he demonstration called for by the family members of Mafia victims has been moved from Piazza della Repubblica to Piazza Farnese in Roma but will still be held on 28 January. I am told that the move is due to the Maroni Clause, inspired by Clause 22 by Joseph Heller.
Clause 22:
- article 12, Clause 1: The only valid reason for requesting leave from the front is insanity
- article 12, Clause 22: Anyone requesting leave from the front is not insane
In other words, if you are insane you can leave the front, but if you want to leave the front then you are not insane.
The Maroni Clause:
- The Italian Constitution, article 17: Citizens shall have the right to gather peacefully without carrying arms...The authorities must be notified about any gatherings to be held in public places and said authorities may only forbid such gatherings for proven reasons of security or public safety
- Maroni Clause, sole article: Demonstrations prohibited in front of places of worship.
In Italy, all main squares have a church. Citizens shall be free to demonstrate in any main square, as envisaged in the Constitution, but not in any main square with a church.
Therefore, for example, the Vday demonstration in Piazza Maggiore in Bologna and in Piazza San Carlo in Turin would not have been authorised.
The Maroni Clause is unconstitutional, and you don’t have to be a constitutional expert to understand this fact, it is enough for one not to be Maroni.
Islamic mass prayers in protest against the massacre of Palestinians in Gaza lie at the root of the Maroni Clause. Harbouring bed thoughts is a sin, but in Italy it is a good thing. I want to have extremely bad thoughts. The objective is not the Muslims, but rather the Italians that want to hold a demonstration. First they filled up the media with the regime’s bullshit, and now they want to make the squares off-limits.
All I know is that I will be in Piazza Farnese on the 28th January 2009 at 09h00, in order to demonstrate my solidarity with the families of mafia victims and the Public Prosecutor of Salerno, Apicella, as well as Luigi De Magistris and Clementina Forleo. Spread the word.
Ps: in the interests of safety, I will get myself a pair of thick shin pads so as to avoid being bitten by Maroni.