[Nettime-bold] <nettime> Election Day!!!!

["Content-Wire.com" <PGalaxy@compuserve.com>]

Lorenzo, thanks a lot  for the depiction.

I heard about the book -  now I have a vivid impression of whatz in it
Sounds funny to me. I cant believe people take  the guy seriously.

Now I fear that Berluscao may want to take control over  the catholic
church.
 After all they have a big global network already in place and football is
god for most italians 
(anyone has a father or  brothers who can show this  - simple, disengaged
people  with  BIG television sets they go
back to every evening to get doctrine from )

Of course you know, and other nettimers know full well what I think
and I shall not repeat myself on that. Glad others now can see what our
problem is..

The questions that spring to mind are the following:


1) Do the Italians know that the book (and its shipment before election)
is propaganda?

2) Does the average citizen know what propaganda is, what are the examples
in the past of pervasive propaganda campaigns
and what are the risks?

3) Did the Germans recognise that Hitler was blinding them with propaganda 
when he came into power?
 ( I do NOT  here  intend to draw a parallel between the two political
leaders,
but YES I intend to draw a parallel between the narcotized political and
civil consciousness of the two electorates)

The responsibility lies primarily in the educational and political
establishment that FAILED to
create and maintain civil awareness and education.

Scenario ONE 
Let's assume that the Italians read the book and actually like it - instead
of laughing or being scared at the
prospect of having a leader like that . Let's assume that he wins the
election.

I think the Council of Europe should then invoke the relevant legislation
and intervene to make sure
that 

1) the legislation that does not allow the owner of broadcasting stations
to go into politics
(Marco Travaglio - author of the recent book on Berlusconi's money -  told
me there is a law dated 1947 or 57 or  something)

2) That the trials against Berulsconi are continued under European
jurisdiction, cause the italian
judicial system is either inept  or corrupt or both. 

But is the Council of Europe a safe place to go, can they and will they act
?
 If not, shall we doubt of its integrity?



Scenario  TWO 
Let's assume that Rutelli wins, will he be able to put measures in place so
that 
we do not have the same problem again in five years? maybe the economy and
the politics in Italy will fail again,
and Berlusconi, or his children, will be up for parliament again.


The problem is that we do not have a political class ready to run the
country, and
the system is too corrupt to find and execute any remedial to this huge and
dangerous distortion, either way

There are a couple of other possible approaches:

1)  take over global television networks  - a bit extreme I agree  ( a mali
estremi estremi rimedi)
<g>

2) get key people in the *system*  to become aware of the problems and
start  working from the inside the system  to create and maintain a
healtier, more critical
and more aware information society for the future

But we will have to keep a close eye on the country, make sure we know what
they are aiming
at.

We then need to work with individuals and organisations internationally to
make sure
that we spread awareness, which we are obviously doing with the help of
free thinkers on this list.

Society is already changing, a lot and very fast. Five years ago, you and I
and other
respected members of the networked society would  have not been having 
this *conversation*
Our work is important and we must find ways to bring fringe, alternative
free thinking (ours) into mainstream
society , into the organisations and institutions that run the country.
Maybe institutions and organisations need
to change, to become less stale, less apathic, more dynamic.

After are we all radicals, individualists in some way, while society is
headed by
conformists and either sheep types or smart arses.
 I hope that will change.

Now that I know that we can communicate at such widespread level, I am not
so afraid
If Berlusconi wins, the political regime in Italy could be outside the
constitution.
I believe the constituion somewhere states that the political, legistalitve
and judicialry must
be independent and integer. 

We may have to take legal advice from whoever is responsible for maintaing
constitutioanl rights
inside and outside the country,, and take it from there

Hoping for the best, but ready for the worse

Paola Di Maio






==================================
Paola Di Maio
Managing  Editor
www.content-wire.com

=================================
At home in the content universe


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