< ![CDATA[  One of the great things about staying with families in the countries we visit is getting to see the world through their eyes. So, when Margherita & Marcello invited us to accompany them to an anti-Belasconi left wing political rally we accepted. It was a fabulous thing to approach the Circo Massimo, home of the great chariot races of the Roman Empire and earlier games of the Etruscan kings. This afternoon it was absolutely filled with Romans... a million of them, if the official count was correct. Red and green “PD” (Democratic Party) flags were flying, whistles were begin blown, slogans chanted in Italian and speeches given over loud speakers which echoed across the ancient hippodrome. We understood very little (except the part that blamed America for the root of the problem). The kids happily snapped pictures and chased after balloons. Helicopters circled overhead. The excitement in the air flowed like an electric current through the crowd, which clapped and cheered the speakers. There was no place I’d rather have been this afternoon than in the shade of the Roman forum, cradle of so much of modern civilization, watching that same civilization form and reform itself through peaceful demonstration. The frenchman we attended with (Margherita’s friend) was not impressed, “No riot police... I’m disappointed,” he said. Personally, I was relieved at the absence of rubber bullets and tear gas. “Sometimes when there are riot police I can go home with a helmet, or a shield,” he added. Wow. Why the protest? Lots of reasons. Not the least of which is a new law that President Belasconi pushed through which grants he and his buddies immunity from the consequences of all of the law breaking they’ve been doing lately. That seems to be the most incendiary issue. He’s also cutting funding to the schools and trying to fire thousands of teachers, and build military bases all over the place that “no one wants,” according to our hosts. And then there are his anti-immigration laws that would effectively close the borders of Italy to most everyone from the outside. These are being called racist and worse. We’ve heard his speeches and policies compared to those of WW2 era Mussolini and his government linked to the mafia. Not very friendly comparisons. I don’t know a lot about Italian politics, but I know enough to recognize that Mussolini’s time period does not bear repeating. Ominous clouds darkened the skies as the rally came to an end. The Roman forum was outlined against the black clouds with a loud crack of thunder and lightning as we rushed for the cars. The protestors continued, undaunted, singing their songs and chanting as they marched out of the Circo Massimus. I wondered if this crowd was any different from those that climbed these same steps out of the valley following the chariot races of centuries ago. The kids happily ate Nutella and went to bed. We ate dinner with our hosts... late, as is the Italian custom (almost nine o’clock!) You know the old adage: When in Rome, do as the Romans!]]>