The following originally aired on KCBS.
The renewed debate over immigration has had me thinking about my recent trip to Italy. There, I enjoyed the picturesque countryside, spectacular museums, and amazing food, but also witnessed a less romantic side of Italian culture.
I had always assumed that Italian culture was pretty progressive-- and in many ways, it is. But I was taken aback by Italy’s overwhelming anti-foreigner sentiment, and surprised to find that much of my own family feels very strongly against immigration.
A close family friend in Milan ranted to me about a local mosque in her city overflowing with Egyptian immigrants. My relative in Tuscany complained that her Romanian caregiver should speak better Italian if she wants to live in Italy. It seemed every Italian I encountered feared immigrants taking away their beloved culture.
I’ve always been proud of that heritage, too, because of my Italian-born grandparents. But while in Italy, I realized that growing up among a wide diversity of cultures has been equally important to shaping my worldview-- which is why it’s important to me to stand up for immigrants’ rights when they are jeopardized here in the United States.
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Amanda Knox, the young American studying in Italy, was convicted of murdering her British roommate Meredith Kercher on Friday. Knox was sentenced to 26 years in prison while her ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito was sentenced to 25 years.
These sentences have caused plenty of speculation about whether Knox is guilty or innocent. Knox’s family has created an online fund called “Amanda Knox Defense Fund.” The website was designed to show who the real Amanda Knox is. It states, “Within this site you will find heartfelt stories from friends, family, teachers and others who are the true friends of Amanda Knox. People who know what kind of a lovely person she truly is and who know she is innocent.”
Knox story has even touched Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell from Washington, who released this statement: “I have serious questions about the Italian justice system and whether anti-Americanism tainted this trial. The prosecution did not present enough evidence for an impartial jury to conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that Ms. Knox was guilty. Italian jurors were not sequestered and were allowed to view highly negative news coverage about Ms. Knox."
Hillary Clinton responded, “I understand that there will be appeals taken, and we will follow that. And of course, I stand ready to meet with anyone who wishes to discuss this case further.” However, in a recent interview with This Week, Secretary of State Clinton said, "I honestly haven't had time to even examine that. I've been immersed in what we're doing in Afghanistan.”
Check out the recent investigative story done by 48 Hours Mystery
Speaking in near-perfect Italian, Knox told the jurors,
Read more..."I am scared of being branded what I am not..."
While studying abroad in Italy in 2007, University of Washington student Amanda Knox was accused of murdering her British roommate. Today, the two-year Italian trial draws to a close. According to the Associated Press, a verdict could come as soon as tomorrow.
Both Knox, 22, and her boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were charged with the murder of Meredith Kercher while prosecutors say they were under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol." There is no definitive forensic evidence linking Sollecito and Knox to the scene, but, as Timothy Egan points out at the New York Times' Opinionator blog, "there is abundant evidence linking a drifter named Rudy Guede to the scene—blood, DNA, prints and his own admission."
Read more...
According to the International Association of Pick-Pockets, the revenues of the pick-pocketing industry are down 21% since last November, and projected to drop another 13% in the next year due to the recession. But despite the decline in revenue, there has been a substantial increase in the workforce. The IAPP states that there are 15% more pick-pockets internationally than there were in June of last year. At the iapp conference in Rome last week, prominent pick-pockets from around the globe discussed the issues.
"The average annual income of a pick-pocket in Europe was 37,000 Euros in January 2008, but that is down to 25,500 since November," said Alfonzo Amadassi, the president of the Italian Pick-Pockets Association which hosted the conference this year. "People just don't carry that much cash around anymore." a study done by the iapp in January 2009 shows that the average money made pick-pocketing one person has dropped 26% since 2008, from $21.36 to $15.81. The numbers are also down in Europe where it dropped from 18.25 to 13.51.
The keynote speaker at the conference, Fabio Barros, the vice president of the united Brazilian pick-pockets, spoke on how struggling pick-pockets around the globe can increase their incomes. "New techniques must be explored, such as the help-an-old-lady-cross-the-street-and-take-her-money technique, and the knock-down-a-person-with-a-lot-of-stuff-and-offer-to-help-them-pick-it-up-so-you-can-take-some-of-it technique. These techniques must be perfected and taught to pick-pockets around the world to ensure the success of the industry." He said that the IAPP should hold clinics in countries around the world to make sure "that all pick-pockets are adequately trained." he also added that "some of these young pick-pockets just don't understand, you have to take their money without them noticing. We need to change that"
