Snippets from the Italian Scene
Gay Pride in Rome
This has also been an interesting week (summer 2000) politically. If you're Catholic you likely know that it's a jubilee year. Rome is packed with the faithful and those who want to take advantage of the special shows and events organized, and it's turning out to be a huge financial success for the city. As one might expect, this great mass of people is also attracting those who want to make statements of one kind or another. Groups of all kinds, including International Gay Pride, which scheduled a parade for July 8 and arranged all the necessary permissions quite some time ago. There were complaints from the Church, but the City government announced it would provide security and logistical services -- as it does for almost all parades. With the passage of time the Church's protests increased in volume, and a couple of weeks ago Prime Minister Amato weighed in saying the parade was "inopportune" and that it was unfortunate that the Constitution made it impossible to stop it. Howls of glee from some quarters, while others (libertarians left and right) were swift to remind Amato that the Constitution allows any organization to demonstrate peacefully and that nobody has suggested other groups shouldn't demonstrate, even when their rallies turn violent -- something a Gay Pride parade isn't likely to do. The Government actually wobbled on this, and a couple of ministers have announced their personal support for the parade (Amato won't allow official support), while another has announced he's bisexual. Rivers of ink in the Press. In the mean time, the right of peaceful taxpaying citizens to gather seems to be safe, for now. And by protesting so loudly, those who objected to the parade have helped insure that it will be a major event with a large turnout, rather than the minor folksy thing it would likely have been otherwise. My take? I can understand the Church's objections, and think the Church is within its rights to do as it pleases within the Vatican territory. But on Italian soil -- once you deny the right of one group to demonstrate you've opened a door that's very hard to close. Who'd be denied next?
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