La Vita è Bella: A city of paradox and contradiction

In the short time I have been in Italy I have witnessed several political protests. All are peaceful and most are actually quite playful. In Italy it seems as though protests are quite common. Unlike in the States, counter protests are not widely practiced. In the U.S., if there is a pro-choice protest on one side of the street, you will most likely find a group of pro-lifers on the other side of the street. This is not the case in Italy, at least not that I have seen. It seems as though the right to protest is more respected, and even encouraged, here in Italy.

Just yesterday I was people-watching on the Ponte Vecchio when I suddenly found myself in the middle of a flash mob, Florentines love their flash mobs- apparently they are very trendy at the moment. At the sound of a whistle, blown by a skinny older gentleman with long grey hair dressed in neon pink pants and a skin-tight black tank top (stylin!), about thirty high schoolers all laid down at the same time and held up signs. From what I gathered they were preaching peace and nonconformity. It was interesting to see young teens gathered together on a Sunday for such a matter. It is my observation that youth are more politically conscious than in the United States. Which makes sense in a country where governments collapsing out of nowhere is a common occurrence. One must always be on guard. After lying on the ground for a few minutes chanting the crowd rose and began to dance in a circle as someone played "Don't worry, be happy." I believe the chant began "Il pueblo murido..." and then continued. Something about a Dead village? Possibly about Florence losing the essence of a small town and selling out to be more "Italian" for all of the tourists? Maybe, but I'll never know. Whatever the reason, the location choice was notably peculiar as the Ponte Vecchio is a known tourist spot and the point of the protest was ultimately lost in translation.

A much more structured form of protest occurred while I was in Rome. We happened to have traveled to the Eternal City on the weekend of the Euro Pride Parade, Europe's largest gay pride event. Streets were shut down and filled to the brim with party floats and party people. Of course Gaga was there in all of her glory. From the outside looking in, I could not help but notice the irony of the whole situation. Drag queens dressed in Egyptian costumes dancing to "Born this Way" just 20ft from the already controversial Pope John Paul II sculpture next to Romes Termini train station. Churches, crosses, and Christian sculptors provide the backdrop to people holding anti-Pope signs and penis balloons. Italy is truly a land of "paradox and contradiction."