“Hey, wait, I thought Rome would be populated by Italians, what are all these other people doing here?” (But Isuspect that Italian nationalists will soon start making progressin reclaiming their country.)
by a member of EAU
Not too long ago, I returned home from my 10-week study abroad in Rome,Italy. The time I spent in the Eternal City was the experience of alifetime, and, might I say, the Italians have a much nicer capital thanwe do.
That being said, there were some things about Italy that really stoodout to me, as someone who is more ethnically-conscious than the averageEuropean-American student. Italy, just like America, has very seriousproblems with immigration; while America is being invaded from southof the border, Italy is being invaded from south of the Mediterranean.
While Rome is still more homogeneous than New York or Washington D.C.,that is quickly changing. Everywhere I went I saw Gypsies, northAfricans, Bangladeshis, etc. In my first few days, I cannot recallhaving seen any Italian children (Italy, by the way, has the lowest birth rate in western Europe).
While here in the United States many people view immigrants ashard-working people seeking a better life, a short visit to any majorItalian city will shatter that image. The Gypsies do not work – theymake their living solely by begging and pick-pocketing. The northAfricans and Banglideshis mostly make their living by swindlingunsuspecting tourists. I can only imagine how embarrasing it must befor Italians when they hear of tourists visiting their country fromnorthern Europe, Canada, and the United States being swindled andpick-pocketed by these people from south of the Mediteranean. But Isuspect that Italian nationalists will soon start making progressin reclaiming their country.
From what I’ve observed, Italians are not as politically-correct astheir northern European counterparts. While hate speech laws do existto some extent, they are probably only enforced every now and then,and in the most extreme cases. This is mostly due to the fact that ina country where people won’t even obey traffic signals (the Italiansare a very free-spirited people), they’re not likely to obey lawstelling them what they can and cannot say. If, in fact, Italy began aprogram of repatriation of immigrants, I believe that many touristswould be quite relieved. But aside from that, there are a few otherthings to consider as well.
From my travels in the provinces of Lazio, Umbria, and Tuscany, Inoticed that there are virtually no suburbs; there’s the city, andthere’s the countryside – that’s it. While there are some mostlyresidential districts on the outter parts of the major cities, it’smostly crowed appartment buildings. No large sprawling suburbs withlarge houses, front yards, back yards, and side yards. While manyEuropean-Americans have been able to retreat to the suburbs, mostItalians have to stay in the cities and face their problems. Thesmalls towns (Assisi, Orvieto, Frascatti) are still very homogeneous,but the major cities (Rome, Florence, Milan) are very cosmopolitan.
All throughout the streets of Rome, I saw several “Italia agliItaliani” (Italy for the Italians) stickers posted on walls and lampposts. Could you image seeing anything like that in Germany orScandinavia? I would be quite surprised.
Italian nationalists also have an advantage in Italian politics that wedo not – Italy is not subject to the same two-party monopoly that weare. This makes it a lot easier for smaller parties to have a say inthe government. The Italian political system is very fractured. Thereare so many political parties there that they have to form coalitionsto get anything done. Often, coalitions form around one issue, andonce that issue has been addressed, they break up and then rearrange.
There are a few problems more particular to Italy than to the UnitedStates, however. Italy has the lowest birthrate in western Europe. The economy over there is very socialist, and there’s virtually noincentive to have children. Most Italian men live with their parentswell into their 30’s and 40’s until they eventually get married, if theydo get married at all. Although Rome is the center of the CatholicChurch, Most of Italy, especially outside of Rome, is very secular. Many old churches are now museums where you have to pay to get in. AsI’m walking down the street praying my rosary, I’m bombared with ludeadvertisements. As I’m walking through the park, I see coupleseverywhere making out (not to sound like a prude, but I believe somethings should be kept private). Marriage and child-rearing are on thedecline; fornication and contraception are on the rise. This is reallybad news, especially for a traditional Catholic like myself.
While my ancestry is derived completely from northern Europe (Britain,Ireland, Germany, and France), Rome holds a special place in my heart. As the center of the Roman Catholic Church, I, as a Catholic, amdisturbed by what I see. St. Peter must be turning in his grave.
Italy has a long and great history. The glory of Rome, the capital ofthe classical and Christian world, the beauty of Florence, theRenassance, Dante, Galileo, Leonardi da Vinci. Art, archetecture,science, literature. I do not want to see Italy become yet anotherprovince of the third world.