82nd anniversary of El Alamein: is today's Italy lost in the desert of resignation?

(To Claudio Verzola)
23/10/24

Today is the 82nd anniversary of the Battle of El Alamein, and as a former paratrooper of the thunderbolt faithful to the constitution and democratic institutions, I observe the current country, a country of elderly and functional illiterates, with a future yet to be written but marked by the inability of those who have governed this country for decades to grasp the true essence of concepts such as "common good" and national interest, flattened into small shop operations in favor of a few rapacious and, without scruples, small provincial powerful people intent only on plundering what remains of a splendid country, Italy.

Italy is a country of old people, and not because Italians do not want to have children, but because the conditions to do so are not really there. Let's be clear: who has the courage today to start a family in a system that seems to do everything to make things more difficult?

Nursery schools are scarce, schools are struggling, and the world of work certainly does not reward women who decide to become mothers. It's as if the State were telling you: "Have children, but make do!" So who's in? Not to mention the lack of real policies for reconciling family and work. New rules to protect mothers? None.

And as the country ages, young people find themselves having to deal with an unforgiving labor market that penalizes those who decide to invest in the future: their children. This is where we realize that, more than a demographic problem, it is a problem of political choices.

And do we want to talk about schools and universities? Italy does not invest enough. There is a lack of student residences that have not been built to favor a few property owners, there is a lack of funding for research, and our universities are falling in international rankings. When young people who excel in their studies enter the job market, they find themselves faced with offers that do not value their skills at all. And so, they look around and discover that elsewhere, abroad, their skills are not only recognized, but also well paid.

And then there is the vote. Fewer and fewer Italians go to the polls: less than half of those entitled to vote have faith in politics. Many give up expressing their will, convinced that it is of no use. But here is the point: deserting the polls means handing power over to the few, those who are organized, often with the support of mafia networks. It is a choice that costs everyone dearly, because it leaves the field open to those who have no interest in the common good at heart.

Another fundamental issue that is undermining the foundations of our democracy is propaganda.: the political and military one, spread through the media and social networks, has become a tool for manipulating public opinion, which should be the basis of a democratic societyThose who control communication channels often do not limit themselves to informing, but shape beliefs, direct votes, sow fear and mistrust.

In a democracy, public opinion should be formed on rational grounds, thanks to plural and independent information. But in Italy, as elsewhere, we are witnessing a constant campaign of disinformation, where the economic and political interests of a few influence the worldview of the majority.. Propaganda not only polarizes society, but creates a widespread sense of impotence, making debate and discussion seem useless. Thus, citizens, already tired and disillusioned, end up distancing themselves from politics, strengthening the power of those who know how to manipulate emotions, rather than promoting participation and constructive criticism.

The truth is that Italy is becoming the country of young people who leave and old people who stay, a country governed by politicians without responsibility.. Even when they are overwhelmed by scandals or heavy moral judgments, they continue to manage public affairs as if it were their home, without shame and without a minimum of self-criticism.

It is wrong to give up, it is wrong to pretend nothing is happening, it is wrong to look the other way, it is wrong to let instinct prevail over reason, it is wrong to not respect the rules or to make people believe that the rules are useless, it is wrong to give up the right to a better future.

As a former paratrooper, as an Italian citizen, I force myself not to give up on a better and more just world, this is the duty and the right of a citizen.

Those boys then did their duty to the end, despite the desert of indifference in which miserable people had sent them to die without water, food and ammunition. That example of sacrifice, and the many other examples carried forward by many Italians such as Mattei, Dalla Chiesa, Libero Grassi, Peppino Impastato, Falcone, Borsellino and many many others, Let us learn not to give up, not to give up, and to continue to do our duty as citizens with honesty.