Piazza del Popolo was PACKED. I have never seen it that full of people. It was great to see all the families and men who came out to support women. As I walked over to meet some fellow expats, Aretha Franklin's RESPECT was blaring from the loud speakers.
Berlusconi has dismissed those protesting against him as moralists and prudes. This is BS. Other than some hard core conservative Catholics, no one is up and arms about his sexy times.
What is a problem is while he's calling police stations to help poor Ruby, garbage continues to pile up in Naples. Didn't he campaign to clear it up? Why isn't he focusing on that? Or the brain drain, or high energy costs, or on all the other issues the country is facing.
He's paying young former show girls a salary higher than what President of the United States makes to "work" in the government. Meanwhile, the average 25 year-old college grad in Italy is lucky to make 1/10 of that salary.
Also, I thought he and his racist peeps, The Lega Nord were very anti-illegal immigration. Ruby, who was arrested for stealing, is not sent back to Morocco. Why because she's hot? Instead the Prime Minister of a G8 country finds the time in his busy schedule to call the Milan Police and say they have to let her go because she was Mubarak's niece. WTF? If this were any other G8 country, the PM would have to resign immediately. That is abuse of power.
Since he controls and indirectly controls 97% of the broadcast media, along with newspapers, magazines, a soccer team and a huge publishing company, I don't think Berlusconi is going to leave anytime soon. He doesn't give a damn. He has said so. He's "having fun"! The publications he owns print positive stories about him and say the far-left is out to get him.
The opposition is weak and divided (and charisma free). I wish Berlusconi would put the same amount of effort into making things better in Italy as he does toward avoid jail, lining his own pockets and sleeping around.
The New York Times has a good overview of the demonstrations HERE.
La Reppublica has excellent photos HERE.
The sign below says "I am a girl who does not want to be a Veline." Veline are the half naked women giggling and dancing all over Italian TV game and talk shows. Berlusconi brought the Veline culture to Italy. During a political rally he told young Italian women the way to make it is to marry rich, older men. It's this sexist culture women are fighting against. Basta!
The sign on the right says "The alumni of my school are not the nieces of Mubarak." The one on the left says, "I've read article 54 of the Constitution."
12 comments:
I was so proud to see how many women (and men) came together yesterday to say "Basta!" I've always been disappointed at Italians' complacency at the messed up situation of women in this country. But yesterday showed how sick and tired people really are. It was great to see women of all ages and walks of life rallying in a peaceful, intelligent and joyful way. I hope this will be a wake up call that will mark the beginning of the end of Italy's dark ages.
So proud to see people getting out and demanding something better. I'm not a tabloid fanatic, but I've been following the Berlusconi saga very closely for the same reasons you've highlighted.
I dunno. Guy seems like a creep. Hope Italy gets someone better.
I must be a cynic because I am not yet convinced that yesterday's protests will have an effect on Silvio or his way of doing things. Until people start changing how they vote all the protests in the world won't change things. I hope I'm wrong, but he won't resign no matter how many Italian protest and the only way to really affect him is to hit his wallet. But Italians won't boycott Mediaset or Mondadori or any of his other holdings. Now that's a protest I would like to see.
milanese - I hope so. Of course Berlusconi said the people demonstrating were on the left and didn't represent a cross section of the country.
Jean - Robert - you didn't leave a way to contact you. You can reach me through my Flicker account (see bottom right side of my blog) and I will give you my email address.
viajera - every time I think the saga couldn't get worse, it does yet he stays in office.
joanne - it's hard to boycott his products as he owns so much of it! I don't think the average person has any idea how deep his media holdings are. It's a totally conflict of interest.
Also until the opposition steps it up with a credible candidate that can offer more than platitudes, Berlusconi and his cronies are going nowhere.
I dunno. He was one of the top stories on NBC news this evening. Him with a 17 year old prostitute who was released because he called to say she was Mubarek's niece. Oh, and the sex parties he has. Wasn't another of his proteges pretty young? I forgot her name. I don't think he has made the primetime evening news in the US before now.
Oops, the other teenager's name was Noemi.
homebody - Little did we know back then Noemi was the tip of the iceberg. After that story broke, his wife started divorce proceedings, saying her husband was "sick" and she couldn't stay with someone who consorted with minors. ouch
I am embarrassed for Italy and the Italian people. Shizzle, it feels like the Bush years all over again but even HE wasn't this BAD. Berlusconi is a disgrace, but like they say, "absolute power, corrupts absolutely" and the Italian people are a bit over it and in being over it are doing nothing about it.
I hope they boot his a** out. Serves him right. If not in a couple of years we will have an Egypt on our hands. #jussayin!
tanisha - I feel Bush was worse because of the two wars he got us involved (all the lives lost and money spent)with and the international financial meltdown happened under his watch.
Also Berlusconi is a rocket scientist compared to Bush.
True, our PM has way too much power. A person who owns that much media should not be Prime Minister. It's a complete conflict of interest.
@nyc agreed. I mean in terms of his mouth not his politics. Bush knew not to disparage women and be a rake. other than that, #epicfail. both of them. but i would say if Italy had the military might that America does the world would be in trouble cuz dude's ego is astronomical..
...and I wondered why women in Italy always seemed, um, angry.
winegrrrl - trust, when it comes to the government, there's a lot to be angry about.
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