The Carnival of Viareggio is a series of parades held annually in the Tuscan city of Viareggio, Italy. These parades are held on 4 Sundays and one on Fat Tuesday between the end of January and beginning of March. Wikipedia notes that "it is considered amongst the most renowned carnival celebrations in both Italy and Europe". The above image is from the 2018 carnival.
American conservatives believe the Italians are honoring tRump with this float. CafeNetAmerica tweeted "Italians love Trump". Emerald Robinson wrote that "Twitter was his sword to destroy fake news" (note the blue Twitter birds around the hilt of the sword).
But these interpretations are fake news. As per a 2/10/2019 Time Magazine article, "past [carnivals] included satirical depictions of Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin [in float form]". As well as other tRump sculptures which were more obviously intended to mock him. "In 2017, a snarling Trump-head was placed in the middle of an American-themed float. ... A clip of the Green Day song American Idiot played in the background".
The float is literally taking the piss out of trump, the twitter sword says "your duties" here are the floats in previous years pic.twitter.com/6krc6Cyjn2
— Leanne Palmer (@WocktheMeek) February 10, 2019
So the float was a satirical depiction of a leader the Italians view as an "American Idiot". "American Idiot" is a Green Day song written during the bush administration in response to the Iraq war. American idiots supported the Iraq war. American idiots support tRump.
That is why "American Idiot" is played (not just at this Italian carnival) as a tRump protest song. Despite what tRump supporters may believe, the 2018 float was intended to ridicule and not to honor. It was also not a depiction of tRump as Hercules, something the blogger Franco Aragosta remarked on in a 2/17/2019 WYD comment. An idea he got from an American Thinker commentary by Clarice Feldman.
"Trump as Hercules Cleaning Out the Augean Stables" (the title of the article) makes an analogy between The fifth Labour of Hercules and tRump draining the swamp. Which is a completely absurd analogy to make. Given that, under the corrupt tRump administration, the swamp has become significantly swampier.
There is also the fact that Fabrizio Galli (the creator of the float) says it "was a take off of a character from the miniature war game Warhammer 40,000".
| In an interview... Fabrizio Galli... talked about the meaning of the sword: "...Well no doubt, that is he brandishes this weapon of the economy, it says "Dazi Vostri" (approx. "here's your f***ing tariffs"), it's a joke, but in fact he's trying to destroy nations with the economy instead of nuclear missiles. (excerpt from a 2/10/2019 Heavy.com article by Stephanie Dube Dwilson). |
It is a joke! One completely LOST on trumpers, obviously. Fabrizio is, apparently, not a fan of tRump's tariffs. "Italy's Economy Was Humming Nicely. Then Came Trump" the NYT says in a 6/22/2018 article. Italians do not love tRump. The float Conservatives (including idiots like Franco) believe "honor" him actually mocks him.
"Master Drone" (the name of the float) is absolutely NOT depicting the Orange Turd as Hercules. Who the hell knows where American Thinker author Clarice Feldman got that from. She pulled it from ass, I'm guessing. Franco obviously loved it (why he used to go by "FreeThinke", I think). But trumpers do like being lied to. As long the lies are flattering to their Orange cult leader.
So, so appropriate!! Great post Dervish.
ReplyDeleteI'm wonder wtf is the deal with that "American Thinker" article Franco cited on WYD. Apparently the author just made it up that the float is of tRump as Hercules. btw, RN, are you quitting blogging?
ReplyDeleteYes Dervish. My final Blog post on RN USA will be on April 4, 2019, my 67th birthday. After 10 years of frankly straight up bullshit from the extremes on both political islands I've fucking had enough of imbeciles.
DeleteTime to spent more time with the gorgeous Mrs. RN doing ONLY and ALL things that really matter. Political Blogistan and social media are basically bullshit and a huge waste of valuable time.
I'd give your resolution to quit blogging about a month, tops.
Delete...so don't go getting sentimental on us...
DeleteHow many Obama caganer's do you have, Dervy?
ReplyDeletebtw - Are they racist, too?
btw2 - Are these?
ReplyDeleteRelative to my prior comment above I rest my case Dervish.
DeleteI like Obama as Superman. Obviously any world leader is fair game. That doesn't explain why some on the right believe the parade was to honor tRump. Self delusion?
ReplyDeleteIt's not an honor to be effigyzed? Classical ethics takes the honouring of one's enemies to limit. Ever read Shakespeare's "Coriolanus"? The last thing a true Republican desires are the praises of the plebs/tribunes.
Deletebtw - Glad to know that satire is as elusive to you as it was to the Trumpians.
DeleteHonoring your enemy if he is a worthy foe is one thing, but tRump is an idiot. That certainly does not mean he isn't worthy of being satirized. I'd say it makes him a better target.
DeletePowerful people and celebrities are the typical targets of satire, not "idiots".
DeleteSatirizing idiots would be a waste of time.
DeleteThey're are far too many in the "class".
DeleteAre these people all idiots?
DeleteObviously as predisent, tRump is "powerful". That doesn't make him not an idiot.
DeleteBut this caricature of him does?
DeleteBut apparently, the artist behind the thing—Fabrizio Galli—intended it to be a kind of protest piece, or at least a dig at Trump's presidency. In an interview with Italy's NOI TV, he explained the meaning is basically tied up in that big-ass sword, inscribed with the words "dazi vostri"—or, translated roughly to English, "Here's your fucking tariffs"—and outfitted with a few Twitter logos, for whatever reason.
ReplyDelete"He brandishes this weapon of the economy, it says ‘dazi vostri,'" Galli told NOI TV. "It's a joke, but in fact, he’s trying to destroy nations with the economy instead of nuclear missiles. This is one of the strongest actions, let’s say, that powerful people like Trump can use.”
That quote is contained within the text box in my post.
DeleteYou think their target was the man and not the "office" he represents? Then why haven't they been making fun of Trump since the 70's?
ReplyDeleteHave you ever had "Yankee go home" shouted at you?
No. It is both.
DeleteThe man doesn't wield the sword given. The "office" does. As for the "man", he was depicted as muscular, handsome, and strong. The only "fun" of the "man" in evidence was the "Twitter Doves" on the sword. His "claws" corresponded with the sword (tariffs).
DeleteSo WHY do you blog about politics? Given your belief that the office-holder is irrelative and therefore (I assume) you are a non-voter.
DeleteAnd I see no evidence that the tRump float depicts tRump as handsome or strong.
The office holder isn't irrelative, but the reason for selecting to characaturize Trump wasn't related to his personal qualities. Any/every POTUS would have been made fun of, be he saint or sinner.
DeleteHillary Clinton would have used a bogus "national security" excuse to impose tariffs that necessitated a bailout of US farmers? Who knew?
DeleteYou really think that the purpose behind selection of a Trump for a float was because of his tariff policies?
DeleteI wonder which Hillary policy prompted this...
1. YOU quoted the creator.
Delete2. Probably losing the primary to Obama in 2008. So, no policy.
Was she chosen for the float because she's an idiot, or because she was a presidential candidate?
DeleteI contend that Trump was selected because he was 1st, president... and THEN they selected a policy to make fun of, unique to Trump.... and NOT the other way around.
DeleteOf course. I guess you've debunked my post. The Italians weren't laughing at tRump at all. They actually were honoring him. Did you also prove that Franco saying the float portrayed tRump as Hercules? I mean, the creator of the float was wrong about it being a joke, so he might also be wrong about the float portraying tRump as a character from the miniature war game Warhammer 40,000.
DeleteI didn't say it wasn't meant to be a joke. But the joke was about American power, not Trump's ineptitude(s). If Trump hadn't been the subject, it would have been Hillary.
DeleteThe joke is, "Trump's America thinks it is so great. They sure look fierce on Twitter.... (but this ain't no virtual war game). We Italians aren't afraid."
DeleteI should add that the trade policies of Italy's Giuseppe Conte are similar to Trumps'... and the current Eurozone establishment types in Italy are very unhappy with the less than 7% export growth rate. You'll notice that Trump was dressed in ROMAN armour and his sword was in LATIN. This, IMO, is actually a subtle dig at Conte.
DeleteI can come up with my own "IMO" for which there is no evidence. IMO, if Hillary were president, there would be a Hillary float... however, in Hillary's case the joke would be about American power, but in Dotard's case the joke concerns American power AND the fact that Dotard is an idiot.
DeleteIn any case, we clearly agree that what Franco said is total bullshit.
That's the issue with symbols. They're culturally specific. Franco sees what he wants to see, just aas do you or I.
DeleteYou already agreed with me. Too late to take it back now.
Delete