The following remark is especially addressed to non-Italian readers for information purposes and has no contingent local electoral nature
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He generally talks about taxes, finance and money. What has pushed Silvio Berlusconi, the now octogenarian Italian tycoon from Po Valley, to leave the quiet waters of the even complicated Italian political feuds to reach the philosophical and historical exegesis of Islam is not easy to understand. The fact is that exegesis which he certainly is not enabled to was partisan and biased. Probably the explanation lies in the conquest of some mayors or seats in the ballots of the Italian administrative elections. It seems to be the greatest historical prospect currently the multi-billionaire Fininvest founder and owner is legitimately seeking to achieve.
It’s legitimate, of course, and likely he will achieve this noble purpose. But what does the administration of some small urban district of a country now out of the world debate mean with the historical-philosophical questions of an Islam today more than ever composite and divided, is true, but always a reference point for a Umma of more than a billion faithful of various confessions? Probably it’s useless to explain it. He would even monetize Islam. And certainly not enough to explain this is neither the concept nor the future prospect of a political force (regardless of its location according to the old XIX-century categories of right-left wings) which wants to project itself as a protagonist in the XXI-century new reality. He should take inspiration from the certainly more balanced and healthy positions of those who interpret values in the Christian world and don’t need to lash out against the Islamic world for a few more votes. It’s not by chance in the tiny country beyond the Tiber River they don’t vote.
But somebody in the tycoon world should also wake up to make him understand the world of the value or tradition preservation he claims to interpret is not that one; the historical-philosophical questions of Islam and its Caliphate are not exactly for him; there is not an Italian identity as opposed to an Islamic identity (because the former is a national view and the latter a religious one); it should do more in the study of the intellectual issues … in short, he would be more appreciated if he returns counting money …
Feel what he said in a well-known broadcast of a state-owned flagship network (here freely translated into English; quoted in Italian by various newspapers, e.g. Huffington Post, 21/06/2017, 20:42 CEST; La Prealpina, Thursday, June 22nd, 2017 – Last Update at 01:00):
“There are those who intend Islam for peace and peaceful coexistence, and there are those feeling it as a Muḥammad-style war, who, let’s remember it, was a general who conquered cities, had slaves and got assigned slaves personally”.
“The caliphate born on Islam forces to cut the throat to those who are Christians or Jews. We must not underestimate this possibility of an Italian identity loss due to an excessive inflow of people who come with Muslim identity”.
There are no words!
