Berlusconi Warns Against Multiculturalism (Italy)

[sonicx]

ROME - Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said he does not want Italy to become a multiethnic, multicultural country, drawing plaudits from a right-wing ally and criticism from center-left opponents.

Berlusconi, a conservative, faces a stiff challenge in next month's national election, with opinion polls putting him behind his opponent, former premier Romano Prodi.

The poor economy, a main worry for voters in this election, has fed concerns about immigration by right-wing parties in Berlusconi's coalition, although the kind of work usually done by immigrants is shunned by many Italians. Surveys show that some Italians also perceive immigrants as being linked to crime.

"We don't want Italy to become a multiethnic, multicultural country. We are proud of our traditions," Berlusconi said Monday on state-run radio.

Berlusconi's government has put in place a tough immigration policy, including legislation cracking down on illegal immigration. The 2002 law allows only immigrants with job contracts to obtain residency permit.

"We want to open (our borders) to foreigners who flee countries where their lives or liberties are at risk," said Berlusconi, adding those who come to Italy to work also are welcome. "We don't want to welcome all those who come here to bring about damage and danger to Italian citizens."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060328/ap_on_re_eu/italy_immigration

[sasquatch]

1. Berlisconi is a major league asshole, who needs to be shitcanned fast

Then again he'll smear the guy that takes his job because he owns the Italian media because Italy is as fucking retarded as we are when it comes to media regulation.

[JohnKleeb]

2. Knowing how unstable their government is

You or I have a chance to become Italy's PM, and I don't even speak Italian. Ok I was kinda joking, its a reference to America The Book with the little kid who has a chance to become PM. I think Berlusconi's full of shit too, I don't think too higly of anyone who admires Mussolini and he's ignorant because Italy already has diversity, the part near Triste is filled with Slovenes.

[da_chimperor]

7. Something like 50 governments in 50 years, right?

At least before Berlusconi came into power. Parlimentary democracies can be tricky buggers.

How's it going Kleeb? :D

[madrchsod]

3. is he batshit crazy?

roman empire was not multiethnic? jesus h christ don`t take dna samples of your countrymen silvio they aren`t "pure blood"....

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

4. Berlusconi is a jerk and he is playing

to the right-wing masses, especially in more traditional and religious southern Italy. Italy has been diverse well before the recent wave of immigration. Heck, even in my younger days I remember people of all nationalities and colors with nary a problem.

Certainly, we would not go in certain neighborhoods with Rom (Gypsy) immigrants because of the very high crime, but I do not think all Rom immigrants are that way.

[kurth]

5. "Benito Mussolini's regime hadn't killed a single person" - Berlusconi

Hard to believe Italians actually elected this asshole.

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In December 2002, Berlusconi astonished observers when he suggested that laid-off FIAT workers should take illegal non-tax-paying jobs to make ends meet. (Wikipedia)

[mimitabby]

6. i guess he wowed them

he sent every household in Italy a picture book glorifying himself

[0007]

8. Two peas in a pod

[Judi Lynn]

9. Yeah, Berlusconi wouldn't want any common people moving in.

He's simply too refined for that.

[Odin2005]

10. Burlusconi looks like a mafia don.

[Zhade]

11. Isn't this just a long-winded way of saying "I'm a racist"?

NT!

[CTyankee]

12. Berlusconi e pazzo! n/t

[cantstandbush]

13. Yeah, proud of that Mafia cultural that was exported to the US. n/t

[AX10]

14. If you think American right wingers are racists....

European right wingers can be worse, especially in Italy.

[sweetheart]

15. Bluster and thunder

...from a wholly more greasy operator,
we know our grinning berlusconi, a fallen roman descendent,
to thunder on when his population's down by a quarter,
about how his single culture's blood line is ascendent.
his cultural legacy is multicultural already,
with the german northeast, and the north southern island independents,
the bluster's steam for a final legacy,
no charges have been waived, berlusconi charged defendent.

Mumbutu, Bush Hutu, Kim Il Sung, Mubarak, and Mao,
uncharged unrecognized unapologized defiant,
Berlusconi's too soft to enter that hard-assed club, right now,
he's a cush cool rich dude, chizzelled plastically surgeoned, petulant.
babble liar, bubble tush, very baloney
Cherie's attire, Paxil eyes, porcelain fragility.