Can you privatize a nation? The sun? The air? Sounds silly doesn't it? Of course it does. This is why we were not surprised to read a proposal by a well-known archaeologist at the weekend which was published in TIME magazine suggesting that we (partially) sell off our ancient antiquities.
(Question: What is partially anyway? Can you be partially pregnant, or just pregnant?)
Yes you heard correctly, this man claims that the Greek government should partially privatize Greek antiquities and allow private security companies to undertake the guarding and promoting of these sites in the framework of amplifying (or rather making money from) the number of tourists that visit these sites every year.
Stephen Miller, an American archaeologist who has spent the last four decades unearthing Nemea’s treasures told TIME that although the Greek Ministry of Culture does a great job at conserving these antiquities, they are lousy businessmen. And what's more he thinks that because there is a lack of (Disney world-style) hotels and restaurants to serve visitors at all these antiquity sites we are failing at capitalizing on their worth.
Before commenting on his proposals we just want to repeat that this man is suggesting that we hire private security companies to protect antiquities that date back thousands of years, since they maybe in the future be looted and/or in danger...
So, is this how corporations plan to push their interests in the future? Are they going to use experts to push their proposals to nations, and if these nations do not bite into their baits then accidents -such as looting, vandalism etc.- may begin to happen? Think this is a strong statement? Check out how the markets work, and you too will agree with us.
Anyone with an ounce of logic would first ask him if he know something we didn't about the security of these sites. And then we here at HellasFrappe would also like to ask him if he has any affiliation (and/or is a spokesman) of a foreign security company. Think about it. How do we know he has Greece's best intentions at heart when he boldly makes a proposal like this knowing very well that this country has lost half of its treasures from foreign looters for centuries?
HellasFrappe is 100 percent in favor of capitalism, but there are some things that are sacred and cannot be privatized. Remember how we felt when the German Bild magazine suggested that we sell our islands and even the Acropolis to pay off this nation's supposed debt? And remember a couple of weeks ago when one of the largest music companies in the world attempted to make royalties off of the Greek national anthem?
The Acropolis, our anthem, and Greece's archeological wealth are emblems of our nation. It is ridiculous to even think that they can be privatized.
Luckily for us, Culture Minister Panos Panagiotopoulos contacted Sony and the matter with the national anthem was apparently resolved. He also rejected the above proposal by Miller and/or any suggestion that aims to hand over the administration of GREEK sites to foreigners.
“The cultural wealth, the legacy of this country, will remain under state control because it belongs to the Greek people,” Mr. Panagiotopoulos told TIME.He did suggest, however, that the Greek parliament recently passed a measure allowing tour companies to effectively rent out archaeological sites for events or out-of-hour visits. This sounds more reasonable, than actually handing over our sites to some greedy corporation in London, or California. But we cannot understand how having dinner next to an ancient statue of Zeus can be considered as entertaining. It is repulsive. These treasures are there to be glorified and should never be used by the 1% to push up their prestige.
He argues that if Greece created a Disneyland of sorts around all of its archeological sites then this would generate jobs and protect Greece’s vast archaeological wealth from the ravages of an economic crisis which has closed down ancient sites, shuttered museums and caused looting to surge. It probably would, but then people would visit Greece for these resorts and never once learn an ounce of history about the Cradle of civilization. Besides, all these virtual Las Vegas type of hotels around these sites will only lower their sophistication and their natural beauty.
Of course this would probably please some investor in London, or New York who only thinks about fattening his wallet, and it could possibly put food on the table to some families in Greece but don't let the facade of development fool you into believing that this will benefit our nation. The only thing that a proposal like this will achieve is making Kissinger very happy who has always wanted to strike at Greece's cultural history so that he and his NWO buddies can proceed with their destablization of the Balkans and the Mediterranean region. They have been trying to redraw boarders in our region since the ending of the World War, and their greatest obstacle is Greece.
We are a small nation yes, but we have pride, and we are sick and tired of foreigners coming in an pillaging our treasures for prestige and/or profit. We know that they have been doing this for hundreds and hundreds of years. Example: During the time of the Romans, Greek tombs were raided for artifacts to decorate nobles’ villas. Centuries later, invading foreign powers like Lord Elgin, Napoleon and the Nazis also took a huge share of our rich archaeological antiquities.
Till this day, all these treasures are illegally kept by all these cleptocrats!
The only thing that Mr. Miller achieved by publishing his proposal in TIME magazine is to revive memories of the plunders of the past. Greece's vast cultural wealth belongs to the Greek people! Our nation has been plundered enough by foreign nations and till this day we are still battling to bring home our treasures (example the Parthenon marbles).
Shame on him, and shame on TIME magazine for publishing this article.
Signed
HellasFrappe Team
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