As you probably already know, there are already numerous regional and provincial Northern Italian cultures spread around the world. First, it should be pointed out that Northern Italians didn't emigrate in any large numbers anywhere until the late 1800s to the 1950s, or even up to 1960. The peak was in the early twentieth century. This migration was to South America. There's a great irony in that the Southern Italians migrated to America and Canada, while the Northern Italians migrated to Argentina, Uruguay, and Sau Paulo (in fairly sizable numbers as well).
[above: "Bergamask" folk musicians]
In particular, there are large numbers of Lombardian heritage societies and clubs in Argentina. So, if you can imagine the sense of community that say Americans of Sicilian descent have in Brooklyn, Chicago, or Philadelphia, then imagine a similar sense of community in Buenos Aires for example. Argentina is a beautiful, albeit underachieving, nation filled with Spaniards, Italians (Lombards, Venetians), Germans (and Austrians, Swiss), and British Islanders (including English, Welsh, Irish, Scots), so therefore very different than Mexico or Puerto Rico. I dream of a day, very soon, where you and me can plan a trip to Buenos Aires, or Melbourne, or Toronto, and be received by people who would treat us like family... and of course we could do the same in return.
It's not just Lombardians, but other regional cultures as well (Tuscans, Piedmontese, etc.). One example of a provincial culture with a very strong sense of identity are the Bergamaschi (Bergamo Province in Lombardia). Perhaps it's something in the water, but these people have incredible passion! When the soccer teams from Bergamo and Brescia play, they practically riot! The Bergamaschi nel Mondo ("Bergamasks in the World" in English) have clubs all around the world (but not America). It's amazing the closeness they feel for each other, even after emigrating. They take a lot of group pictures, and you can really sense the close-knit feeling of family and extended family. I find it interesting that there's such a prominent Bergamaschi nel Mondo, but no "Bresciani nel Mondo" anywhere, for example.
I would strongly encourage any of you, to just go ahead and create some regional, or even provincial, society. It would also go hand-in-hand with research you may be doing. It could be a lot of fun, as you can connect with a lot of people all over as well. Make a name, but probably Anglicize it with society, circle, association, etc. At virtualitalia.com, you can see that there are some in the Bay Area who have done this.
I think I mentioned in past writings that there is a branch of the Northern League party called "Padani nel Mondo." The only activity that I have heard them do overseas is in Argentina. Consider taking that step. Just kick the idea of a name around, and you may be surprised that you could really develop something. It would be more than "Joe Blow's Blog," as your name would be associated with it's name. Lets say, for example, that you descended from "Lucchesi." You could call it "Lucchesi nel Mondo of the Bay Area," or the "Lucca Circle of Northern California."
It's a shame that there isn't a Lucchesi or Genovesi society in California, or even a Lombardian one in Missouri (St. Louis once had a "Little Lombardy" district. With my obligations here, I wouldn't be able to do it right. In other words, with everything I'm planning to do, this endeavor would require a "double set" of everything. I would rather someone else do it, and I would assist them in any way I could, and any of the rest of you as well. I would like to make a "Clan Rondoni" website, or a "Bresciani nel Mondo" club, and I could go in other directions as well, but you can see that it's difficult to duplicate each activity in this way. Anyway, something to think about.
Just the other day, I was reading an article published by Xinhua (China) entitled 'Italian economy needs 300,000 immigrants a year: welfare minister.' I had known for many years that Italy was being swamped by a large number of legal and illegal immigrants, but this comment and similar comments by Prodi have really blown me away! Do Westerners ever think that Globalist politicians are EVER wrong about anything??
Italy, as a whole, has remained basically "Italian" for literally thousands of years. All the tales of mass migration have proven, via mtDNA evidence, to be vastly exagerated, especially during Roman times. Some amateur researcher poked around a few ancient Roman graveyards a few years ago and proclaimed that the vast majority had Oriental (Turkish) names. Since that time, no genetic linkage of any type of significance has panned out, yet often the wild claims continue. There are those who believe that America is collapsing and they need to somehow "prove" that it's "just like the fall of Rome!" The demographics all around the Mediterranean where totally different during ancient times anyway.
Northern Italy, in particular, has remained unchanged ethnically for a very long time. Now, suddenly, just in the last several decades, Italian Globalist politicians (in any number of parties) have convinced the public that they absolutely NEED to open their doors to the third world and and endless number of people. Part of the problem is that Italy, like all Western corporatocracies, is in the money making business. They want more and more people to pay more and more taxes. Also, the old excuse is used that they NEED third world labor to pay into the system so Italians can retire and have something to live on. That Italy's population is old. Hey, they've said the same thing to Japan for about twenty years now, that "who is going to pay for the elderly?," "the Japanese population is old," and that "Japan must start to import immigrants workers." Guess what, Japan is still FINE.
It is true that Italy's birthrate is one of the lowest in the world. How did THIS happen?? Anyone over thirty can probably remember many references growing up about the traditional large Italian family! Well, lets back up for just a moment. When American women first entered the workforce in great numbers, our birthrate was still quite high. It's a combination of a lot of additional factors, and has spread all throughout the West.
European states still have some degree of sovereignty, so why don't they just go ahead and make this issue a number one priority? Australia did this a number of years ago, and it worked very well!! They created many incentives, and the people responded with a major "baby boom." I really just have always gotten the impression that Western governments during the past half century have not had the political will to truly solve the most pressing problems. I never could understand the apathy of modern Europeans. Couldn't Germans and Italians, especially seeing what was happening in London or Paris, have told the bankers, who put the EU together, that they didn't want any part of it?
Italy does NOT need all those people. I am descended from the "Camunni," and ancient Italic tribe. Their history goes back 8,000 years! The Jewish people only go back 5,000 years! It's very difficult to phathom that an immigrant from India, Nigeria, or the Philippines belongs in Italy. Italy is a very small place. Why can't ancient cultures just be left alone? If all the talk about "Multiculturalism" is true, doesn't the world need "base cultures" to feed it?? Also, Italy is densely populated with 56 million or so packed into an area smaller than California. What would be so bad about a 20% reduction? One thing is for certain, no government should be in the money making business. Why do they have to "manage a global economy?" How about just leaving people alone for once!
Israel is considered to be a "Jewish State." In other words, a Nation FOR the Jewish people ONLY. The Palestinians are segregated, and it's a Jewish Nation for all practical purposes. They allow foreign workers, only after they sign a sworn statement that they will not have sexual relations with Israelli citizens, and that's a fact! They only allow Jewish immigrants, and marriage between a Jew and a non-Jew is illegal. Palestinians have died outside of hospitals, because they cannot use the same hospitals as Jews.
Why couldn't "Padania" be a "Padanian Homeland?" Jewish people have a homeland, so what's the difference? Padania was virtually 100% "Padanian" up until WWII. Borders actually meant something in Europe right up to the 1980s. Why couldn't it be protected as a place where one of the most, if not the most, attractive, creative, artistic, and cultured peoples can live and thrive? Japan has proven that a unicultural state can work, and work extremely well. Japanese could EASILY migrate to America in large numbers, but they don't want to. They love living in Japan. It really works for them. Why is there such a difference between one-culture states like Israel or Japan, and Italy or Germany?
In 1999 General Wesley Clark, then in command of U.S. troops in Serbia, remarked to a CNN reporter, "There is no place in modern Europe for ethnically pure states. That is a 19th-century idea, and we are trying to transition into the 21st century, and we are going to do it with multi-ethnic states." Why is an American General making demands that Europe cannot maintain it's identity?? Lets not kid ourselves here. He's telling Italy that it SHALL NOT remain Italian!! There are a lot of odd things happening, and American and Europeans BOTH, have been almost completely out to lunch!
