Saturday, June 21, 2008

No to Star Wars

Say No to Star Wars

Sunday, June 22, 11am to ...
(USC4P&J meeting at 4:30pm)
Piazza Navona

Dear peace activists,

This Sunday, June 22, there will be a one-day global hunger strike to
protest the proposed U.S. military base in the Czech Republic, and what is
seen as the first step in creation of the U.S. Missile Defense System in
Europe, aka the new Star Wars. The Missile Defense System is destined to
antagonize Russia (and other countries suspicious of U.S. motives) and
ultimately create a dangerous new arms race. Its only beneficiaries will be
defense contractors such as Boeing, Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, as
well as European weapons manufacturers. In February 2007, under the
Prodi government, Italy secretly signed a Memorandum of Understanding
with the U.S. to participate in the program.

In Rome, Italian activists of Mondo senza guerre are supporting the
struggle in the Czech Republic, where there is tremendous opposition to
the new base, with an all day event in Piazza Navona, starting at 11am.
They'll make use of everything they can -- from street theatre to flyers -- to
inform Italians and tourists of the dangers of this multi-billion dollar program
described as "a solution that technically does not work being applied to a
problem that does not actually exist."

They will be collecting signatures for a petition against the new base, with
the aim of reaching the goal of 200,000 signatures before Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice arrives in Prague on July 10 to sign an agreement
between the U.S. and the Czech Republic. Over 120,000 signatures have
already been collected (http://petice.nenasili.cz/?lang=en).

USC4P&J fully supports this initiative, and we plan to show our solidarity
and lend a hand by joining them in the afternoon, from 4:30 on. Please do
try to join us, even if only for a short while, and if only to add your name to
the signatories of this important petition, in person!

Please note: You don´t have to participate in the hunger strike to take part
in the activities! However, if you would like to join the hunger strike, you can
sign up at: http://tinyurl.com/5mvqyn

**Join us on June 22, 4:30pm to say NO to Star Wars!

For more information, contact us at: info@peaceandjustice.it

For more information on the Missile Defense System, see:

US Pushes Pie-in-the-Sky Missile Defense in Europe
http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/display.article?id=10593

US taps Lithuania as alternative to Poland for missile shield plan
http://tinyurl.com/5jygs7

Priceless propaganda video from the US Missile Defense Agency
http://tinyurl.com/3ova44

Anna, Gene, Maria, Maria Chiara and Stephanie
---
U.S. Citizens for Peace & Justice - Rome
info@peaceandjustice.it
http://www.peaceandjustice.it

posted by: Whitebeard at 08:51 | link | comments |
us, europe, italy, war, resisters

Friday, June 20, 2008

Rules against heroes

"I will never in my life recommend any person join our armed services."

– 24-year Navy veteran, Michael Baranik

Found here

"When you discover that your heroes have all broken the rules, do you follow the rules, or do you follow your heroes?"

posted by: Whitebeard at 10:09 | link | comments |

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

NO Bush NO War

Dear peace activists,

clic the photo to enlarge

More photos of the NO Bush NO War Protest in Rome have been posted
on our web site: http://www.peaceandjustice.it/g-bush2008.php

We would also like to send our special thanks to Mat Callahan and Yvonne
Moore, (in the picture) who not only took time out of their holiday to come down to Rome to
march with us and play at the end of the protest, but also gave an
incredible performance at Arcobaleno last Friday. Two very talented and
passionate singers coupled with original music and thought provoking lyrics
made for quite a show, and helped raise funds for our work. Thanks, Mat
and Yvonne, and we hope to see you again soon in Rome! More on Mat
and Yvonne's music (http://www.matcallahan.com/ or
http://www.matandyvonne.com/)

And we received some encouraging comments on our group´s presence at
the march that we wanted to pass along:

- Cinzia of the No Dal Molin movement in Vicenza wrote:
"I saw your group on TG1! You were a beautiful site! My compliments to the
`criminals!´"

- Vittoria, an activist with Amnesty and the H in IMPEACH, wrote:
Did you see the photo of the "arrest" of Bush & Co? It was published on "La
Repubblica? " I think your group was the "mejo" (romanesco for meglio -
best), in other words the group that got the most response, the group that
knew, more than any of the others, how to best represent the spirit of the
demonstration! Bravissimi!

- Andrea, an Italian activist, approached us at the Palestine event on
Sunday and said: "I saw your group at the Bush protest the other day. You
were the most lively, creative presence there. You were great!"

Thanks to everyone who participated and put a lot of work and thought into
this demo!

See also photos/videos/articles from the Paris and London protests below:

Paris Protests (June 13)
Reuters: http://tinyurl.com/3t46bn - http://tinyurl.com/3uowj8 -
http://tinyurl.com/3vpnwq
AP: http://tinyurl.com/4pfhuh
YouTube Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glkFZy-hFdI

London Protests (June 15)
Reuters Photo: http://tinyurl.com/4vlq2o
Article on The Independent: http://tinyurl.com/59ghar

Anna, Gene, Maria, Maria Chiara and Stephanie
---
U.S. Citizens for Peace & Justice - Rome
info@peaceandjustice.it
http://www.peaceandjustice.it

posted by: Whitebeard at 16:45 | link | comments |
iraq, us, democracy, war, torture, iran, resisters

Friday, June 13, 2008

Impeach them!

At last!!!!!

Congratulations to all those of you who turned out yesterday to say no to
Bush and his war agenda! Big, positive response from the media and
Italians everywhere, as Steph has reported in her email. It was great!

And special kudos to the demo committee that came up with (and prepared,
and acted out) the Bush-Cheney-Rice in chains scenario. Magnificent!
Historical!! Premonitory??? (Let's hope.)

The tide is turning, Kucinich's brave speech on Monday is putting Bush on
the defense; even if Pelosi and Hoyer are stonewalling impeachment, they
now have an arm to threaten Bush with if he attacks Iran -- they can bow
to the demands of the American public.

So lets make our demands heard! (Read below.)

Patrick

Democrats.com wrote on (Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:28:16 -0400):
___________________________________________________
>On Monday, Rep. Dennis Kucinich made history on the floor of the House
>by reading 35 Articles of Impeachment against President George W. Bush.
>
>At last!!!!!
>
>We've waited years to find one Member of Congress brave enough to stand
>up for our Constitution, for which generations of Americans have fought
>and died. We are thrilled and honored that Dennis Kucinich has chosen to
>be that one genuine patriot.
>
>We congratulate him on his historic leadership, and pledge to do
>everything in our power to persuade the House to adopt all 35 Articles
>and put George W. Bush on trial before the Senate of the United States,
>exactly as the Founding Fathers wanted.
>
>Of course, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (CA-8), Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (MD-
>5), and Democratic Caucus Chair Rahm Emanuel (IL-5) all remain adamantly
>opposed to impeachment - despite the overwhelming evidence of High
>Crimes, including the "Phase II" report by the Senate Intellligence
>Committee and Scott McClellan's new book.
>
>And when Rep. Robert Wexler (FL-19) called for Judiciary Committee
>hearings on Kucinich's Articles of Impeachment against Vice President
>Cheney in January, only 17 Democrats joined them: Neil Abercrombie (HI-
>1), Tammy Baldwin (WI-2), Michael Capuano (MA-8), Yvette Clarke (NY-11),
>Lacy Clay (MO-1), Steve Cohen (TN-9), Peter DeFazio (OR-4), Keith
>Ellison (MN-5), Sam Farr (CA-17), Raúl Grijalva (AZ-7), Luis Gutierrez
>(IL-4), Barbara Lee (CA-9), Gwen Moore (WI-4), Jim Moran (VA-8), Mike
>Thompson (CA-1), Ed Towns (NY-10), and Lynn Woolsey (CA-6).
>
>So Kucinich's heroic efforts will be in vain unless we inundate Congress
>with emails and calls (202-224-3121) showing our full support for Rep.
>Kucinich's 35 Articles of Impeachment:
>
>http://www.democrats.com/35-articles-of-impeachment
>
>And if you have time to do more, please login to Democrats.com, click
>"Local" and connect with other activists in your Congressional District
>to organize a Honk-To-Impeach gathering at the District Office of your
>Representative or a major local intersection:
>
>http://www.democrats.com/honktoimpeach
>
>Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your constant support
>throughout this long and historic struggle.
>
>Bob Fertik
>
>p.s. Events are moving incredibly fast so we will do our best to keep
>you informed by posting the latest news on our blog at Democrats.com. We
>apologize in advance if our site crashes under the massive surge of
>traffic - our support team is working hard to upgrade our site. If our
>site is down when you visit, please read the latest news at
>http://AfterDowningStreet.org

>Forward this message to everyone you know!

posted by: Whitebeard at 13:05 | link | comments |
iraq, us, civil rights, war, torture, censored news, iran, nineleven, resisters

Ivi è Romena

There Romena lies

Italiano-inglese

Presentazione del libro “Ivi è Romena, Dante in Casentino, 1289, 1302-1313”

al Castello di Poppi sabato 14 giugno 2008, ore 21

Testi presentati - texts presented

Libro p.23

Quando si guarda al Casentino, laggiù in basso, la Valle Chiusa stessa diviene pensiero, memoria.

Il passato emerge più vivido del presente ed il corso stesso del fiume diviene il simbolo,

l'immagine delle possenti correnti di vita e di passione che un giorno fluirono attraverso la Valle.

In giorni di un remoto passato il piccolo spazio circoscritto dai verdi colli, ora così pieno di

pace, rinserrò in sé alcune delle più strenue forze della storia d'Italia. La catena di alture irte

di castelli, lungo il corso del fiume e le torri di pietra che scrutano dalle balze ogni valle

laterale sottostante, rammentano il sistema feudale che in passato dominò l'Italia quando, nel diluvio generale, in cui rimasero sommerse legge ed ordine, dopo la caduta dell'Impero e le

successive invasioni del paese, il potere si ritirò sulla cima dei monti e fu impersonato dal

braccio armato del barone indipendente.

Il Casentino, tenuto da grandi Conti Palatini, i Guidi che, colla forza delle armi avevano esteso il loro dominio su tutte le vallate più alte dell'Appennino in entrambi i versanti e fino al cuore della Romagna, fu nell'Undicesimo e Dodicesimo secolo la sede di un potere al quale gli ancora deboli e insignificanti comuni confinanti prestavano omaggio ed obbedienza.

Fu questo il periodo in cui la Vallata fu più strettamente collegata con il mondo esterno. Mercanti e viaggiatori frequentavano le montagne e i villaggi, oggi piccoli e modesti, quasi inaccessibili sulle cime pietrose, che erano allora importanti luoghi di passaggio e sui monti si ergevano numerose e grandi abbazie, ridotte oggi a mucchi di rovine perse nella foresta, sui più alti pendii visitati oggi solo da cacciatori, abbazie che furono un tempo centri di rapporti umani e di attività politiche. La Vallata era probabilmente più popolata allora di oggi: dove il principe aveva la sua sede gli uomini si sentivano sicuri e si riunivano.

And as one looks down into the Casentino, far beneath, the Valley Enclosed itself becomes a thought, a memory. The past grows more vivid than the present, and the course of the river below symbolises itself into an image of the strong currents of life and passion which once coursed through the Valley. In days long gone by, that little space circumscribed by the green hills, and now so peaceful, contained within it some of the most strenuous forces of Italian history. The chain of castled heights along the course of the river, and the rock-built towers that watch from their crags down each lateral valley, recall the feudal system which once dominated Italy, when in the general deluge, in which law and order were submerged after the downfall of the Empire and the successive invasions of the country, authority retreated to the hill-tops and lodged itself in the strong arm of the independent baron. The Casentino, held by the great Counts Palatine, the Guidi, who sword in hand had stretched their dominion over all the upper Apennine valleys on either side of the mountains and far into the Romagna, was in the eleventh and twelfth centuries the seat of a power to which the yet weak and insignificant communes around gave homage and obedience.

This was the period when the Valley was most closely connected with the outer world. The traffic of life had not yet beaten out broad tracks and easy roundabout ways, but men on mule-back went straight over the face of the hills to their destination. Merchants and travellers frequented the mountains, and villages now mean and dwindled and almost inaccessible upon their rocks were then quite in the world's path, and there was many a great abbey, now but a heap of ruins lost in the forest far up the higher slopes, where only the hunter goes by, which was then a centre of human intercourse and political activity. The Valley was probably more populous at that time than now; where princes inhabited, men were sure to gather together.

1 quadro libro p. 43

Il bando e la condanna

Narratore - Nei primi giorni dell’ottobre 1301 Dante è a Roma, in ambasceria presso Bonifacio VIII. La resa dei conti tra la parte Bianca e la parte Nera è imminente. Dante, eletto priore il 13 giugno 1300, si è fortemente esposto, e in senso segnatamente antipapale: nella seduta del 19 giugno è l’unico a pronunciarsi a favore del ritiro delle truppe (cento cavalieri dislocati in Maremma) prestate in precedenza a Bonifacio, e che il Papa chiede di trattenere: “Dante espresse il parere che riguardo al servizio da rendere al papa non se ne facesse nulla”.

Dante è con tutta probabilità ancora a Roma quando il primo novembre Carlo di Valois, il falso ‘paciaro’ nominato dal Papa, entra in Firenze, e con lui rientrano, illegalmente, i capi dei Neri precedentemente banditi. Cominciano le rappresaglie: le case dei Bianchi, comprese quelle degli Alighieri, vengono messe a sacco; comincia il regolamento dei conti contro gli esponenti del partito avverso. Sulla via del ritorno da Roma, giunto nei pressi di Siena, Dante viene raggiunto dal bando col quale una Firenze ingrata dà il benservito al suo ambasciatore a Roma.

Dante was probably still in Rome on the first of November when Charles of Valois, the phoney peacemaker appointed by the Pope entered the city of Florence. With him came the previously banished heads of the Black Guelfs, totally illegally. Then the reprisals started. The homes of the White Guelfs, including that of the Alighieri’s were sacked; old scores were settled.

At the same time Dante, while on the road back from Rome, near Siena, was reached by the edict of the ban with which ungrateful Florencesaw fit to repay its ambassador:

Araldo p. 45 del libro

Condanna all’esilio

27 gennaio 1302

In nome di Dio, amen.

Io Messer Cante dei Gabrielli da Gubbio, onorevole Potestà della Città di Firenze …

nell’anno del Signore 1302, al tempo del Santissimo Padre Papa Bonifazio VIII…

OMISSIS

Essendomi venuto alle orecchie sulla base di pubbliche dicerie che Dante Alighieri, durante il tempo del suo Priorato o dopo,

1 -aveva commesso per sé o per altri Baratterie, illeciti lucri, inique estorsioni in denaro o altre cose

2 – che lui o chi per lui aveva ricevuto denaro o altra utilità per far eleggere Priori o Gonfalonieri,

ufficiali di distretto, per stanziamenti a favore di rettori e ufficiali del comune di Firenze;

3 – che aveva fatto spendere denari contro il Sommo Pontefice e per impedire la venuta di re

Carlo D’Angiò;

4 – che aveva commesso o fatto commettere frode, falsità, dolo, malizia, baratteria e grave estorsione e aveva operato per dividere la città di Pistoia causando l’espulsione da detta città dei Neri fedeli alla Chiesa Romana, staccandola dall’alleanza con Firenze, dalla soggezione alla Chiesa romana e a re Carlo, paciaro in Toscana;

ordino che detto messer Dante, insieme a Palmerio, Orlanduccio e Lippo,…

venga multato di 5.000 fiorini piccoli, che restituisca quello che ha illegittimamente estorto.

Se non obbedisca alla condanna entro il terzo giorno da oggi

che tutti i suoi beni siano confiscati, devastati e distrutti; e devastati e distrutti restino di proprietà comunale; che, anche se pagante, resti fuori della provincia di Toscana a confino per due anni; che sia escluso per sempre dai pubblici uffici come falsario e barattiere, che paghi la condanna o no.

Tale è la nostra sentenza.

Condanna a morte p.47 del libro

10 marzo 1302

In nome di Dio, amen.

noi Cante, predetto Podestà, diamo e proferiamo la sotto indicata Condanna:

Messer Andrea de Gherardini

Messer Lapo Saltarelli

…

Dante Allighieri

…

contro i quali si è proceduto a seguito della inquisizione del nostro ufficio e della nostra Curia per il fatto pervenuto alle orecchie nostre e della stessa nostra Corte sulla base delle pubbliche dicerie

…che se qualcuno dei predetti in qualsiasi tempo cadrà in potere del detto comune, sia bruciato col fuoco finché muoia.

27 January 1302

In the name of God, amen.
I, the undersigned Messere Cante dei Gabrielli from Gubbio, honorable Podestà of the city of Florence....in the year of our Lord 1302, at the time of our most Holy Father Pope Boniface VIII …

OMISSIS

It having come to my ear from public rumours that Dante Alighieri, during his mandate as Priore or after

1 – had indulged, to his own or to other parties' benefit, in barter, illicit gains, iniquitous extortions of money or of other goods.

2 – that he, or others on his behalf, had received monies or other benefits to the effect that district officers should be elected as Priors or Gonfalonieri to make monies available to the rectors and officials of the commune of Florence.

3 – that he had caused the spending of monies against the Pope and in trying to prevent the coming of King Charles of Anjou;

4 – that he had committed, or caused to commit, fraud , falsehood, deceit, malice, barter and serious extortion and had endeavoured to divide the city of Pistoia, causing the expulsion of the Black Guelfs who were faithful to the Roman Church from the city, breaking its alliance with Florence, from its subjection to the Roman Church and King Charles, peacemaker in Tuscany; I rule that the above mentioned Messer Dante, along with Palmiero, Orlanduccio and Lippo..... be fined the sum of 5.000 small florins, and that he shall return whatever he has illegitimately extorted.

Should he not obey to the ruling within the third day from this, I order that all his assets shall be confiscated, devastated and destroyed; that thus devastated and destroyed they shall remain in the property of the commune; that even if he should pay the above mentioned fine, that he shall remain outside the province of Tuscany in confinement for two years; that he shall be barred from public offices as a forger and barterer, whether he pays the fines or not.

Such is our ruling

Second ruling
10 March 1302

In the name of God, Amen.

I, Cante, above said Podestà, pronounce and proffer the following Sentence:

Messer Andrea de Gherardini

Messer Lapo Saltarelli

…

Dante Allighieri

…

against whom we have proceeded following the inquisition by our Office and of our Jurisdiction concerning the fact reaching our ears and the “referred public knowledge” which has reached our Court;

... that if any of the above listed at any time should fall within the power of the said commune, be burned by fire till they do die.

Così Dante esprimerà il suo stato d’animo:

p.52 del libro

*** Veramente io sono stato legno sanza vela e sanza governo, portato a diversi porti e foci e liti dal vento secco che vapora la dolorosa povertade; e sono apparito alli occhi di tanti in modo molto diverso da come forse per alcuna fama m’aveano imaginato: nel conspetto de’ quali posso aver perduto stima e considerazione come persona, in modo che ne potrebbe risentire il giudizio anche riguardo ad ogni mia opera, sì già fatta come quella che fosse a fare.

(Convivio I - 3° cap.)

Truly I have been a ship without sail or rudder, brought to different ports, inlets, and shores by the dry wind that painful poverty blows. And I have appeared before the eyes of many who perhaps because of some report had imagined me in another form. In their sight not only was my person held cheap, but each of my works was less valued, those already completed as much as those yet to come.

Lettera ai duchi di Romena 1304 p.67 del libro

Questa lettera è stata scritta da Dante Alighieri a Oberto e Guido conti di Romena dopo la morte del loro zio conte Alessandro, per esprimere le sue condoglianze. Il vostro zio Alessandro era il mio signore e tale rimarrà nella mia memoria finché vivrò, perché mi avevano reso suddito la sua magnificenza e la sua bontà durante lunghi anni di tormentate vicissitudini.

…

Io poi, oltre a tutto questo, mi scuso, come vostro suddito, di fronte alla vostra discrezione, della mia assenza alle dolorose esequie; perché sono stato impedito non da negligenza né ingratitudine, ma dalla improvvisa povertà che l’esilio mi ha procurato. Questa povertà infatti, davvero crudele persecutrice, dopo avermi privato di armi e di cavalli, mi ha ormai cacciato nell’antro della sua prigionia dove, impietosa com’è, fa di tutto per tenermi imprigionato.

This letter was written by Dante Alighieri to the Counts Oberto and Guido da Romena, after the death of their uncle, Count Alessandro da Romena, to condole with them on his decease. Your uncle, the illustrious Count Alessandro, who in these last days returned, after the spirit, to the heavenly fatherland whence he came, was my Lord, and his memory will have dominion over men so long as my life shall last in this world; for his nobility of soul, which now is richly recompensed with meet rewards beyond the stars, for long years past, as he willed, made me his servant ...

But I must add a word on my own behalf, in appeal to your judgement, to excuse myself, as your servant, for my absence from the mournful ceremony; for it was neither neglect nor ingratitude which kept me away, but the unlooked-for poverty brought about by exile.

Poverty, like a vindictive fury, has thrust me, deprived of horses and arms, into her prison den, where she has set herself relentlessly to keep me in durance; and though I struggle with all my strength to get free, she has hitherto prevailed against me.

Voce fuori campo

Tu proverai sì come sa di sale

Lo pane altrui; e come è duro calle

Lo scendere e salir per l’altrui scale.

(Par. XVII, 58-60)

You shall learn how salt is the taste

of another man's bread and how hard is the way, going down and then up another man's stairs.

Paradiso XVII, 58-60

Seconda voce fuori campo

…"Nessun maggior dolore
che ricordarsi del tempo felice
ne la miseria; e ciò sa 'l tuo dottore.

Ma s'a conoscer la prima radice
del nostro amor tu hai cotanto affetto,
dirò come colui che piange e dice.

(Inf. V, 121-126)

And she to me: 'There is no greater sorrow

than to recall our time of joy

in wretchedness -- and this your teacher knows.

'But if you feel such longing

to know the first root of our love,

I shall tell as one who weeps in telling.

Inferno, V, 121-126

2 quadro

Padre della lingua italiana

Narratore

Il “De vulgari eloquentia” (1303-1305) è un trattato in latino sull’uso del volgare come lingua letteraria ed è rivolto al popolo delle arti che dal 1282 ha sostituito nel governo di Firenze i magnati della grande proprietà terriera. Dante dichiara che la lingua volgare è quella lingua che il bambino impara dalla balia, quindi una lingua naturale, a differenza della lingua latina che è lingua perfetta ma artificiale.

Dante non perde l’occasione neppure per esprimere il suo giudizio negativo sul modo di parlare dei casentinesi:

libro p. 88

In tanta dissonanza che tutte queste varietà producono nel volgare italiano, mettiamoci sulle tracce della lingua più decorosa d'Italia, la lingua illustre; e per aprire alla nostra caccia una strada transitabile, in primo luogo buttiamo fuori dalla selva cespugli aggrovigliati e rovi.

E diciamo pure che quello dei Romani - che non è neanche una lingua ma piuttosto uno squallido gergo - è il più brutto di tutti i volgari italiani.

Dopo costoro strappiamo via gli abitanti della Marca Anconitana, che dicono Chignamente state siate: (possiate mantenervi come state ndr) e assieme a loro via anche gli Spoletini.

Dopo di questi estirpiamo Milanesi e Bergamaschi.

E dopo ancora, setacciamo via Aquileiesi e Istriani, che con quel loro accento ferino pronunciano: Ces fas-tu? E assieme a questi buttiamo via tutte le parlate montanare e campagnole, come quelle dei Casentinesi e degli abitanti di Fratta, che, col loro accento aberrante da tutte le regole, suonano in modo da far a pugni col linguaggio di chi abita nel centro delle città. (v. De Vulg. Eloq. I, 11)

Ma poiché i Toscani sopra gli altri folleggiano in cosiffatta ebbrezza, mi sembra utile cosa e degna sfrondare alquanto, l’uno appresso dell’altro, ciascun volgare municipale toscano. I fiorentini dicono: Manichiamo, introcque che noi non facciamo altro(Intanto mangiamo: noi che non facciamo altro). E i Pisani: Bene andonno li fatti de Fiorensa per Pisa. I Lucchesi: Fo voto a Dio ke in grasrra eie lo comuno de Lucca (giuro su Dio che il Comune di Lucca sta nella grascia). I Senesi. Onche renegata avess’io Siena. Ch’ee chesto? Neppure avessi mai rinnegato Siena. Che è questo? Onche = numquam)E gli Aretini: Vo’ tu venire ovelle? (vuoi tu venire dove che sia?)

…Se adunque prendiamo a studiare le loquele di Toscana non resterà dubbio che il vulgare che noi andiam cercando sia bene altro da quello elle genti toscane. (De vulgari eloquentia, I, 13)

1 Amid the cacophony of the many varieties of Italian speech, let us hunt for the most respectable and illustrious vernacular that exists in Italy; and, so that we may have an unobstructed pathway for our hunting, let us begin by clearing the tangled bushes and brambles out of the wood.

2 Accordingly, since the Romans believe that they should always receive preferential treatment, I shall begin this work of pruning or uprooting, as is only right, with them; and I do so by declaring that they should not be taken into account in any didactic work about effective use of the vernacular. For what the Romans speak is not so much a vernacular as a vile jargon, the ugliest of all the languages spoken in Italy; and this should come as no surprise, for they also stand out among all Italians for the ugliness of their manners and their outward appearance …

3 After these let us prune away the inhabitants of the Marches of Ancona, who say 'Chignamente state siaté'; [be as you are] and along with them we throw out the people of Spoleto …

5 After these let us root out the Milanese, the people of Bergamo…

6 After these let us pass through our sieve the people of Aquileia and Istria, who belch forth 'Ces fas-to?' [What are you up to?] with a brutal intonation. And along with theirs I reject all languages spoken in the mountains and the countryside, by people like those of Casentino and Fratta, whose pronounced accent is always at such odds with that of city-dwellers. De vulgari eloquentia I, xi, 1-7

1) …Now, since the Tuscans are the most notorious victims of this mental intoxication, it seems both appropriate and useful to examine the vernaculars of the cities of Tuscany one by one, and thus to burst the bubble of their pride.

2) When the Florentines speak, they say things like: 'Manichiamo, introcque che noi non facciamo altro' [Let's eat, since there's nothing else to do]. The Pisans: 'Bene andonno li fatti de Fiorensa per Pisa' [The business at Florence went well for Pisa]. The people of Lucca: 'Fo voto a Dio ke ingrassarra eie lo comuno de Lucca' [I swear to God, the city of Lucca is really in the pink]. The Sienese: 'Onche renegata avess'io Siena. Chée chesto?' [If only I'd left Siena for good! What's up now?]. The people of Arezzo: 'Vuo' tu venire ovelle?' [Do you want to go somewhere?]. …

(4) Therefore, if we study the languages spoken in Tuscany, and if we think what kind of distinguished individuals have avoided the use of their own, there can be no doubt that the vernacular we seek is something other than that which the people of Tuscany can attain.De vulgari eloquentia I, xiii, 1-5)

3 quadro L’amore tempestoso

lettera al marchese Moroello Malaspina

Narratore Nell’Epistola IV, scritta ai primi del 1307, Dante, di ritorno da una importante ambasceria in Lunigiana, scrive al conte Moroello Malaspina e racconta che, appena giunto sulle rive dell’Arno, gli era apparsa davanti agli occhi una donna e che, malgrado ogni suo sforzo, Amore gli aveva cacciato dalla mente ogni proposito di tenersi lontano dalle donne e dalla poesia amorosa e lo aveva completamente sottomesso alla propria signoria.

Libro p.74

***Ero appena uscito dalla corte dove mi era stato possibile vivere in piena libertà, ed avevo posto sicuro ed incauto i piedi presso la corrente del Sarno, quando, ahimè, all’improvviso, non so come, mi apparve una donna, come folgore dall’alto, in tutto per costumi e bellezza conforme alle mie aspettative.O quanto fu il mio stupore a quella apparizione! Ma lo stupore cessò per il terrore del fragore che seguì. Poiché come ai diurni baleni succedono i tuoni, così alla vista della fiamma di questa bellezza, Amore tremendo ed imperioso mi ebbe suo, e feroce come un signore che rientri nelle sue terre dopo un lungo esilio, uccise o sbandì o imprigionò qualsiasi cosa fosse stata a lui contraria dentro di me. Soffocò dunque quel proposito lodevole per cui mi tenevo lontano dalle donne e dai loro canti, e cacciò empiamente come sospette le assidue meditazioni con le quali andavo considerando le cose del cielo e della terra. Infine, perché l’anima mia non potesse più ribellarsi contro di lui, mise in catene il mio libero arbitrio, sicché bisogna ch’io mi volga dove vuole lui e non io.

I had just departed from that court which had afforded me life in full liberty, and had set my incautious foot on the banks of the Sarno than suddenly, alak! Like a flash of lightning from on high, a woman appeared, I know not how, in all respects ofcharacter and appearance most congenial to my taste. How great was my amazemet at this apparition! .But amazement gave way to the thunderbolt which followed. Just as thunder follows upon lightning, so, upon gazing on this flam of beauty Love, tremendous in majesty, took hold of me. Like a lord, returning after a long exile to his land, he killed, imprisoned or threw out from within me all that was not to his pleasing.

Thus he slew praiseworthy resolve which held me aloof from women and from their songs and without pity banished as suspect those unceasing meditations wherein I used to ponder the things of heaven and of earth. Lastly, that my soul might never again rebel against him, he fettered my free will, so that it behoves me to turn not whither I will, but whither he wills.

Libro p. 75

Amor, da che convien pur ch’io mi doglia

Perché la gente m’oda,

E mostri me d’ogni vertute spento,

Dammi savere a pianger come voglia,

Sì che ‘l duol che si snoda

Portin le mie parole com’io ‘l sento.

Io non posso fuggir ch’ella non vegna

Ne l’immagine mia,

se non come il pensier che la vi mena.

Così m’hai concio, Amore, in mezzo l’Alpi,

Ne la valle del fiume

Lungo il qual sempre sopra me se’ forte:

…

O montanina mia canzon, tu vai:

Forse vedrai Fiorenza, la mia terra,

Che fuor di sé mi serra,

Vota d’amore e nuda di pietade;

va’ dicendo: “Omai

Non vi può far lo mio fattor più guerra:

Là ond’io vegno una catena il serra

Tal che, se piega vostra crudeltate,

Non ha di ritornar qui libertate”

Love, since after all I am forced to grieve

for others to hear me and to show myself bereft

of all resistance, grant me the skill as well as

the will to lament; so that the grief that is

unleashed may be carried by my words just as

I feel it.

   I cannot avoid her coming into my imagination

any more than the thought that brings her there.

To this state, Love, you have reduced me,

among the mountains, in that river's valley

along whose banks you have always been powerful ….

  My mountain song, go your way. Perhaps

you will see Florence, my city,

that shuts me out from her,

void of love and stripped of compassion.

If you should enter, say:

'Now my maker can make war on you no longer;

he's bound by such a chain in the place

I come from that even were your harshness

to relax, he is not free to return here.'

4 quadro

La grande speranza: Enrico imperatore

Narratore il 27 novembre i sette principi elettori di Germania, radunatisi in un convento di Francoforte, s'accordano finalmente per metter fine al periodo di sede vacante dell'Impero, dopo l'uccisione di Alberto I, e designano alla corona imperiale Enrico do Lussemburgo, di trentaquattro anni

Libro p.115

Ma com'era l'Italia nel 1310?

Il papato aveva avuto un periodo non breve di sede vacante. Poi con Celestino V era fallito l’esperimento spirituale, con Bonifacio VIII fallisce l’esperimento temporale, con Clemente V il pontefice è ormai vassallo del re di Francia, in Avignone.

L’Impero ormai da molti anni non è più punto di riferimento nelle mille contese tra feudatari e mercanti, tra città e campagna; l’Italia è una nave senza nocchiero in gran tempesta. La Sicilia si libera dai francesi con i vespri siciliani per far posto agli Aragonesi: Federico II ne fa campo di battaglia prima col fratello Giacomo poi con Carlo II d’Angiò. Genova ha sconfitto Pisa alla Meloria e poi Venezia a Curzola. Marco Polo, reduce dalle glorie del Catai, trova il tempo per dettare le sue memorie nelle prigioni genovesi, mentre Giotto ha da poco finito di dipingere la cappella degli Scrovegni a Padova.

L’industria tessile costituisce l’asse portante dello sviluppo economico; la lana proviene dalla Castiglia e dall’Inghilterra: Firenze, Lucca, Milano, Como, Bergamo, Brescia sono centri di produzione che eguagliano quelli delle Fiandre e della Francia del Nord. L’artigiano ha bisogno del mercante che procuri la materia prima e fornisca il denaro per il primo acquisto. Il mercante ha bisogno di vie di comunicazione sicure e libere da balzelli. Firenze chiede il passo alle città confinanti; se Arezzo, Siena, Pisa e Lucca si mettono sulla sua strada è guerra.

Dentro la città il mercante-artigiano guelfo chiede il passo al magnate ghibellino; il partito guelfo, una volta vincitore, si divide al suo interno. Bianco contro nero, popolo minuto contro popolo grasso, salariato contro proprietario...

Il momento è drammatico, altamente drammatico. Tutti gli antichi fuorusciti fiorentini, Ghibellini e Bianchi, sono intenti a seguire le mosse dell’alto Arrigo, e impazienti vorrebbero che egli non ponesse ulteriori indugi, e subito puntasse al cuore della Toscana. Con la speranza prende corpo in Dante una diversa o comunque più precisa convinzione politica. Dante, qui dal Casentino, scrive tre lunghe infuocate lettere ai Signori d’Italia, agli scelleratissimi fiorentini, al divo Enrico. Ancora fresca d’inchiostro la stesura del 6° canto del Purgatorio che di queste lettere costituisce la parafrasi. E che parafrasi.

But what was the situation in Italy in 1309?

The papacy, following a long vacancy, the failed experiment of the spiritual Celestine V, and the hegemony of Boniface VIII was now in Avignon, a vassal of the King of France.

For many years the Empire has no longer been relevant in the struggles between the feudal lords and the merchants, between town and country: truly ‘bound upon on a storm tossed ship with no hemsman’.

The Sicilian Vespers rid Sicily of the French only to replace them with the Aragonese. Frederick II used the island as a battlefield:

At Meloria Genova had defeated Pisa and then defeated Venice at Curzola; Marco Polo, back from Cathay, wrote his memoires in a genoese prison and Giotto had put the finishing touches on the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua.

The textile industry had brought about this economic development and Florence, Lucca, Milano, Como, Bergamo and Brescia were centers for processing wool from Castille and England, rivalling the centres of Flanders and northen France.

The craftsman needed the merchant to make the initial payment for the raw materials. The merchant needed safe, good roads. So Florence negotiated safe passages with her neighbouring cities: if Arezzo, Siena, Pisa and Lucca blocked her way, it was war.

Within the city the Guelf mercantile class demand free passage from the Ghibelline magnate. Once in power, the Guelf party split, and White Guelf was set against Black Guelf, the popolo minuto against the popolo grasso, the salaried employee against the employer.

The moment was highly charged with drama. All of the longstanding Florentine exiles, all the Ghibellines and White Guelfs, are intent upon the Emperor’s movements, impatient of further delays and wishing him to focus on the heart of Tuscany. In Dante’s case, a surge of new hope leads to a new, or rather a more precise political conviction. From the Casentino, he pens three long and passionate letters. One addressed to the Lords of Italy, one to those wicked people of Florence, and one to the great Henry himself. On his desk is the ink is not yet dry on the pages of Purgatorio VI a paraphrase of these letters.

Libro p.123

Epistola V (settembre-ottobre 1310)

Alle sorgenti dell’Arno.

A Tutti e ai singoli Re d’Italia e ai Senatori della santa città, nonché ai Duchi, Marchesi, Conti e ai Popoli, l’umile italiano Dante Alighieri fiorentino ed esule senza colpa invoca pace.

“Ecco ora il tempo accettevole”, nel quale sorgono i segni della consolazione e della pace. Un giorno nuovo infatti comincia a splendere mostrando dal suo nascere l’aurora che già riduce le tenebre della lunga calamità; e già le brezze orientali si fanno più frequenti; rosseggia il cielo ai confini dell’orizzonte e conforta di dolce serenità le speranze delle genti. O Italia, ora degna di pietà perfino per i araceni,

…asciuga le lacrime e cancella i segni dell’afflizione, o bellissima, è vicino colui che ti libererà dal carcere degli empi, che percuotendo a fil di spada i malvagi li disperderà e affiderà la sua vigna ad altri agricoltori che al tempo del raccolto diano in cambio il frutto di giustizia.

E voi che piangete oppressi “sollevate l’animo, ché vicina è la vostra salvezza”. Prendete il sarchio della buona umiltà e, spezzate le zolle della riarsa animosità, spianate il campicello della vostra mente affinché la pioggia celeste, venendo per caso prima che sia gettata la vostra semente, non cada a vuoto dall’alto.

Non si ritragga da voi la grazia divina come la rugiada quotidiana dal sasso, ma come una valle feconda concepite e germinate il verde; il verde, dico, fruttifero di vera pace; e sulla vostra terra ritornata verdeggiante il nuovo agricoltore dei Romani aggiogherà con maggior rispetto e con maggiore fiducia i buoi della sua saggezza.

Perdonate, perdonate già da ora, voi che con me avete sofferto ingiustizia, perché Colui dal quale come da un punto si biforca la potestà di Pietro e di Cesare, volentieri punisce la sua famiglia ma più volentieri ne ha pietà.

(1) To all and singular the Princes of Italy, and the Senators of the Sacred City, as also the Dukes, Marquises, Counts, and Peoples, a humble Italian, Dante Alighieri, a Florentine undeservedly in exile, prayeth peace.

2) Behold now is the accepted time, wherein arise the signs of consolation and peace. For a new day beginning to break, revealing the dawn in the East, which even now is dispersing the darkness of our long tribulation. Already the orient breeze is freshening, the face of the heavens grows rosy, and confirms the hopes of the peoples with an auspicious calm.

3) Dry thy tears, and wipe away the stains of thy weeping, most beauteous one; for he is at hand who shall bring thee forth from the prison of the ungodly, and shall smite the workers of iniquity with the edge of the sword, and shall destroy them. And his vineyard shall he let out to other husbandmen, who shall render the fruit of justice in the time of harvest….

(16) Let not the grace of God be turned from you, as is the daily dew from the rock, but may ye conceive like a fertile valley, and put forth green, the green, that is, which shall be fruitful of true peace. And when your land shall be green with this verdure, the new husbandman of the Romans with greater love and more confidence shall yoke the oxen of his counsel to the plough ...

(17) Forbear, forbear, from henceforth, well-beloved, who with me have suffered wrong, For though the temporal chastisement be committed to his hands from above, yet that he may be redolent of the goodness of Him, from whom, as from a point, the power of Peter and of Caesar doth bifurcate, he delighteth him in the correction of his household, but delighteth him yet more in showing them compassion.

Libro p.126

Agli scelleratissimi fiorentini

Epistola VI

Alle sorgenti dell’Arno 1311.

Dante Alighieri fiorentino ed esule senza colpa agli scelleratissimi Fiorentini che vivono tra le mura di Firenze.

La pia provvidenza dell’eterno Re che mentre perpetua nella sua bontà le cose del cielo, non abbandona disprezzandole le nostre cose di quaggiù, ha disposto che le cose umane debbano essere governate dal sacrosanto Impero dei Romani affinché nella serenità di tanto presidio il genere mortale abbia pace e civilmente possa vivere. O cinti da un ridicolo riparo confidate in qualche difesa? O malvagiamente concordi! O accecati da una incredibile passione! A che gioverà aver cinto di steccato la città, a che averla armata di ripari e di merli, quando sopravverrà l’aquila in campo d’oro terribile, che trasvolò superba un tempo i vasti mari?

Vedrete i vostri edifici... precipitare sotto i colpi dell’ariete, e, tristi, esser inceneriti dal fuoco.

Vedrete la plebe d’ogni intorno infuriante ora divisa a favore o contro, poi unita contro di voi gridare terribile perchè non sa essere affamata e timorosa insieme

E non vi accorgete, poiché siete ciechi, che è la cupidigia che vi domina, che vi blandisce con velenosi sussurri, che vi tiene costretti con minacce fallaci e vi imprigiona nella legge del peccato e vi proibisce di ubbidire alle santissime leggi che sono fatte a immagine della giustizia naturale; l’osservanza delle quali, se lieta, se libera, non solo è dimostrato che non è servitù, ma anzi, a chi guardi con perspicacia, appare chiaro che è la stessa suprema libertà. Se non volete dissimulare, riconoscete dunque che è giunto il tempo di pentirvi amarissimamente delle temerarie presunzioni. E un tardivo pentimento d’ora in poi non porterà il perdono, ma coinciderà con l’inizio di un tempestivo castigo. Scritto il 31 marzo 1311 in Toscana, alle sorgenti dell’Arno, nel primo anno della faustissima venuta di Enrico Cesare in Italia

1) Dante Alighieri, a Florentine undeservedly in exile, to the most iniquitous Florentines within the city.

2) The gracious providence of the Eternal King, who in his goodness ever rules the affairs of the world above, yet ceases not to look down upon our concerns here below, committed to the Holy Roman Empire the governance of human affairs, to the end that mankind might repose in the peace of so powerful a protection, and everywhere, as nature demands, might live as citizens of an ordered world. ….

(12) Do you put your trust in defences, in that you are girt about by a contemptible rampart? O you of one mind only for evil! O you blinded by wondrous greed! What shall it avail you to have girt you with a rampart, and to have fortified yourselves with bulwarks and battlements, when, terrible in gold, the eagle shall swoop down upon you, which, soaring now over the Pyrenees, now over Caucasus, now over Atlas, ever strengthened by the support of the host of heaven, gazed down of old on the vast expanse of ocean in its flight? What shall these avail you, most wretched of men, when you stand confounded in the presence of him who shall subdue the raging of Hesperia?

22) Nor are ye ware in your blindness of the overmastering greed which beguiles you with venomous whispers, and with cheating threats constrains you, yea, and has brought you into captivity to the law of sin, and forbidden you to obey the most sacred laws; those laws made in the likeness of natural justice, the observance whereof, if it be joyous, if it be free, is not only no servitude, but to him who observes with understanding is manifestly in itself the most perfect liberty.

Libro p.128

E subito dopo, il 17 Aprile, al Divo Enrico, quasi con frenesia:

Immediately following this missive, on April 17 he writes to the Emperor, almost in a frensy:

Leva dunque gli indugi. Restando a Milano passandovi dopo l’inverno la primavera, credi di uccidere l’idra pestifera con l’amputarle le teste? Per estirpare alberi non vale il taglio dei rami; anzi crescono più numerosi e vigorosi fin quando rimangono le radici da cui prendono nutrimento.

Che cosa credi di aver compiuto, o unico Signore del mondo, quando avrai piegato il collo di Cremona ribelle? Forse che allora non si gonfierà inaspettata la rabbia o di Brescia o di Pavia? Anzi, quando questa rabbia anche flagellata sarà abbattuta, subito l’altra di Vercelli o di Bergamo o altrove scoppierà di nuovo, finché non si elimini alla radice la causa di questo tumore purolento e, strappata la radice di così grave errore, i rami pungenti insieme col tronco inaridiscano.

O forse ignori e non scorgi dalla specola della somma altezza dove si rintani la piccola volpe di tanto fetore, noncurante dei cacciatori? scellerata non si abbevera alle acque precipiti del Po, né al tuo Tevere, ma le sue fauci infettano ancora la corrente dell’Arno impetuoso, e si chiama Firenze, forse non sai?, questo crudele flagello. Questa è la vipera avventatasi contro le viscere della

madre; questa è la pecora malata che infetta col suo contagio il gregge del suo pastore.

Scritto in Toscana alla sorgente dell’Arno, il 17 aprile [1311], l’anno primo della faustissima venuta in Italia del divo Enrico.

20 [6]. Tu Mediolani tam vernando quam hiemando moraris et hydram pestiferam per capitum amputationem reris extinguere? Quod si magnalia gloriosi Alcide recensuisses, te ut illum falli cognosceres, cui pestilens animal, capite repullulante multiplici, per damnum crescebat, donec instanter magnanimus vite principium impetivit.

21 Non etenim ad arbores extirpandas valet ipsa ramorum incisio quin iterum multiplicius virulenter ramificent, quousque radices incolumes fuerint ut prebeant alimentum.

22 Quid, preses unice mundi, peregisse preconicis cum cervicem Cremone deflexeris contumacis? nonne tunc vel Brixie vel Papie rabies inopina turgescet? Ymo, que cum etiam flagellata resederit, mox alia Vercellis vel Pergami vel alibi returgebit, donec huius scatescentie causa radicalis tollatur, et radice tanti erroris avulsa, cum trunco rami pungitivi arescant.

Or perhaps thou ignore, most excellent among princes, and do not see, from the lookout of the highness where lye such scented a fox, careless of hunters?

Certainly the wicked one does not dring the precipitous waters of the Po, neither thou to those of the Tiber, but its jaws still pollute the waters of the impetuous Arno, and its name is Florence, perhaps thou do not know? This cruel scourge.

Written in Tuscany by the source of the Arno, on April 17 [1311], the first year of the most proptious descent in to Italy of the divine Henry.

Dante ha appena visto due concittadini che si abbracciano invece di scannarsi e sbotta:

This is the poet’s outburst on the slopes of Purgatory as he witnesses two fellow citizens embrace rather than murder each other:

Libro p.118

Ahi serva Italia, di dolore ostello,

nave sanza nocchiere in gran tempesta,

non donna di province, ma bordello!

…

Cerca, misera, intorno da le prode

le tue marine, e poi ti guarda in seno,

s’alcuna parte in te di pace gode.

…

Ché le città d’Italia tutte piene

son di tiranni, e un Marcel diventa

ogne villan che parteggiando viene.

Fiorenza mia, ben puoi esser contenta

di questa digression che non ti tocca,

mercè del popol tuo che si argomenta.

…

Or ti fa lieta, ché tu hai ben onde:

tu ricca, tu con pace, e tu con senno!

S’io dico ‘l ver, l’effetto nol nasconde.

Atene e Lacedemona, che fenno

l’antiche leggi e furon sì civili,

fecero al viver bene un picciol cenno

verso di te, che fai tanto sottili

provedimenti, ch’a mezzo novembre

non giugne quel che tu d’ottobre fili.

Quante volte, del tempo che rimembre,

legge, moneta, officio e costume

hai tu mutato e rinovate membre!

E se ben ti ricordi e vedi lume,

vedrai te somigliante a quella inferma

che non può trovar posa in su le piume,

ma con dar volta suo dolore scherma.

Ah, abject Italy, you inn of sorrows,

you ship without a helmsman in harsh seas,

no queen of provinces but of bordellos!

Squalid Italy,

search round your shores and then look inland-see if any part of you delight in peace.

My Florence, you indeed may be content

that this digression would leave you exempt:

your people's strivings spare you this lament.

You might be happy now, for you have cause!

You with your riches, peace, judiciousness!

If I speak truly, facts won't prove me wrong.

Compared to you, Athens and Lacedaemon,

though civil cities, with their ancient laws,

had merely sketched the life of righteousness;

for you devise provisions so ingenious-

whatever threads October sees you spin,

when mid-November comes, will be unspun.

How often, in the time you can remember,

have you changed laws and coinage, offices

and customs, and revised your citizens!

And if your memory has some clarity,

then you will see yourself like that sick woman

who finds no rest upon her feather-bed,

but, turning, tossing, tries to ease her pain.

5 quadro p.133 del libro

Dal castello di Poppi 1311

La duchessa Gherardesca scrive all’Imperatrice Margherita

The countess of Poppi

Epistole IX, X, XI

Narratore Nella concitazione del momento, Dante, ospite del Conte Guido Novello in Poppi, si fa segretario di fiducia, diligente scrivano e amanuense della Contessa Gherardesca, moglie di Guido e figlia del Conte Ugolino. Con quale insistenza l’avrà incoraggiata a intraprendere un rapporto epistolare con l’Imperatrice Margherita di Brabante!

In the heat of the moment Dante, who is the guest of Count Guido Novello at Poppi, offers his services as private secretary and amanuensis to Guido’s wife, the Countess Gherardesca, daughter of Count Ugolino. It is not difficult to imagine Dante’s assiduous help in establishing for her a correspondance with the Empress Margherita of Brabant.

Due to care taken by the unknown archivist we have three of the missives from this correspondance.

Leggiamone un estratto.

Let us read one of them.

Epistle X

Alla gloriosissima e clementissima signora Margherita per divina provvidenza regina dei Romani e sempre Augusta, Gherardesca di Battifolle per largita grazia di Dio e dell’Impero contessa palatina in Toscana, piegate umilmente le ginocchia, presenta la dovuta riverenza. La graditissima lettera della regale Benignità con gioia fu vista dai miei occhi e dalle mani fu presa con reverenza, come si convenne. Sappia, dacché lo chiede, la pia e serena Maestà dei Romani che al momento dell'invio di questa lettera il diletto consorte ed io, per dono del Signore, eravamo in buona salute, contenti di quella dei figli, tanto noi più lieti del solito, quanto i segni del risorgente Impero promettevano ormai tempi migliori. Così dunque esultando nel presente e nel futuro, ricorro senza alcuna esitazione alla clemenza

dell’Augusta e supplichevolmente rivolgo rispettose preghiere affinché vi degnate pormi sotto l’ombra sicurissima della vostra Altezza, e io sia sempre protetta, e appaia esser tale, dal violento assalto di ogni avversità.

NarratoreInviata dal castello di Poppi, il 18 maggio (1311), nel primo anno della faustissima venuta in Italia di Enrico Cesare.

To the most glorious and clement Lady Margherita, by Divine Providence Queen of the Romans, forever Augusta:

Gherardesca of Battifolle, by God’s grace and Imperial favour Palatine Countess in Tuscany, on bended knee humbly pays homage.

The most welcome letter from Your Royal Worship was seen by my eyes with great joy and received by my hands with due reverence.

The news conveyed in the letter was most happily received, yet a greater hope now brings motive for joy and inspires just aspirations.

Thus do I, while exulting in the presnt and the future, have recourse to your Highness and with suppliant prayers I beg to be placed under your most high protection so that I may be, and be seen to be for ever protected from the violent assault of all adversity.

Issued from the castle of Poppi on May 18 [1311], in the first year of the most auspicious arrival in Italy of Henry Caesar.

6 quadro p.139 del libro

Addio al Casentino

Narratore

Il brusco mutamento di fronte di Guido da Battifolle, il quale ad un certo momento abbandonerà la parte imperiale e verrà addirittura nominato vicario di Re Roberto d'Angiò per la Toscana, ci spiega da un lato l'abbandono, da parte di Dante, di queste terre, per riprendere le sue peregrinazioni all'ombra del "sacrosanto segno", e dall'altro il progressivo drastico indurirsi e inasprirsi del giudicare dantesco su uomini e cose casentinesi, quale è poeticamente documentato nella Commedia, in particolare nel canto XIV del Purgatorio. Non vi è infatti giudice meno benevolo di un innamorato respinto e tradito. Dante si allontana così dal Casentino.

The Guidi defect from the Imperial faction: it is Guido da Batifolle who effects the abrupt switch, and is nominated Robert of Anjou’s Vicar for the whole of Tuscany. The Conti Guidi have made an alliance with the victorious Black Guelfs against the Emperor. Dante is compelled to seek refuge elsewhere, and at this point leaves the Valle Chiusa for good.

Prima Voce

Tra brutti porci, più degni di galle

che d’altro cibo fatto in uman uso,

dirizza prima il suo povero calle.

Botoli trova poi, venendo giuso,

ringhiosi più che non chiede lor possa,

e da lor disdegnosa torce il muso.

That river starts its miserable course

among foul hogs, more fit for acorns than

for food devised to serve the needs of man. 45

Then, as that stream descends, it comes on curs

that, though their force is feeble, snap and snarl;

scornful of them, it swerves its snout away.

Seconda voce

“O voi che sanz’alcuna pena siete,

e non so io perché, nel mondo gramo”,

diss’elli a noi, “guardate e attendete

a la miseria del maestro Adamo;

io ebbi, vivo, assai di quel ch’i’ volli,

e ora, lasso!, un gocciol d’acqua bramo.

Li ruscelletti che de’ verdi colli

del Casentin discendon giuso in Arno,

facendo i lor canali freddi e molli,

sempre mi stanno innanzi, e non indarno,

ché l’imagine lor vie più m’asciuga

che ‘l male ond’io nel volto mi discarno.

La rigida giustizia che mi fruga

tragge cagion del loco ov’io peccai

a metter più li miei sospiri in fuga.

Ivi è Romena, là dov’io falsai

la lega suggellata del Batista;

per ch’io il corpo sù arso lasciai.

"O you exempt from every punishment

in this grim world, and I do not know why,"

he said to us, "look now and pay attention

to this, the misery of Master Adam:

alive, I had enough of all I wanted;

alas, I now long for one drop of water.

The rivulets that fall into the Arno

down from the green hills of the Casentino

with channels cool and moist, are constantly

before me; I am racked by memory-

the image of their flow parches me more

than the disease that robs my face of flesh.

The rigid Justice that would torment me

uses, as most appropriate, the place

where I had sinned, to draw swift sighs from me.

There is Romena, there I counterfeited

the currency that bears the Baptist's seal;

for this I left my body, burned, above.

Terza voce

E io a lui: “Qual forza o qual ventura

ti travïò sì fuor di Campaldino,

che non si seppe mai tua sepultura?”.

“Oh!”, rispuos’elli, “a piè del Casentino

traversa un’acqua c’ha nome l’Archiano,

che sovra l’Ermo nasce in Apennino.

Là ‘ve ‘l vocabol suo diventa vano,

arriva’ io forato ne la gola,

fuggendo a piede e sanguinando il piano.

Quivi perdei la vista e la parola;

nel nome di Maria fini’, e quivi caddi,

e rimase la mia carne sola.

Ben sai come ne l’aere si raccoglie

quell’umido vapor che in acqua riede,

tosto che sale dove ‘l freddo il coglie.

Giunse quel mal voler che pur mal chiede

con lo ‘ntelletto, e mosse il fummo e ‘l vento

per la virtù che sua natura diede.

Indi la valle, come ‘l dì fu spento,

da Pratomagno al gran giogo coperse

di nebbia; e ‘l ciel di sopra fece intento,

sì che ‘l pregno aere in acqua si converse;

la pioggia cadde, e a’ fossati venne

di lei ciò che la terra non sofferse;

e come ai rivi grandi si convenne,

ver’ lo fiume real tanto veloce

si ruinò, che nulla la ritenne.

Lo corpo mio gelato in su la foce

trovò l’Archian rubesto; e quel sospinse

ne l’Arno, e sciolse al mio petto la croce

ch’i’ fe’ di me quando ‘l dolor mi vinse;

voltòmmi per le ripe e per lo fondo,

poi di sua preda mi coperse e cinse”.

(Purg. V, 88-129)

And I to him: "What violence or chance

so dragged you from the field of Campaldino

that we know nothing of your burial place?"

"Oh," he replied, "across the Casentino

there runs a stream called Archiano-born

in the Apennines above the Hermitage.

There, at the place where that stream's name is lost,

I came-my throat was pierced-fleeing on foot

and bloodying the plain; and there it was

that I lost sight and speech; and there, as I

had finished uttering the name of Mary,

I fell; and there my flesh alone remained.

You are aware how, in the air, moist vapor

will gather and again revert to rain

as soon as it has climbed where cold enfolds.

His evil will, which only seeks out evil,

conjoined with intellect; and with the power

his nature grants, he stirred up wind and vapor.

And then, when day was done, he filled the valley

from Pratomagno far as the great ridge

with mist; the sky above was saturated.

The dense air was converted into water;

rain fell, and then the gullies had to carry

whatever water earth could not receive;

and when that rain was gathered into torrents,

it rushed so swiftly toward the royal river

that nothing could contain its turbulence.

The angry Archiano-at its mouth-

had found my frozen body; and it thrust

it in the Arno and set loose the cross

that, on my chest, my arms, in pain, had formed.

It rolled me on the banks and river bed,

then covered, girded me with its debris."

7 quadro p.147 del libro

Il grande rifiuto 1315

Narratore

Guido da Battifolle, diventato Podestà della Città del fiore, promulgherà un’Ordinanza che pare fatta per lui: siamo nel maggio del 1315, mancano poche settimane al 24 giugno, festa di S. Giovanni Battista.

Dante riceve sollecitazioni ripetute e insistenti da parenti e conoscenti. Ha davanti tante lettere e messaggi di amici, di nipoti, di persone buone e influenti.

Guido di Battifolle, now Podestà in the “city of the flower”, promulgates an ordinance which seems tailor made for him. The date is May 1315; the city is weary of riots and revenges; the feast of Saint John, patron saint of Florence is only a month away. Dante has received insistently repeated encouragemet from friends and relations, good people with much influece. Before him lie many letters and messages from them.

All’amico fiorentino (maggio 1315) libro p.148

Dalla vostra lettera ricevuta con l’affettuoso rispetto dovuto ho appreso con mente grata e attenta considerazione quanto il mio ritorno in patria vi sia a cura e a cuore; e perciò tanto più strettamente mi avete obbligato quanto più di rado capita che gli esuli trovino amici.

…

Ecco dunque ciò che dalle lettere vostre e di mio nipote nonché di parecchi altri amici mi è stato

comunicato, per l’ordinamento testé fatto a Firenze sull’assoluzione degli sbanditi, che se volessi pagare una certa quantità di denaro e volessi sopportare la vergogna dell’offerta, potrei essere assolto e ritornare subito.

…

E’ questa la grazia del richiamo con cui Dante Alighieri è richiamato in patria dopo aver patito quasi per tre lustri l’esilio? Questo ha meritato una innocenza evidente a chiunque? Questo i sudori e le fatiche continuate nello studio? Lungi da un uomo familiare della filosofia una bassezza d’animo a tal punto fuor di ragione da accettare egli, quasi in ceppi, di essere offerto, a guisa di un Ciolo e di altri disgraziati. Lungi da un uomo che predica la giustizia il pagare, dopo aver patito ingiustizie, il suo denaro ai persecutori come a benefattori.

Non è questa la via del ritorno in patria, o padre mio; ma se una via diversa da voi prima o in seguito da altri si troverà che non deroghi alla fama e all’onore di Dante, quella non a lenti passi accetterò; che se non si entra a Firenze per una qualche siffatta via, a Firenze non entrerò mai.

E che? Forse che non vedrò dovunque la luce del sole e degli astri? Forse che non potrò meditare le dolcissime verità dovunque sotto il cielo, se prima non mi riconsegni alla città, senza gloria e anzi ignominioso per il popolo fiorentino? Né certo il pane mancherà.

To a Florentine friend, May 1315

[1]. In your letters received with affectionate due respect, I have learned with grateful and careful consideration how much my return to the motherland is of great concern to you, and thus the more tightly you have obliged me as the more rarely happens that exiled find friends.

3 [2]. Here is therefore what from yours as well as from my nephew's letters, and from those of many other friends, has been reported to me concerning the resolutions made in Florence on the acquittal of the disbanded: should I want to pay a certain amount of money and be prepared to face the shame of the offer, I might be acquitted and immediately return.

Is this the tone of the call with which Dante is being asked to return home after having been sent into exile for almost fifteen years? Has innocence, obvious to anyone, this deserved? This, the incessant sweat and hard work in studying?

6 Far from this man, familiar with philosophy, such baseness of mind to the point of irrationally accepting, while almost in fetters, such an offer as Ciolo and other wretched ones had received.

7 Far from this man, who is a herald of justice, the payment, after suffering from such abuses, of his money to the wicked as if they were benefactors.

This is not the way back home, oh father; but if a different way is found, either soon by you or later by others, which will not undermine Dante's fame and honour, that, not at a slow pace, I will accept; since should I not enter Florence in such a way, I shall never enter Florence.

And what then? Perhaps will I not see the light of the sun and the stars anywhere? Perhaps will I not meditate upon the sweet truth anywhere under the sky, if first I do not return to my city, without glory, but to the shame of the Florentine people? I certainly will not go without bread.

8 quadro

Firenze spietata 1315 p.151 del libro

(dalla sentenza di Bando Maggiore del 6 novembre 1315)

And this was the reply issued by the Comune of Florence a few months later:

(Extracts from the sentence of exile of November 6, 1315

Araldo

In nome di Dio, amen.

Questi sono i bandi e gli sbandimenti profferti e pronunciati dal nobile cavaliere Rayneri di Zaccaria di Orvieto, Vicario del re Roberto d’Angiò, nella città di Firenze e nel distretto, contro i sottoscritti ghibellini e ribelli: per il Sesto di Porta San Piero nella città di Firenze, tutti di casa Portinari e tutti di casa Giochi, eccetto Lamberto Lapi e Filippo Ghepardi; Dante Alighieri e figli, contro tutti e ciascuno dei quali sopra nominati, dai settanta anni in giù e dai quindici anni in su.

…essendo stati legalmente condannati per la contumacia di loro, se in qualsiasi tempo verranno in

potere nostro e del Comune di Firenze, siano condotti sul luogo di giustizia e quivi sia loro tagliata la testa dalle spalle, così che muoiano.

In the name of God,amen.

These are the bands promulgated by the noble Lord Rayneri of Zaccaria from Orvieto, Royal Vicar in the city of Florence and its districts, against the following Ghibellines and rebels:

...for the district of Porta San Piero in the city of Florence, all members of casa Portinari and casa Giochi with the exception of Lamberto Lapi anf Filippo Ghepardi....

Dante Alighieri and his sons, against all and everyone here named between the years of fifteen and seventy

...having been legally condemned for contempt, were they ever to come into the power of the Comune of Florence, they are to be led to the site for justice and there beheaded so that they die.

Narratore A distanza di 3 settimane, il 6 Novembre 1315, Rayneri di Zaccaria di Orvieto, aggiunge:
At a distance of 3 weeks, on the 6^th of November 1315, Rayneri of Zaccaria from Orvieto, adds:

A Dante e figli ripetiamo la condanna e confermiamo il bando da Firenze e territori connessi; e perché non si facciano gloria della loro contumacia, aggiungiamo che chiunque può recar loro offesa negli averi e nella persona, liberamente e impunemente, secondo quanto prevedono gli statuti di Firenze

“to Dante and his children we reiterete the sentence and confirm his ban from Florence and nearby territories; and since they must not turn to glory their default, we add that anyone may offend them in the person and in their assets, freely and unpunished, as contemplated by the statutes of Florence”.

Voce fuori campo

Che se’l conte Ugolino aveva voce

D’aver tradita te delle castella

Non dovei tu i figliol porre a tal croce.

Innocenti facea l'età novella,
novella Tebe, Uguiccione e 'l Brigata
e li altri due che 'l canto suso appella

For if Count Ugolino was reputed

to have betrayed your fortresses, there was

no need to have his sons endure such torment.

O Thebes renewed, their years were innocent

and young-Brigata, Uguiccione, and

the other two my song has named above!

9 quadro - Ascesa al cielo p.153-155 del libro

Sulla cima del Purgatorio ha bevuto alla sorgente dell’oblio

La bella donna ne le braccia aprissi;

abbracciommi la testa e mi sommerse

ove convenne ch’io l’acqua inghiottissi.

Indi mi tolse, e bagnato m’offerse

dentro a la danza de le quattro belle;

e ciascuna del braccio mi coperse.

(Purg. XXXI, 100-105)

The lovely woman opened wide her arms;

she clasped my head, and then she thrust me under

to that point where I had to swallow water.

That done, she drew me out and led me, bathed,

into the dance of the four lovely women;

and each one placed her arm above my head.

e subito dopo a quella della buona memoria:

S’io avessi, lettor, più lungo spazio

da scrivere, i’ pur cantere’ in parte

lo dolce ber che mai non m’avria sazio;

ma perché piene son tutte le carte

ordite a questa cantica seconda,

non mi lascia più ir lo fren de l’arte.

Io ritornai da la santissima onda

rifatto sì come piante novelle

rinovellate di novella fronda,

puro e disposto a salire alle stelle.

(Purg. XXXIII, 136-144)

If, reader, I had ampler space in which

to write, I'd sing-though incompletely-that

sweet draught for which my thirst was limitless;

but since all of the pages pre-disposed

for this, the second canticle, are full,

the curb of art will not let me continue.

From that most holy wave I now returned

to Beatrice; remade, as new trees are

renewed when they bring forth new boughs, I was

pure and prepared to climb unto the stars.

Narratore Da lassù, dal cielo stellato, mille volte contemplato nelle notti casentinesi splendide e insonni, ora finalmente raggiunto con l’aiuto delle dolcissime verità disvelate via via alla sua mente ormai libera da crucci e risentimenti, le cose assumono le debite proporzioni. Tra i sette pianeti ecco la terra:

From there on high, from that starlit sky so often gazed upon at night in the Casentino when he was marvellously sleepless, and now finally reached through the sweet truths gradually unveiled by a mind free from anger and resentment, all things now assume their true proportions.

Col viso ritornai per tutte quante

Le sette spere, e vidi questo globo

Tal, ch’io sorrisi del suo vil sembiante;

…

E tutti e sette mi si dimostraro

Quanto son grandi e quanto son veloci

E come sono in distante riparo.

L’aiuola che ci fa tanto feroci,

volgendom’io con li eterni Gemelli,

tutta m’apparve da’ colli alle foci;

poscia rivolsi gli occhi a li occhi belli.

(Par. XXII, 133 sgg)

My eyes returned through all the seven spheres

and saw this globe in such a way that I

smiled at its meager image:

...

And all the seven heavens showed to me

their magnitudes, their speeds, the distances

of each from each. The little threshing floor

that so incites our savagery was all-

from hills to river mouths-revealed to me

while I wheeled with eternal Gemini.

My eyes then turned again to the fair eyes.

NB. La traduzione inglese è stata curata da Francesca White.

posted by: Whitebeard at 12:17 | link | comments |
dante, noyes, casentino

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Bush in Rome

Italy greets Bush with anti-war protest

Bush can look forward to a hearty welcome from his old friend, the Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, and Pope Benedict XVI during his visit to Rome. That's not what could be found on the streets, however, where anti-Bush sentiment over the war in Iraq still lingers.

See here

and Moore

BUSH PROTEST PHOTOS AND PRESS COVERAGE
The march in Rome yesterday was a success, with thousands participating
and a great turnout from our group, including a number of out of town
guests. James Gilligan of Iraq Veterans Against the War spoke at the end
of the march.

Our three criminals Bush (Greg), Cheney (Becky) and Rice (Little Maria),
were constantly surrounded by photographers, especially after painting their
hands red, as was Rose´s interminable list of Bush Admin war crimes, our
brand new banner courtesy of Gen and the seven IMPEACH t-shirts. Joan
of CodePink kept us chanting the entire way and stunned the Carabinieri
when she tried to turn over our criminals for arrest. Patrick was interviewed
on TG1 and TG3 and many photos appeared on the newspapers today.

Good luck to our French "cousins" of American Against War as they protest
Bush tomorrow in Paris!

Anna, Gene, Maria, Maria Chiara and Stephanie
---
U.S. Citizens for Peace & Justice - Rome
info@peaceandjustice.it
http://www.peaceandjustice.it

posted by: Whitebeard at 19:45 | link | comments |
us, italy, peace, war, resisters

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Impeach

Thank you, Mr Kucinich

Push my photo, please.

Howard Zinn on the latest TomDispatch.com book

"TomDispatch is one of the wonders of the electronic age. A touch of the finger and you get the juiciest, meatiest information and analysis, so rich a feast of intelligence and insight I often felt short of breath. Now, Tom Engelhardt has assembled some of the best of his dispatches, from some of the boldest and most astute commentators in the country. So take a deep breath and read."

The book is: The World According to TomDispatch: America in the New Age of Empire.

A Resolution INDEX

Article I
Creating a Secret Propaganda Campaign to Manufacture a False Case for War Against Iraq.
Article II
Falsely, Systematically, and with Criminal Intent Conflating the Attacks of September 11, 2001, With Misrepresentation of Iraq as a Security Threat as Part of Fraudulent Justification for a War of Aggression.
Article III
Misleading the American People and Members of Congress to Believe Iraq Possessed Weapons of Mass Destruction, to Manufacture a False Case for War.
Article IV
Misleading the American People and Members of Congress to Believe Iraq Posed an Imminent Threat to the United States.
Article V
Illegally Misspending Funds to Secretly Begin a War of Aggression.
Article VI
Invading Iraq in Violation of the Requirements of HJRes114.
Article VII
Invading Iraq Absent a Declaration of War.
Article VIII
Invading Iraq, A Sovereign Nation, in Violation of the UN Charter.
Article IX
Failing to Provide Troops With Body Armor and Vehicle Armor
Article X
Falsifying Accounts of US Troop Deaths and Injuries for Political Purposes
Article XI
Establishment of Permanent U.S. Military Bases in Iraq
Article XII
Initiating a War Against Iraq for Control of That Nation's Natural Resources
Article XIIII
Creating a Secret Task Force to Develop Energy and Military Policies With Respect to Iraq and Other Countries
Article XIV
Misprision of a Felony, Misuse and Exposure of Classified Information And Obstruction of Justice in the Matter of Valerie Plame Wilson, Clandestine Agent of the Central Intelligence Agency
Article XV
Providing Immunity from Prosecution for Criminal Contractors in Iraq
Article XVI
Reckless Misspending and Waste of U.S. Tax Dollars in Connection With Iraq and US Contractors
Article XVII
Illegal Detention: Detaining Indefinitely And Without Charge Persons Both U.S. Citizens and Foreign
Captives
Article XVIII
Torture: Secretly Authorizing, and Encouraging the Use of Torture Against Captives in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Other Places, as a Matter of Official Policy
Article XIX
Rendition: Kidnapping People and Taking Them Against Their Will to "Black Sites" Located in Other Nations, Including Nations Known to Practice Torture
Article XX
Imprisoning Children
Article XXI
Misleading Congress and the American People About Threats from Iran, and Supporting Terrorist Organizations Within Iran, With the Goal of Overthrowing the Iranian Government
Article XXII
Creating Secret Laws
Article XXIII
Violation of the Posse Comitatus Act
Article XXIV
Spying on American Citizens, Without a Court-Ordered Warrant, in Violation of the Law and the Fourth Amendment
Article XXV
Directing Telecommunications Companies to Create an Illegal and Unconstitutional Database of the Private Telephone Numbers and Emails of American Citizens
Article XXVI
Announcing the Intent to Violate Laws with Signing Statements
Article XXVII
Failing to Comply with Congressional Subpoenas and Instructing Former Employees Not to Comply

Article XXVIII
Tampering with Free and Fair Elections, Corruption of the Administration of Justice
Article XXIX
Conspiracy to Violate the Voting Rights Act of 1965
Article XXX
Misleading Congress and the American People in an Attempt to Destroy Medicare
Article XXXI
Katrina: Failure to Plan for the Predicted Disaster of Hurricane Katrina, Failure to Respond to a Civil Emergency
Article XXXII
Misleading Congress and the American People, Systematically Undermining Efforts to Address Global Climate Change
Article XXXIII
Repeatedly Ignored and Failed to Respond to High Level Intelligence Warnings of Planned Terrorist
Attacks in the US, Prior to 911.
Article XXXIV
Obstruction of the Investigation into the Attacks of September 11, 2001
Article XXXV
Endangering the Health of 911 First Responders

posted by: Whitebeard at 07:54 | link | comments |
iraq, us, civil rights, war, torture, censored news, iran, resisters

Monday, June 09, 2008

Forever or never again?

Iraq

In case you didn't see the news last week about the Bush Administration's "secret" plan to legalize the U.S. colonization of Iraq ad infinitum, no matter who wins the Presidential elections:
http://tinyurl.com/4st7jd

And here's the denial, of course:
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN05362104

The protest march Wednesday is not just against Bush, it's against the architects of THIS, who will still be trying to shape policy, whoever is President.

Patrick

posted by: Whitebeard at 10:43 | link | comments |
iraq, us

Friday, June 06, 2008

Bush in Rome

Upcoming Events

June 11, Bush in Rome - protest march starting from Piazza della Repubblica at 5pm.

Join us as we protest Bush, who, as the Italians activists say, more than anyone in recent years has embodied global war, torture and the suspension of human rights worldwide.

To stay informed on our events and initiatives, sign up on our mailing list.

posted by: Whitebeard at 10:27 | link | comments |
us, democracy, italy, war, torture, resisters

Iran has been targeted for bombing by Bush

Cherine wrote on (Wed, 4 Jun 2008 :
President Ahmadinajad's speech delivered yesterday at the FAO. It seemed to me ... the Italian media had already prepared their reactions.

And not only the Italian media. See, for example, the Times:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article4058328.ece

I personally found it more balanced than what I had expected

Me, too.

Of course, being right-wing, and religious, his solution for the present food crisis is a draconian one: an international Authority for Food Production and Distribution, ethically above reproach (like a "wise and holy" King or Absolute Ruler), able to punish severely and justly those nations that speculate on food prices or that export their inflation through petrol dollars, etc. Ahmadinajad is probably thinking of the
function of the Ayatollahs inside Iran. That is not a viable proposal for the lay United Nations, however.

In any case, Ahmadinajad makes a good analysis of why food prices are rocketing. Clearly the U.S. is one of the "manipulating powers" he is thinking of, although he does not mention any country specifically, nor call the speculators "devils" using the rhetoric the press usually cites in reporting his talks. So it is hard to justify the accusation of extremism that the world press made in reporting his FAO speech. Unless telling the truth on speculators is a form of extremism.

Of course, Ahmadinajad made sinister anti-Israel remarks in a speech in Tehran, BEFORE his trip to Italy. And has done so on many other occasions, too. Such Israeli bashing is, however, a ritual that the rulers of Iran -- and of many other M.E. countries -- have practiced for decades. So why lambaste Ahmadinajad NOW in particular? And why put his past anti-Israeli remarks in the headline that reports his speech at the FAO (which contained none), as the Times does?

My supposition is that, since Iran has been targeted for bombing by Bush (and openly by Olmert the other day), the press is jumping on the band wagon to label everything that Iran (and its ruler) do as extremism. The covering fire has begun.

Now, I wonder if we could have a role in communicating the true content if the Iranian speech at least to the alternative media? Any suggestions?

Put the link, with a squib saying "read the real causes of rocketing food and oil princes", on sites like Economia Sostenibile
http://www.utopie.it/economia_sostenibile.htm,
or if you want to write an article showing how news is manipulated, you could send it to Articolo 21: http://www.articolo21.info

Patrick

  -----------------------------
    Patrick Boylan
Dip.to di Linguistica
Università "Roma Tre"
   via Ostiense 236
      00146 Roma
Tel. 06.5733.8353
     www.boylan.it
---------------------------

posted by: Whitebeard at 04:10 | link | comments |
israel, press, iran, resisters

Thursday, June 05, 2008

City Lights Books

News from City Lights Booksellers & Publishers
City Lights Books
261 Columbus Avenue
San Francisco | California | 94133

June 2008

In this newsletter...

    * News about City Lights books and authors
    * City Lights recommended reads
    * Last month's bestsellers
    * Events at the bookstore
    * City Lights authors on the road
    * Events around town

City Lights celebrates the 50th anniversary of Lawrence Ferlinghetti's A Coney Island of the Mind With one million copies in print, A Coney Island of the Mind is one of the best-selling and most popular books of poetry ever published. This seminal work is now available in two special anniversary hardcover editions: an extremely limited print of 200 signed, slipcased and numbered copies; and the special anniversary edition. Both editions are hardcover and include an audio CD of Lawrence Ferlinghetti reading his work.

"I got it signed when I was a teenager. I took the train to San Francisco, went to the bookstore and went to a nearby bar where I heard that he hung out, gave it to the bartender and said, 'Well, if he comes in, have him sign it for me, will ya?' And he did! There are great pieces in A Coney Island of the Mind-it feels very current in spite of the fact that it's fifty years old."
-Tom Waits, on National Public Radio

Recommended Reads from the City Lights staff

posted by: Whitebeard at 09:19 | link | comments |
us, culture, civil rights, democracy, resisters

American Troops

American Troops Going Insane

--www.freedomfighterradio.net

Video

posted by: Whitebeard at 09:11 | link | comments |
iraq, us, war

Ahmadinajad's speech

Dear all,
I was surprised to see how the Italian media dealt with President Ahmadinajad's speech delivered yesterday at the FAO. It seemed to me little difference was accorded to the speech content: the Italian media had already prepared their reactions.

I personally found it more balanced than what I had expected but certainly less diplomatic than what one would expect to hear in such meetings, and to be honest, I don't think that was a bad thing. At least it contained more thruth than the Brazilian president speech that did not disclose the social effects of biofuels (but was largely applauded).

You can find the english translation of the speeches on
   http://www.fao.org/foodclimate/conference/statements/day1-am/en/

Now, I wonder if we could have a role in communicating the true content if the Iranian speech at least to the alternative media? Any suggestions?

cherine

Audio of the speech

French translation

English translation

No to Star Wars

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Rules against heroes

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NO Bush NO War

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iraq, us, democracy, war, torture, iran, resisters

Impeach them!

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Ivi è Romena

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dante, noyes, casentino

Bush in Rome

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Impeach

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Forever or never again?

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Bush in Rome

Upcoming Events

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Iran has been targeted for bombing by Bush

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City Lights Books

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American Troops

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Ahmadinajad's speech

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posted by: Whitebeard at 08:51 | link | comments | us, europe, italy, war, resisters

posted by: Whitebeard at 10:09 | link | comments |

posted by: Whitebeard at 16:45 | link | comments | iraq, us, democracy, war, torture, iran, resisters

posted by: Whitebeard at 13:05 | link | comments | iraq, us, civil rights, war, torture, censored news, iran, nineleven, resisters

posted by: Whitebeard at 12:17 | link | comments | dante, noyes, casentino

posted by: Whitebeard at 19:45 | link | comments | us, italy, peace, war, resisters

posted by: Whitebeard at 07:54 | link | comments | iraq, us, civil rights, war, torture, censored news, iran, resisters

posted by: Whitebeard at 10:43 | link | comments | iraq, us

Upcoming Events

posted by: Whitebeard at 10:27 | link | comments | us, democracy, italy, war, torture, resisters

posted by: Whitebeard at 04:10 | link | comments | israel, press, iran, resisters

posted by: Whitebeard at 09:19 | link | comments | us, culture, civil rights, democracy, resisters

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posted by: Whitebeard at 08:51 | link | comments |
us, europe, italy, war, resisters

posted by: Whitebeard at 16:45 | link | comments |
iraq, us, democracy, war, torture, iran, resisters

posted by: Whitebeard at 13:05 | link | comments |
iraq, us, civil rights, war, torture, censored news, iran, nineleven, resisters

posted by: Whitebeard at 12:17 | link | comments |
dante, noyes, casentino

posted by: Whitebeard at 19:45 | link | comments |
us, italy, peace, war, resisters

posted by: Whitebeard at 07:54 | link | comments |
iraq, us, civil rights, war, torture, censored news, iran, resisters

posted by: Whitebeard at 10:43 | link | comments |
iraq, us

posted by: Whitebeard at 10:27 | link | comments |
us, democracy, italy, war, torture, resisters

posted by: Whitebeard at 04:10 | link | comments |
israel, press, iran, resisters

posted by: Whitebeard at 09:19 | link | comments |
us, culture, civil rights, democracy, resisters

posted by: Whitebeard at 09:11 | link | comments |
iraq, us, war

posted by: Whitebeard at 08:15 | link | comments |
israel, press, palestine, iran