But Italy is in deep shit right now: torn between bigoted xenophobic secessionists in the North, organized crime syndicates pretty much everywhere, and with a statutory rapist, best friend to dictators like Putin and Gheddhafi, and known corruptor of judges in our equivalent of the White House.
Basically, we are this close to falling apart as a country.
Which, since I've never been a flag-waving nationalist, I really didn't give a toss about, until the day I saw roberto saviano go on national television, wrap himself in an heirloom red-white-and-green, and recite the oath our founding fathers took before going into battle, 150 years ago.
They were young, they were idealistic, and most people at the time thought they were crazy. Many were hunted down and killed. Several wars of independence later, Italy as we know it was born.
It turns out that Saviano is the direct descendant of some of those very same revolutionaries, intellectuals and idealists, who gave their lives to make Italy a free country.
What does that mean? It means I'm glad to be back, that I will do everything I can to make sure our "tinpot noriega" and his organized crime cronies go down, and to consciously preserve and defend our democracy.
Because, as we know, a victory for one is a victory for all... and more democracy in one country means more democracy everywhere:
"Giuro di consacrarmi tutto e per sempre a costituire l'Italia in nazione una, indipendente, libera e repubblicana."
"I swear to consecrate myself entirely and forever to the constitution of Italy as a nation united, independent, republican, and free."
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