Since I was a kid, it was my ambition to travel to developing countries around the world, helping, teaching and helping children, in a kind of humanitarian work. I had never imagined that I would not actually need to travel that far to achieve my dream. This situation came to find me in my country. In the past two years, and I have been surprised again and again to find activities, usually housed in the large aid organization ads (such as the distribution of food to the needy) is already happening in my hometown. Since the beginning of the refugee crisis, there was also a typical refugee camps, I found myself doing the so-called "field" work - literally next door ...
This puts a little background information in the context of the subject of the article. It has been said and written about the rise of neo-fascist, extreme right-wing parties in Greece, since the beginning of the economic crisis. Before 2009, it was barely heard of such groups, their followers less than 0.5% of the vote, and perhaps this is why we were a little late to take notice. Since then, we have seen the rise of the extreme right, especially with the continuing economic crisis and at the same time, with the worsening asylum crisis.
How is this situation affects young people? Why teens seem particularly easily attracted to extremist groups, even when their parents do not exchange views? What are the risks to young people who grow up in poverty and massive unemployment both for their parents' generation (30%) and themselves (60%), no prospects and value system shaped by decades of easy money and fame chase? This generation grew up sanctify exactly all the things that you do not have. They are not rich and famous, but the poor and humiliated instead. They need to turn somewhere. It seems that one of them was not quick to fill the gap ...
Over the past few years, she worked in several schools, all in very poor areas, where international charities had help from the poor locals long before the refugee crisis began. These areas were strongholds since the neo-fascist. It is no coincidence, I do not think. The following situations are snapshots of 'climate' ...
Case 1
The X-nice and quiet and bright 13-year-old old boy when I first taught him. A smart kid, giggling and laughing with his colleagues, is well in science, with the potential to do even better, like most children. Sitting in the front row, and take notes from the board, not X does not seem to cause the slightest attention to his teachers. Two years later, 15 years ago, X person was completely different. Longer any appearance of the child, he has grown into a handsome man tall, who spent much of his time in the gym, and increasing muscle and strong. With a shaved head, wore black T-shirts and more I laughed less. X. does not play with his colleagues. He chose to sit alone in the back. His interaction with his colleagues changed. Looking up to him, and influenced by it easily. In fact, students delegates elected by the entire school. Another girl got elected to the school committee is excused publicly success "having nice ass." X. studied no longer became totally disinterested in lessons- looking down on them and look out the window instead. He said there is not really, except when it comes to come one way or another to the issues of immigration, racism, etc. When will support enthusiastically considering the views of most of the hard-core racist. He defied all attempts by teachers to debate. In response to a question: "? The Greeks themselves were immigrants in many countries over the years and you yourself, you may find yourself in this position, we would like to be treated that way", he replied: "I will not leave Greece Greeks rest shouldn. 'T leave Greece, or that they deserve what is happening. people should stay in their own countries. " This was a little poem that he had been taught, and it was this little poem he read. He got penalties, but they seem to be more of a trophy for him. When I finally contacted his parents to disciplinary action because of his racist remarks, and said: "Oh, he was very good. We agree with his views. To persuade X to choose tolerance in the face of racism would be to ask him to refuse one way or another his parents. In spite of the insurgency, and can not be many teenagers really do this.
X has been indoctrinated by a group of neo-Nazis, and perhaps too recruit them. Regardless of ideology, these extremists teach a way of life, a life of hate. I felt powerless to help the X, looks like hitting a brick wall. Wall built inside the child's mind, by outsiders. Neo-fascists are explicitly "anti-education". They support that education is useless (except their own beliefs of poison and a copy of the special distorted history), and they turned out very successfully to achieve the highest level, intelligent student to denier stubborn. After all, ignorance is a fascist weapon. Devoid of basic skills and cognitive maturity, the easiest option is to think in black and white (mostly black in this case) and the next.