The Militant - October 15, 2001 -- Prime minister of Italy declares West culturally 'superior'

Vol.65/No.39 October 15, 2001

Prime minister of Italy declares West culturally 'superior'

BY RÓGER CALERO
"We should be confident of the superiority of our civilization, which consists of a value system that has given people widespread prosperity in those countries that embrace it and guarantees respect for human rights and religion," said Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi September 26. "This respect certainly does not exist in Islamic countries," the superwealthy politician added, provoking public reaction and demands for a retraction from several governments in the Mideast.

Speaking to Italian senators the day after his remarks, Berlusconi refused to apologize, said that he had been misunderstood, and remarked that the criticism was "artificial," "based on nothing," and "fed by irresponsible comments from the opposition."

In his earlier remarks the rightist prime minister also praised imperialism, saying that the West "is bound to occidentalize and conquer new people." He added, "It has done it with the Communist world and part of the Islamic world," but unfortunately, a part of the Islamic world is 1,400 years behind."

A Wall Street Journal editorial asked people to "give Mr. Berlusconi a break" since "the starting point in defending that [Western] civilization is believing in it."

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