Relativism meets Absolutism

From the local edition of Italy's La Repubblica we find a portrait of primitive communication and anger more akin to pre-renaissance Bologna than anything else:

In front of the symbol of Christianity so dear to Bologna, the Basilica di San Petronio, almost two thousand Muslims pray in an unreal silence interrupted only by the imam and the responses of the prostate faithful. These are the five, in Piazza Maggiore and the verses echo the prayer of the Maghreb (sunset) and then that of the dead "for the martyrs of Gaza." Before, during the short march started from the Piazza del Nettuno, chanting against Bush and Olmert, amid a scene of desperation to express anger against the Israeli bombardment which is bringing the Gaza Strip to its’ knees. Some protesters burned a flag emblazoned with the Star of David and then stepped on the ashen remains. Among the marchers were many Palestinians, Egyptians, and Moroccans who also came from Modena and Ferrara to lead the procession with dozens and dozens of children covered in red paint to symbolize their "brothers" killed by Israeli bombs.

"Free Palestine", "from Bologna to Gaza, resistance resistance", "God is with Gaza," as a slogan scanned litany while the demonstrators estimated at little more than five hundred people paraded around the town. The initiative, which was coordinated with demonstration in other cities in Italy, have joined some Bolognese groups (Crash and TPO), the Rdb-Cub and several members of the Communist Refoundation, as the team leader Roberto Sconciaforni. Atop a pickup truck moved slowly through the crowd, a boy raised a burning Israeli flag, the demonstrators shouted and waved, holding posters with pictures of dead and wounded Palestinians.

The vice president of the center of Islamic culture in Bologna, Daniele Parracino, sought to prevent the act to be carried out. "This is not the way to react” he said, if it’s a visceral reaction and not a thoughtful one. What we like is the sensitivity of many Italians who are supporting us, and who care about the right of everyone to live in peace."

Many Muslims were wearing kefiahs, and someone in the front row threw a shoe, recalling the act of and Iraqi journalist who threw his at U.S. President Bush. In front of the Prefecture, many lay on the pavement to symbolize the deads in Gaza. Other waved sheets of paper with the Star of David accompanied by the swastika, the Nazi symbol. Soon after, Parracino burst into tears when the news arrived of the bombing of a mosque. Not long thereafter all the protesters came to pray.

It's no wonder Parracino was concerned that people would see the emotionalism, chants, and flag-burning. The successful overtaking of the locals' minds require that they not be reminded of the kind of savage anger that leads to firing rocket propelled artillary at Israeli civilians. They might even get to the point where they realize, somehow, with no thanks to the press, that the Israeli reaction is in fact a reaction. They might speculate that some action might have taken place to cause a reaction, and that these protesters are just calling for a cease-fire only on the part of the Israelis.

In turns, they see conflict as though it should be a game of darts, where it's simply disproportional for one party to have more darts than the other. Otherwise when it's convenient a world of schoolhouse rules id imagined, and appeals to "social justice" is employed in the rationalization that a uniformed and militaristic Hamas should be able to shell civilians across its' borders.