jaromil on Tue, 16 Jun 2009 05:55:26 +0200 (CEST)


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<nettime> Fascist developments in Italy


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re all,

   It  can only  be  with condescending  myopia  that we  look at  the
   Italian government pretending nothing  really is happening, that is
   all the result  of a democratic process and it  can unfold as such,
   confident that the western democracy will stand the blow.

   The reality is hard to digest, but Italy is incubating fascism.

   Fascism in the most literal form ever since the liberation in 1945,
   let the definition given in  [29]Der Fascismus by Ignazio Silone be
   an historical reference of what I'm talking about. This is not just
   a light  word: fascism  is declared outlaw  in the  constitution of
   most European  states, but right  now neglecting its  existence for
   the  sake  of a  Government's  integrity,  might  unfold even  more
   tragedies in a close future.

   The signals are  clear, evidences are collected at  a worrying rate
   by  [30]Amnesty International:  racist aggressions  and intolerance
   towards  migrants are  denounced  in the  [31]AI  report for  2009,
   international   obligations  to  human   rights  are   breached  at
   governmental policy level.

   OTOH  it is nowadays  a clear  benefit for  Italian citizens  to be
   aloud to  move in  Europe: a growing  number of  italian "political
   refugees"  are   approaching  neighbour  states,   trying  to  free
   themselves from the non-sense of a prolonged state crisis.

   Italy is a founding state of Europe, thanks to inspiring minds like
   [32]Altiero Spinelli or  [33]Giuseppe Mazzini, prisoners of fascism
   in   the  WWII   or  earlier   dissidents  exiled   by  non-secular
   institutions  and   monarchies.  While  we   confront  the  present
   situation with the constitutional  principles of the Italian state,
   our Mediterranean nation is profiling a sad paradox.

   Increasing  [34]racist  aggressions   to  ethnical  minorities  are
   configuring   a   theatre  of   conflict   characterized  by   well
   recognisable  nazi-socialist tints,  at least  that's  what [35]the
   uniforms of the new [36]Guardia Nazionale Italiana suggest.

   The  GSI   is  a   controversial  initiative  about   civilians  in
   para-military uniforms  patrolling cities to  fight criminality, an
   organisation publicly affiliated  to extreme right-wing groups that
   sets its  own goal in  "promoting and divulging the  Italian story,
   languages and  traditions, with  particular reference to  the Roman
   Empire".

   A senior prosecutor in  Milan, [37]Armando Spataro, has just opened
   the investigations  on possible "apology  of fascism" for  the GNI,
   right after  the organisation was presented in  Milano, hoping that
   its operations can  be legitimated by a new  security package to be
   discussed in Parliament.

   What  did  catch most  of  my  attention  as a  succulent  semiotic
   artifact  disclosing  the imaginary  of  rising populist  xenophobe
   rhetoric  in Europe  is the  symbol of  the [38]Black  Sun  and its
   supposedly  occult origins,  adopted  on the  arm-band  of the  GNI
   uniforms.

   This  possible variation  of the  swastika fibula  is found  in the
   marble   mosaic  decorating   the   ObergruppenfÃhrersaal  of   the
   [39]Wewelsburg Castle  a [40]former nazi concentration  camp and SS
   headquarter. A  topos of the Teutonic  sovereign through centuries,
   even during  the 17th century the  castle played a key  role in the
   witchcraft trials sweeping across  Europe, presided by the Catholic
   Prince  Bishops: local  women accused  of witchcraft  were  held in
   Wewelsburg's dungeons and  confessions were extracted under torture
   in a "courtroom".

   An  additional reference chosen  by the  GSI is  the Hindu  myth of
   [41]Kali  Yuga, a  potential link  to right-wing  fundamentalism in
   India, believing that human civilization degenerated spiritually in
   a current "Dark  Age".  The "Kali" of Kali Yuga  is not be confused
   with the goddess Kali, but refers  to the daemon Kali, a symbol for
   strife, discord,  quarrel or  contention.  Following the  Kali Yuga
   interpretation, sin in our  age will increase exponentially, virtue
   will   fade  and  cease   to  flourish   and  rulers   will  become
   unreasonable; governments  will levy  taxes unfairly and  no longer
   see it  as their duty to  promote spirituality or  to protect their
   subjects: they will become a danger  to the world.  Let me add this
   is something  happening to prime minister Berlusconi  right now, at
   least looking at him from the more neutral lens of European media.

   The "occultist"  memes of  the nationalist xenophobic  movements in
   Europe deal  with delusional feelings, a  moralist and conservative
   political analysis as well an  heritage of hatred against those who
   are  perceived as  responsible  for the  demonized cultural  decay:
   homosexuals,  gypsy  nomads, bohemiens,  libertines  and of  course
   migrants, corrupting  with their  cultural luggage (and  lower life
   standard, by  necessity) the idea  of an Italian pure  and "decent"
   civilization.

   Digging back  into ancient Roman  history, we could argue  that the
   choice for  a model  that is more  familiar to Italians  could have
   fallen over the historical  figure of [42]Marcus Porcius Cato, also
   known as  The Censor  (O tempora!  o  mores!).  But  the mythopoeic
   operation of  GSI (and  the MSI and  Lega Nord  "political" parties
   behind  it)  is  arguably  very  limited: it  recycles  WWII  myths
   allegedly referring to a castle  which, back in 9 AD, witnessed the
   Battle of the Teutoburg,  when Germanic tribes in alliance ambushed
   and destroyed three Roman legions, setting along the Rhine river an
   historical boundary between the German and Roman Empires.

   Most probably the "occultist" attribute  of the Black Sun is just a
   cheap alibi in the rushed choice of  a coat of arms that can at the
   same  time  be familiar  to  European  neo-nazi  movements as  well
   presentable to the scrutiny of critics.

   To conclude  and back to  present day, we  are left with  a serious
   warning  by   former  foreign  affair   minister  Massimo  D'Alema,
   [43]warning Italy about possible upcoming shocks: just a day before
   Berlusconi pays his first visit  to the White House, declaring that
   he'll be [44]good looking and with  a proper tan, he is fit to meet
   Barack  Obama  today  at  21  CET to  discuss  over  Fiat-Chrysler,
   European relationships  with Africa and  of course the  upcoming G8
   summit to be held in Abruzzo.

   It's  "almost a  pity" we  can't say  anymore God  Save  the Queen,
   should we opt for an "informal" Al-Hamdulillah?







  29. http://openlibrary.org/b/OL4206848M/Fascismus
  30. http://www.amnesty.org/en/region/italy
  31. http://www.repubblica.it/2009/05/sezioni/esteri/amnesty-rapporto-2009/amnesty-rapporto-2009/amnesty-rapporto-2009.html
  32. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altiero_Spinelli
  33. http://www.ohio.edu/chastain/ip/mazzini.htm
  34. http://temporeale.libero.it/libero/fdg/2880613.html
  35. http://www.repubblica.it/2006/05/gallerie/politica/divise-guardia/1.html
  36. http://www.guardianazionaleitaliana.org/
  37. http://www.statewatch.org/cia/documents/spataro-CV-1febr-2006.pdf
  38. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Sun_(occult_symbol)
  39. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wewelsburg
  40. http://www.philipcoppens.com/wewelsburg.html
  41. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kali_Yuga
  42. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cato_the_Elder
  43. http://www.repubblica.it/2009/03/sezioni/politica/berlusconi-varie/berlusconi-d-alema/berlusconi-d-alema.html
  44. http://www.repubblica.it/2009/03/sezioni/politica/berlusconi-varie/berlusconi-d-alema/berlusconi-d-alema.html



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jaromil, dyne.org developer, http://jaromil.dyne.org

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