PAL on Track Again

I apologize for my absence during the last many months. I have endured some very serious personal problems which I'm hoping are finally behind me. It will take me some time to get my life in order again. I promise that I will be committed once again to our project together. Feel free to e-mail me at brixia_fidelis@hotmail.com, rather than the yahoo e-mail, which seems to be stuck on my system. Also, I want to sincerely extend that invitation to Padanian kindred in Argentina, Australia, and anywhere in the world.

I did mean what I said in the previous post. The Torino Games brought out an undercurrent of astonishing connections with Northwest Italy in particular. I think that we truly have lost our way in many regards. Genova, Lucca, and other areas were so very important to us at one time, and to the Bay Area and up through the Napa and Sacramento areas. We built this area, and spilled our blood for it as any trip to the National Cemetaries will reflect, and yet have been pushed aside somewhat in recent decades.

I would like to go into further detail on a number of items, but they may not make sense right now, as the plan is more elaborate than what it may seem at the present time. Check back for much more frequent updates.

Padania, Buenos Aires Province & Northern California

Last evening, I was viewing some old postings from the Lega Nord message board. The PAL was listed as one of their topics. It was clear that most of the posters were poking fun at some of the perceived "ideology." We don't have any political idealogy, as we're not a political group! I guess it was a form of "Italian humor," making fun of new things that are introduced.

I know that the "Padani nel Mondo" (Padanians in the World) wing of the Northern League has indeed reached out to "Padanian-Argentinians." This brings up the issue of how one should deal with those who we (as individuals or groups) would like to reach out to, and the methodology of doing this. I feel that many Italians and Padanians, or even Europeans for that matter, have a "Parent-Child Complex" when it comes to dealing with those around the world who are descended from their nation(s). Something like "Oh, they're trying to be Italian."

Of course, we're not "Italian," "Padanian," or "European!" Geeez. I was born in San Francisco! My parents were born in Ironwood, Michigan. Gimme a break! We are indeed "here." Once I even had a "Keyboard Commando" accuse me of "trying to effect politics in his county." LOL Pleeease! Naturally we would like to connect with Padanians, Padanian-Australians, etc.

If you want to connect with someone or something, just say so. We don't have to fall all over someone. I'm not going to twist anybody's arm. So to answer that queston: No, I don't "want to be Italian" in any type of nationalistic standpoint. We have our national problems here, like the North American Union or NAFTA Superhighway that nobody wants, and has not been put up for public debate. But socially, YES, we DO want to connect with "cousins" overseas. Definitely.

One of the "unpadanian ideas" that was made fun of was that "Rome" and "Romans" (in a modern sense) were "Padanian." In fact, with recent changes in the political aparatus of Lega Nord, even Tuscany is questioned as being "part of Padania." Again, the "Parent-Child Complex." After all, doesn't a parent always have a little advantage over even their grown child? LOL They really seem to have that attitude. We're not in the Lega Nord party, nor are we in the same social setting as they are. We don't really have distinctions between Ligurians, Tuscans, or Venetians. The millenium+ long border between "Naples & Sicily" and the Northern Italian states and Roman state was in "southern Lazio."

Also, they all seem to hate the government in Rome, in the same way that American dissidents hate the government in Washington D.C. They seem to totally disown Rome. But that's the government they have a grievence with, NOT the Roman people!! So, in conclusion, that "social-cultural structure" doesn't even apply to us.

Lastly, Lega Nord symbolically leans heavily on Nordic Lombard or Celtic roots. Well, I respectfully disagree. To me, the soul of North Italy is the Etruscans and other Italic tribes, which I refer to just as "Etruscan." Someone told me, and I can't confirm or deny this, that there were only about 30,000 Lombards who invaded Italy, a relatively small number. The Kingdom of the Lombards was significant in that it tied together, in an administrative sense, virtually all of "Padania." So somehow I view it as being a "Padania" where the symbolic flag is Lombard, but the soul is Etruscan.

I should end by pointing out that we DO have some allies in Lega Nord, but they were not really able to defend us in this particular debate due to the nature of the hard-nosed political debate. The hard liners want it both ways. They want to tease us that we're "trying to be Padanian," while at the same time holding us up to their own social and political standards! However, you don't have to tell me, "communication, communication."

Torino 2006 Aftermath

[The following is an entry from our old blog, which I wanted to move here]

During the Torino games, I saw many connections come to the surface, past and present, between Torino/Northwest Italy and Northern California. With so much attention focused on Torino, many non-sports related articles were featured, with links between the two areas. I felt that it was too bad that we couldn't take more advantage of this event, to tie us all together closer. To let them know we're here.

When American skier Julia Mancuso of Truckee, California, of Padanian descent, won the Gold medal in the Woman's Giant Slalom, the local Italian fans cheered for her like she was one of their own. A few days ago, Sefano Bagnasco of the Lega Nord Party acknowledged the Padanian-American League. Hopefully, this will begin a process of mutual contact which will grow into the future.