Berlusconi’s quest for dialogue

Berlusconi’s fourth government has won a trust vote by a clear majority at the Chamber of Deputies, yesterday. The count was 335 in favor and 275 against. Only one deputy abstained from voting. Today the same vote will take place at the Senate of Palazzo Madama, it should be another victory. The trust obtained by this new government, though, was not under question and it does not represent big news. The “search for dialogue” (with the rival Veltroni) invoked by Berlusconi is, instead, something new in the scattered panorama of the Italian politics.

Sure enough, Veltroni  - just  before voting against the new cabinet, yesterday -  has pointed out the fact that his minority coalition will “converge in every fair decision” with the majority. The former mayor of Rome has indeed shown some experience (he entered the world of politics in his twenties) by stating that, “you can only do opposition while keeping in mind the needs of a country, it is not like flexing muscles, but rather it is like proving your intelligence and showing a sense of responsibility”.

“I am thankful  to Veltroni –was the prompt answer of Il Cavaliere – and we will hold his availability in great consideration”. It sounds formal, sure, but everyone who has witnessed the last years of Italian political debate will agree that it is not.  The unusual circumstances have led the major Italian newspapers to talk about “the day of openness”.  It is certainly a good sign. The country is in desperate need of reforms and Berlusconi wants the minority led by Veltroni to approve what his coalition will put on the table.

It was Berlusconi who asked for help on the dangerous road of reforms during his intervention at the Chamber of Deputies, yesterday. His rival Veltroni answered firmly but yet positively: “the opposition will be strong and responsible… If he (Berlusconi) will show us that he can keep  promises we will immediately approve the reforms he is asking for”.

This is a philosophy that the Italians use to call: “give money, see camel”: the motto of an Egyptian merchant from ancient times, plain and simple, yeah, but also effective.  The motto shows that there is room for negotiation as long as the negotiator is ready to bargain.

What Veltroni said might also sound provocative, in a way. Although, since Berlusconi described his rival availability as a “historical passage”, we would say that it wasn’t.

The other day, Berlusconi had dinner with his collaborators and it appears that a very interesting conversation went on for a while. A the end of the meal, Il Cavaliere made some jokes, as usual: ” I placidly and serenely say, we can do it”. Now, there is a stand-up comedian that goes by the name of “Crozza” who always goes like: “placidly and serenely” for making fun of Veltroni. Same thing with “we can do it”: it is Obama’s motto transplanted into Roman slang by the former mayor of Rome.

The first serious obstacle for Berlusconi’s new cabinet is represented by the reform of  statal Tv, Rai. That will show whether the promises of this new and historical collaboration between Veltroni and Berlusconi will be fulfilled or not.

“Even on this turf – said the Pdl’s leader today – once a place for clashes and a source of misunderstandings, we could come out from a twenty-year-long war, and, even on this turf, there is no other way out than the one of dialogue”.

So, everyone seems to be optimistic and prone to collaboration. There are issues, though, for which a convergence of interests will be hard to achieve. For example: the construction of the so-called “Bridge on the Straits” (literally “over troubled waters”, we could say…) that will link Sicily to the rest of the country, could represent a potential obstacle to the collaboration of Italy’s two biggest parties.

Also, the security measures bill is expected to be a hard bone to chew for both parties, according to Il Corriere della Sera.

Another thorny issue: the de-taxation of the over-time work.

Someone argued that it’s easy to be so kind when you are in such a dominant position, like Berlusconi. However, didn’t he deserve to be in that dominant position, after all?

Berlusconi’s IV: a brand new government, a brand new country.

Berlusconi’s IV: a brand new government, a brand new country.

Silvio Berlusconi’s fourth government will be put in charge today, at 17:00 o’clock. It was formed quickly, despite the many obstacles represented by Lega Nord’s list of wishes and the requests made by Alleanza Nazionale. Moreover, the Ministry Council will finally see many fresh faces, as there are seven Ministers aged from 31 (!) to 47. No to mention that, of all these promising youngsters, four are females.

According to our President of the Republic (the former communist) Giorgio Napolitano, “no time was wasted at all”. In fact, apart from the surprisingly young new faces, the pace at which the “Berlusconi IV” was created, has surprised many. A good beginning  is always welcomed. In this case being quick was a key-issue although when you speed, you might end up bumping on something. This is not the case because, as the impartial Napolitano (one cannot say that he holds Berlusconi in great consideration) explained how it was possible to form the new team of ministers in such a short amount of time.

First: this is the result of “such a clear win” and “such a broad majority”, said our President of Republic. Many compliments to those who organized Pdl’s electoral campaign, then. Or, perhaps we should also praise the clumsiness with which the PD orchestrated (?) its own campaign? Maybe both things are true at the same time.

Second: This is all about the ability of “Il Cavaliere”. There were, in fact, many concerns about Lega Nord’s requests. And, as said already, even about those of Gianfranco Fini’s An Party. It seems like Berlusconi solved these problems with a concise private speech in front of his allies. It must have sounded more or less like this: “look, you name your men, I decide where to put them, there is no way around it”. Well done, Charlie Brown! This is what they call diplomacy: you grant something, you get something in return. The trick is: offering what you can do, without and obtain what you can’t do without.

Third: there have been some private meetings between Berlusconi and Napolitano right after the elections, that made things way easier. It goes without saying: who decided to schedule those meetings? Berlusconi, who else?

One could argue: “all right, Berlusconi was fast enough, but was he also good at it?”. The answer to this question will  - surprisingly enough - come once again from a former leftist, namely Franco Debenedetti: “it is a very well balanced team, with some excellent names”, said the ex-Ds (Democratici di Sinistra) Senator. According to him “Maroni, Brunetta, Frattini, Scajola, are very good personalities, if I should point out someone that makes me really happy I would say: Sacconi at the Minister of Welfare”.

So, to summarize: it was quick, surprising and well done. It almost sounds impossible. And, there is more to it: given all these brand-new-and-fresh-ministers, someone predicted a “clashes of personalities”. In other terms, they will do their best to make Silvio happy, translation: they will do their best for our country. 

        

 

Rome: the new Duce is a reformer

Yesterday night Romans were partying. It was not about the beloved local team, As Roma. This time they were saluting their new mayor, the one they have elected with a vast majority and the person in which their hopes lie. Viale Cristoforo Colombo (like other major streets) was invaded by honking cars; people were hailing like old fashioned fascists would, chanting “Viva il Duce” and raising their right hand at the sky.

Don’t worry though. Romans did not turn fascists again, the problem being: they are stressed out, frustrated, they can’t cope with the way their city has been managed by Veltroni: the perfect scenario for a Cinema happening with George Clooney, a living inferno for everyone who is not a movie star.  

That’s why Giovanni “Gianni” Alemanno (you would say: “Johnny Al-ea-man-n-oh”,  “Al” as in Al Capone, “ea” as in earth) is the new mayor of the eternal city. This guy born in Bari (Puglia) on March 3, 1958, somehow managed to gather the votes of 53,66% of Romans. His counterpart “the scooter driven by no-one” (as Beppe Grillo once called him), alias Francesco Rutelli, only got 46,34%. He used to go around Rome with a Honda “Sh” scooter when he was the mayor (1993-2001).

At the elegant Pd’s headquarter (a glamorous loft at center of the city), the feeling was already bad a few days ago: “the sensation of déjà vu is too strong”, someone whispered. People were uncertain about Rutelli’s possibilities to become mayor for the third time. This fear was, in fact, on solid ground. Veltroni’s comment was, at least once, illuminated: “This defeat is very serious and heavy”. After the Berlusconi’s Pdl victory, the left was counting on Rome to preserve a glimpse of power, although that hope vanished in the air.

One thing is for certain: the “Modello Roma” (Veltroni used to refer to his way of dealing with the many problems of the city with the expression “Model Rome”, as if he started a new deal like the Roosevelt one), is defeated, it never existed and the Romans had  understood that a long time ago. As it is now, Rome reminds its citizens about a quagmire of holes in which having a accident with your motorbike it’s easy as drinking water, the buses are unreliable, the metro system is the worst in Europe, the center is totally invaded by peddlers and illegal immigrants are free to rape women in the suburbs.

Forget about the cliché of the “European capital” used by Veltroni to describe Rome, if you are a tourist, you might enjoy the incredible historical sites, but try to live in this city for a while, get yourself a normal apartment far from the center (very high priced anyway). Things appear way different than what it looks like in Via Veneto during a Sunday afternoon.

Alemanno understood all this.  Like the majority of the Romans that have voted what they still consider a former fascist, even though “Johnny” has already changed his mind about fascism. He said that, once a Mayor, he would have started the construction of a Synagogue in Ostia and incremented the school visits to Auschwitz. 

Alemanno understood that Rome was “burned out from exhaustion, buried in the hail, poisoned in the bushes an’ blow out on the trail, hunted like a crocodile, ravaged in the corn” as Bob Dylan would say - and really needed: “Shelter from the storm”.  Especially now that the city’s climate has turned into a London-style perennial rain (it has been raining almost every day during the last two months). The Pdl’s candidate (virtually) pronounced the magic words: “Come in” he said “I’ll give you, Shelter from the storm”, as in the famous song.  

A mountaineering lover, Alemanno now will have to climb the seven hills. Not an easy task, let’s admit it. The “right-wing  troskyist”, as someone called him not long ago, can anyway count on a spirit that seems to be suited for the job. When he was the Minister of Agricultural Reforms – in order to save some time - he used to shave himself in the car and became famous for his non-sleeping ability. He would stay up for two nights in a row, so to solve problems faster.  He could as well phone a colleague in the middle of the night asking: “you’re still sleeping?”.

This is just folklore tough. The truth is that Romans have decided already.  On the base of an articulated program that touches every single nerve of the infected Roman wound. The Program is called “The Pact with Rome” and will provide Roman citizens with the wave of reforms they long awaited for. First: the city will finally have (like all other great cities throughout the world) a District for itself; this will enhance decisional power for the Region, allowing Rome to benefit from the fiscal federalism wanted by the Lega Nord. Second: a Statute reform will start, aimed at balancing taxes with services offered by the city. Third: “Plan house”. The housing problem has been overwhelming citizens,  since the disappearing of the “Equo canone” (the fair rent policy) in the early nineties, Alemanno wants to build 25 thousand new houses to help solving the issue.

Going ahead with the program, you will discover a plan for the re-qualification of the suburbs and the appropriation of 1,5 millions for the development of the outskirt. It is undeniable that the city needs these measures. Another good point:  the public transportation system will be dramatically increased with the construction of a new Metro line and the expansion of the existing ones. Priceless.

According to many pundits here in Rome, Alemanno has won mainly because he pointed the finger at security issues.  We mentioned before that the curse of illegal immigrants is a sensitive spot for Romans. Well, the new mayor will close illegal nomad camps. On that point, even the toughest leftist would agree.

Also, the Omni-present peddlers in the center of Rome will have to either leave or transform their business into something legal, otherwise they will be out of business, it’s the 9^th point of Alemanno’s program.

Other issues regard the garbage problem (even in Rome), the case for citizen’s health and the elders. Alright, we know by now that a political program could be a pie in the sky.  Let us hope, though, after fifteen years of “Rome Decadence”.  

God Bless America. And Italy.

It’s been sixty-tree years since the Americans liberated us from the shadow of nazifascism. Not only the got rid of Mussolini and Hitler, together with Great Britain (or we should say Winston Churhill, perhaps). They also prevented USSR from taking power in Italy, a country in which the Pci (the Italian Communist Party) had a enormous influence, given the succes of the Resistence movement.

Even the Italian constitution lies on the grounds of anti-fascism fighters. We owe them something priceless: it’s what they call liberty. Let’s try not to forget it. Even those who feel strongly against the Us superpower should at least admit that living under a Nazist ruler would have been devastating. 

Therefore we should all thanks America, cause the Resistence Movement - even though well organized and effective (Via Rasella, anyone?) - could not defeat Hitler alone.

The Italian President of Republic, Giorgio Napoletano, said today during the “Liberation ceremony” at the Unknown Soldier momument (the “Altar of Motherland” in Piazza Venezia) that the young people should be unite against totalitarianism:

“Young people nowadays have to contrast new forms of authoritarianism and radicalism which represent the negation of the principles and values that inspired the struggle for liberation“.

Napolitano is a former comunist. But he seems to have understood what April 25, 1945 meant for this country. Other [former] communists should follow, cause the Hammer and Sickle have failed everywhere.

God Bless America. And Italy.

 

 

 

Don’t give up the Golan Heights

Syrian President Bashar al Assad on Thursday confirmed for the first time reports in the Arab media claiming that Israel had agreed to implement full withdrawal from the occupied Golan Heights in exchange for peace with Syria. In an interview with the Qatari daily Al Watan the Syrian president conveyed that the Turkish prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, had informed him that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had agreed to cede the Golan for peace. Source: AlBawaba

If Israel follows its leader’s decision to give up the Golan Heights in exchange for a peace agreement with Syria, that would be a big mistake. Bashar Al-Assad will, in fact, follow the path of his religion (Islam) which consider any agreement with the “infidels” (every single person who is not Muslim) only useful as long as it satisfies the short-run military necessities of a Muslim State.

That means that Damascus will end up braking the deal whenever it feels like. It will only depend by its needs.

Here’s what Robert Spencer wrote on Jihad Watch today:

“If Israel gives up the Golan Heights, this is what will happen: the promises of peace will immediately prove hollow. Syrian troops will again stand on the mountaintops and fire down on Israeli farmers below. It would be a political, military, and societal disaster for Israel, and for the larger resistance against the global jihad.”

I completely agree with him.  Good luck, Olmert.

Alitalia’s Wounded Wings

Jean-Cyril Spinetta - Ceo of Air France/Klm - put the world “end” to a long and controversial negotiation with the flagship carrier Alitalia.

“…Contract it signed in March that could have led to a takeover bid for Alitalia SpA is no longer valid, as the conditions that had to be satisfied before launching a bid were not fulfilled” said a statement from Spinetta’s company - not to mention the soaring oil process and the changed political situation.

During the elections, Berlusconi has been proposing a “Italian solution” for the flagship and in a recent meeting, he spoke about the possibility of calling “Aeroflot” into the deal with the Russian strongman, Vladimir Putin.

That would be ironic: the hammer & sickle has just been erased from the political scene and it could appear again into the Italian skies, like some sort of a ghost.

So, Spinetta’s 220 million dollars offer does not exist anymore, it is gone, like the wind. “Alitalia did not meet the necessary conditions” -said spokeswoman of Air France/Klm, Veronique Branchet -adding no comments to the brief statement.

If the offer is “no longer valid” the immediate problem Alitalia will have to solve is a mere question of money. Not a easy one, considering that the company has been losing 1.5 million dollar a day during the last year.

Let’s try to imagine the scenario in the light of a potential Alitalia bankrupt:

1)Berlusconi’s new government will have to cope with a tragic fiasco during its first days - it would be a political disaster for the entire country - not just for new Prime Minister.

2)In times of (economic) troubles, with a country already facing the consequences of a very strong inflation and the loss of buying power of its citizens, a terrible blow hitting the stomach of the tourism industry would be quite dangerous.

3)Italy has been dealing with a not very efficient public transportation system from the very first days of existence as a Republic. The collapse of Alitalia would imply, therefore, a matter of public order - due to the lack of key routes - at least according to many pundits.

4)Alitalia’s employees are almost 18.000, between ground and air personnel. What would they end up doing in case of a collapse of their company?

We are talking about a dantesque scenario, no doubt.

A possible solution would be the bridging loan of $478 million dollars -that the outgoing center –left government approved in order to avoid bankruptcy after a cabinet meeting held yesterday. Romano Prodi, later on, observed that this short time period loan (which is supposed to be paid back by Alitalia at the end of the year) will provide the forthcoming Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi enough time to take a decision about the flagship company.        

According to the European Commission, though, “Alitalia has already received state aid until 2011…at this stage we have not been informed or notified about any decision to give any financial support to the company”. The EU Commission would not - most probably - allow the bridging loan. Apparently the commission was not updated about the financing measure that the Italian government just approved.

In the meantime, trading Alitalia shares has been suspended for the entire day (yesterday) pending the release of a statement, said the bourse. That is just a economic matter, after all. Instead, from a political point of view, the Italian left has already started to point the finger at Berlusconi: according to Francesco Rutelli (the next mayor of Rome, perhaps?), the Air France/Klm withdrawal is a “disastrous consequence” of Berlusconi’s behavior during the elections.

The situation seems to be catastrophic. There are, nevertheless, two main facts to consider:

First: Let’s put Spinetta’s step back in the right perspective: it is a standardized procedure. The Ceo of the most profitable air company (based on revenues) has been negotiating with the former Italian Prime Minister, Romano Prodi. Berlusconi is another planet. Therefore, the “conditions” mentioned in the Air France’s statement, will have to be negotiated again. The document might represents nothing but a formal gesture.

According to the head of Alitalia pilots union “Anpac” - Fabio Berti: ” there is no withdrawal of the offer…and Air France/Klm didn’t say it was no longer interested in Alitalia but only that, for now, there aren’t the conditions to launch a bid”.

Second: regarding the bridging loan that could momentarily save the company: the question of public order cannot be called in, even when it comes to key routes: Italy, in fact, still has a military aviation on which it can count, in the face of exceptional situations, to fulfill the necessities of commuters.

What will the European Commission do? The most probable thing would be imposing sanctions, of course. The real question is, anyway, who is going to save Alitalia in the long run?

It is true - as reported by Il Sole 24 Ore - that a bridging loan would avoid putting Alitalia into administration and would also allow the new government to search for a buyer. Keep in mind one name, though, and “google” for it: Bruno Ermolli, founder and Ceo of “Sin&rgetica” as well as longtime ally and advisor of Berlusconi, he might end up being one of the key pieces on the chessboard. Apart from Spinetta.

 

 

 

A political earthquake in Italy

It was unexpected, someone said. Not that Veltroni had so many chances to win – let’s put it clear – but at the same time, the victory obtained by the Pdl (People of Freedom –Popolo della Libertà) was so crystal clear that it surprised many.

 

Berlusconi’s Pdl has, in fact, won 46.8 to 37.6 against Veltroni’s PD at the Parliament, not to mention the 43,7 Vs. 38 obtained at the Palazzo Madama’s Senate. That Means the Pdl can count on 340 seats against PD’s 239 at the Parliament and 168 Senators against 130. It is a undisputable victory and it leaves no room for speculation.  “ The right has achieved a historical victory” Berlusconi pointed out after reading the newspapers this morning.

 

During the exit polls yesterday, everyone have noticed that, compared to last elections in 2006, less people had voted.

 

According to Nando Pagnoncelli – a political analyst – “Italians have chosen political pragmatism, and by doing that they sent a strong message”. He thinks the lower attendance does not have to be considered as a negative fact but rather as a physiological trend.

 

Another political analyst –Marcello Veneziani –thinks that, anyway, 80% of Italians have voted and that is still a good average for a western country, he also thinks that the results shows that Italians prefer a two party solution, like during the sixties when the Pci (Partito Comunista Italiano) and the Dc (Democrazia Cristiana) where facing each other.

 

That said, this elections have unveiled something: there will be no more hammer and sickle around in the Italian politics, neither at the Parliament, nor at the Senate. That is surprising. Especially in a country in which the Pci has always been a very strong Party, perhaps one of the most influential communist parties in Europe. Don’t forget that there is a neighborhood in Moscow called “Togliattigrad” (Togliatti being the main Pci Leaders ever).  This is another historical achievement. For whom the bell tolls? It seems like finally that given bell has rang for the communists, while Nepal is turning red, Italy is shaking off the rests of the USSR influence. Can’t we call it a earthquake?

 

It seems like Fausto Bertinotti – leader of the Rifondazione Comunista Party – said while staring at the tv screen, showing the results yesterday: “No, please, not in this way…” . His comment was remarking the poor performance his party played even in those regions that were once considered “red strongholds” in Italy, such as Tuscany, Umbria and Emilia-Romagna.

 

As if all this news are not enough, here’s another hint: the new cabinet will be smaller than the previous one, according to Berlusconi: “ the new government will be formed by an agile team – it won’t be more than sixty elements – the half of the last government…everything is already clear in my mind”.

 

Who will be the players forming the “agile team”? Gianni Letta – Berlusconi’s longtime righthand – will be the vice-premier , “a essential person for the government  - said the Pdl leader – a most peculiar man, that everyone esteems”.

 

Giulio Tremonti would be the Minister of Economy for the second time –while Stefania Prestigiacomo will guide the Ministry of Equal Opportunities. Lucio Stanca will instead be the Minister of Innovation. Gianfranco Fini will most probably end up being the Speaker of the House and there are some rumors about the future Foreign Minister: Franco Frattini is one of the candidates for such post, a bird told me, though, that someone else is expected to seat on that chair.

 

Also, “in this cabinet  -Berlusconi anticipated – there will be at least four women”  even if man are still dominating the Italian political scene as he said commenting on Zapatero’s “too pink” government.

 

The key-role of Defense Minister is disputed between Antonio Martino (former Defense Minister during the last center-right government) and Ignazio La Russa (Fini’s  colleague).

 

What will be the new government’s  first moves? Easy: solve the main problems that have affected Italy during the last two years, that being the garbage in Naples, Alitalia and the inflation that is causing Italian families to lose their buying power.

 

“About the crisis with inflation –said Berlusconi during a radio address – we already have something in mind, it’s a defined project that we’ll immediately start , aimed at restraining prices”.  The first Council of ministers will be held in Naples to try to solve the garbage issue. “I will spend three days a week in Naples and will leave only when I’ll find a definitive solution to the problem [with garbage]”.

 

Also regarding the inflation problem which is eroding Italian salaries, Berlusconi wants to put an end on the infamous ( and expensive)“Ici” tax that every house owner has to pay once a year.  Another counter measure will be the so called “Bebè Bonus”, a one thousand euro price for each newborn. The new cabinet will also cut taxes for overtime pay.

 

The news with Alitalia are the same: Berlusconi does not want the company to “become French” but to stay Italian (you don’t want to change to colors of the logo…). He has often mentioned a network of Italian entrepreneurs willing to buy Alitalia, we will see.

 

Walter Veltroni has called his rival yesterday evening, he congratulated with Berlusconi for the victory and wished him good luck for the new government . He wanted to bring Obama’s motto “yes, we can” in Italy but, as it usually happens, something was “lost in translation”. “Yes, we can” does not mean “It’s doable” as the roman leftists translated it: “se po’ fa”. It means that “we can do it together” (possiamo farcela, in italian), the only problem being: Veltroni was running alone, perhaps it’s time for the former Mayor of Rome to find himself some good friends?     

 

The Al Gore Factor?

Interview with John C. Fortier, of the American Enterprise Institute, about the state of American electoral campaign, the “Al Gore factor” and the chances McCains has to become the 44^th President of the United States of America. 

 

A.L.H.- Prof. Fortier, Tomas Mann of Brookings Institution in Washington has said that the situation for Republicans does not look good as it is, what do you think about it?

 

J.C.F. - I think Tom Mann is right that the overall climate is not good for Republicans in 2008, but I think he underestimates McCain’s strengths and Obama’s weaknesses.  At least the way that I see it is that McCain has the personal qualities that can make up for the party advantage for Democrats. 

 

A.L.H. - How about McCain’s chances to become the President? And what about the Congress?

 

J.C.F. - Not sure if he will win, but he should be able to make the race competitive.  Congress is another story, however.  Democrats are likely to gain in both houses.

 

A.L.H. - How do you feel about the “Al Gore factor”?

 

J.C.F. - I don’t think that Al Gore will be much of a factor.  It is still a close race between Obama and Clinton, but the great likelihood is that Obama wins a clear, but close victory.  In that case, Gore and other party leaders will rally behind Obama, but it will not be particularly controversial, as Obama will be seen by most as the clear winner. 

 

A.L.H. - But what if Obama will end up with no chances to win before November?

 

J.C. F. - If somehow, Obama were to collapse soon, then Hillary Clinton might make it much closer and there would be real confusion in the party and then Gore and others might play a more substantial role.  But the likelihood of the Obama collapse scenario is pretty small.

 

A.L.H. - Let’s get back to McCain: which scenario do you envision for him if the race between Obama and Clinton becomes even closer than this, can it be an advantage for the Republican candidate?

 

J.C.F. - I do think that the tough race between Clinton and Obama helps McCain a bit.  There is a certain negativity and Obama and Clinton have been forced to take more divisive positions than they would have had one of them won the race early. 

 

 

A.L.H. - In order for McCain to benefit from this scenario, how long do you think the close race between the two democratic candidates should last?

 

J.C.F. - Unless we have such a close race that Democrats are fighting about it until the convention, I suspect that the wounds will heal.  So it is of modest benefit to McCain.  A really divisive end to the Democratic race would be more helpful to him, but is less likely.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s hard to be a saint in the (eternal) city

On that given morning, May 13 1981, Mehmet Ali Aðca shot various rounds toward the Great Polish Man - John Paul II. Afterwards he justified his action by stating the following: “To me the Pope was the incarnation of all that is capitalism;” clearly at the time he had no idea that his effort was to fail.

 

Agca did not know then that even Padre Pio from Pietralcina foresaw that the young priest from Poland he met in 1948 would have gone on to become Pope. In fact, no one in the 1940s would have bet a penny on such a possibility. Wojtyla himself one stated: ” I, John Paul II, have never thought that I would have become the Pope…providence has brought me here and therefore, I shall let providence decide the day it will end”. John Paul II died, in fact, exactly when he was supposed to. It was three years ago that God called him. On the third anniversary of his death Pope Benedict XVI held a mass in St. Peter’s Square to commemorate Wojtyla’s death. His successor had these words to say about his predecessor, “Among [his] many human and supernatural qualities, he had an exceptional spiritual and mystical sensibility”.

 

Mircea Eliade, the famous Romanian religious historian, described his sanctity as “equivalent to a power, and in the last analysis, to reality.” We can’t say that John Paul II is a saint, but he did have, in fact, a power. He was capable to “immerse himself in God,” says Navarro Valls before continuing, “He could pray while asleep, every breath he took was an ode to God itself.” But not only: John Paul II also allegedly cured a French nun from Parkinson’s disease.

 

“I am cured. It is the work of God, through the intercession of Pope John Paul II”, said the French Sister Marie Simon-Pierre (46) last year. “It’s something very strong, very difficult to put into words,” she added. “All I can tell you is that I was sick and now I am cured. It is for the Church to say and to recognize whether or not it is a miracle”.

 

Someone else was capable of such miracles, apart from Padre Pio and, of course, the French and English dynasties of the thaumaturgist kings there was Yehoshua, or if you prefer, Jesus of Nazareth. If someone wants to have an idea of what being “immersed in God” means and how to recognize a “perennial prayer” such as John Paul II, he should read the book “Quarantine” by Jim Crace, there isn’t a better description, in my opinion, on how a devoted Christian should pray his God.

 

The word “miracle” derives from the late Latin mirari which means “to stare at” and its significance in modern English would sound something like this: “An extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs.” That would fit the story of the French nun of course. Although many non-believers might end up thinking that these are only good stories to tell in front a fireplace during the winter or when it’s raining outside because they have no scientific explanation whatsoever.

 

Apart from miracles, we prefer to think that John Paul II apart from being able to “immerse himself in God” could not only transmit his beliefs to others people, but has also effectively changed the course of the events of the last century. That matches Eliade’s description of holiness. But that is not all. He also demolished some crucial stereotypes about the Catholic Church. For example here’s what the former Chief Rabbi of Rome, Elio Toaff, said about him: ” [He's] a great man, an honest spirit, loyal and free. A man of God, whose holiness, according to Catholic Church parameters, is crystal clear for the entire world to see”. A Rabbi saying that the Pope is “a man of God” may not be a miracle, but is certainly a step towards reconciliation between Judaism and Catholicism.

 

Here’s another “quasi-miracle” from Wojtyla - making someone believe in God. Rita Megliorini , a personal nurse to Pope John Paul II during his last days at Gemelli Hospital said, “He brought me back to my faith. He said to me, ‘Do not be afraid, God forgives.’ He remembered me and dedicated a caress to me in the most precious moment of his life…when he was going back to the Lord”.

 

We don’t even need to know if the French Sister Marie Simon-Pierre, allegedly cured from Parkinson’s disease thanks to John Paul II, is telling the truth or not. In any case, this Great Man from Poland, who already looked old when he was twelve; who traveled all over the world to spread the faith he believed in; who did not give up the cross even in times of troubles and convinced people to change their minds, deserves canonization. Perhaps, for no other reason, to quote David Bowie, “It’s hard to be a Saint in the city.”

 

Ali Agca couldn’t known that Pope John Paul II would have survived his bullets. That said, perhaps we should ask him how it feels to be forgiven by the person he wanted to kill. Ask him how it feels to attempt to assassinate a Saint.

 

The sensational conversion of Magdi Cristiano Allam

It strange how the entire world is staring at this tiny man. As if he is the new David, fighting Goliath with a piece of paper and a pen. Although he might look tiny on the outside, Magdi Cristiano Allam does not lack of courage. “I want to belong to God”, said the deputy director of Il Corriere della Sera to his religious mentor, father Gabriele Mangiarotti, just before his sensational conversion. Clearly that was not Allah…

 

The only problem being: Magdi Allam is one of the most authoritative person in Europe when it comes to speak out loud against radical Islam. And, most of all, he was a Muslim himself. Allam is already surrounded by big guys (his personal bodyguards assigned to him by the Italian government on the ground that his life is constantly at risk) so, when he arrives at a conference or in a public place, you won’t immediately notice that he has in fact arrived. Magdi Allam is also the kind of guy you won’t notice because he just does not like to be at the center of attention. He gave a speech against a unintelligent anti-semite cartoon published on the leftist newspaper Il Manifesto which represented Magdi’s friend Fiamma Nirenstein . There were four speakers at the press conference (organized by the Magna Carta Foundation) and Allam spoke for just about five minutes with a calm and low voice. It was almost like he wasn’t invited for the speech. Almost like he begged someone for letting him speak.

 

When Allam told Mangiarotti that he wanted to become a catholic, the priest got worried. Magdi is already at risk and the move would have caused a wave of treats from the major Islamic association around the world, both moderate (according to Allam, though, there is no such thing) and radical. One would think: “well, Allam certainly knows that the conversion will put him even more at risk and he might get scared”… instead Magdi’s answer to father Mangiarotti’ concerns was: “You should worry about the Pope, not me”.

 

“I am not afraid of death, I am convinced that we must go ahead. We should go on the road of truth and liberty”, said Cristiano Allam in an interview published by the Italian newspaper Libero . “I don’t want to give up, neither I want to be intimidated in anyway. I know I am right”.

 

Now, his conversion has in fact caused a wave of protests coming from the Islamic world. The international daily newspaper Al Quds al Arabi wrote: “The pope provokes the indignation of Muslims by baptizing an Egyptian journalist who attacks Islam and defends Israel”. Some others have said that Allam has added more fuel on the fire of the so-called clash of civilizations . But there were answers to this criticism: Michael Leeden wrote on his blog that , “Magdi’s very public conversion, and his baptism by Benedict, is an act of defiance against those who have already forced him to live the life of a recluse”. He also told us that the “the whole point of radical Islam is to silence all other voices”. That involves a personal choice as well.

 

Banafsheh Zand-Bonazzi ,a well known Iranian political activist living in NYC, has an articulated opinion on Allam’s conversion . She points out how Allam’s conversion can be perceived as a loss from another point of view: “I love and respect all those whose faiths makes them better people - says Zand-Bonazzi - …people who are principled, righteous and truly tolerant, just like Magdi…who is one of the sweetest and almost saintly people I know. But I feel a loss for us secular and liberal Muslims because his voice, fighting from within Islam has a kind of intense impact…first in terms of his stance toward the diabolical Islamo-imperialists, then in terms of those who remain Muslim and are liberal and dare not speak out for fear of reprisal from the diabolical Islamists and finally for those westerners (non-Muslims) who absolutely refuse to believe that Islamo-Imperialists are the biggest threat to modernity and liberal life…So of course speaking from within the faith in order to have an impact…and I’m glad that he stayed till the tender age of 56 but still…his voice has been a darn valuable one and that’s what makes it a loss for us liberal Muslims around the world who need pioneering voices such as Magdi’s”.

 

Although certainly the most famous, this is not Magdi’s first conversion. A previous conversion is worth mentioning as well. Allam, in fact, did not start his career writing against radical Islam. He started out by writing on the leftist newspaper La Repubblica about multiculturalism and how this value could have saved the world. He was pro-Muslim at the beginning and not pro-Western. After 9/11, though, he changed his mind. Completely. So, he has been a supporter of Islam and later decided to give up with this beliefs. Therefore, one cannot claim that he doesn’t know about Muslims. That he hasn’t thought about his religion and he is a ignorant. In fact Allam represents everything that radical Islam fights against: the freedom to choose and the ability to change your mind. If a terrorist will hurt Magdi, he would hurt the freedom itself. He would hurt Magdi’s future and past at the same time, not just a person. In this way he will show the world the true nature of radical Islam and the terrorism, namely: the negation of liberty and freedom of choice.