Italy's first black minister defiant in face of racist slurs

[Baluarte]

(Reuters) - Italy's first black minister has responded to a barrage of sexist and racial insults by saying she is proud to be black, not coloured, and that Italy is not really a racist country.

Cecile Kyenge, an eye doctor and Italian citizen originally from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), was named integration minister by Prime Minister Enrico Letta last Saturday, one of seven women in the new government.

Since then, she has been the subject of taunts on far-right websites, which have branded her with names such as "Congolese monkey", "Zulu" and "the black anti-Italian".

She also faced race-tinged insults from Mario Borghezio, a European parliament member of the pro-devolution Northern League, which has been allied in the past with former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

In reference to Kyenge, Borghezio called Letta's coalition a "bonga bonga government" - a play on the "bunga, bunga" antics under Berlusconi - and said she herself appeared to be "a good housewife but not a minister".

Kyenge dismissed the comments, which the speaker of the lower house Laura Boldrini labelled "racist vulgarities". Kyenge plans to push for legislation, opposed by the League, that would allow children born in Italy to immigrant parents to get automatic citizenship instead of waiting until 18 to apply.

"I arrived in Italy alone at 18 years old, and I don't believe in giving up in front of obstacles," Kyenge, who left DRC so she could pursue her studies in medicine, said.

She also rejected the term "coloured" used to describe her in many Italian press reports, saying: "I am not coloured, I am black and I say it with pride".

Millions of emigrants left Italy in the 19th and 20th centuries but the country has had difficulties integrating citizens from other countries who come seeking work.

Kyenge, who is married to an Italian, said she did not view Italy as a particularly racist country, and believed that hostile attitudes stem mainly from ignorance.

"Italy has a tradition of welcoming and offering hospitality towards others. We need to recognise these traditions and apply them day to day," she said.

Boldrini herself told a newspaper on Friday that she had received daily death threats online and a stream of messages containing sexually violent images.

"When a woman takes up public office, sexist aggression sets off against her, and whether simple gossip or violent...it always uses the same vocabulary of humiliation and submission," Boldrini told La Repubblica newspaper.

"We shouldn't be afraid to say that this is an underground culture, shared in some way. In my view: an emergency in Italy," she said, pointing to regular cases of Italian women being murdered or abused by men, often by husbands or partners.

(Reporting By Catherine Hornby; Editing by Michael Roddy)

[alfieb]

Well, she shouldn't be racially abused, so I suppose I support her actions.

[Carla Ballo]

It are actions of a minority of idiots, most Italians approve her and like her. Blacks are part of Italy now. We are not a racist country.

[derLowe]

(Reuters) - Italy's first black minister has responded to a barrage of sexist and racial insults by saying she is proud to be black, not coloured, and that Italy is not really a racist country.

Cecile Kyenge, an eye doctor and Italian citizen originally from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), was named integration minister by Prime Minister Enrico Letta last Saturday, one of seven women in the new government.

Since then, she has been the subject of taunts on far-right websites, which have branded her with names such as "Congolese monkey", "Zulu" and "the black anti-Italian".

She also faced race-tinged insults from Mario Borghezio, a European parliament member of the pro-devolution Northern League, which has been allied in the past with former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

In reference to Kyenge, Borghezio called Letta's coalition a "bonga bonga government" - a play on the "bunga, bunga" antics under Berlusconi - and said she herself appeared to be "a good housewife but not a minister".

Kyenge dismissed the comments, which the speaker of the lower house Laura Boldrini labelled "racist vulgarities". Kyenge plans to push for legislation, opposed by the League, that would allow children born in Italy to immigrant parents to get automatic citizenship instead of waiting until 18 to apply.

"I arrived in Italy alone at 18 years old, and I don't believe in giving up in front of obstacles," Kyenge, who left DRC so she could pursue her studies in medicine, said.

She also rejected the term "coloured" used to describe her in many Italian press reports, saying: "I am not coloured, I am black and I say it with pride".

Millions of emigrants left Italy in the 19th and 20th centuries but the country has had difficulties integrating citizens from other countries who come seeking work.

Kyenge, who is married to an Italian, said she did not view Italy as a particularly racist country, and believed that hostile attitudes stem mainly from ignorance.

"Italy has a tradition of welcoming and offering hospitality towards others. We need to recognise these traditions and apply them day to day," she said.

Boldrini herself told a newspaper on Friday that she had received daily death threats online and a stream of messages containing sexually violent images.

"When a woman takes up public office, sexist aggression sets off against her, and whether simple gossip or violent...it always uses the same vocabulary of humiliation and submission," Boldrini told La Repubblica newspaper.
"We shouldn't be afraid to say that this is an underground culture, shared in some way. In my view: an emergency in Italy," she said, pointing to regular cases of Italian women being murdered or abused by men, often by husbands or partners.

(Reporting By Catherine Hornby; Editing by Michael Roddy)

Where there is smoke there is fire.

[Austo]

It are actions of a minority of idiots, most Italians approve her and like her. Blacks are part of Italy now. We are not a racist country.

Poor italy!

[Peyrol]

It are actions of a minority of idiots, most Italians approve her and like her. Blacks are part of Italy now. We are not a racist country.

Bah...tutti a lodarla solo perchè è congolese...voglio proprio vedere il suo operato, perchè io è da quello che giudico se uno è capace o no, non da altro.
Non è che perchè uno è nero allora è per forza un Dio (come non è necessariamente un delinquente).

[Carla Ballo]

Poor italy!

Not poor. We have 1 million of people of African heritage, half them are Blacks, other half are Bebers. They are now a part of society
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_emigrants_to_Italy

[wvwvw]

Però alcuni albanesi sono italiani (o siciliani).

those must be the "minority of idiots" who harass her :D

[Peyrol]

Not poor. We have 1 million of people of African heritage, half them are Blacks, other half are Bebers. They are now a part of society
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_emigrants_to_Italy

Eh no calma...io ci vivo in una città con oltre 50,000 marocchini e dire che ''tutti sono parte della società'' è un eufemismo assurdo...non so da dove tu scriva, ma qui la situazione non è affatto rose e fiori...l'integrazione è inesistente, e l'amministrazione comunale non fa assolutamente nulla al riguardo (nonostante Fassino sia del PD...)...

[alfieb]

Not poor. We have 1 million of people of African heritage, half them are Blacks, other half are Bebers. They are now a part of society
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_emigrants_to_Italy

But many on here hate Berbers and blacks, you see. Including Italians.

I happen to like Berbers, as long as they follow the laws. In Sicily, they have become good neighbors.

[Peyrol]

...comunque Carla...sarebbe gradita un'introduzione per gli utenti nuovi...c'è un tread apposito qui in sezione ''utenti italiani'' o se preferisci nella sezione ''introduction'', che è internazionale.

[Geni]

Si! perche gli italiani non sono Albanesi

che cosa hanno fatto gli albanesi a te ?..stronza..

[Wadaad]

She chose to enter politics, so she better not feign victimhood. She's in it to get her policies enacted, her constituents accomodated, and her career enhanced. Ad hominem attacks are a small price to pay if you want your way in life. Those making the insults are probably doing it out of a place of weakness, if there truly was conviction there, someone would have her assassinated, mafia style.

[wvwvw]

che cosa hanno fatto gli albanesi a te ?..stronza..

Albanians on this forum are extremely racist. The most common words they use is "subhuman", "nigger" "Arab" etc..every racist slur there is out there they use it and drag us all down to their level. I have lost count the number of times that Albanian posters have suggested to "exterminate" any dark or odd looking person from Albania and Kosovo. so my comment makes perfect sense :coffee:

[Austo]

Not poor. We have 1 million of people of African heritage, half them are Blacks, other half are Bebers. They are now a part of society
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_emigrants_to_Italy

Are you one of them?
I cant think of any other reason you embrace them like this.

[safinator]

Mi dispiace per l' Italia, spero che non sia un effetto domino questo...

[wvwvw]

Are you one of them?
I cant think of any other reason you embrace them like this.

Carla Ballo

Ballotelli's sister :p

[Peyrol]

Si! perche gli italiani non sono Albanesi

Un po' di rispetto verso gli albanesi, grazie.
Sono persone, non cani.

[wvwvw]

Un po' di rispetto verso gli albanesi, grazie.
Sono persone, non cani.

And yet they speak to others as if they speak to "cani"

[Peyrol]

And yet they speak to others as if they speak to "cani"

What i find ridiculous is that the new italian(?) member is against racism toward blacks, but show a lack of respect toward albanians...quite funny for ''an antiracist''.

[Incal]

Un po' di rispetto verso gli albanesi, grazie.
Sono persone, non cani.

Qual'è la tua opinione sugli albanesi in Italia Peyrol?

[Geni]

Personalmente trovo che e una cattivissima notizia...ma essendo io albanese...non mi spingo oltre..mi preoccupa il fatto che la cultura italiana domina in albania...spero dunque che non avra impatto a casa nostra..ma ne dubbito forte

[Prince Carlo]

Carla Ballo likes the taste of BBC...

[Sultan Suleiman]

Bah...tutti a lodarla solo perchè è congolese...voglio proprio vedere il suo operato, perchè io è da quello che giudico se uno è capace o no, non da altro.
Non è che perchè uno è nero allora è per forza un Dio (come non è necessariamente un delinquente).

Your Pizza language is hilarious :D

[CrystalMaiden]

Your Pizza language is hilarious :D

:lol:

[Peyrol]

Your Pizza language is hilarious :D


:lol:

If you want i can spoke you in lombard or in piemontese...they are't so ''hilarious'' like standard italian (which is, in reality, tuscan), but quite interesting language.

Btw about Carla...let me doubt that a girl who post with a german mail is ''bolognese''...

[Peyrol]

Qual'è la tua opinione sugli albanesi in Italia Peyrol?

Sono tra le etnie stranere maggiormente integrate nel nostro tessuto sociale.
C'è anche da dire che questo è accaduto principalmente perchè sono presenti da più tempo...i primissimi albanesi sono arrivati qui negli anni '40...

[Alfred Rosenberg]

Un po' di rispetto verso gli albanesi, grazie.
Sono persone, non cani.

ahaha.Si sa che noi siamo negli Balcani se non ci uccidiamo un po a vicenda non siamo noi
p.s
midispiace tanto per la povera Italia

[Alfred Rosenberg]

Sono tra le etnie stranere maggiormente integrate nel nostro tessuto sociale.
C'è anche da dire che questo è accaduto principalmente perchè sono presenti da più tempo...i primissimi albanesi sono arrivati qui negli anni '40...

Ecco cosi uccidi lo Serbo delle Ande

[Peyrol]

...and btw, we've also a german-born minister, Josefa Idem

[Kastrioti1443]

...and btw, we've also a german-born minister, Josefa Idem

Josafa Idem is german?

[The Lawspeaker]

I would dare argue that the laws for citizenship should be made stricter, indeed: no Italian (ethnic Italian or the national minorities) parents, not adopted, not married to an Italian ? No passport. Not going to get married to an Italian, not in Italy because you're adopted, not on a tourist visa, owning property, not there to study or to work (on the special invitation of a company) ? Not allowed to be there.

[The Lawspeaker]

Josafa Idem is german?
Doesn't sound like one.

[curiousman]

Doesn't sound like one.

Yes, she is born German and looks very German IMHO: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josefa_Idem

[Peyrol]

Doesn't sound like one.


She is

http://diversamenteaff-abile.gazzetta.it/files/2013/04/Idem-Josefa.jpg

http://www.pder.it/binary_files/news/Josefa_Idem_3_57791.jpg

http://www.donnamoderna.com/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/images/gossip/olimpiadi-2012/josefa-idem/28-anni-di-carriera-per-josefa-idem/68662131-1-ita-IT/28-anni-di-carriera-per-Josefa-Idem_v_gdv.jpg

[Prince Carlo]

There are several Germans in the Italian gov, but they are usually Austrians from Tyrol, whereas Josefa is a pure German from North Rhine-Westphalia.

[Incal]

Ecco cosi uccidi lo Serbo delle Ande

Grazie per quello tremendo onore.