Dear friends of Greece, of democracy and of peace,
We are all waiting to learn the outcome of today's referendum. While we wait, may I invite you to sign this Avaaz petition and stand with Greece on this historic day? It is in German, so I have translated the essential information for you below.
Thank you for your support. And please, if you can, light a candle or dance a Greek dance in solidarity today.
With love and blessings from the cradle of democracy,
Laura
https://secure.avaaz.org/de/stand_with_greece_loc_eu/?bYmbvab&v=61433
Translation:
This week Greece could be forced to accept oppressive austerity measures or else be ejected from the Euro, with chaotic consequences. However, we can still claim our power to stand strong for social democracy and divert German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the other politicians from the path of austerity, so that the Greek economy can recover. Public opinion is important to the German Chancellor. Therefore let us gather our voices from all over Europe to affirm that people, not banks, must have priority, and to publicise our call in the press. Join us now by signing below where it says 'Unterzeichnen'.
Two facts we must not allow to be forgotten in the discussions: 1, the public spending cuts in Greece have hit the weakest members of society the harder. Four out of ten children live in poverty, infant mortality has risen by 43% and youth unemployment is over 50%. And 2, it was all for nothing. The debt problem has gotten worse, not better. More of Merkel's austerity policies will certainly lead to even greater suffering and even more debt.
Nevertheless, Merkel and the creditors want this irresponsible austerity policy to continue.
However, Angela Merkel does listen to the voice of the people and can be willing to change course in decisive moments if the public demand. After the Fukushima nuclear catastrophe and large protests against nuclear energy, Merkel decided to phase out nuclear power plants in Germany in response to those events.
It's true that political corruption, mismanagement and irresponsible lending practices helped lead to the Greek economic collapse. yet, over 90% of the 'bailout' fund went straight to the foreign banks which had lent money to Greece before the crisis. Greece obeyed the austerity measures and privatised, deregulated, cut pensions and salaries and raised taxes as the troika demanded. However, as many experts predicted, the debt problem was not relieved by any of these measures. Instead, the poorest were made to suffer disproportionately, as the wealthy Greeks had already moved their money out of the country.
This bitter deadlock did not have to lead to the popular vote now confronting the people with a difficult choice. Many economists and important decisionmakers are united in the opinion that a debt conference with the aim of restructuring and reduction of the Greek debt offers the only possibility for the Greek economy to catch its breath and recover enough to pay back the rest of the debt within a sustainable time frame.
Now we have a small window of time in which to show Merkel and the other politicians that the world is united in supporting a clear 'NO" to these failed austerity measures. Please join us now to
bring about a decisive change in policy, so that humans and not banks have priority in society.
Sign now at:
https://secure.avaaz.org/de/stand_with_greece_loc_eu/?bYmbvab&v=61433
With love and blessings from the cradle of democracy,
Laura
