I am not a friend of Greece – It is Linkedin Official

I used to post the odd thing on the Linkedin Friends of Greece discussion board. I did not do much as it is moderated and they have an attitude to free speech worthy of the 1970s Junta rather than, say, Aristotle. But I was proud to have a “friend of Greece” badge on my profile. I am also a Friend of Israel, member of the West Ham supporters group and a few others. I hope to be a friend of Albania soon, when they finally process my application. But it seems that I am now no longer a friend of Greece.

Now I might have resigned in error after the third glass of sparkling red wine in Zitsa. But i think I did not. My last contact was trying to post a link to my piece suggesting that Greece needed to cut prices by 40% (either by quitting the Euro or by just cutting prices) in order to be competitive. That piece was not approved for the group discussion. And now I seem to be an ex-friend of Greece. Coincidence?

A real friend is able to make helpful suggestions even if they are painful to hear. As a friend of Greece I hope that she: defaults on her debts, tackles corruption in public life, leaves the Euro and deregulates business practices. I hope bent politicians go to gaol and folks then start paying their taxes. If this does not happen the economy will continue to tank, tourists will go to Albania and Turkey instead and there will be misery all round. I say that as a friend of Greece, an ardent Hellenophile.

Barring me from pointing out the unpleasant truth on one small discussion board may allow certain folk to stick their heads in the sand. But it will not stop others from saying what I say and writing along similar lines or indeed me saying it on rather bigger platforms. And it will not stop it being grim reality.