This past Easter’s aimless gunfire throughout Crete, inflicting wounds on several individuals, two of them seriously, and causing untold damage to private property, has drawn the wrath of local Members of Parliament.

“We are all targets of aimless and irresponsible shooting,” one official commented, adding that many doctors have dealt with countless incidents of serious gunshot wounds – even deaths – resulting from an errant bullet. 

The custom of shooting in the air is seeped in Cretan history, usually only one shot upon hearing some great family news or to say a last goodbye to some “brave lad” who left life prematurely.

With the passing of time this custom mutated from one or two shots in the air “with a purpose” to pointless, irresponsible and dangerous gunfire “at the drop of a hat,” from gun-totting Cretans, who, more times than not, are consumed with alcohol and anxious to demonstrate their pseudo-bravado.  

Manolis Stratakis, Iraklion MP, in his “question” at the parliament, asks Mrs. Anna Diamantopoulou, minister of education, on the issue of reshaping the conscience to dissuade pointless gunfire.  

Mr. Stratakis points out that: “the perception that aimless gunfire constitutes a traditional Cretan custom is not supported by any document. On the contrary, it is clear that it has no relation with the real heroism of Cretans in the battles of wars and life. The idea that any expression of happiness must be accompanied by irresponsible shooting is a gross misconception resulting many times in turning a happy event to one of fear and mourning.”

Mr. Stratakis, whose remarks were supported by other Cretan MPs, added that “apart from the social condemnation regarding these occurrences, the state should be required, via the educational system, to instil a different perception in the younger generation.”