THERE IS NO FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION FOR US, TOO MANY RIGHTS FOR THEM: This is one of the most used sentences by those against to the Zan law, but is it real?
The Zan Bill is one of the law decrees that is causing the largest discussion in recent weeks. This bill was conceived by Alessandro Zan who had already taken care of civil rights in the past fights by creating a law against homotransphobia. Right now the deputy, belonging to the Democratic Party, was appointed by the Justice Commission President of the of Deputy Chamber as rapporteur, this combining all the statutes proposed and making an accurate, integrated and a reasoned synthesis of legal texts, thus managing to present a very relevant text for these civil rights protection. This document was approved by the Deputy Chamber, but it is currently held in the Senate. Meanwhile, our wish is to clear some myths very often used by traditionalists to argue their dissent to this decree.
Let’s connect immediately to the sentence already mentioned, “there is no freedom of expression for us , too many rights for them”. This law is obviously not a censorship of a person’s opinion, in fact in no constitution it is conceivable that a law which guarantees the rights of a widely discriminated minority could, according to some strange retaliation, take away the rights of other people. If your opinion expresses hatred towards other people it is no longer an opinion. Furthermore, often these opponents to the bill emphasize how in Article 3 in the Italian Constitution the equality of all people is sanctioned before a criminal offense, but in reality, the question is not so easy; in fact, according to the modification of articles 604-bis and 604-ter of the Italian Penal Code the aggravating circumstance of racial, ethnic and religious discrimination (as also sanctioned by the Mancini law) has been added. So why not approve a law that adds to these issues also those based on gender, sexuality, gender identity or disability. Furthermore, many people even argue that Italy is an alien country to this kind of discrimination; but then if that’s true what should we say to those two guys who were attacked by a spitfire in the Valle Aurelia metro station just because they were kissing. Or what should we say to Marika that was kicked out by her parents from her house because she is a lesbian. So, the core is that, currently, in Italy attacks against homotransphobic or other people mentioned in the Zan decree law, are not included in any crime with a precise name and this prevents them from having a real judgement.
But, on April 28 of the current year, the Zan decree-law passed to the scheduling of the Justice Committee in the Senate with 13 votes in favour and 11 against. Alessandro Zan via twitter: “The law against homotransphobia, misogyny and ableism has been scheduled in the Justice Commission in the Senate. Finally, now the discussion can also begin in this branch of Parliament, for definitive approval “. But this joy from the deputy does not seem to have a long life, especially because the League’s president of the Justice Commission, Andrea Ostellari, who is one of the main opponents of this law, will be the rapporteur of the provision, he himself states: ” Since I have been confirmed president, thanks to the vote of the majority of the members of the Commission, to guarantee who is in favour of the bill and who is not, I will hold this delegation “. Alessandro Zan’s response was not long in coming “Ostellari who has self-appointed rapporteur is yet another forcing of those who want to scuttle a law desired by the majority of the Senate. He once again demonstrates that he manages the Justice Commission as if it was his own property. Institutions must be respected”.
Denise Benedettini, Mirko Canali,
Federica Frezza, Andrea Guerrini, 3AL
