Stories and News No. 1213
Once upon a time hundreds of thousands of children in Italy. Hundreds of thousands, almost a million, of children born in Italy from non italian parents. According to the actual italian law, the Jus sanguinis, they won’t be able to be italian citizens before 18 years old. In the meantime, they live here, going at school, hundreds of thousands of children and young people, but you may also say almost a million, they exist. Then, suddenly, the miracle happened. Like a single firework in the open sky, during the day and not on a particular festive and celebratory occasion. The children called it Suarez's gift, the fable of a mirage that becomes real. By mistake, maybe, probably by scam, to be honest, but what matters in any fairy tale – or miracle – what matters is the effect on those who feel it more in their lives. The news quickly occupied the front pages of all the newspapers: to obtain the much desired citizenship it would have been enough to pronounce the italian verbs in the infinitive form. Really? All the children and young people said. But we do it all the time, you know? Every conjugation of our life is constantly projected far beyond the horizons and any obstacle you may conceive. Because we use only verbs in the infinitive form. How to hope of being treated one day like our lucky peers. And to imagine that this day will come soon. How to dream that it has already arrived. And to fantasize about being able to forget all those days, months and years when being accepted as everybody was just a dream. How to plan the life that will come trusting that in that wonderful moment our country will no longer reject us. And to pray of finding the strength to resist, where this still happens. Finally, how to love and respect this land, which is also ours, regardless of what the stamped papers scream. And to ask that it will do the same with us. Meanwhile, until the day this miracle will really happen, here, now, in this present, just remember that we will continue to live, going to school and exist. Next to you.
My new book: A morte i razzisti (Death to racists)