Italian politicians ought to be shipped off to the nearest madhouse, one and all
Quite apart from the appalling mutual hatred that has poisoned the air for years, and in which at this point it is useless to blame the original culprits - since the whole political spectrum has thrown itself in it with a will - there is the quite extraordinary self-importance, vanity, lack of sense of proportion, and preference for empty and useless show initiatives. For instance, a few months ago, nearly a dozen Italian cities offered to hold the Olympic Games. Now, it is quite clear that only cities of several million inhabitants and/or national capitals will be considered by the International Olympic Committee (Barcelona a couple of decades ago was an exception, but then the head of the IOC at the time happened to be from Catalunya). With the possible exception of the capital, there is not one city in Italy of anything like the necessary size - which is all the better for us; we don't need Mexico City-sized blots on our all too crowded landscape. And Rome itself has repeatedly failed, while Milan, our second city, has been informed that, for all their prestige and prosperity, they stand no chance. But this did not prevent ridiculously unsuitable municipalities such as Venice, Bari and Palermo from putting themselves forwards. The only reason why the whole world did not start laughing at us loud and long is that foreign journalists do not report from Italy. And now here is something even worse: the city of Rome seriously proposes to host a Formula One race, not even on a new circuit, but on city streets in the modern EUR quarter! Forget for a minute that we have a legendary circuit in Monza which is in need of improvement but still popular with racers and fans. Forget that if we needed a second circuit in Italy, there is the beloved and neglected Imola one, the spiritual home of Ferrari, in dire need of restoration but with a history second to few. Forget all that, I say, and just ask this: my family live in Rome. The city is overcrowded, thick with problems of every sort, in constant need of attention. Who the bloody Hell, I ask, who in the name of everything that's insane, needs this obstruction on public roads, making a frightful noise, interfering with public life (several government authorities and offices are located in EUR), costing a fortune, and achieving very little for the price? And in the name of God and Jesus Christ, does the city of Rome - Rome, I tell you - require any kind of advertising fillip, when every feature of the history of the West points you back to her, and Chinese tourists with no English crowd her roads? And I am certain - heck, I have lived in Rome long enough, and my family are all from there - that the citizenship positively does not want such a thing there. I am willing to stake my head on the certainty that nine citizens of Rome out of ten will react to this piece of news with anything from indignation to horror to disgust. For what damned reason, then, has Mayor Alemanno - a right-wing outsider elected on a reform and "clear out the bums" ticket - given this useless piece of extravagance a second thought? For what reason, indeed, other than if he ever were a reformer he has now evidently gone native, and cares more for extravagant prestige projects calling the attention of the rich and useless of this world to his person, than for doing his duty by those who elected him.