Caption This

Sorry about that. I just realized it's not safe to have a picture like that on a blog whose server is in Italy. If you thought the U.S. was bad with the Patriot Act and all that, I hear it's worse here.

If we're lucky though, The Prince will put up the picture.

Berlusconi

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Obama Speaks with Berlusconi

Real Clear Politics has the entire conversation between Obama and Berlusconi the other day. What made the most news in Italy was Premier Berlusconi's calling President Obama, "my friend." Some people felt it was yet another of the frequent gaffes he's often accused of. They couldn't resist revisiting the big faux pas of a few months ago in which Berlusconi said that Obama's got a good tan.

Part of the president's comments about the recent unrest in Iran caught my attention.

Having said all that, I am deeply troubled by the violence that I've been seeing on television. I think that the democratic process -- free speech, the ability of people to peacefully dissent -- all those are universal values and need to be respected. And whenever I see violence perpetrated on people who are peacefully dissenting, and whenever the American people see that, I think they're, rightfully, troubled.

I wondered if he'd left something out. Why did Obama fail to mention the 2nd Amendment right to bear arms? After reading the comments and blogs of several pro-gun enthusiasts, I understood the 2nd Amendment rights to be on par with the rest, or according to some, even superior. How often have we heard it's the 2nd amendment that guards the 1st.

To me the reason for this omission is obvious. Only in the United States do these misconceptions about guns exist. When addressing the head of state of an ally country, when making comments that are directed at an international audience, it would be laughable to include the right to bear arms in a list of rights that constitute the democratic process. Laughable, I say.

What's your opinion? Do you think it could have been omitted for some other reason? If the Bill of Rights were written today, would the 2nd Amendment be included?

Please leave a comment.

Berlusconi Does it Again

The International Herald Tribune carried the story yesterday of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's latest gaffe. In response to the recent seeming increase in rapes in and around Rome, Berlusconi proposed to deploy 300,000 soldiers in the streets to fight crime. But he qualified this solution by saying, "You can't consider deploying a force that would be sufficient to prevent the risk. We would have to have so many soldiers because our women are so beautiful."

Giovanna Melandri of the opposition Democratic Party said Berlusconi's comments were "profoundly offensive," saying the pain of rape could never be joked about in such a way.

Berlusconi, in an effort to explain himself, said he was complimenting Italian women "because there are only about 100,000 people in law enforcement, while there are millions of beautiful women."

He stressed that rape was a serious and "disgraceful" crime. But he added that people should never forget a sense of "levity and good humor" whenever his comments are concerned.

This strange frivolous attitude is typical of the Prime Minister. Some feel it's because he thinks he's above the law and above the normal restraints people normally have to exercise in public life. He says whatever he wants. His background as one of the wealthiest businessmen in the world as a media mogul prior to entering politics might lend credence to this theory.

A few years ago he amazed the world and created an international incident when he said German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder could play a Nazi in the movies. His reluctance to apologize for these gaffes, I suppose, is based on the fact that they're made in jest and it's not his fault if people don't have a sense of humor.

After 9/11 he made comments about Islam that were much more serious, at least when taken out of context. One of his famous quotes is this:

"We must be aware of the superiority of our civilisation, a system that has guaranteed well-being, respect for human rights and - in contrast with Islamic countries - respect for religious and political rights, a system that has as its value understanding of diversity and tolerance."

Immediately after these remarks the rest of Europe denounced him as imprudent and reckless, perhaps endangering our countries unnecessarily. One response was to compare Berlusconi to bin Laden.

"The billionaire [Osama] Bin Laden and the billionaire Berlusconi are cut from the same anti-communist cloth. They both represent fundamentalism - one of the markets, the other of religion."

What's your opinion? Do you think Berlusconi is like bin Laden? Do you think his making a joke at the expense of the German Chancellor was so wrong? Do you think his making light of rape is acceptable?

Please leave a comment. Thanks to Bob S. for the idea.

Italy

Thanks to Il Principe for a fascinating analysis, I guess we can say Italy is not all good food and museums. There are terrible problems here with the organization, the bureaucracy is almost impossible to navigate, for example. But it's in the political world that the major problems exist. Corruption, they say is rampant. And in the article I've linked to, it's nothing less than Freedon of Speech we're talking about.

...due to the Prime Minister controlling over 45 percent of the private airwaves, power to appoint directors to the public television stations, and the related print media Silvio Berlusconi controls, anyone can see why the people are not marching in the streets demanding a change in government.


What's your opinion? Is the 1st Amendment right to Freedom of Speech unique to the United States? Do other 1st world countries, even if it appears in their constitutions ignore it for all practical purposes? Is America still the bastion for this type of freedon in the modern world?

Regardless of those questions, I do love living here, as I've said before.

Please let us know how you feel.

Berlusconi at the White House for Columbus Day

CNN reports on the Italian Premier's visit to the White House. The article describes a bizarre mishap that occurred.

In his haste to honor Bush, Berlusconi accidentally bumped the podium from which he was speaking in the crowded dining room. It fell apart, leaving the grinning Italian to advance on the president with just its top and attached microphones.

The crowd of prominent Americans, Italians, and Italian-Americans burst into appreciative laughter and applause.

The gathering was in honor of Columbus Day, a yearly celebration of all things Italian and Italian-American. Guests included Frankie Valli, who performed some of his best-known Four Seasons hits.

In addressing President Bush on the impending financial crisis threatening not only the United States, but Europe as well, Berlusconi said this:

"I am 100 percent sure and confident that we have the means and ways to prevent this from happening, and that the wealth of our citizens, the wealth that our citizens enjoy, will not be affected by this," the Italian leader said.

Does anyone else find something wrong with that? This is the richest man in Italy, or at least he was until earlier this year, and one of the 50 richest in the world talking to Bush, who is no pauper himself about the "wealth of our citizens." I find it absolutely infuriating to the point of Marie-Antoinette absurdity.

What do you think? Do these rich politicians have the good of the people at heart? Or are they impervious to the pleas of the masses and look only to enrich themselves?

Who is more likely to address this age old problem, McCain or Obama?

Let us have your opinion.