Stories and News

Stories and News No. 1108 In an era when populist semantics feeds on fear and lies, there is a need for a new language, capable of nourishing hopes that have never been completely defeated . “Mary,” said the man, seeing the sad tones in his daughter's eyes. “ What's going on with you?” “Nothing.” “Well, tell me about nothing, then.” She looked at the crazy parent with a tattered brain that life had given her, but he was present. And if that far from obvious eventuality was guaranteed, one can be patient even in the face of daily meaningless conversation. “Today, during the in-class essay I remained mute. I delivered a blank sheet.” “Why? Did you not even make a drawing?” “Dad ... I'm sixteen, I'm in high school.” “What’s the problem? You can’t make drawings in high school?” The girl snorted bored and mechanically grabbed the phone. “What was the topic?” Her father insisted, sitting on the bed’s edge. “ List the main problems of modern society ,” she quo...

Stories and News No. 1107 Once upon a time a world in conflict. Born from it, grown on it and so used to consider it just one of the many possibilities of a harmonious society. In the conflicting world two different types of creatures lived and contrasted, with more or less conscious coherence: people inclined to use the left hand as a priority solution, and those who instead preferred the right one . You could make everything easier, by synthesizing them in left and right-handed , but this one, despite what some might tell you, is not at all a simple story. As proof of that, at the beginning of the latter it was much more immediate to distinguish the two sides. Trivializing, left hand meant preferring the peaceful way to the bellicose response, the diplomatic solution to the armed one, standing without delay on the weakest part’s side, without any discrimination, fighting social or merely human inequalities, maintaining an always open and flexible attitude before life change...

Stories and News No. 1106 History can be repeated, as well as its mistakes and convictions. The following words are (not so freely) inspired by the closing speech during the Nuremberg Trial , which took place from November 20, 1945 to October 1, 1946, by the prosecutor Robert Jackson . Immigrants are more and more today Jews , and when we will finally understand it, it will probably be too late... It is impossible, in this conclusion, to do more than to highlight the indelible quantities of vital points of the gloomy and degrading datum about this trial. Witnesses of atrocities on a large scale, of cruelty and inhumanity, stories of mass deportations, of people reduced to slavery and annihilation of minorities. Events that will go down in history as the dark side of this twenty-first century . Shame, depravity, terror were the order of the day. Immigrants arrested without charge, imprisoned without defenders, deported without trial. Families blocked at the border, such as pa...

Populist leader By Alessandro Ghebreigziabiher Somewhere, long ago, even yesterday, as in this precise moment... "Good morning, sit down, please." "Good morning, thank you." "Should I shut the door?" "No, leave it, at least some air will come in." "Okay." "Well, you’re here for the populist leader’s call, do you confirm?" "Yes, sure." "It’s so hot... don’t you think?" "Summer has begun." "Yup… before we start, do you want something to drink?" "Very kind, but no, thank you." "Don’t you feel thirsty? I am dying…" "No, I'm fine, thanks again." "I see… so, I was saying, you would like to become a populist leader, right?" "Exactly." "Ouch..." "What's the matter?" "What the matter? Damn mosquitoes... this year they haven’t yet done the disinfestation. Obviously we cannot keep the win...

Stories and News No. 1105 Dear Martin Luther King*, From an insignificant sender to an example become myth, from my future to your apparently different past, from one nation surprisingly similar to yours, from one discrimination to another - so unconsciously identical, I think, from my often underestimated freedom to your unjust imprisonment. Fifty-five years also divide us, but yesterday as today , being on the side of the oppressed ones, those who will not easily give you friends’ and relatives’ applauses, let alone percentage points in your political career or any field, it is not an easy road. Yet today, like yesterday, injustice reigns. And just as today, like yesterday, we cannot remain idly seated and not be worried about what is happening. You were right then, and you are even more in this hard time: everything that touches directly one, it indirectly regards all of us. Nonetheless, even in my country the voices that on the contrary show restlessness before overly coh...

Stories and News No. 1104 Too bad about that girl, I told myself coming home. She was not just cute, but also had a deep and smart look. A beautiful voice too, which is not obvious. We were chatting so well, there in the square, with all the favorable ingredients. A lovely, sunny not too hot day that was going to end peacefully, work behind and all the time in my hands. But then... then she pulls out her pamphlets and the magic instantly ends. I do not think she wanted to speak only for that, but her gesture inevitably froze the moment’s spontaneity. It's important, she explains, Amnesty International is doing things to help the world’s last ones, and contributions from people like you are vital, she adds. I repeat, if I think about it even now with a cold mind, I'm almost certain we could continue the mutual acquaintance, but her sudden script’s change, even if with noble intentions, forced me to immediately close our common story. I'm sorry, I told her before t...

Recovery community By Alessandro Ghebreigziabiher At the very beginning it was difficult. It is for everyone. I will never forget the first day in the recovery community. On the other hand, could I forget all the others? In any case, my new companions were there, in the courtyard that hosts everyone, where there is room to meet, if you really want it. "My name is..." I started trying to introduce myself, but I was immediately blocked by my interlocutor. Silence, this is what she said. This is what she asked. Difficult, really difficult. Hard undertaking, to be honest, because I was there to ask for help. To get it, being precise. Nevertheless, I suffered the rejection and armored myself with wounded pride until sunset. The following day I was back in the square, the place of socialization and sharing. I approached the first guy to chat with and I exclaimed: "Hello, I would like..." Identical answer. Silence, this was in fact his reply. Thi...