Pope Warns Italy in Danger of Returning to Fascism

[tekisui]

Silvio Berlusconi's government was today engaged in a vigorous damage limitation exercise after Pope Benedict appeared to lend his immense moral authority to speculation that Italy was in danger of returning to fascism under the tycoon's hardline, rightwing leadership.

In his customary midday Sunday address, the pontiff expressed concern at "recent examples of racism" and reminded Catholics it was their duty to steer others in society away from "racism, intolerance and exclusion ".

On any other day, his remarks might have been seen as no more than a restatement of official Catholic doctrine. But they came instead in the midst of a furious dispute over an editorial published by Italy's bestselling Catholic weekly, Famiglia Cristiana.

In an editorial on Friday, condemning recent government moves against immigrants and Roma, the magazine said it was to be hoped fascism was not "resurfacing in our country under another guise". The jibe outraged Berlusconi's supporters, many of whom are themselves pious Catholics.

The leader of his parliamentary group in the upper house, Maurizio Gasparri, announced he would personally sue the priest who is Famiglia Cristiana's editor while the junior minister with responsibility for family affairs, Carlo Giovanardi, said the magazine was "possessed by ideological malice".

In an effort to calm the row, the Vatican's spokesman put out a statement stressing that Famiglia Cristiana was not authorised to speak on behalf of either the Holy See or the Italian bishops' conference - something which, as the magazine's editor noted, it had never anyway claimed to do.

link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/2008/aug/18/italy

[Solly Mack]

1. and he'd know

[mdmc]

2. nice find.

thanks for the link. r

[Submariner]

3. Fascism? Yeah, the Pope wouldn't want anything to get in the way

of the church's child rape curriculum.

[malaise]

4. When the President of a country is the owner of the leading media

football clubs and other cultural institutions,and promotes fascist policies, it may be a little too late to be wondering whether the country is returning to fascism.

Great find.

[bushmeister0]

5. Rome's new mayor is a neo fascist, so no surprise here.

Reuters:

"Rome's new Mayor Gianni Alemanno (which means, ironically, "German") urged supporters to avoid 'excesses' after a small group gave him the right-armed Roman salute associated with fascist dictator Benito Mussolini and chanted 'Duce!' (leader), as Mussolini's followers called him.

Alemanno, whose National Alliance is the successor to the post-war neo-fascists but is trying to become a mainstream conservative party, complained that the left tried to depict him as a fascist and anti-Semite during the campaign. . .

During the mayoral race, Alemanno came under attack for wearing a Celtic cross round his neck -- a symbol of the far right in Italy comparable to the Nazi swastika."

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L05877738.htm

The Independent:

" . . . Getting tough on immigration is a key promise. In his 16-point 'Pact for Rome', point number seven reads: 'Immediately activate procedure for the expulsion of 20,000 nomads and immigrants who have broken the law in Rome.'

Point eight follows: 'Closure of illegal nomad camps, rigorous and effective checks on legal ones and their progressive elimination.'

But like many Italian laws, last year’s 'diktat' did not do the job it was designed for, and now Mr Alemanno moves into a new office close to where Il Duce harangued the crowds in Piazza Venezia, armed with a mandate to carry out what Mr Veltroni and Mr Prodi only threatened. Mr Alemanno’s victory marks the arrival in the Italian capital of the politics of paranoia that have already triumphed in much of the rest of the country."

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/neofascist-sweeps-in-as-romes-mayor-817128.html

Italy deploys troops to fight "crime," (i.e. the Roma.)

IHT, Aug. 4

"More than 1,000 troops fanned out across Italy on Monday to help police fight crime on orders from Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, an unorthodox use of the armed forces dismissed by critics as a publicity stunt.

The deployment, which will soon rise to 3,000 troops, was the most visible initiative so far in a law-and-order campaign by the conservative leader, elected in April on a pledge to make the country safer. . .

The troops were also sent to guard detention centres processing illegal immigrants, blamed for much of Italy's crime.

Immigrants at one centre in southern Italy used the media attention to stage an impromptu protest about their plight, holding up makeshift signs with phrases like 'We Need U.N. Attention'.

"Four months, no commission," cried one apparent asylum seeker from Somalia, speaking in broken English.

The government's handling of immigration and minority issues -- particularly regarding Roma people -- has sparked criticism from the Vatican, human rights groups and some European bodies over fears it could stoke xenophobia.

Berlusconi's government has won parliamentary approval for laws increasing jail sentences for illegal immigrants convicted of crimes, and allowing authorities to confiscate apartments rented to foreigners living in Italy illegally."

http://www.iht.com/articles/reuters/2008/08/04/europe/OUKWD-UK-SECURITY-ITALY.php

[bdamomma]

6. kick