Monday, August 18, 2008

Are Whippets Bad For You

the right to happiness'

I was present, the only Italian Parliament, the impressive inaugural ceremony for President of the Republic of Paraguay, Fernando Lugo. A simple ceremony, perhaps, but authentically popular and one of those rare moments when the policy rediscovers its reason for being, the genuine and vital bond that should unite always ruled and rulers.
A few meters away from the stage of the authorities' I listened to the brief but rich emozionantissimo a speech the President and guests present, first, to his fellow citizens.
Some passages I have been particularly affected: the reference to "re-emerging democracy," after long years of dictatorship and the first corruption and injustice, then, the greeting Paraguay homage to another, that of over three million migrants outside national boundaries, the reference to the origins of the indigenous population, with entire passages of the speech (and the same ceremony) pronounced in Guarani ' , the local language (Paraguay and 'the only country in South America to practice bilingualism, note). But
and 'final appeal aimed at young people, which in Paraguay represent over eighty percent of the population, for making me think, thanks to a curious parallel, but real.
"Have the right to be happy, do not give up your happiness', the joy of life and want to costruire il proprio futuro !”: con queste parole il neo-Presidente si rivolgeva ad una popolazione che, secondo alcune recenti statistiche, faceva del Paraguay il Paese Sudamericano con il minore “tasso di felicita’”.
La felicita’ si nutre infatti di fiducia, di fiducia nel futuro anzitutto, nella possibilita’ di costruire un avvenire migliore per se’ e per i propri figli; un valore seriamente compromesso quando le prospettive di crescita e di sviluppo sono scarse ma ancora di piu’ quando le redini di un Paese sono in mano ad una classe politica distante dai reali interessi della gente.
Ascoltavo le vibranti parole di Lugo e pensavo all’Italia; si’, al nostro Paese che un’analoga Continental has established statistical fact "less happy" with reference to the general feeling between the Italian population.
Italy and Paraguay: so 'far, but who would have thought so' neighbors.
With one major difference: It does not take a sociologist to understand, walking through the streets of Asuncion on August 15, that trust and hope are returning to feed the youth 'of Paraguay; confidence in a serious and honest head of government sincerely affected with a cause and a program, the hope of a change difficult but not impossible, as Lugo wanted to emphasize in another passage of his speech.
I do not see in Rome or Milan breathe the same atmosphere of redemption, on the contrary, Italy continues, perhaps even beyond 'the plausible, to be crossed by a thick cloud and no longer' passing: the cloud of pessimism and mistrust in the future.
In this case it might be necessary to resort to the methods and techniques of social research, but here I would avoid such a study. This
'that I wanted to highlight, and the beginning of the mandate of the last democratically elected leaders in South America inspired me to do, and' this is often forgotten link between happiness 'and politics, between quality' of life and choices government.
Let us never forget: the happiness' and 'a right, and the policy has a duty to work towards full compliance with this fundamental aspiration of man, wherever they live.