Italy Is Swerving To The Right — Time To Shout Stop
We have just celebrated Holocaust Memorial Day, January 27, 2020, its 75th anniversary. I live in Italy and the following events make me feel that Italy is swerving sharply to the right and is about to crash.
A return to fascism is no longer fantasy, I am afraid. We fear for our future as a tolerant and peace-loving nation. Already, the tides of fake news are flooding the social media and they all have a nasty message of intolerance, xenophobia, racism and homophobia.
Look at recent events and surveys.
1. Why does a Holocaust survivor need police protection?
Senator Liliana Segre (89) is one of the few Auschwitz survivors left in Italy. She has spent years visiting schools recounting her story. This should not be necessary. But it is because certain episodes of history are frequently buried or sunk. Recently, she was granted a police escort quite simply because her social media pages receive about 200 hate messages or death threats every single day!
“Haters are people we should feel sorry for — every minute of our lives must be lived to the full — whether enjoyed or suffered” — Sen. Liliana Segre
The fact that she merely proposed a Parliamentary Commission to fight racism, antisemitism and hatred brought about a hysterical reaction from the right. The left hoped that this commission would actually happen. The right was worried that this would limit their expression of freedom and limit their precious “Italians First” campaign.
2. Negationists increase by leaps and bounds
One wonders where people get their facts from or if they have studied even the minimal amount of history. Negationists were regarded once as weirdos but now their numbers are steadily growing and that is really worrying.
A recent survey by Eurispes shows that about 15% of Italians now believe that the Holocaust never happened and that Jews are in control of the economy. This figure was a mere 2,5% in 2004.
3. They fear a non-existent invasion of immigrants.
Roberto Saviano , a former journalist, also lives under police protection from the Mafia. He has warned that Italians are increasingly convinced that there is an invasion of immigrants.
How can a figure of about half a million immigrants in the fourth-largest economy in the EU which has more than 60 million people, evoke such fear and loathing? The economy is shrinking but not because of a handful of immigrants!
Look at the shocking figures where the immigrants are actually exploited as slaves. This is never mentioned, of course.
There are many and varied reasons why the economy has shrunk. Government after government fail to resolve the question.
“In the background, there is an economic and social crisis where foreigners are perceived as the cause and, as a consequence, migrants become real scapegoats. It is a worrying phenomenon also because the institutions tend to feed it with knee-jerk reactions and irresponsible gestures.” — Luigi Manconi
Why do Italians believe such rubbish?
- Social media fake news
- Government under the League and 5 Star Movement constantly blocked rescue missions and ships from helping drowning refugees at sea. Nothing like a ship approaching the coast to invoke fear.
- Propaganda by the far right to instill fear, hatred, intolerance, and xenophobia. Incredibly efficient at using social media but not capable of much else.
A glimmer of hope?
The Sardine Movement is the only ray of hope in a dark and stormy sky. They have organized flash mobs and protest rallies and their message is one of hope and tolerance. You can read my other stories about them here.