Election Time

It is time for local and EU elections, and the local race is heating up. Well, the weather is heating up as well, but there are also a lot of people running for office.

In the past, I have not known anyone who stood for elective office. This year, two friends are trying to be elected, and also several friends of friends are trying. I even went to my first political rally, where Fabrizio Ricotta, who is running for city counsel, was to make a speech with others from his party, Sciacca for the Center. It is the party of the incumbent mayor, and Fabrizio is one of the people running on that ticket in support of Mario Tuturicci.

Of course when Fabri got up to speak, I had to take his picture. I noticed that his son and daughter also had to take his picture, so I got a shot of Sergio and Michela taking his picture as he spoke as well.

I find that when I am sitting someplace listening to Italian being spoken quickly, I can follow everything, although as time goes by, I tend to drift off, as it does take a bit of effort on my part. So after the first forty five minutes, and certainly after Fabri spoke, I found myself drifting off, and just listening the the voices slowly increase in volume, as the hands made more and more and bigger and bigger gestures. It reminded me of the old time oratory of when I was small, and I also remember my mother reminding me whenever we saw people speaking while waving their arms that I should never do that, it was not polite to talk with your hands. She never did well with the deaf vote. (Joke) (Politically incorrect) (I apologize in advance to all mothers, deaf people, and deaf people who happen to be mothers, and mothers who happen to be deaf, if they were offended by that).

Meanwhile, it might be interesting to note, that in Sciacca, a city of about 40,000 people, with many thousands temporarily working in the north and in other parts of Europe, there are 30 city council spots up for election. The election is being contested by 10 parties. That means that there are 300 candidates in Sciacca for 30 seats. Is it any wonder that they use paper ballots. And by the way, write ins are also popular. Sometimes less than 500 votes has gotten one onto the city counsel.

As I have handed things to my friends in support of Fabri, they have all kindly taken them and smiled. The smile gets wider as I tell them that he is a friend, is hard working, honest, and sincere. Then they laugh and clap me on the shoulder when I tell them the I know that they have friends (maybe even relatives) that are hard working, honest, and sincere, but I had told Fabri I would do this for them.

By the way, the other person running for office is my old friend Dr. Gaspari (Rino) Marinello.