BERSANI AT SAN CONO DA TEGGIANO IN WILLIAMSBURG, BROOKLYN,NEW YORK CITY, TONIGHT BEING JULY 17, 2010. END, SUMMER. PLEASE END.

There's no uploading photos, due to the nth heath wave I think, but may be wrong. All I know is that this summer is a sweaty, depleting mess I could live without comfortably. Every cell in my body is screaming "ENOUGH!" and I even take breaks going home in subway to subway transfer by ejecting at the transfer point to sit in air conditioning and order a beer. Or two. The red star on the label intrigues me.

Tonight I almost cried at an intonation, Italian. How is it that Bersani's visit wasn't even considered for a The New York Times write-up since we're (I say 'we're' incidentally, and as an 'American' it also applies, to these 'Italian', 'American' as appurtenances) G7, G8, etcetera countries, and an, overall, planting seed of Europeanhood (don't you DARE look at me). Anyway, my point is, how is it that a country important internationally, with a Secretary of a Party who was a Minister and will in the future not have the The (New York Times) take an interest? On top of which it was a little more than a social occasion since it actually presented petitions to be signed, and US platforms on Italia, and what is cooking (oh, unfortunate term) in the country. A mystery.




More tomorrow.

Tomorrow.

Did you know that children born in Italy from immigrant parents at 18 will be considered officially clandestine thanks to the current government and the Bossi-Fini Law which Bersani and the Left is in Opposition to? Unless the law is repealed as anti-constitutional. All the people of the Saint Cono association were adamant on ridiculing this leghista business. Aren't Italian Americans supposed to be racist? One man intervened saying that such policies against one immigrant were against all immigrants meaning these laws would apply to all of us in the future, since it is only racism, legalized for the moment. Think of Arizona. There is also a danger in demonizing Italia and Italians but where has Media coverage been when current recent college graduate and non unemployment rates in Sardegna are 50% and the Bossi Fini law was passed? One of the requests presented to Bersani were Italian citizenship for Italian-American immigrants.The 1992-1997 law,allowed them to aquire citizenship thanks to parents and grandparents being Italian born.

Oh, speaking of Media coverage, the new battle cry from this government which is never in parliament is to stop all funding of publishing AND it wants ALL money assigned in past REFUNDED.

A new 21st century politics is unfolding. One that is facing a federalist tide in which local politics and independence mean for internationalizing efforts like Bersani's needing to assert equal rights of citizenship for the entire country,let alone for people from other countries. Italia is to stay united, from Calabria to Emilia Romagna. Southern Italia has always been a site of racist hatred by the north,now to these new extremes.

The current govenment continues to deny facts and enforces a conformity of behavior, a conformity enforced even recently by threats of punches able to superman a particular politician's teeth out should there be any objections. Bersani mentioned this climate, and it's been also reported in Italian press: even the Minister of Defense La Russa slapped one of his interlocutors, and no one can get a word in edgewise during television studio interviews, except them. The Secretary of the PD also sees Berlusconismo at its twilight but warns against believing that the Right, as Berlusconi's, will disappear suddenly. He did reiterate that the current crisis is an economic and democratic one.

The politician made the entire audience aware also that the Italian fiscal system is currently meant to overtax the lower classes, middle, families, and small businesses and workers. Disability checks had been cut so it brought a demonstration of people in wheelchairs to Rome; more cuts on education are planned, and more of these cuts are planned for the latest need to recuperate an ill spent 24 billion. The same tradition of dipping in the pockets of the poor and middle classes was re-declared.

Bersani also spoke of the political climate he found in Washington D.C. which intends to procede in cuts against small businesses, in this case, with ties to Italia. Here are the numbers:

In 2008 the U.S. cut 38% in assistance;
In 2009 25%;
In 2010 50.

It doesn't bide well for Afghanistan, doesn't economically, and the United Nations was officially invited to create a connection between the G20 and other countries so that the latter would not be subject to the former's absolutist decisions.

Bersani also mentioned how this visit at the San Cono club was a means to stay in touch with the people, and that the PD was a popular party.

In conjunction loccal matters were brought forth: Berlusconi's government decided to close or try to close more consolates, the most outrageous being in Detroit, after the Chrysler FIAT deal brought more workers from Italia. The waits are long because of cuts to necessary personnel as is. Another consulate in threat is Philadelphia's. This was introduced by local groups and Bersani took note, just as he did concerning a cut in the Comites an organization run by voters for voting.