Minister Kyenge Meets the Good Italians
Since April 27th, when it was announced that she has been voted in as a minister in the Italian cabinet, Cécile Kyenge, Italy’s new Integration Minister and the country’s first black cabinet minister, has been the target of escalating racist attacks – from initial death threats during a visit to an area of Italy known for its anti-immigrant sentiments to the now infamous “Cécile looks like an orangutan” comment from the vice president of the Italian Senate, Roberto Calderoli. Just two days ago, bananas were thrown at the minister during a political rally. Other lesser-known insults came in Facebook posts from local politicians wishing her “to be raped” or indulging in crude photoshopped images in which the Kyenge is depicted as an orangutan. As I write this, two more episodes have been unfolding: Members of the Lega Nord political party exited the city council in the town of Cantu as the minister entered, while a man has been charged for threatening to welcome the minister “with firearms.” Amidst these overt manifestations of racism, Minister Kyenge has remained composed and released a strong official statement only yesterday.
▻http://www.warscapes.com/opinion/minister-kyenge-meets-good-italians