So far the only Berlusconi-media-approved photo released of Italian Heavyweight Champion Massimo Tartaglia conveniently corroborates the diagnosis of Tartaglia’s alleged mental illness. What does that say about the average Italian, not crazy enough? Now of course Berlusconi’s press is predicting a wave of public sympathy for the wounded dictator. Basta!
My favorite incongruent idiocy came from the lips of Italian President Giorgio Napolitano who condemned the “grave and unusual gesture of aggression,” pleading that political differences be expressed “preventing and heading off every impulse and spiral of violence.” What’s good enough for Iraqis is not gentile enough for poor Berlusconi.
Italian authorities were quick to announce that Tartaglia was confessed remorse for his “cowardly and rash act.” But we can recognize that for bureaucrat-speak, because breaking through, then facing off the Don himself was anything but cowardly.
But then the Italian authorities had to backtrack on the impetuous aspect by confounding themselves with the conclusion that pepper spray and a crucifix discovered on the assailant suggested the attack on Berlusconi was premeditated. Aha. Interior Minister Roberto Maroni said of Tartaglia “He had been developing a rage against the prime minister for some time.”
Really? Since 2002-3 perhaps, when against the wishes of the Italian people, Berlusconi took Italy into the Coalition of the W?
UPDATE
From his hospital bed, Berlusconi is proclaiming “Love always wins over jealousy and hatred.”
While thousands of Italian Facebook users discover they have been involuntarily drafted into Friends of Silvio groups. While thousands of others find their newly formed Fans of Massimo Tartaglia group has been deleted.
A CATHOLIC carrying a Crucifix? NO! And in a Catholic country too…
So do all the pepper spray cans, Tazers, pistols, and of course St Christopher medallions the Goons who encircled George W Mussolini Jr (but only to hold him back from retaliating) and who subsequently beat a “confession” out of Massimo Tartaglia make them Terrorists?
Or is it that they were terrorists to begin with and all the rest is just window dressing?
Maybe we’re not supposed to consider the fact that the people against whom Tartaglia was defending himself by “throwing fists”, were in fact throwing fists themselves?
That and they had him outnumbered.