My 2 Euros on the Sgrena story (Italian journalist)

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

It's hard to explain to some people how Italians feel about their country. We are very different from "you guys" (by this, I mean people in the U.S.). Every public event in the US is punctuated by the anthem, by flag waiving and by the "US is no. 1" mentality.

In Italy people do not wear their patriotism on their sleeve. Some of our grandparents did that with Benito Mussolini and they understood that blind patriotism blinds even good people from doing good things.

Very few Italians feel that Italy is God's gift to humankind, number 1, the best in the world, and all other positive superlatives, although you can argue they would have plenty of evidence for saying so: its beauty, its arts, its cuisine, its language and its scientific heritage among many.

There are very few events in the lives of Italians where we proudly wave our tri-colored flag or when we sing our anthem, albeit butchering its difficult and incoprehensible lyrics: these occasions primarily revolve around the Italian national soccer team, "gli azzurri."

But something has awoken, something has risen in Italians with the unnecessary and mysterious death of Nicola Calipari as he was rescuing Giuliana Sgrena: we realized our country is governed by its people, not by the government's version of what happened. It is governed by people who are not happy to hear sanitized versions of "the truth" even if this truth is ugly and displeasing.

Italians do not suffer fools easily. Silvio Berlusconi has finally faced up to this reality. He will realize, sooner or later, that he has placed too much trust into a man, Bush, who cannot be trusted, one who is safeguarding his own interests and could not care less if another "commie" journalist is kidnapped.

Nicola Calipari represents the best of all people, regardless of what nation they come from. He was dedicated to public service and, yes, to enforce Italy's long-standing policy of paying ransoms for its kidnapped citizens. He died doing his work and in so doing, he united the people of Italy in an even stronger rejection of Italy's involvment into that quagmire that Iraq has become.

Today, for the first time in my brief life, I am actually wearing my patriotism on the sleeve, that the people in my country have the benefit to read a variety of political views, including those of "commie" journalists, each adding bits and pieces to the bigger "truth" out there, that they are not content to be fed the government's version of the truth, that they do not sit idly and that they can be free to disagree with their government without being called "anti-Italian" or "terrorists" for doing so.

I wish something awoke my U.S. friends and relatives, who are completely oblivious to anything that has not been forcefed by this administration.

[fertilizeonarbusto]

1. Thank you, nice post

BTW, I love your tag line.

[villager]

2. thanks for your post...

Not all of us/U.S. are hypnotized -- but the majority still is. Hopefully, if we can get through the present juncture without the country imploding completely, Bush will eventually be thought of in the same vein as Mussolini -- an overbearing nationalist who led his country down a horribly wrong path, and whose name now serves as a warning for the wretched excesses of unchecked nationalism, manipulated by a wealthy elite.

[ixion]

3. not all of us wear our patriotism on our sleeves

only the faux patriots do that.

What these people are doing in the name of the US makes me very sad, and it will no doubt take decades to undo.

[atreides1]

4. "I wish something awoke my U.S. friends and relatives..."

As an American I wish for the same thing everyday, some semblence of intelligence from my own people.

Yes I can find it here on DU most of the time, but then someone posts a thread that makes me wonder sometimes if some of those here
have tried drinking the kool-aid, just to see what flavor it is.

Let's keep hoping that the light will shine and open the eyes of those who remain blind by choice.

[tom_paine]

17. "I wish something awoke my U.S. friends and relatives..."

Unfortunately, I think that is a very LOW order of probability.

You see, Amerika (and I call it such to distinguish it from the Old United States of America) up until this time in history, had never had a Mussolini/Hitler type who brazenly utilized Mussolini/Hitler type propaganda and lies.

Now we have that, and we (like everyone else, it seems, when they experience it for the first time) are falling for it hook, line and sinker.

You know not to do that because they have the awful experience of your grandparents. As do the Germans.

But here in Imperial Amerika, we have no history anymore beyond that which is written afresh every day by the Party Media, and I am not sure we'd remember it if we did have a non-Orwellian "history".

No, we are falling for it the same way you Italians and Germansdid, likely with similar long-term results.
But I wouldn;t expect the Imperial Subjects of Amerika to rise and awake. This is happening because Amerikans are READY for the "Noble and Godly Leader" and they are READY to give him their Unquestioning Obedience and Undying Loyalty no matter how much of a lying monster he is.

As it was with Germans and Italians in the 20s, 30s, and 40s, so is it with the Imperial Subjects of Amerika in the early 21st Century.

We LOVE the Leader. We LOVE the iron boot in the face, provided it is American-Made.

And you...it is YOUR turn to hold the flickering flame of freedom (of trustworthy voting, of the Free Press, of so many things that simply do not exists in Imperial Amerika anymore) while Amerika descends into Orwellian Totalitarian Darkness.

And there is much worse to come. Be glad you don't live here. Enjoy the Free World and think with pity upon those of us behind the Televised Curtain.

[FreedomAngel82]

5. I do think you make some good points

Look at what the right-wingers have done to people who disagree in any form or fashion. They're seen as "the enemy," and "anti-American" from the loud mouths on the right. I do love my country very much, all the songs, etc. but I know that if I disagree with my government it's not disloyal or whatever. I don't know why people have that "we're number one" mentality but I guess because of our history or whatever. I, personally, don't think we're number one. We've made plenty of mistakes over the time but have also done some good. I also wish something would wake up people who are brainwashed by this administration. Have you watched the movie "Hijacking Castrophe"? It also explains what's going on and how people have been hijacked. Don't forget the media and other loud mouths out there. Maybe someday people will wake up and see what's going on. It baffles me everyday.

[Jacobin]

6. This tragedy brings into sharp focus

what the Italians are dealing with in Iraq. A failed attempt at occupation by the U.S., with the U.S. bribing and cajoling other countries to come join in the horrific mess we have created.

I'm sorry for your country's loss. I hope Italians will rise up and toss Berlesconi out into the street and find new leadership who will stand with 'old Europe' and to the Idiot in the White: "Just say NO"

[Selatius]

7. Pain is a great stimulus to wake people up

It's too late for Iraq, but perhaps the bloodshed that has already come and will continue to come for many more years in Iraq will teach the American psyche once and for all the terrible price of unnecessary wars. I can only hope, but I don't think there is much reason for hope.

Conscientious folks were saying the same thing at the end of the Vietnam War. Insanity is doing the same thing over again and expecting different results, so I'm not going to be chiming in when the war is over by saying that perhaps we've "learned our lesson" because we, collectively as a nation, did not the last time.

[arcos]

8. great post, recommended for the Greatest! nt

[dbt]

9. Likewise!

[anarchy1999]

11. I agree, it is a "greatest post" and I'm so sorry for us all.

n/t

There are lots of us here in the US, our voices just are not being heard. I'm so sorry for your loss, Italia.

[Fridays Child]

10. Thank you...just...thank you.

:hug:

[DoYouEverWonder]

12. I hope that from Nicola's tragic death and senseless killing

that it will be the beginning of the end for the cabal that has taken over our country.

This event sums up everything that is wrong with our government and this illegal war.

[gordianot]

13. Show how descendants of the Roman Empire have learned a few lessons.

We probably won't have as much time to learn ours.

[plcdude]

14. Thank you for your comments

There are many of us here who feel the same way. The single greatest difficulty we have right now is a controlled press who limits our understanding or fails to tell the whole truth. Until the media is won back or overthrown we appear to be to the rest of the world supporters of the * administration. Clearly this is not the case in almost every issue of importance. However, that is not the public expression that our MSM portrays. Thanks for your input. We will continue to expose the truth as best we can.

[Jokinomx]

15. I appreciate your honesty ....

Your words ring with truth. Great advice right from your heart.

I feel most Americans think and feel as you do... well at least half of us. I wish more people would come to realize that we are all humans living on a smaller and smaller planet. If we could get our governments out of the picture.... we would find we all have very much of the same desires and needs. It is when a country gets an unqualified person as a leader that the citizens need to respond. Sadly there aren't enough Americans that want to know the truth... they are content to keep their heads in the sand and hope the bad things that are happening don't enter their cozy little world.

My heart goes out to all the great Italians that are joining the legions of people worldwide demanding the truth and that all this madness somehow ends.

:toast:

[sacxtra]

16. flag waving US #1 mentality

I used to feel this way. A REAL PATRIOT.

After all I am an honorably discharged veteran. Why wouldn't I feel that way, I joined to SERVE.

But now it's only symbolic.

It can be REAL again if we stop ignoring REAL PEOPLE WITH REAL PROBLEMS.

Quit Catering to the Corporate whim.

We have a DOMESTIC ENEMY at the moment.

A REAL FLAG WAVING PATRIOT SWORN TO PROTECT THE PRESIDENT AND THE CONSTITUTION AGAINST ALL ENEMYS FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC SHOULD CARE ABOUT THIS


But they're not. Until they do, it's only misleading and symbolic.

[Mr_Spock]

28. Yeah, we are fighting our "domestic" enemy in Iraq :rolleyes:

Dumbya has turned a tragedy into a joke for personal gain and profit of his RW Neocon buddies. We watch it unfold in front of our eyes with disbelief - and what does our CORPORATE controlled press do about it? Watch in shock and awe with the rest of us. That's right, shock and awe is the audacity of this neocon death cult getting away with murder while the press sits around twiddling their thumbs over Michael and Martha. We truly are a "Nation of Ass Holes" (see song my sig).

Nice graphic on electronic voting BTW - very to the point - I like it!! Welcome to DU BTW...

[burrowowl]

30. Where did you

get your hack graphic?

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

18. There's nothing wrong in being patriotic

I hope I didn't seem like I was equating being patriotic with being irrational. Patriotism is a great feeling, one that, as I mentioned, Italians do not feel often (except for soccer games), in part due to its recent history of fascism, where patriotism was equated with the glory of ancient Rome.

I question the fake patriotism some people have, the kind of patriotism that makes them blind to even the slightest difference of opinion, the one that is being increasingly forcefed on people even in the most innocuous places such as schools and sports events.

I despise people who cannot look at issues critically, even if they do not fit their preconceived notions. In other words, I am not particularly tolerant of people who accept as fact anything that their government tells them.

This administration is given carte blanche by the majority of its people (except for those of us bravely discussing the issues here on DU and a few other media) to do what it wants because it knows few will ever question them. Those who will will be classified as "terrorists" or "anti-American" or "liars."

Questioning this authority is very much a faux pas these days. The Sgrena/Calipari tragedy will hopefully serve as a wake-up call for people throughout the world that something is rotten in the state of Iraq, to paraphrase the Bard of Avon.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

32. I understood what you meant at the outset

Very thoughtful post. Thanks

[ewagner]

19. Thank you

for your point-of-view.

We rarely get the opinion of citizens of other countries.

[BrklynLiberal]

20. Thank you for for sharing your thoughts and feelings..

[ronnykmarshall]

21. Viva Italia!

[blm]

22. My husband and I discussed this exact point over the last few days.

We both have spent some time in Italy and came to the same conclusions as you.

The world will be watching Italy carefully now. What they do will send signals to other nations that will reverbate for years to come.

[immoderate]

23. There's a whole world out there...

and too many Americans don't know that. And that feeds into Bush politics. He'd sell us out in a minute. Oh wait...

--IMM

[shockra]

24. Speaking of the U.S.'s "We're No. 1" Mentality...

I read an article on this very subject last night and was disturbed.

America by the numbers
No. 1?

by Michael Ventura
February 23, 2005

No concept lies more firmly embedded in our national character than the notion that the USA is "No. 1," "the greatest." Our broadcast media are, in essence, continuous advertisements for the brand name "America Is No. 1." Any office seeker saying otherwise would be committing political suicide. In fact, anyone saying otherwise will be labeled "un-American." We're an "empire," ain't we? Sure we are. An empire without a manufacturing base. An empire that must borrow $2 billion a day from its competitors in order to function. Yet the delusion is ineradicable. We're No. 1. Well...this is the country you really live in:

The United States is 49th in the world in literacy (the New York Times, Dec. 12, 2004).

The United States ranked 28th out of 40 countries in mathematical literacy (NYT, Dec. 12, 2004).

Twenty percent of Americans think the sun orbits the earth. Seventeen percent believe the earth revolves around the sun once a day (The Week, Jan. 7, 2005).

"The International Adult Literacy Survey...found that Americans with less than nine years of education 'score worse than virtually all of the other countries'" (Jeremy Rifkin's superbly documented book The European Dream: How Europe's Vision of the Future Is Quietly Eclipsing the American Dream, p.78).

Our workers are so ignorant and lack so many basic skills that American businesses spend $30 billion a year on remedial training (NYT, Dec. 12, 2004). No wonder they relocate elsewhere!

"The European Union leads the U.S. in...the number of science and engineering graduates; public research and development (R&D) expenditures; and new capital raised" (The European Dream, p.70).

"Europe surpassed the United States in the mid-1990s as the largest producer of scientific literature" (The European Dream, p.70).

Nevertheless, Congress cut funds to the National Science Foundation. The agency will issue 1,000 fewer research grants this year (NYT, Dec. 21, 2004).

Foreign applications to U.S. grad schools declined 28 percent last year. Foreign student enrollment on all levels fell for the first time in three decades, but increased greatly in Europe and China. Last year Chinese grad-school graduates in the U.S. dropped 56 percent, Indians 51 percent, South Koreans 28 percent (NYT, Dec. 21, 2004). We're not the place to be anymore.

The World Health Organization "ranked the countries of the world in terms of overall health performance, and the U.S. ...37th." In the fairness of health care, we're 54th. "The irony is that the United States spends more per capita for health care than any other nation in the world" (The European Dream, pp.79-80). Pay more, get lots, lots less.

More at: http://www.citypages.com/databank/26/1264/article12985.asp

[Old and In the Way]

35. Thanks for posting this....

Nothing reflects the state of this country quite like the moron-in-chief who occupies the White House now. While I think election fraud handed him the office again, there are still 50+MM idiots who voted for him and another 80MM who couldn't be othered to show up last election day.

We are truely screwed as a nation.

[0007]

25. Very good post and a keeper for sure.

But of the best yet.

[donheld]

26. Wonderful post

very personal and heartfelt. I too hope something will wake U.S. friends and relatives.

[scarletlib]

27. bravo and second that

I hope someday soon that this will come to pass here

[bpilgrim]

29. thanks for sharing

we are currently, i am convinced, in the early stages of full blown fascism in this country and it is a terrible thing to witness having been raised on the idealism of this great nation.

:cry:

beautiful post :toast:

peace

[sharman]

31. Is there a rug big enough

for 50 million people to hide under in shame? I've been asking this 4+ years, and it keeps getting worse.

[Kenergy]

33. good post n/t

[humanriteswritlarge]

34. Well-written post

We wish Americans would wake up and throw this government out. Nationalism has developed into blind acceptance of anything that is said to explain violence and complicity. I hope Italy understands that there are many of us who extend our heartfelt sympathies and hope that Italy will stand up to this corrupt administration.