Are politicians even worth complaining to?

[ajaxajax]

Hi there...

 

I've been reading about the possible closure of an Italian consulate in my home city, Adelaide (Australia). I was reading about what was said by an Italian-Australian (left-wing) politician. I was mostly fine with what he said until he said that:

 

"the “Italian political system” had a history of abandoning its people which explains why

over 26 million Italians have migrated from Italy since unification".

 

There are a few problems with that argument:

1. A lot of Italians did flee Italy but most of it was due to poverty, not through being treated like dogcrap by government - I studied it at university myself

2. His comment appeared to be a justification that Australian politicians are squeaky clean compared to the Italians, whereas one Aussie politician said in a newspaper that Italian and Aussie politicians are as capable of making stupid mistakes as each other - the Aussie ambassador in Italy was only sent there as keeping her past controversies quiet

3. Despite the harshness of life in Italy, my family in Australia endured so many difficulties outside Italy that the Aussie way of life the politician was loving in secret looked like overkill - in fact, my Aussie mother felt disgusted that her mother and some relatives hinted that they just couldn't wait for her grandmother to die just to get shares of her inheritance!

 

I have begun to learn not to become as angry towards Australia, but if Italians in Australia are going to continue talking about the country that made them like crap, then I'd just call them TRATTORI (traitors)! I've begun to realise that the depression I've been having has something to do with quite a few Italians here being two faced about their "Italian-ness"!

 

I wonder if the politician is saying what he said to back up the right of his left-wing party to keep using the Italian community as a F***ING chesspiece!

 

So...I'd just like to ask:

If a politician says something that hits a raw nerve, is it worth even complaining? Or do I just treat it as meaningless trash from a political mouth?

[furious]

Wouldn't hurt. At least you can say you did it.

[Crazyaboutdogs]

Or do I just treat it as meaningless trash from a political mouth?

 

This pretty much sums it up! Politicians are politicians...sometimes they suffer from "foot in mouth disease" and can say and do the stupidist things. Many times what they say is driven by ulterior motives. If you are disgruntled by his comment he probably has an email address that people can write to and you can voice your complaint there. I wouldn't guarantee that he would ever see it..I assume some low-ranking person who works for a particular politician screens their emails and I am not convinced politicians actually bother to read any of the feedback they get.

[ajaxajax]

Well guys. I sent my two cents over to the politician by Email. He's an Italian Aussie like me, about my age. But, I think he's also a trade unionist (I'm used to them...my part of Adelaide is probably one of the three or four most hardcore pro-union areas in the country). And judging from his photo, he feels quite at home being a politician! He also talks like he's proud to have Italian blood, but he thinks there's something so "wrong" about Italy, he only uses that as his secondary identity. Which I feel is an assimilation. Same with Rudy Giuliani in New York.

 

Although unionists can make standover threats or something, I just don't give even half a f*** about it now. But, more realistically, he'll probably say, "yeah...whatever, mate!" Either way, I will not read any replies. As you guys said, politicians not thinking like Barack Obama are indeed BLAH, BLAH, BLAH!

 

...Then what's the point in giving away our tax dollars huh?

[Difficult]

Wouldn't hurt. At least you can say you did it.

 

Exactly, then at least you know you gave it a shot and can be proud of that.

[avman]

Political debate - thread closed.