MY HEART AND MIND IS WITH THE GREEK PEOPLE
What Greece needed was courage in the face of a bully world and that is what the ordinary Greeks demonstrated on Sunday. Greece has an over 2500 year history. Egyptians Phoenicians and Arabs had brought civilization to Europe via Greece. The contributions of Greece to Europe and the development of the modern world are too many to name but we cannot forget that the very Democracy which is the mantra the West uses to bully the world was first invented in Greece. They fought their way to integration and unity; they advanced the Christian religion as one or two apostles travelled to Greece (St. Paul is one of them) to evangelize the nation; even portions of the early Bible were written in Greek; the value of exercise was admired which has given rise to modern Olympics. Greeks built mesmerizing Temples and demonstrated architectural vision yet to be matched, sciences, literature are among Greece's gift to the world. If you have not read Homer's epic stories you should try and read them. You will be entertained.
But this essay is not about Greek History. It is about how a small country stood up to a bully world – sharks. In return for some money sleazy “Big Brothers” lent to Greece EU called a people to commit suicide so that they would get their loans back. It is as Shakespeare wrote in The Merchant of Venice . Shylock demanded a pound of flesh to be cut from a point nearest to Antonio's heart because Antonio defaulted on a loan. Greece was asked to cut expenses, increase taxes and destroy their economy. Greece went along for a time until it discovered that no amount of concessions would please the sharks and she stopped paying. That is what small nations all over the world should do all the time.
Greece's future is now at its hands. There is trouble ahead for all her citizens. She will be expelled from the Euro Zone; stifling blockade would be imposed; drachma will return as the Greece money and would be exchanged for less than naira if the Euro zone accepts it at al. With all these coming at rattling speed Greece's survival may at first be in doubt. But time will change things as Greeks learn to adjust to hard times. Greeks should look up to our recent history. They should look to Cuba's survival after more than a half century of bullying by another Big Brother. Cuba survived and the Big Brother is now at the table and both are talking as equals. Greece is not an island as Cuba is so access to other countries would not be as difficult as it was for Cuba. Smugglers would cross the borders to do business.
Greece will survive.
Greece's “NO vote” should be the standard for third world countries. If the poor countries should listen to Karl Max and rise and be united, they would lose nothing but their chains. Blockade of Greece is the making; that of Cuba has been perfected; blockade of Iran, Russia, Palestine, etc. are enforced. Eventually the entire world would be blockaded and the West will discover that they have just each other to trade with. Blockade cuts both ways as trade is between people. When that happens a humbled West would discover that military might with big ships to enforce blockades goes but thus far.
A more peaceful world; a more equitable world; a less antagonistic world, would emerge. That is the promise of Greece's “No Vote” to the world.
Out of the ashes of Greece would emerge a Brave New World!
Written by Benjamin Obiajulu Aduba.