Tag: Benito Mussolini

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Totalitarianism, Fascism, or Authoritarianism?

This blog is going to be relatively short. It’s not because I ran out of time, but because I’m not an intellectual where I can go on and on to try and make you think I’m smart. What this little exercise did for me is confirm that I made a great choice about not taking philosophy classes in college.

But I’m going to take a stab at this because I think it’s important we understand the difference between various radical political ideas which even today, pop up in the media (including social), our discussions, and how we view the world and its leaders. Please keep in mind, these are political and not economic systems which frequently creep into our “discussions.”

Did You Know?

Did you know or even remember my blog post from 29 September 2018? Its title was Paris Therapy Pets. If you remember it, great but if not, you might want to click here and read it. Why? Because I have an update. France Magazine  (December 2018; Issue 243) reports that another animal rights group is setting out to protect the Parisian rats. Paris Animaux Zoopolis is plastering Métro walls with signs imploring people to “stop the massacre of rats.” Naturally, they use pictures of cute rats (unlike the images I used in my blog). I’m sure these folks are excited about the upcoming 2020 Chinese New Year. It will be the “Year of the Rat.”

I have run into so many authors who use these terms almost interchangeably that I decided to try and distinguish them from one another ⏤ in other words, I was confused. I find that in much of today’s traditional media and social media that people tend to use these terms on a “fast and loose” basis depending on their political slant (both right and left). Trust me, sometimes it is difficult to differentiate (at least for me). One thing I must point out is that the intellectuals who spend entire days, months, years, and even careers dissecting these issues, often are at odds with one another. There are the generational issues, the revisionist issues, and the philosophical issues which influence one’s take on how the terms are differentiated and applied to certain countries. I thought the best place to begin would be with the facts and then you can make up your own mind. We’ll start and end with the Merriam-Webster definitions. Read More Totalitarianism, Fascism, or Authoritarianism?

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Cycling To Save Jews

Probably the most famous bicycle road race is the annual Tour de France. It is a grueling endurance test with 21 stages over twenty-three days. While it is considered the world’s premier cycling event each year, other countries host their own versions. For Italy, their premier event is the Giro d’Italia or Tour of Italy. Along with the Tour de France, the Giro is one of cycling’s “Grand Tours.” Don’t confuse the Giro with the Greek gyro—too many gyros and one would find it difficult to cycle up those hills.

The subject of our blog today is a two-time winner of the Tour de France (1938 and 1948) and a three-time winner of the Giro (1936,1937, and 1946). Remarkably, Gino Bartali won his races before and after World War II. While he was a popular and revered national hero and will be remembered in the cycling world for his many achievements, Bartali’s most enduring and humane accomplishments came during the war. However, it was not until after his death in 2000 that his resistance efforts became public knowledge.

The two top Italian cyclists before and after World War II: Gino Bartali (center left) and Fausto Coppi (center right). Photo by anonymous (c. 1940−1943). Private Collection. PD-Expired Copyright. Wikimedia Commons.
The two top Italian cyclists before and after World War II: Gino Bartali (center left) and Fausto Coppi (center right). Photo by anonymous (c. 1940−1943). Private Collection. PD-Expired Copyright. Wikimedia Commons.

Did You Know?

Did you know we have set up a Pinterest site with a lot of interesting images. We hope you’ll visit the site often as Sandy is continuously updating it with new and interesting photographs.  badgeRGB

Let’s Meet Gino Bartali

Gino Bartali (1914−2000) was born in Ponte a Ema, Florence, Italy into a poor farming family. Gino grew up to be a physically strong young man with a boxer’s face. He was a devout Catholic throughout his life and earned the nickname, “Gino the Pious.” At the age of thirteen, Gino got a job in a bicycle shop. Shortly afterwards, he began racing and quickly gained an excellent reputation as an amateur. At the age of twenty-one, Gino turned professional and the next year, he became the Italian champion by winning the Giro for the first time. Watch a memorial about Gino here. Read More Cycling To Save Jews