VERONA — Goodbye mosque. In its place, Oriana Fallaci Square. This decision was taken by the committee of Oppeano (Verona), where yesterday morning a building used by Muslims for prayer was bulldozed. In its place, the Municipality will create a public square named after the writer of The Rage and the Pride, which promoted a bitter campaign against Islam.
The decision to raze the structure which had been opened by ONLUS (Organizzazione Non Lucrativa di Utilita’ Sociale, a non-profit registered Italian charity) “For the success of Muslims”, was taken by the municipal administration, which acquired the area for €70,000 in order to transform it into an open area for parking and green space. “My citizens did not want this takeover,” explained the mayor, Alessandro Montagnoli, deputy of the Lega Nord, “above all because it could create problems of practicability and cohabitation with the residents.”
Brava Oriana. You are greatly missed.
ReplyDeleteWait . . . how about a most unexpected encore?
ReplyDeleteNobel Peace Center opens controversial Fallaci exhibition
An exhibition dedicated to the late Italian journalist Oriana Fallaci, known in her later years for a fiercely anti-Islamic stance, has gone on display at Nobel Peace Center exhibition hall in Norway's capital city of Oslo. The exhibition includes an article by Fallaci titled "Islam as an Enemy," while movies screened within the exhibition hall portray Islam as a dangerous religion. The exhibition, in which the Quran is defined by Fallaci as "the most dangerous book ever written," drew immediate reaction from Muslim visitors.
Nobel Peace Center Director Bente Erichsen spoke to the Cihan news agency and explained that the exhibition had been held within the scope of freedom of expression. Erichsen said they welcome everybody's ideas and added: "We have hosted the ideas of many people, whether we liked their ideas or not, in our exhibition hall. This is the realization of our perception of freedom of expression."
Fallaci generated great controversy in the Islamic world when she wrote an article about Islam in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks. Erichsen noted freedom of expression was letting people say whatever they want to say and added, "We need to give this opportunity to Italian journalist Fallaci, too, even if we do not like her ideas."
Fallaci died on Sept. 15, 2006 at the age of 77. The Italian journalist was famed for her interviews and war reports but became notorious in later life for her Islamophobia. At the time of her death she faced trial in her native Italy on charges of vilifying Islam.
How do you say Viva Verona in Italian?
ReplyDeleteIslamophobia my ass. Fallaci was the Italian Cassandra -- she predicted the truth and no one wanted to believe her.
Viva Verona is Italian! and its a beautiful place.
ReplyDeleteI actually had the pleasure of saying Ciao to her in the early 80's ...
And thanks for the unexpected encore. This is the kind of news that makes my day!
The world is a far better place with fewer mosques and more public parking.
ReplyDelete