called immigrants( I prefer to call them inavders), built Greece which is a total lie. These invaders, found Greece as a modern western nation, with free medical and welfare benefits and so 1.8 million immigrated illegally to reap the benefits of living there about 15 years ago. Imagine in another 15 years, Greeks will become the minority in their own country. Tell me, with the majority of the immigrants being muslim, how do you think they will treat the native Greek population once they become the majority in a country which is only 10 million. Just look at the countries where the majority are muslim, how christians and other religious minorities are treated. My advice to the Catholic church is begin by fighting for the rights of Chritistians being killed, beaten, raped on a regular basis in these sewers where immigrants come from.
Isabelle
6 months ago
Do you think EU countries should voice their support for the anti-fascism movement in Greece? 86% say YES, make your voice heard on https://poutsch.com/question/1004644
Ronald
6 months ago
This is why I have renounced the Catholic faith. It is a belief system that is not natural. These "new arrivals" are, in fact, INVADERS. They are unwelcome, unwanted and un-needed. They need to stay in their own countries and make them better, as the Golden Dawn are trying to do in Greece.

You Catholics are ridiculous. You threatened to throw me out of your schools when my parents were having financial difficulties and have written people off in your efforts at appealing to the "global masses."

Greece is for the Greeks. The bankers don't belong there, the foreign invaders don't belong there.

The "new arrivals," term you so nonchalantly throw about are foreign invaders. Illegally entering, and in many cases committing acts that are also illegal whilst IN Greece. You forgot to mention that Golden Dawn, when patrolling the market in Athens, asked all vendors for their licenses to operate...the ones that provided these documents--"new arrivals" included--were LEFT ALONE. The ones who were flagrantly breaking the law were punished, as should be the case when one breaks the LAW.

Greeks need jobs, Greeks need security from "new arrivals," like that young Pakistani lad who raped and bludgeoned the Greek girl into a coma, and Golden Dawn provides this protection. Your Catholic Church does NOTHING for the Greek people, just like you did for me. I turn my back on you.
Zele Avradopoulos
6 months ago
There are two very important points not mentioned in the article. Before 2004,Greece, Italy and Spain were the gateway countries for immigrants and refugees wanting a better life and trying to reside in the EU. Greece, Italy and Spain were only entry points. The main goal for the immigrants were to make their way to the UK, France and Germany where there were jobs, better benefits and opportunities. After 2004, the UK, France and Germany being overwhelmed by the influx of immigrants, passed a law stating immigrants seeking EU residency had to stay in the country they entered from until they had the necessary EU paperwork. Another EU law was passed in 2008 whereby immigrants without the necessary paperwork had to be returned to the EU country they entered from. Greece has been put in the difficult position of not being able to turn away immigrants and not being able to take care of its own people. The result is, Golden Dawn. I do not condone Golden Dawn. I am appalled with the situation. However, the entire blame does not fall on Greek shoulders. The wealthier EU nations changed laws adding even more burden to their poorer southern neighbors. Thus, xenophobia has reared it's ugly head in all three countries.
Patrick Reynolds
6 months ago
@Bill

You applaud a group that is using gang violence to further their ideals....? This is about the farthest thing from Catholic you can find...
DarthJ
6 months ago
The Golden Dawn aren't Nazis. They even have the blessings of the Orthodox Church. In the one instance I can recall of them destroying a shop, it belonged to an illegal immigrant from Turkey.
TruthShinesOut
6 months ago
Support for Golden Dawn has doubled since the June 2012 elections & they are now according to all mainstream polls, the 3rd largest political party in Greece, consistently polling 14% to 16%. The leading party according to these same polls is Syriza with 30% & New Democracy with 27%. Golden Dawn would likely score 20% if elections were held today according to a recent statement by a former Greek PM. The fact is that since June, support for Golden Dawn has been rising by roughly 1.4% per month. At that rate they will be the leading party in Greece within 12 months. Golden Dawn will govern Greece by late 2013 & they have promised to make good on their pledge to deport the 2 million ILLEGAL immigrants residing in Greece and to strip all illegal immigrants who have recieved citizenship under an amnesty,of that citizenship (same for the children of these illegal immigrants).

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