Italy's rightwing Northern League attacks first black minister as a symbol of the do-gooding left.

[pampango]

Cecile Kyenge, the Italian minister for integration. She is one of two
naturalised Italians in the newly sworn-in government.

Italy's first-ever black minister was immediately at the centre of a virulent controversy as her appointment was deplored by the rightwing Northern League. Cecile Kyenge, born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, takes on a new portfolio for racial integration. She is one of two naturalised Italians in the government, both elected for the centre-left Democratic party (PD).

The other is a former international canoeist, Josefa Idem. The inclusion in the cabinet of blonde, German-born Idem, who won an Olympic gold medal and five world championships for Italy, caused no similar controversy.

Matteo Salvini, secretary of the League in Lombardy, called the 48-year-old Kyenge "the symbol of a hypocritical, do-gooding left that would like to abolish the crime of illegal immigration and only thinks about immigrants' rights and not their duties". He said the League was ready to mount "total opposition" to her in parliament.

The Northern League denies it is xenophobic, insisting it is only opposed to illegal immigration. Kyenge came to Italy to study at university and married an Italian.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/28/italy-first-black-minister-attacked

As with most rightwing parties the Northern League claims not to be racist or xenophobic ("we are only opposed to illegal immigration&quot , but explode at the thought of a black (legal) immigrant becoming a cabinet secretary. Irony seems never to be lost on them.

[Dawson Leery]

1. The Northern League is the KKK with money.