Italy Appoints Black Cabinet Minister, Erupts With Racism

[DonViejo]

Source: AP/TPM

NICOLE WINFIELD MAY 1, 2013, 12:08 PM

ROME (AP) — It was hailed as a giant step forward for racial integration in a country that has long been ill at ease with its growing immigrant classes. But Cecile Kyenge’s appointment as Italy’s first black Cabinet minister has instead exposed the nation’s ugly race problem, a blight that flares regularly on the soccer pitch with racist taunts and in the diatribes of xenophobic politicians — but has now raised its head at the center of political life.

One politician from a party that not long ago ruled in a coalition derided what he called Italy’s new “bonga bonga government.” On Wednesday, amid increasing revulsion over the reaction, the government authorized an investigation into neo-fascist websites whose members called Kyenge “Congolese monkey” and other epithets.

Kyenge, 48, was born in Congo and moved to Italy three decades ago to study medicine. An eye surgeon, she lives in Modena with her Italian husband and two children. She was active in local center-left politics before winning a seat in the lower Chamber of Deputies in February elections.

Premier Enrico Letta tapped Kyenge to be minister of integration in his hybrid center-left and center-right government that won its second vote of confidence Tuesday. In his introductory speech to Parliament, Letta touted Kyenge’s appointment as a “new concept about the confines of barriers giving way to hope, of unsurpassable limits giving way to a bridge between diverse communities.”

full article at link

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/italy-appoints-black-cabinet-minister-erupts-with-racism.php?ref=fpb

[Blue_Tires]

1. awesome

so glad to see this is pissing off all the right people...

[Ash_F]

25. + 1 /nt

[JustAnotherGen]

51. So is my Calabrese husband!

[pampango]

60. Indeed. The 'right people' to piss off are largely the anti-EU, far-right Northern League.

"His (Premier Enrico Letta) praise and that of others has been almost drowned out by the racist slurs directed at Kyenge by politicians of the anti-immigrant Northern League party, an on-again, off-again ally of long-serving ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi, and members of neo-fascist Internet groups.

Unlike France, Germany or Britain, where second and third generations of immigrants have settled albeit uneasily, Italy is a relative newcomer to the phenomenon. France has several high-ranking government ministers with immigrant roots, and few French had a problem with the appointments

“There was no racism 40 years ago because there were no non-white Italians,” said James Walston, a political science professor at American University of Rome. “You need the other in order to hate the other.”

“It will take a long time — probably there will never be a completely racism-free society — but it will take a long time for Italy to reach the sort of acceptance, multi-cultural acceptance that the rest of Europe has and North America has,” he said in an interview."

[starroute]

2. Ancient Rome had inhabitants from all over the Empire

Europe, the Middle East, Africa ... and present-day Italians are descended from all of them. So what have they got to be so snotty about?

[brooklynite]

3. They could also become citizens.....and Emperors.

[MADem]

40. I think they'd cut the "bonga bonga" crap if they all got their own DNA results in the mail.

Many might find that the politician is a cousin.

This shit is not surprising to me. People over here have this mistaken idea that "Europeans" are not racists and are "much more tolerant" than Americans. They aren't. Their societies are more homogeneous, so they don't have to "deal" with issues of diversity. At least, they never did before.

But geez, give 'em a bit of variety, and they freak the fuck out. I've seen this happen in France and in Ireland, too. Plenty of racism to go around....

[Ken Burch]

41. Good point about the DNA.

Everybody in Southern Italy, for examply, is at least one-quarter to one-third Arab, from what I've heard.

And the ones in Northern Italy are a mixture of Celtic and German.

[MADem]

42. Don't forget those cousins over the water in Ethiopia...! nt

[MrScorpio]

4. Maybe our Teabaggerati can teach these amateurs a thing or two nt

[freshwest]

5. I think they got the Teabaggerati message already...

[southernyankeebelle]

6. Am really shocked by such behavior. My mother was from Italy and I was around

her family on many family vacations and never heard a peep out of them about anyone's race. This is very very sad to hear. I never new they were so racist. Shame on them. My mother came to this country and she couldn't believe the way people of color were treated. She had a best friend that lived next door to us that was black. My mom and her did many things together. We had the same amount of kids and our fathers were in the Air Force. When my mom went into the hospital to have her baby she took care of us and when she went into the hospital mom take care of her family. Color never was just a color. All of us kids didn't realize there was a problem. My mom wanted to take her at the time to a lunch counter at a five and time store. She said no and my mom keep telling her come on she would pay. Well it was there and then when she told my mother she wasn't allowed to go in the establishment because she was black. My mother was terrible upset and wanted to go in and fight for her right. But she begged mom not to do it. Mom and her left and mom told her she couldn't understand because here she was coming from another country and could go to any place yet she was born here and couldn't. Honestly I never saw anything like that in Italy. But I know things change. How very sad.

[Scairp]

7. Wow you have been sheltered

Italians are infamous for their racism. I've seen it time and again.

[southernyankeebelle]

10. Maybe so. All I know if I would see anyone of any race being bullied I certainly would

come to their aid. That is the way my Italian-American family raised me and my siblings. My dad would never ever tolerate that from us kids. He said he can remember his family experiencing racist because they were Italians. It was so bad his parents changed the spelling of their last name. My dad never changed his. I treat people the way I want them to treat me. We aren't all like that. Not even here in the states.

[dookers]

15. Spaniards are also pretty bad about it too.

[southernyankeebelle]

21. I am Italian-american myself. I guess I lived a very sheltered life. I mean I spent my

childhood in europe and honestly I didn't see it and my relatives never said anything against anyone that I ever remembered. But then again back then as a child I don't remember seeing many people of color. In Germany they don't like the Turks. On my father's side some of them seem to be hateful but we never were around them very much as my dad was stationed around the united states. Of course we lived on military bases and we just didn't act like that. We had neighbors from all walk of life. I just can't hate someone for the color of their skin.

[JustAnotherGen]

53. Italian Americans

Are different than the different ethnic groups in Italy. Italians from Brooklyn can be racist towards ANYONE. Poor olive farmers in Southern Italy (in the mountains) - the don't care enough to racist!

[southernyankeebelle]

58. My mother was from Naples. When we visited we never saw that behavor. Guess times

really change.

[JustAnotherGen]

66. Naahh

It's the same. Your mother is from Naples - the Calabrese would consider that the South.

I have a friend whose family came from a Rome when she was a little girl and her eyebrows literally shot up when I told her where my then boyfriend was from.

If anything - the 'look down our nose at the poor Southerners' snottyness has actually gotten better the past 15/20 years according to my husband. Especially the past few years where they all have to pull together.

All I know is in Acri - my house on the hill? My husband's 'town' of 40K - I'm treated with kindness, respect, and curiousity.

[southernyankeebelle]

68. My mom use to say about the Calabrese that they were hard headed. My father's

family came from Sicily. Her father was a musician and played on the radio with his own orchestra. But was taken off the air because he wouldn't become a fascist.

[JustAnotherGen]

70. Not hard headed

Determined!

Which is good - because I'll never know a hungry or cold day with The Gio.

[southernyankeebelle]

71. LOL, I bet you won't. I did find it interesting the different dialects you hear when

I would visit my relatives in the different cities. I do believe the southerns know how to have fun and are never boring. Of course I'm showing my partiality for the south, LOL.

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

63. Really?

How so? Grew up there, born there, still a citizen of there.... Always saw people from all over the world, of all colors, shapes and sizes. Are there neo-fascists and racists out there? Of course. Are they a majority of Italians? Absolutely not. FWIW, there have been people of African descent or from Africa who have served and/or serve in various posts in Italy for several decades. I remember in fact one of my city's council women was of African descent.

I wouldn't confuse Italian-Americans with Italian-Italians. There is a slight difference in attitudes that I noticed when I lived in NYC for 6 years. The people of Italian descent did show some rather stark racist attitudes.

[geek tragedy]

8. I'm guessing you're not from Brooklyn or Queens, nt

[southernyankeebelle]

9. No am not.

[geek tragedy]

12. There were lynchings in NYC in the 1980's. nt

[southernyankeebelle]

13. I didn't know that. In the early 80s I was living in europe.

[geek tragedy]

14. Italian kids used baseball bats instead of ropes. Very ugly nt

[southernyankeebelle]

19. OMG, that's awful. I don't understand such hate.

[dorkzilla]

28. I don't think it's about color either...

It is more about "other"...my Irish grandparents, mother and uncle moved to a very Italian NYC suburb when they arrived in the US. They were ostracized, blocked from entering the local RC church, and had rocks thrown at them.

[southernyankeebelle]

43. How sad. You even share the same religion and they act like that. Thank good I wasn't

raised like that.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

11. gmta

[JustAnotherGen]

52. Thanks

I know we've discussed Italy before.


It is in my opinion - the Southerners vs. the Northerners. In reading this thread - I think folks aren't familiar with the racism of the 'uppity Northerners' as my husband refers to them - towards everyone Naples and South.


Just the few times visiting family in the past two years? It's really not as bad as all of this still. We were in Rome as a mixed race couple just in August and we didn't get any of the snotty shit we get in NYC or Philly. Forget about our trip to Myrtle Beach a few years ago!


No worries - it's still not the norm to be mean to blacks in Italy as it is here in the US.

[Nye Bevan]

17. The US is certainly ahead of many other countries in this respect.

How many other majority-white countries have elected a black President, not once, but twice? I am guessing the answer is zero.

[former9thward]

26. How many directly elect their leader?

I don't know if it is zero but close to it.

[Nye Bevan]

29. Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, ....

and that's just the "A"s.

You can see the others here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_by_country

Hope this helps.

[former9thward]

31. You said majority white.

I thought you meant what you said. Guess not. Austria does not directly elect. Fail.

[Nye Bevan]

34. "The President of Austria is elected by popular vote for a term of six years..."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Austria

Time to call it a night?

[former9thward]

36. Fail again.

The prime minister is the leader of the country. President is "ceremonial figurehead" from your own link. First you change your definition from "majority white" and then you don't even understand how countries are governed. You need to call it a night. But I think you like to fail.

[Nye Bevan]

37. I said "elected a black President" in my original post.

So I'm not sure why you are bringing up the post of Prime Minister. And are you really claiming that Austria is not majority white?

[former9thward]

61. In terms of leadership the prime minister is equal to the u.s. president.

The president of Austria is ceremonial. No power. Do you think Obama has no power? Yes, Austria is majority white. Unlike all the other countries you listed and falsely claimed they elect their national leader.

[Nye Bevan]

62. Seriously? You are not aware that Argentina and Armenia are both majority white?

And that Argentina directly elects its president? As does Armenia?

And we are still on the "A"s.........

[former9thward]

64. You can play games all you want.

You said countries like Angola were "majority white". You said the President of Austria was equivalent with the President of the U.S. The fact is that most European nations do not elect their national leader. They elect people who then elect the national leader. Go back and finish you homework then you can play outside until dinner.

[Nye Bevan]

65. But you do now agree that both Argentina and Armenia are majority-white

and directly elect their Presidents.

So your question in Post 26 has been answered. And the answer is indeed not "zero". Even if we restrict ourselves to countries beginning with the letter "A".

[LanternWaste]

27. I'd also imagine the scope and breadth of American authored hate sites far exceeds

I'd also imagine the scope and breadth of American authored hate sites far exceeds many other counties in this respect.

And as we have our own politicians guilty of numerous "macaca moments" or TN commissioners put an image on his Facebook page, which shows a man aiming a shotgun under the phrase “How to wink at a Muslim.”, that we are indeed ahead of many other countries... but not in a good way.

I certainly don't think American Exceptionalism (again, in this respect) is any better or any worse than that of Italy.

[heaven05]

18. hmmmmm

looks like amerikkka has taught the world some things and it's rubbing off on people.

[Marrah_G]

20. No- Racism has been around for much longer then America has

It's nothing new.

[heaven05]

23. yeah

yeah, yeah. true, yet somewhere in my heart of hearts I know amerikkkan racial culture is at fault.

[SpartanDem]

30. America didn't invent racism, this has nothing to with America

[heaven05]

35. anything

you say is the truth, I guess. No amerikkka sure didn't invent racism, but americans PERFECTED the shit out of it. And I know the origin(s) and reasons for WHITE racism. Been the recipient of such and it made me go study the shame of amerikkka. How Hitler got some of his ideas from amerikkkan racist culture. deKlerk got some of his ideas for aparthied from amerikkkan racist culture. Naw, we didn't invent it, but we damn sure showed the world how to do it right. Not about amerkkka? fine. You're entitled to keep your head wherever you please.

[leftynyc]

44. Uh - you sound a bit deranged

Maybe knock off the booze and try and make some sense? Just a suggestion.

[heaven05]

46. whatever

you're entitled to keep you head inserted wherever you please.

[leftynyc]

48. Ooooooh - childish smilies

instead of conversation. It really does resemble a grade school playground around here some days.

[telclaven]

45. You have your head somewhere anyway

Fourth point of contact is my assumption. Guess from there, the view is always shitty.

[heaven05]

47. yeah

it's thinking always, unlike some head in the sand or other locations as intimated by you, my country, right or wrong apologists found on this site.

[leftynyc]

49. Because before 237 years ago

the world was one big happy family. America ruined everything and is the source of all evil today. Does that about cover your mindless rant? Why on earth would you stay in such a horrible place?

[heaven05]

50. oh please

yeah amerikkka has ruined a lot in the last 237 years, starting with the native-american holocaust and forced slavery based on christian ideals of who's perfect, and still doing it. Keystone, Afghanistan, Iraq, Gitmo, right wing gun huggers/nuts, racism and right wing obstructionism against a man because of his color who leads this nation for good or ill and people with their head inserted in dark places and I could go on and on, but that would be like casting pearls to swine and I'm NOT going to waste any more time or effort on you. Yes amerikkkan policies and business greed has done immense harm to the peoples of this nation and the world. I do not have to like american policy or actions and I do have the right to call it the way I see it. You can comment on my criticism as much as you please. You and your snarkiness WONT CHANGE MY MIND! You know what, there's a river in your town, the east river I think. Jump in and swim east. You will, for your purposes, come to this huge, huge lake. Just keep swimming.

[leftynyc]

56. Your whining is quite tiresome

and your arguments would be more at home in a high school class which makes you useless in a debate. That you consider your "wisdom" (really childish nonsense) pearls is really quite laughable. But thanks for the giggles.

[heaven05]

57. you

did get the swine part . thanks. I needed that. keep swimming, you will make it one day. tiresome, man will you be tired. you are boring me now.

[SpartanDem]

59. "the native-american holocaust and forced slavery based on christian ideals'"

you might want to ask the indigenous of South America how good they had and still have it

[La Lioness Priyanka]

32. please, europeans knew racism and genocide much before they

wiped out most native americans & america as we know it existed

[heaven05]

38. no

argument from me with your statement. And your point is just the starting point. Too much water under the bridge for me to try to understand amerikkkan slavery and the white fear and racial hate it engendered. Too complicated and the love of money and power over others is involved. Very messy. To hell with all people who base their hate on color, ethnicity, religion or gender. The MODERN world has amerikkkan right wing racial hate as a perfect model to follow. Please don't insult me by trying to minimize amerikkkas culpability in generating racial hate since the Native-American Holocaust and slavery. Europeans were racist, brought it here and it was perfected and it's STILL GOING ON! I'm done with apologies and distraction for american, italian, european hate and racial behaviors.

[Quantess]

67. What nonsense.

European countries (some of them more than others) have been exploining Africa for centuries, even before the US of A was born. Come to think of it, many South American countries have exploited African slaves, too, at the same time as American slavery.

[heaven05]

69. of course

you're right, it's historical fact yet amerikkka has always been and still is plagued by hate based on the color of a person's skin. Nonsense or not, amerikkka has taught the world a lot about how to be a racist and that's the fact, jack!

[kelliekat44]

22. Wait until the Italians research their origin roots... will they have a surprise! nt

[heaven05]

24. can

anyone say Hannibal? I had forgotten that history. But a lot of italians know it, just won't admit it.

[rug]

33. "I hate the Moor"

Iago, Othello, 1.3.12

[tblue]

39. Hopefully

this is just a tiny minority of idiots in an otherwise tolerant country. If so, there needs to be vigorous condemnation, beyond just damage control, and conspicuous public support for this appointee. Dang, that is disappointing to find out. Shame on them!

[JustAnotherGen]

54. I truly believe it is

But this thread has been entertaining.


I'd still rather raise my kids there than in America. We've gotten really ugly since Obama has been in office. Mixed race black woman married to a full blooded Calabrese man from Acri? Shit - even in NJ - I'm worried about the Obama Racist Derangment Syndrome that has taken over America.

We are the ugliest mofos in the modern world. . . . it's like folks on this thread want to forget How UGLY folks have been with the caricatures of the President and First Lady Obama.

[tblue]

55. Damn, gf

We have a lot in common! Shooting you a pm.