| jaromil on Tue, 16 Jun 2009 05:55:26 +0200 (CEST) |
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| <nettime> Fascist developments in Italy |
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 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literal form ever since the liberation in 1945, let the definition given in [29]Der Fascismus by Ignazio Silone be an historical reference of what I'm talking about.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 - -- jaromil, dyne.org developer, http://jaromil.dyne.org GPG: 779F E8B5 47C7 3A89 4112 64D0 7B64 3184 B534 0B5E -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.9 (GNU/Linux) iEYEARECAAYFAko1rA8ACgkQe2QxhLU0C17bsQCfdipEgWfQWQSdqs92UXFSd2dP uqUAoLMo2o8V1ElwRptDHhQ1Dg0Y9I+D =NNhI -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- # distributed via <nettime>: no commercial use without permission # <nettime> is a moderated mailing list for net criticism, # collaborative text filtering and cultural politics of the nets # more info: http://mail.kein.org/mailman/listinfo/nettime-l # archive: http://www.nettime.org contact: nettime@kein.org