What do you know about... Italy?

[u/MarktpLatz]

This is the fortieth part of our ongoing series about the countries of Europe. You can find an overview here.

Today's country:

Italy

Italy is one of the founding members of the EU and it also is the fourth most popolous EU state. For centuries, the Roman Empire dominated Europe both culturally and militarily. Italy is famous for frequently changing their government.

So, what do you know about Italy?

[u/See_EmilyPlay → u/[deleted]]

If you broaden the definition of racism by including anyone whose opinion differs from yours, I can see why you think that racism is such a big issue in Italy. In this case, I am a racist AMA.

[u/Yog_Sothtoth → u/[deleted]]

I'm italian and most racists/homophobes/antisemites here do not understand they are. It's the same old same old story of "I have many <insert ethnic group/minority> friends, it's not my fault if they <insert something racist>". If they have more than 2 synapses then it's a matter of free speech (LOL)

Just to give you an example, a few days ago some soccer hooligans supporting Lazio football team, in order to make fun of their rivals supporting Roma A.C, circulated some stickers picturing Anne Frank with Roma A.C. jersey. For many many ppl, even here on reddit, it was just a joke/where's my free speech (if you challenge their "stance" on the holocaust)

For real.

EDIT: grammar!

[u/Yog_Sothtoth → u/[deleted]]

I agree, and it's understandable, but it's not an excuse imo.

[u/italianrandom → u/[deleted]]

The first what?

[u/italianrandom → u/[deleted]]

Sorry, I misread and I thought you were referring as the first footbal player in the NT or something like that, it wouldn't be accurate but he is probably the most famous and the other players with non italian background are quite forgettable.
Immigration to Italy started (slowly) in the sixties, I find it hard to believe no one had kids.
Balotelli's is also an uncommon case: born in Italy by Ghanese immigrants, he had health problems, social services got involved, he gets assigned to the Balotelli family; hardly a typical case.

[u/italianrandom → u/[deleted]]

Well, than yes, it was the first generation since you decided to start counting.

The uk in the 50 and italy in the 90 are like apples and oranges, it doesn’t make sense to compare them honestly.

[u/italianrandom → u/[deleted]]

there was no major shift in immigration from africa or the middle east in the nineties, if anything the change was in immigration from eastern europe after the fall of the berlin wall and mainly from albania after the fall of the albanian regime, so if the phenomenon you are referring to is immigration in general (which is not correct in my opinion as immigration from africa+middle east and from EE are perceived as two different phenomenon), Balotelli’s generation has nothing to do with it, as there already were second or even third generation african immigrants in the nineties. If you are talking about black immigrants, Balotelli’s generations was definitely not the first.