He’s got a lot to answer for. Forget the WMD (he has), forget the best buddy with George Bushel and e peck, forget the conversion to Rome – my beef is that he changed it all. It seems that any supposed left of centre, centre, bit to the right of centre aspiring politican must now, on orders from on high, pose for their campaign photos in shirt sleeves, giving them the appearance of blokiness, mateyness and all round ‘Im not better than you really, but i know I am-iness. Here in Sicily we have the council elections coming up and every PD candidate has the same photo style, taken from below, in front, above, but all without fail in a rolled up sleeved shirt. The Sicilian autonomists however have plumped for a nice crew neck jumper in varying pastel shades – to show us that they’re not real politicans, but the bloke who washes his car on a Sunday morning before church. The only exceptions to this rule are the very fat candidates who just give us head shots with a glimpse of folded neck skin. The female candidates seem to have opted for beige as overall theme. We wait with baited breath for the forconi. Obviously updates will be along shortly.
And keeping up the theme on this Eurovision Saturday. We had European gay equality day the other day – it was mentioned on the news in Italy so great strides there. I suppose it was the PResident of Italy throwing his 90 years to one side and saying – ‘We must make some law on homophobia – its only right’. howls from the right wing and some ridiculous bigots on the left.
Bear in mind this is only making it a crime to beat up/maim/kill someone just because they dont want to shag your missus, unless she’s a dead ringer for Martina Navratilova. Its not marriage, adoption, compulsory practical courses at primary school – its homophobia. Equal rights – a right to be respected in the work place, to be given a job and not sacked because you choose to not have a wardrobe full of polyester ties. In Italy rights dont exist. It is not illegal to discriminate. There is no law that gives civil couple rights to same sex couples if one dies, if one works, if one doesnt work and so on. Until last week, when Parliament decided that same sex couples in parliament could benefit from the pension schemes. ie – 3 people could assign their pensions to their same sex other half. The rest of ITaly isnt good enough to share in this largesse. What is worse is that nobody – Italians in general – give a toss,but the powers that be (i.e. Vatican, rabid catholics and pathetic priapic MPS) have decided that its JUST NOT ON. Now amount of casual matey photos will change this. I told you , its Tony Blairs fault.
