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Dimitris Christoulas, at 9am took his own life in the middle of Athens

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  • 04-04-2012 5:37pm
    #1
    pacquiao
    Closed Accounts Posts: 465 ✭✭


    Earlier today, we remarked on the story of a 77-year old Greek, now identified as Dimitris Christoulas, who at around 9 am took his life in the middle of Athens' central Syntagma Square with a bullet to his head. His full suicide note has been released. The note, presented below, ends in a solemn call to arms to "hang the traitors of this country."

    "The Tsolakoglou government has annihilated all traces for my survival, which was based on a very dignified pension that I alone paid for 35 years with no help from the state. And since my advanced age does not allow me a way of dynamically reacting (although if a fellow Greek were to grab a Kalashnikov, I would be right behind him), I see no other solution than this dignified end to my life, so I don’t find myself fishing through garbage cans for my sustenance. I believe that young people with no future, will one day take up arms and hang the traitors of this country at Syntagma square, just like the Italians did to Mussolini in 1945"



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    #2
    Celly Smunt
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,464 ✭✭✭Celly Smunt


    the scary thing is there are probably thousands who are in the same boat planning the same thing over the same situation here in Ireland.


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    #3
    marty1985
    Registered Users Posts: 788 ✭✭✭marty1985


    Anyone else read the title and think it was about a 9 year old?

    Strangely relieved in that sense.

    RIP.

    Edit: Thread title changed.


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    #4
    Sykk
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,327 ✭✭✭Sykk


    That's desperate, poor man... RIP


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    #5
    Hande hoche!
    Registered Users Posts: 7,519 ✭✭✭Hande hoche!


    RIP

    Awaits inevitable father ted reference.


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    #6
    flyswatter
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,625 ✭✭✭flyswatter


    marty1985 wrote: »
    Anyone else read the title and think it was about a 9 year old?

    No.


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    #7
    Icepick
    Registered Users Posts: 2,454 ✭✭✭Icepick


    Without a bailout, he would have gotten no pension.


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    #8
    Napper Hawkins
    Registered Users Posts: 1,903 ✭✭✭Napper Hawkins


    Fire me?! I made the BBC!!


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    #9
    yermandan
    Registered Users Posts: 2,068 ✭✭✭yermandan


    Jesus, my heart bleeds for this guy's suffering. Lost for words.

    RIP


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    #10
    kincsem
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,013 ✭✭✭kincsem


    Sad.
    When a population is greedy and takes more than they produce the result is recession. Some prosper, more suffer.


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    #11
    bnt
    Registered Users Posts: 12,965 ✭✭✭✭bnt


    So, pacquiao, do you have an opinion of your own, or do you cut-and-paste that too?

    From out there on the moon, international politics look so petty. You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, ‘Look at that, you son of a bitch’.

    — Edgar Mitchell, Apollo 14 Astronaut



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    #12
    cassElliot
    Registered Users Posts: 158 ✭✭cassElliot


    that is terribly sad, but it bothers me hugely that he had a blatant disregard for how badly it would affect people to see someone put an end to their life so violently and so publicly.

    perhaps it speaks to his state of mind. I just think there are some things people are better off going through life not witnessing.


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    #13
    blackiebest
    Registered Users Posts: 650 ✭✭✭blackiebest


    Watch this, an event such as this is often the spark that ignites the fire! You will, I expect, note the absence of reporting of this incident in the mainstream media. These are precarious times! The EU could well be embroiled in war, with itself and its citizens in a very short period of time. Although I can never condone an act like suicide, I respect this mans train of thought! RIP


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    #14
    Princess Consuela Bananahammock
    Registered Users Posts: 33,167 ✭✭✭✭Princess Consuela Bananahammock


    Anyone think that the day may come when this happens in Ireland?

    Everything I don't like is either woke or fascist - possibly both - pick one.



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    #15
    touts
    Registered Users Posts: 6,448 ✭✭✭touts


    RIP. A high profile death but sadly just one of many that happens across the PIIGS states every day for similar reasons.

    Unfortunately as he was a Greek this won't even register in the halls of power. If he was a German then there would be immediate action but from the point of view of the EU this is just one less of the PIIGS underclass to maintain.


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    #16
    Napper Hawkins
    Registered Users Posts: 1,903 ✭✭✭Napper Hawkins


    Ikky Poo2 wrote: »
    Anyone think that the day may come when this happens in Ireland?

    Well there's already been suicides, wouldn't put it past some poor soul drawing inspiration from a story like this and topping themselves outside Leinster House. But then this is Ireland, they'd probably **** it up.


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    #17
    touts
    Registered Users Posts: 6,448 ✭✭✭touts


    Ikky Poo2 wrote: »
    Anyone think that the day may come when this happens in Ireland?

    Happens every day in Ireland and across the PIIGS nations. It is just the majority happen in private away from the glare of the media.


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    #18
    forfuxsake
    Registered Users Posts: 829 ✭✭✭forfuxsake


    cassElliot wrote: »
    that is terribly sad, but it bothers me hugely that he had a blatant disregard for how badly it would affect people to see someone put an end to their life so violently and so publicly.

    perhaps it speaks to his state of mind. I just think there are some things people are better off going through life not witnessing.

    I believe he had a very high regard for how it would effect people. I think he hoped his death would have an effect.


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    #19
    Benny_Cake
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,205 ✭✭✭Benny_Cake


    cassElliot wrote: »
    that is terribly sad, but it bothers me hugely that he had a blatant disregard for how badly it would affect people to see someone put an end to their life so violently and so publicly.

    perhaps it speaks to his state of mind. I just think there are some things people are better off going through life not witnessing.

    There have been several cases of Tibetans setting themselves alight this year, but self-immolation as an act of protest has a long history, and some who do it, such as Jan Palach in Prague in 1968 end up being viewed as heroes. It's a horrible thing to happen, and I hope it doesn't inspire anyone to follow his example. RIP.


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    #20
    pacquiao
    Closed Accounts Posts: 465 ✭✭pacquiao


    bnt wrote: »
    So, pacquiao, do you have an opinion of your own, or do you cut-and-paste that too?
    Fair point.
    I didn't see this in the "news" today. I just read it awhile ago and to be honest i was lost for words.


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    #21
    Guy:Incognito
    Registered Users Posts: 38,247 ✭✭✭✭Guy:Incognito


    blackiebest wrote: »
    Watch this, an event such as this is often the spark that ignites the fire! You will, I expect, note the absence of reporting of this incident in the mainstream media. These are precarious times! The EU could well be embroiled in war, with itself and its citizens in a very short period of time. Although I can never condone an act like suicide, I respect this mans train of thought! RIP

    Minstream media where? I heard it on Newstalk earlier.


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    #22
    cml387
    Registered Users Posts: 8,389 ✭✭✭cml387


    Poor guy.

    Notice he puts the blame where it lies, at his own government. Not "The Germans" as some in this thread seem to imply.


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    #23
    staker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,677 ✭✭✭staker


    Stupid thing to do imo. No disrespect to the dead and may he rest in peace, but what the hell did he think he was gonna change by topping himself?
    How could he not see an alternative method of active protest?


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    #24
    forfuxsake
    Registered Users Posts: 829 ✭✭✭forfuxsake


    cml387 wrote: »
    Poor guy.

    Notice he puts the blame where it lies, at his own government. Not "The Germans" as some in this thread seem to imply.

    He blamed the Tsolakoglou government.

    Georgios Tsolakoglou was the wartime Greek PM who collaborated with the Germans.


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    #25
    prinz
    Registered Users Posts: 14,598 ✭✭✭✭prinz


    RIP, but isn't really going to achieve anything.
    touts wrote:
    Unfortunately as he was a Greek this won't even register in the halls of power. If he was a German then there would be immediate action but from the point of view of the EU this is just one less of the PIIGS underclass to maintain.

    Boll*x frankly.


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    #26
    DrumSteve
    Registered Users Posts: 10,799 ✭✭✭✭DrumSteve


    staker wrote: »
    Stupid thing to do imo. No disrespect to the dead and may he rest in peace, but what the hell did he think he was gonna change by topping himself?
    How could he not see an alternative method of active protest?

    How desperate do you have to be when that is your only option? He chose that over rummaging in bins looking for scraps and handouts and losing what dignity he had left.

    He was a brave man and I hope he rests in peace.


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    #27
    My name is URL
    Registered Users Posts: 25,068 ✭✭✭✭My name is URL


    staker wrote: »
    Stupid thing to do imo. No disrespect to the dead and may he rest in peace, but what the hell did he think he was gonna change by topping himself?
    How could he not see an alternative method of active protest?

    I know the two situations are worlds apart, but this is similar to how the Arab Spring was started after Mohamed Bouazizi killed himself.


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    #28
    cml387
    Registered Users Posts: 8,389 ✭✭✭cml387


    forfuxsake wrote: »
    He blamed the Tsolakoglou government.

    Georgios Tsolakoglou was the wartime Greek PM who collaborated with the Germans.


    Ah, interesting.I missed that.

    So what kind of pension would he get if the Greeks defaulted?


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    #29
    forfuxsake
    Registered Users Posts: 829 ✭✭✭forfuxsake


    He could throw rocks at the politics but if he did it wouldn't be reported across Europe and it wouldn't be being discussed thousands of miles away. Leaving aside whose fault it was, it was a successful, albeit unfortunate and very sad, protest.

    The thought that pensioners in Europe could be bin-hoking for food, especially when the have worked and paid pension contributions their whole lives is horrific. :(


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    #30
    KeithAFC
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,239 ✭✭✭✭KeithAFC


    RIP.

    Greece is in a terrible state. What Greece need now is to recapture the glory days of Ancient Greece. If only Alexander the great was alive now for the Greek people.


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    #31
    Fuhrer
    Registered Users Posts: 4,661 ✭✭✭Fuhrer


    KeithAFC wrote: »
    RIP.

    Greece is in a terrible state. What Greece need now is to recapture the glory days of Ancient Greece. If only Alexander the great was alive now for the Greek people.


    You want Greece to take up arms and conquer all the known world?


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