Giorgia Meloni has threatened to fine or discipline school principals who scrap nativity scenes and plays during the Christmas season.
The move to safeguard the Christmas tradition is outlined in a new bill introduced in the Senate on Wednesday by Senator Lavinia Mennuni from Ms Meloni’s hard-Right Brothers of Italy party.
The legislation also seeks to protect plays and other events connected to Christmas or Easter.
The nativity scene is a central element of the country’s Catholic heritage and cities such as Naples are famous for their creative interpretations of the classic scene. The Vatican nativity scene in St Peter’s Square is a big draw for pilgrims at Christmas.
The Brothers of Italy believes such culture is being undermined and needs protection.
“For some years now we have been witnessing unacceptable and embarrassing decisions by some school bodies to ban nativity scenes in schools,” Senator Mennuni said.
“It is absolutely fundamental to safeguard and protect our cultural roots of which the nativity scene is the perfect example.”
Are nativity plays an actual thing somewhere in Europe?
Italy is a good case study on what a hard right government might look like across Europe – basically lots of nationalism and religious conservatism without any measurable improvements in anyone’s life.
But what if theres not enough kids interested in being in the play?
Addressing the real issues I see
Cringe shit
Forced Catholicism – keep it up Italy will be atheist majority with a big Muslim minority in no time
Italian here, basically she’s enforcing religious icons.
The “Presepe” is a constant enactment of the nativity via religious figures that can cost quite a bit, or via actors dressed as religious myth characters.
Young people are not interested in this stuff anymore but religion is part of the fascist propaganda together with nationalism, removing human rights, taxing the poor more, making the rich richer and such.
God, Fatherland and Family was the motto for Portugal’s dictator Salazar 🇵🇹 This reminded me of it.
The Italian government trying to be more Catholic than the Vatican, lol
That sounds too harsh but I (an atheist) personally think that nativity plays are a beautiful tradition and should be celebrated.
Religion dictator is such a fun thing.
I don’t like Meloni, but I also greatly dislike news headlines that choose unflattering pictures to induce negative emotions towards person in the article.
In case you’re wondering what this is about, it’s populism.
You find something that gets people riled up and tell them you’re going to do something about it.
“The days of atheists tattooing their babies are numbered!”
If they get in power they will then pass laws related to it, and declare it a rousing success.
“After we passed the baby tattoo act, there were zero new baby tattooings in all of Italy!”.
Hint: There are no schools in Italy banning Nativity plays or Nativity scenes. It was never a problem that needed solving.
Meloni uses this to claim that she’s strong on heritage and national identity even though she has literally done sweet fuck all.
It’s fine if kids want to participate. It’s not fine when something trivial like that is mandatory.
15 comments
**From The Telegraph:**
Giorgia Meloni has threatened to fine or discipline school principals who scrap nativity scenes and plays during the Christmas season.
The move to safeguard the Christmas tradition is outlined in a new bill introduced in the Senate on Wednesday by Senator Lavinia Mennuni from Ms Meloni’s hard-Right Brothers of Italy party.
The legislation also seeks to protect plays and other events connected to Christmas or Easter.
The nativity scene is a central element of the country’s Catholic heritage and cities such as Naples are famous for their creative interpretations of the classic scene. The Vatican nativity scene in St Peter’s Square is a big draw for pilgrims at Christmas.
The Brothers of Italy believes such culture is being undermined and needs protection.
“For some years now we have been witnessing unacceptable and embarrassing decisions by some school bodies to ban nativity scenes in schools,” Senator Mennuni said.
“It is absolutely fundamental to safeguard and protect our cultural roots of which the nativity scene is the perfect example.”
**More here:** https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/12/20/giorgia-meloni-fine-school-heads-scrap-nativity/
Are nativity plays an actual thing somewhere in Europe?
Italy is a good case study on what a hard right government might look like across Europe – basically lots of nationalism and religious conservatism without any measurable improvements in anyone’s life.
But what if theres not enough kids interested in being in the play?
Addressing the real issues I see
Cringe shit
Forced Catholicism – keep it up Italy will be atheist majority with a big Muslim minority in no time
Italian here, basically she’s enforcing religious icons.
The “Presepe” is a constant enactment of the nativity via religious figures that can cost quite a bit, or via actors dressed as religious myth characters.
Young people are not interested in this stuff anymore but religion is part of the fascist propaganda together with nationalism, removing human rights, taxing the poor more, making the rich richer and such.
God, Fatherland and Family was the motto for Portugal’s dictator Salazar 🇵🇹 This reminded me of it.
The Italian government trying to be more Catholic than the Vatican, lol
That sounds too harsh but I (an atheist) personally think that nativity plays are a beautiful tradition and should be celebrated.
Religion dictator is such a fun thing.
I don’t like Meloni, but I also greatly dislike news headlines that choose unflattering pictures to induce negative emotions towards person in the article.
In case you’re wondering what this is about, it’s populism.
You find something that gets people riled up and tell them you’re going to do something about it.
“The days of atheists tattooing their babies are numbered!”
If they get in power they will then pass laws related to it, and declare it a rousing success.
“After we passed the baby tattoo act, there were zero new baby tattooings in all of Italy!”.
Hint: There are no schools in Italy banning Nativity plays or Nativity scenes. It was never a problem that needed solving.
Meloni uses this to claim that she’s strong on heritage and national identity even though she has literally done sweet fuck all.
It’s fine if kids want to participate. It’s not fine when something trivial like that is mandatory.