3/30/08

A Request for Help from Italy

Mrs Harjo,

the Lega Nord
an extreme right Italian political party is using
your history, Native American's massacres
for their political campaign

http://www.padovanews.it/content/view/28043/105/

They are comparing the immigration of African and Estern Europe peoples
into Italy to the White invasion in your land...

"They had no rules against immigration, now they are living in reservations"

Apart from the fact, that this comparison is a shame (worse than a shame),
do you think this abuse is legal?
Can they use/abuse your history for a distorted proposal?

Are there any Native American groups in Italy
who can protest against this abuse?

For sure, it's not my thing,
and I beg you pardon, if I have somehow
touched your history
or abused your sensibility with this email.

It's just an instictive reaction and a kind of pain.

We have such stupid politicians,
who dare telling every kind of false things even about our history.

I beg you pardon for our stupid politicians

my best regards

Elisa

3 comments:

Azcarmen Contemporary American Indian Art said...

Joy,
So how are you going to respond?
Az Carmen
Enrolled Chickasaw Nation

Anonymous said...

Dear Elisa,
A heartfelt thanks for your comment, which is just one more proof of Liga Nord's offensive tactics AND of the fact that Italians deserve much better than the politicians they have... As an American living in Italy I was also quite shocked when I saw a reprint of this poster, a cheap and simplistic mixture of 2 historical contexts.
I don't know anything about the legal implications, but what I can do is to circulate your message to American friends living here to inform them.
Once again, grazie mille

Joy Harjo said...

Hello Az, I'm responding by posting. I don't know any Italian native groups. Do you?
Joy