Just Because I am NOT Italian : Solo Perché Non Sono Italiano

When we all think of Italy, what is the firs thing that comes to mind? Is it the colosseum, the leaning tower of Pisa, the scenery, the food, wine, etc.? We tend to think about the good things we KNOW about. When someone visits Italy, what do they expect? A loving place filled with wonderful sophisticated people? A place to relax? The answer to these questions is simple, just like our minds are when it comes to these questions....

I am pretty sure that most of the people didn't know about the ongoing racist "war" that us taking place in Italy. Why do I put quotations around the word < war >? Simple. There is not war taking place. I am just using the word as a metaphor to explain what people in Italy go through. Did you know that in Italy, racist has reached an all time high, with people being discriminated more and more EACH DAY. The sad thing about it is that the government is taking no action against it. Makes it seem as if they are ok with what is happening in their country doesn't it. Makes us think that they are IN FAVOR of the act of racism against others. read the following exert from an article whose link will be posted.

"Since 2008, the government of Silvio Berlusconi, in coalition with the openly anti-immigrant Northern League party, has adopted “emergency” decrees to facilitate strong-handed measures against undocumented migrants and Roma and Sinti; passed legislation to make undocumented entry and stay in Italy crimes; and attempted to impose harsher penalties for crimes committed by undocumented migrants than by citizens and legal residents. Berlusconi argued in January 2010 that “a reduction in [the number of] foreigners in Italy means fewer people to swell the ranks of criminals.” 

Doesn't it make it seem that the problem of violence in Italy is cause by foreigners? That if it wasn't for the illegal immigrants Italy wouldn't be having as much problems?

"A study conducted by Sapienza University of Rome during the first half of 2008 found that only 26 out of 5,684 television news stories about immigrants did not relate to crime or security issues – a statistic Navi Pillay, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, called “stunning” following a March 2010 visit to Italy. Television is the main source of news for 80 percent of the Italian population."

Mostly everyone sees the news on the TV every evening. It is one of the main information center in the country. It get people thinking doesn't it? Most of the people believe what they see in the news every evening. If bad propaganda is being broadcasted everyday, won't people start believing what they hear about the immigrants?

"She told Human Rights Watch that other mothers complain to her, “I only see black, everyone’s African now. They get a place for their kids in the local daycare center and I don’t.” A young man said to her, “Romanians have stealing in their DNA. I work with a Romanian, but at night, we’re enemies. If I see him, I beat him up.” Chiara was talking to a Moroccan friend on the bus when another passenger yelled at her, “If you talk to them, they’ll never leave!” A Romanian friend of hers bought himself a bicycle so he could avoid the regular insults that came with riding the bus. She said the guard at the supermarket told her daughter to stay close “because there were gypsies about who steal kids.”

This exert was stated by a Chiara, an italian woman who views the potential of racist violence in her daily routine. Many people in Italy not only are witness to these horrible threats, they are victims. Unfortunately, the government does nothing to stop these hate crimes. They are supposed to promote equality among the people, support causes to help everyone get along in a united nation yet, they do nothing to stop these racist acts. It makes it seem that they are in favor of the acts doesn't it? It seems as if they are also racist against those people. They then dare to call Italy a "not racist country." I am in no power to judge a country, especially if I haven't been through what is supposedly happening but, after reading this, my opinion about Italy has changed. We are all so intrigued by how fascinating Italy is to us, the foreigners or tourists but, tot eh people actually living in Italy, especially non-italians or italians from decent of different countries, it is hard.

--> All the information about Italy's racism and how measures are being taken were found in this link :
      Italy's Racism: Summary

People in Italy are being killed just because they are not Italian. The following exert is an example of what people in Italy are going through...

"In February 2009, two adults and a 16-year-old attacked an Indian man in Nettuno, near Rome, beating him and then dousing him with gasoline and setting him on fire. All three were convicted without the aggravating circumstance of racial motivation."

--> For more actual racist acts against the people in Italy visit this link :
      Racist Acts in Italy

Now, the country has started to take measures against racist crimes. yet, even though they have taken a step forward to becoming a equal country, they still minimize the government still minimizes the problem and keep blaming the immigrants for their issues between the people.

-->For more information on the states response on the acts of racism visit this link :
     State Response: Italy

I think that we should care about this problem because it is affecting the lives of human beings. They are messing with peoples emotions, making them feel as if they are less just because they are not Italian. We, as human beings with feelings, should know that these people suffer. Just because they, maybe, not show what they feel on the outside, doesn't mean they don't suffer on the inside. Think of this... Would YOU like to live in a place where you are un-welcomed, where you are tortured on the daily basis, where you have to constantly be thinking about if you will be the next victim of a racist crime? I think that all of these question have a simple answer... NO! We have to care because it is not fair that those people, innocent people, are loosing their lives for being "different."

The human rights article that is not being followed is the Article 2, which states that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.