Comments on: Italy's equality minister claims gay Pride is "pointless"

By: andy

andy — Tue, 20 May 2008 13:44:06 +0000

Well what a mess the world's in! Established EU member like Italy going backwards fast, Aspiring EU members like Turkey not pulling their weight, ex British colonies like Gambia run by off their head lunatics, current British overseas territories like Gibraltor, needing a friendly kick up the ass…Have said it before, but Britain really is one of the best countries in the world to be gay…we need to more thankful for that, and less critical of the amazing progress this countries made in the past decade

(Report comment to the moderator)

By: Robert, ex-pat Brit

Robert, ex-pat Brit — Tue, 20 May 2008 12:00:49 +0000

Maybe we should get back to that old and tried approach, the boycott. Gay travellers should spend their hard-earned money in countries that are friendly and supportive of equality. Gay political organisations across the globe should send a clear message to the Berlusconi government and others that we will not tolerate discrimination and we will not spend one penny of our money in their countries helping their economies, and that we will do everything in our power to discourage travel to Italy and elsewhere. The EU commission needs to grow a pair of balls and take Berlusconi and his ilk to task.

(Report comment to the moderator)

By: Ciaran

Ciaran — Tue, 20 May 2008 10:52:28 +0000

Ah, god bless the Italians, they've keeping the memory of Benito Mussolini alive and well.

And a "model turned politician" is still noting more then a model… and models aren't exactly known for their ability to solve quadratic equations, now, are they? Silly cow.

(Report comment to the moderator)

By: Robert, ex-pat Brit

Robert, ex-pat Brit — Tue, 20 May 2008 10:19:37 +0000

Gene, its typical of conservative politics, nothing new there. You can bet Papa Ratzi and his deeply closeted homoerotic cult have played and continue to play a part in this atmostphere of hatred, intolerance and bigotry. Nothing but pure evil as is Berlusconi and his bunch of fascist thugs.

(Report comment to the moderator)

By: Gene

Gene — Mon, 19 May 2008 21:13:16 +0000

It's interesting that La Cafagna objects to possible sexual displays during Pride parades. Cafagna, a former beauty contestant, jump-started her political career with scantily-clad cheesecake photos, flirting and playing up to a drooling Berlusconi, who had to publicly appoligize to his wife for his fawning over the willing and available "Ororevole" Carfagna.

If you go to Italy, you will not have to walk a block to find homophobia and discrimination. The climate in Italy has recently become extremely odious – naziskin murders and other hate crimes, extreme hatred toward immigrants, officially sanctioned violence against gypsy encampments, "former" fascists (like the new Mayor of Rome) and a multitude of criminals (both left- and right-wing) holding sway througout the new government, Church-led attacks on a woman's right to abortion, etc. Indeed, Italy is looking more and more like Serbia or Latvia than a western democracy.

The situation is tragic because there are so many beautiful things and wonderful people in Italy. As a tourist, you might be able keep your eyes on the frescoes and ignore the pervasive political ugliness and creeping hatred toward LGBT, immigrants, gypsies, and anyone else who is "diverse." But you've got a choice. Why spend your money in a place where you're lucky to be even a second-class citizen. A perfect alternative is traveling to Spain (and there are lots of other good alternatives) where time is not marching backward and "equal opportunity" includes people like you.

(Report comment to the moderator)