Fig.1. A coroner places a the body of a young girl next to her Mother.
It’s been almost a month since a devastating earthquake hit L`Aquila in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. Most of us have seen the footage on television, and, like me, I’m sure you all felt bad watching the images of carnage and destruction that flashed during the six o’clock news. The problem, however, which arises from watching any tragedy from a safe haven is the sense of detachment it creates in our consciousness: It’s tragic and yes I feel terrible, but, what difference can I make?
Well, it’s time for all of you displaced Italians, as well as all of us first generation "me, I'm Italians” who love to cling to our heritage, to help out. It’s time to pay up for all of the bragging rights the old country has given us with regards to food, wine, alcohol, cloths, cars, motorcycles, football, literature, Dante, Petrarch, Marcus Aurelius, art, architecture, Galileo, Leonardo Davinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Caravaggio, Sophia Loren, Marchello Mastroianni, Toto, Vittorio De Sica, Fellini, Roberto Benigni, opera, Pavarotti, Caruso, Verdi, Puccini, sewer systems, roads, uni-stone, brio, cash-no-tax, the mafia, the radio, the barometer, thermometers, batteries, eyeglasses, pianos, the yoyo, the Zamboni, liposuction, telescopes, handwriting, nitro-glycerine, carbon paper, nutella, and Monica Bellucci.
(If you would like to add something to my list or post a comment, just click on the comment link at the bottom of this post and follow the simple instructions. If I’ve missed anything I’d love to know.)
Go to http://www.redcross.ca/ and click on ``Canadian Red Cross Accepts Donations for Italian Earthquake Relief`` or call them directly at 1-800-418-1111.
Fig.2. A Mother and daughter who made it out alive.