Paradox

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Italy is a “paradoxical” Country, is enough thinking to the innumerable contradictions that betray embarrasses problems connected to social, economical, institutional issues; politics, in other words.

From the Greek parà, (against) and doxa (opinion): a paradox is a thought that is in contradiction with the principles of the common logic.

After this etymological analysis, I would like to make another statement of fact: the habit to observe at paradoxical situations in a properly related way to the time of its existence: an absurd situation, after a while do not produce any effect, the habit-forming take place.

Is the same principle that make habits betray the real aspect of things.

This is exactly what characterize certain invisible facts of our country. Among those there is a particular one that fling a glance of painful shame on our institutions: the invisible reality of disabled person!

Is a embarrassment reality at all levels if we think that, currently, does not exist an analysis able to photograph in a structural and exactly way the entity and the conditions of life of disabled person.

In the majority of our regions do not exist a register office of disability, for this reason is not possible to have a clear perception of the phenomenon.

Today, unless of the family’s support, disabled person, for the most part would live in a devasting way.

Even in the presence of a very advanced legislation, in our country – the only such one in the western world – the rights of disabled people are neither respected nor enforced. The latest Financial Bill demonstrates that beyond any doubt: about five million people got the latest offence. The percentage of disability required to get a subsidy from the State was ibcreased from 74% to 85%. This excludes from any help people with serious disabilities, foe instance …….. In practice, only people with very serious or total paralysis remain protected. An entire category is deprived of recognized and well established rights. The subsidy of 260 Euro will cause unbearable hardship to many families, unable to take care of their beloved ones.

A protest rally was called for July 7th by the main organization protecting assistance rights to the disabled. I take the opportunity to encourage those Members of Parliaments with disabilities, who had promised to propose amendments to a such penalizing legislation, the keep their word. I am painfully aware that in Italy disabled people don not enjoy equal right, even though an enlighted legislation had been existing previously. The legislative trend now has a tendency to “excluding” instead of “including” and eliminate the Institutions devoted to the less lucky ones.

I recall, in the end, that the EU adopted in 1999 a whole body of principles and measures against the discrimination of the disabled ones especially in the areas of employment, education, professional training and transportation. This last one recognizing that mobility is very important to disabled people. Well…Italy, as a founding member of EU, almost systematically ignores the discriminating issue of mobility.

Yours Faithfully

Salvatore Cimmino