It's absolutely true that when making television, nothing is left to chance. Too many people work on a program to believe that such an investment of resources won't achieve the desired effect, rather than a precise focus on the topic.
The other day – September 30, 2009 – we participated as gay lesbian center Cassero in Vita in diretta, an afternoon program that airs daily on Rai's flagship channel. When we were contacted by the editorial staff, they explained that they wanted to address the topic of "the difficulty young people have in coming out to their families." And within a few hours (with very little notice), we had involved Flavia Madaschi of AGEDO, Valeria Roberti head of the youth group at Cassero, Federico Sassoli who has been collaborating for years with the Cassero and with the national Arcigay, Giulia Zonta librarian of the Cassero Documentation Centre, Sara De Giovanni responsible for the C.Doc. and the cultural activities of the club and the undersigned Bruno Pompa art director and member of the current Cassero board of directors.
We also involved other people so that more people would be ready and presentable in front of the cameras.
We found ourselves faced with a (live) study that never covered the topic we were involved in. There was a Alessandra Mussolini in the form of a fishmonger who was torn between "it would be a problem" if her son was gay and "just like you? I don't even think about it". There was a Pierluigi Diaco, who as a commentator was a scathing critic of homosexual associations. There was the winner of Mr Gay Italy 2009 Accompanied by his mother, he managed to give his best by attacking Pride and civil unions. A gay man was called to testify about a negative experience with his parents, but he too preferred to focus on demolishing the associations, recounting that he had been fired from Fiat and had received no support from Arcigay or Cecchi "Pavone." Trying to make the voice of reason heard were: Chiara Lalli journalist, writer and philosopher and Franco Grillini who does not need qualifications to be classified.
To the few who still manage to say that they don't know what kind of broadcast it is, I say in short that it is an arena built specifically to create an audience through shouting, fighting, barbarism that they bring journalism closer to the stairwell of a suburban apartment building rather than towards a multi-voiced analysis.
In this episode the host, Lamberto Sposini, He didn't even have to try to incite those present to achieve the desired result, as everyone immediately began shouting. Perfect: every now and then, it's natural for a host who deals daily with certain types of information dumps to take his time and effortlessly witness the lynching of a topic dear to so many people in Italy after the violent events of recent weeks.
We responded to a request from an editorial team that asked us to participate via live link to explore a topic that concerns us. We did it calmly. With simplicity. And with no ulterior motive..
We've provided public service. Like what we're called upon to do in the premises assigned to us by the Municipality of Bologna, thanks to the services we offer to all citizens.
We found ourselves faced with a state television capable only of increasing the chaos surrounding a sensitive topic. A public service that doesn't inform, but insults. A TV that we were taught to call "Mamma Rai" that He mocks you, attacks you, humiliates you, sets a trap for you precisely on an important issue such as relationships with families..
I learned several things from that connection. Here are a few:.
The mass media are in the grip of a delirium that it is no exaggeration to call fascist.
LGBT associations are unprepared for such barbarity: the political and cultural activities that gay associations deal with every day require an attentive and democratic interlocutor; with certain methods and with certain prejudices we unfortunately find ourselves unarmed.
The feedback I've received from many people near and far has been one of solidarity. This helps me be optimistic and believe that the mass of TV users is not really as stupid as we imagine it to be. This kind of broadcast neither adds nor takes away anything; if anything, it entertains, negatively or positively, those who decide to waste their time watching such a disgrace.
Finally, I believe that a more widespread and direct collective preparation is necessary, in order to always be ready to declare in every possible media the concepts necessary to defeat the abnormal prejudices alive and well in our social fabric, and to build fertile ground for the vindication of our denied rights.
To those who believe that it is better to avoid media confrontations of this kind, I would like to underline my personal belief: Battles are fought on the field and for us every confrontation has now become a battlefield.
Perhaps, when we understand that the enemy is not among us, we might be able to take a few more steps toward the collective interest. Until then, we will remain in the paradoxical pyramid situation in which certain leaders are attacked or eliminated from within and outside the movement, while the base gloats in a futile game of massacre.
Waiting for a collective intelligence that inspires our actions (media and otherwise) I trust in truly horizontal horizons.
Bruno Pompa – Arcigay Il Cassero – Bologna