The Constitution Club

Damien was extremely right the other day when he said this about President Elect Obama ‘Patriotism demands that he be given the chance.’Very true words. We also need to remember that when we have that most amazing, exceptional and rare event in all of human civilization – the peaceful transfer of power – Senator Obama will become the 44th PROTUS. Of all the USA, red and blue. This may sound trite, but that does not lessen its importance.

So when something like this takes place…

Italians never quite know whether to laugh or cry at Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. But many reacted with incredulity and outrage after the prime minister, visiting Moscow on Thursday, amiably called the first African-American president-elect in United States history “young, handsome and suntanned.”

We all need to demand an immediate apology. I will spare you all the obvious comparisons that can be made to the prejudice and bigotry that Italian Americans have had to overcome. Their struggles here make it even more important that he make amends for the insult. It may have possibly been a poor attempt at humor, it is now an insult.

A billionaire populist, Mr. Berlusconi excels at deflating such lofty talk. He said that his remark had been “a compliment” and that his critics lacked irony. “If you want to get a degree in idiocy, I won’t stop you,” La Repubblica quoted him as saying. “I say whatever I think.”

Fortunately I think this journalist represents the feelings of most Italians…

Mr. Maltese added that just when Mr. Obama’s victory was “inspiring billions of people” to consider “democracy, the most extraordinary triumph of humanity after centuries of bloodshed and intolerance,” Mr. Berlusconi instead contributed “a miserable, vulgar and racist remark, for which he didn’t even have the courage to take responsibility or the dignity to apologize.”

I am sure quite a few of you might think I am over reacting. That is possible, though your messenger rarely is, but I predict more and more of these insults that attempt to diminish our next President and there by weakening our nation. To diminish him due to his skin color turns my stomach. Attempting to weaken our republic I will not accept. Look for these kinds of rumblings to come out of some of our less than honorable cousins in Europe and the nationalist faction in Russia when they perceive a weakness.

He may tilt to the left quite a bit, but he is MY president. To paraphrase the our Scribe - Patriotism requires no less.

ADD:Notice that  Berlusconi is referred to as a populist. Populism is a two edged sword. As I have said before the time we are living in geopolitically is very much like the late 19th and early twentieth century.