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The alluring beauty of Venice has been drawing lovers to its maze of narrow streets, grand plazas and romantic canals for centuries. It is, in my opinion, perhaps the most beautiful city on earth. Venice seems forever stuck in the midst of the 15th century, and now, thanks to its new right wing mayor Luigi Brugnaro, so does its treatment of the LGBT community.
Elected last June, Brugnaro very much resembles our own right wing Republican turds. A businessman who is buddy-buddy with the cruise ship industry, he has environmentalists deeply concerned about the viability of this vulnerable, sinking city. Cruise ships have always been a contentious issue in Venice. The lucrative tourist industry has long butted heads with those rightfully concerned over the damage these bloated ships inflict on the extraordinarily delicate environment in the city and the surrounding lagoon.
Now that Luigi Brugnaro is mayor, environmentalists aren't the only group of people concerned about this wingnut. The LGBT community appears to be a target of his as well.
As one of the few holdouts in Western Europe still denying its gay citizens either civil unions or marriage equality, the European Court of Human Rights recently determined that Italy was in violation of human rights over the issue. With people like Luigi Brugnaro running the show, it is little wonder.
A couple of weeks ago, Brugnaro angered the citizens of Venice with one of his first acts as mayor. He came to the decision to ban 49 children's books from city schools that he deemed subversive. Their offense? They depicted gay people in a positive light. This rightfully created a firestorm among residents. As the outrage spread to include Amnesty Interational's voice and a right pissed off Elton John, Brugnaro backtracked and only banned 2 books. What a mensch.
His animus against our community was once again on full display this past Wednesday when he announced that he wants Gay Pride banned in "his" city. Speaking to the newspaper La Repubblica, Brugnaro said “There will never be a gay pride in my city. Let them go and do it in Milan, or in front of their own homes.”
Calling the event "the height of kitsch", all irony seemed lost on him given the excessive kitsch on display in Venice during the weeks-long celebration of the Carnevale di Venezia.
Civil rights groups are condemning Brugnaro strongly and loudly. The leading Italian LGBT rights group Arcigay, who has spearheaded Gay Pride events in Italian cities for years, is furious. The president of the organization, Flavio Romani spoke with Reuters, saying “Venice is not [Brugnaro’s] city. At the moment he is governing it, but he won’t last long given the fool he is making of himself. Sadly in this country, some politicians listen more to what the bishops tell them rather than what society is saying.” Romani added "He is becoming obsessive about this. Venice does not deserve it."
Venice is certainly not Brugnaro's city. I would further argue that Venice is not even Italy's city. This masterpiece of human creation belongs to the world. Only a very jaded person is able to walk away after visiting this planetary gem without it permanently etching itself onto the heart. Venice belongs to all the lovers.
Now on to TOPS!
TOP MOJO
August 27, 2015
(excluding Tip Jars and first comments)
Got mik!
1) No need for children by nicteis +272
2) Hypocrisy, It's what's for Breakfast! by ontheleftcoast +236
3) It's called Beating Them by Pule4Puna +139
4) and economic populism, even from him, will by marking time +121
5) Wow! by gchaucer2 +120
6) I truly hope so. To watch a loved one or even a by LamontCranston +112
7) Perhaps, like Trump, by nehill +111
8) Gotta love karma. by live2learn +106
9) Indeed, no argument here by LaFeminista +102
10) It's racism, bigotry, and economic populism. by TomP +98
10) Racism and ignorance go hand in hand not by TheLeftistheCenter +98
10) They're scared shitless they'll be exposed! by leftykook +98
13) Two words for Ms Davis: by leftykook +96
14) El Vi-DAY-o by xxdr zombiexx +91
15) she's busy planning her 4th divorce and 5th by agnostic +87
16) Hope she never had children... n/t by JeffW +86
16) Lots of shenanigans with that around here by Catte Nappe +86
18) This story by Pirogue +82
18) . by Magnifico +82
20) Name your price, Jen. by Joffan +81
20) What a fun story by jennybravo +81
20) Which is odd, because virtually every one of these by here4tehbeer +81
23) That woman may have been well to do but by Dovie +80
24) Trump has really released some people by ciganka +76
24) The GOP Mainlines Hypocrisy by Empower Ink +76
26) odd year. You have a white-supremacist enabler by bevenro +75
27) Weapons/armament manufacture is mutibillion by mettle fatigue +72
27) Republished and shared. by Onomastic +72
29) if Republicans..... by stuhunter2 +71
29) Free Market Fundamentalism by gjohnsit +71
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TOP PHOTOS
August 27, 2015
Enjoy jotter's wonderful PictureQuilt™ below. Just click on the picture and it will magically take you to the comment that features that photo. Have fun, Kossacks!
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