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| please click *here*, or just below, to see a very clear version of this photo, uncropped |
Italian women protest against Silvio Berlusconi - video
Thousands join marches for respect and values in a country where gender inequality, says the World Economic Forum, is greater than in Kazakhstan [source for this headline and byline and video: *here* at the Guardian.]
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guardian.co.uk,
Monday 14 February 2011
Many images of the protests exist on allvoices.com. *Here's a link*, and below are some images from that site. But there's one from another place and that one has a caption with a link back to its source. One of their headlines is so fucking misogynistic and reads:
Women in Italy show contempt for Berlusconi, as if THAT'S the goddamned problem. The problem is the myriad ways BERLUSCONI shows CONTEMPT for WOMEN!!!
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| photo of women protesting in Italy is from here |
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| As thousands demonstrate in Milan, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is depicted as behind bars. (Luca Bruno) |
Next up, news of the protests from The Washington Post. Click on title to link back.
Berlusconi allegation triggers protest by women across Italy
By Flavia Krause-JacksonMonday, February 14, 2011
Hundreds of thousands of women took to the streets across Italy on Sunday to demand better treatment for women, days after Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi came under investigation for engaging in prostitution with a minor.
The nationwide protest followed the filing of a request by prosecutors Wednesday for Berlusconi to stand trial for allegedly paying a 17-year-old girl for sex and abusing power in trying to cover it up. The event was organized by a nonpartisan women's group whose members describe themselves on their Facebook page as "neither desperate, nor housewives."
"Women in this country are denigrated by the repeated, indecent and ostentatious representation of women as a naked sexual object on offer in newspapers, televisions and advertising," said protest organizer Ida Poletto, a married hotel manager who has two sons. "It's intolerable."
Demonstrators gathered in more than 230 cities and towns across Italy under the slogan "If not now, then when?" Protests were also organized in London, Brussels, Tokyo, Boston and Athens. Supporters said more than 1 million people attended the rallies. Police did not publish an official estimate.
The biggest were in Rome, where more than 50,000 gathered in the Piazza del Popolo, and Milan, where the crowd spilled out of the Piazza Castello into the surrounding streets and piazzas. Rallies in Naples and Turin also drew tens of thousands of demonstrators, where speaker after speaker defended the dignity of women and called on Berlusconi, 74, to resign.
Education Minister Mariastella Gelmini dismissed the protests, saying "the women who are demonstrating today are just a bunch of [radicals] who are being used for political reasons."
Few women hold positions of power in Italy. In politics, while a woman served once as foreign minister, not one has ever held a higher ministerial portfolio than health or education. In business, women fill about 7 percent of Italy's corporate management positions, compared with an average of 30 to 35 percent in other developed nations, a 2010 study by the research firm Gea-Consulenti Associati showed.
- Bloomberg News
Next, news reporting from goodbyetv.com.
Should Berlusconi Stay or Should He Go?
13 Feb 2011 by The Fly
FEB 13th 2011 – Protests in 257 Italian and foreign cities, including London, New York and Washington DC, in defense of the dignity of Italy’s women as Silvio Berlusconi meets the President, Giorgio Napolitano, for urgent talks over the prospect of his being committed to trial on sex charges.
The Italian Prime Minister claimed he was the target of an attempt to oust him by undemocratic means. But any hopes he may have had of getting his position endorsed by the head of state were dashed when Mr Napolitano pointedly remarked that Italy’s constitution included “the guarantees for a fair trial”.
The slogan for the rallies comes from the title of Primo Levi‘s novel of wartime resistance, If Not Now, When? as tensions between pro- and anti-Berlusconi forces grows.
The Land That Feminism Forgot
Italy ranked 74th out of 134 countries in a World Economic Forum Gender Gap Index, behind Malawi and Kazakhstan. Italy has the second lowest ratio of working women in the European Union at 46 percent.
Few women hold positions of power in Italy. In politics, while a woman served once as foreign minister, not one has ever held a higher ministerial portfolio than health or education. In business, women account for 7 percent of Italy’s corporate- management positions, compared with an average of 30 percent to 35 percent in other developed nations, a 2010 study by research firm Gea-Consulenti Associati showed.
The world is waiting to see if the Mubarak effect ripples across to Roma.
But will he stay or will he go – 17 criminal and civil crimes later – he’s still standing. Why? What is his mysterious hold on the Italian people. Or maybe they actually want him to stay and we and the nosy women in 257 cities should keep their noses out? In the spirit of balanced journalism we feel that at a time when the whole world seems against Silvio – we should present the reasons that Silvio should stay. We invite you to join us and keep a good man where he belongs.
Read more: http://www.goodbyetv.com/fight-back/berlusconi-stay/.#ixzz1E0HNDreE
Finally, from Jezebel.com, a comprehensive list of his reprehensible actions.
A History of Silvio Berlusconi’s Sex-Scandal Sketchiness
Lauri Apple —
Prime minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi has been involved in so many bizarre sex scandals over the years (and the past few days) that it's almost like creeping is his hobby. How to keep 'em straight? This time-line should help!
Print this out and keep it in your wallet at all times, for those moments when you're looking for just the right uncomfortable silence-creating conversation topic:
Unknown date
A video on YouTube allegedly shows Berlusconi making "humping" gestures behind a police woman who's just trying to do her damned job.
February 2007
Berlusconi's wife, Veronica Lario, splits after her husband's caught flirting with former showgirl turned equal opportunities minister Mara Carfagna.
September 2007
The Italian newspaper L'Espresso claims to acquire a taped conversation between Berlusconi and an escort named Patrizia D'Addario. The recording supposedly features the PM telling the escort he's going to take a shower; the bed where the action happens is called "Putin's bed"—which doesn't reallyconjure up sexy thoughts, if we're going to be totally honest about it.
In another conversation, he expresses surprise that D'Addario has lost her voice because, well, it's not like they screamed while they were fucking. Seriously, it was just so weird for that to happen.
December 2007
Berlusconi issues a written statement apologizing to Lario, his wife, for flirting with other women.
April 2008
He declares that the left "has uglier women."
Sometime during the second half of 2008
Berlusconi helps his pal Vladimir Putin (the Russian guy with the bed) defend himself during his sex scandal, which involved a model.
November 2008
Allegations that Berlusconi spent the night with call-girl D'Addario in his Rome residence become public. They accompany "stories about Berlusconi giving money and jewelry to women at parties.
April 2009
Berlusconi denies any indecent relationship with aspiring model Letizia Noemi, his business associate's daughter. Noemi reportedly calls him "Daddy." Berlusconi attended her birthday party and gifted her with a gold and diamond necklace. His poor wife later claims that Berlusconi missed his own children's birthdays. Some daddy.
May 2009
Lario publicly demands a divorce, accusing him of "frequenting minors" and questioning his selection of "inexperienced but attractive" female election candidates. Ever the chivalrous one, Berlusconi demands an apology from her. "It is the third time she has done this to me in the middle of an election campaign," he complained. "It's too much."
Berlusconi asserts that he and Noemi never had "spicy relations." (But did they ever have spicy wings?) He swears it on his children—presumably the same ones whose birthdays he missed.
A man who was dating Noemi claims she spent New Year's with Berlusconi at his villa. "There she and her friend, Roberta, enjoyed the company of the Prime Minister, along with numerous guests, including about 30 women of a similar age," reported the Times. Or was it actually 50 showgirls? Reports vary. After 10 or so showgirls, does an exact number really matter anyway?
June 2009
Berlusconi denies that he ever paid D'Addario for sex. "I've never understood what the satisfaction is without the pleasure of making a conquest," he tells Corriere della Sera, dropping the "maybe she was just a trap! maybe I am the target of a conspiracy!" defense. He also talks about his split from Lario: "What is beyond doubt is that we had a great love story. And great love stories never fade. I am at ease. Sad, but at ease."
D'Addario responds to Berlusconi's denials by calling him a liar.
The folks at the Catholic weekly Famiglia Cristiana express their frustration with this guy and his bullshit.
July 2009
Berlusconi admits he's "no saint." That is very true!
August 2009
Lario says she can no longer stop her husband from "looking ridiculous before the world ... I cannot condemn myself to be his wetnurse and I cannot stop him from making himself ridiculous before the world."
Berlusconi refuses to apologize to his daughters for sleeping with teenagers and prostitutes.
September 2009
He greets Michelle Obama in a most creeptastic way, inviting the displeasure of one Mr. POTUS.
October 2009
He offends hundreds of thousands of women by calling one of his ex-ministers "more beautiful than intelligent" during a live television show. More than 100,000 women sign a petition stating, "This man offends us. Stop him."
November 2009
D'Addario releases a book about her experiences. She gives the PM high reviews for his sexual performance. The rest of the world seeks therapy for PTSD caused by reading about their encounters.
February 2010
He presents a list of election candidates that includes a Miss Italy contestant, a weatherwoman from one of his TV channels and a former showgirl.
May 2010
The PM's office intervenes to help 17-year-old Karima El Mahroug after police detained her for suspicion of theft. Intervening like this isn't legal in Italy. Reports of this incident become known in October, at which time Berlusconi replies that he only tried to help El Mahroug because he's "a person with a heart." Aha, just you wait to see how this one unfolds!
September 2010
During a gathering for the youth wing of his party, Berlusconi says that young women should look for a wealthy boyfriend.
October 2010
Seventeen-year-old 17-year-old belly dancer Karima El Mahroug—also known as Ruby Rubacuori, Karima Keyek, and/or Stealer of Hearts—reveals that Berlusconi gave her $10,000 and jewelry at a Valentine's Day dinner that included the company of 10 other women. But when he found out her age, he backed off—claiming that he'd "had enough problems in the past with another underage girl." El Mahroug tells the world about the now-infamous bunga-bunga parties, described by the Guardian as "sessions involving after-dinner sex between male and female guests."
November 2010
Former call-girl Nadia Macri tells the press about a selection process in which young girls were picked up on the street and taken to Berlusconi's parties.
Now watching the scandals and bad news piled on top of him, Berlusconi makes the point that at least being passionate for women is better than being gay. Right?
December 2010
WikiLeaked documents indicate that Berlusconi's health is poor because of all his partying and sexing, combined with all the negative press he gets for being a gross creepshow. He's "a complete mess," says a "friend."
January 2011
Berlusconi's being investigated for maybe paying for sex with El Mahroug, who was a teenager at the time. And thus the word "Rubygate" is born.
Hopefully we haven't missed any important scandals, allegations, videos, or other sex/sexism/creepitude-related misdeeds, but let us know if we're missing any.
Silvio Berlusconi gave me €7,000, says 17-year-old belly dancer [Guardian]
