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Libertà sessuale, libera sessualità- 1976 - Adele Faccio

Piano improvisation di Salvatore Maresca Serra

Alba Montori su Facebook

sabato 12 gennaio 2008

c'è l'angelus.....!

il sit in è stato spostato
alle ore 14.00, dalla questura



per ricordare
l'olocausto di Alfredo Ormando
l'appuntamento è a Roma
domenica 13 gennaio 2008
a Piazza San Pietro
alle ore 13

1 commento:

Anonimo ha detto...

Ormando Day, 13-01-08, Roma --
Decimo Anniversario Memoriale

-----

Ormando Day, 1-13-08, Rome --
10th Memorial Anniversary

==========

Dear friends:

This very day, 13 January 2008, marks the tenth anniversary of the
self-immolation by fire of Alfredo Ormando, in the center of St.
Peter's Square, when he protested by his extreme action against the
Vatican's harsh homophobia, in his own tortured life surely but also
for the sake of others as well.

I always feel great sadness and much regret that Alfredo had felt so
emotionally distraught that he would commit such a painful suicide
rather than try to lead a satisfying and fulfilling life.

However, being of Sicilian heritage myself, and knowing only too well
the gripping constraints that he must have experienced as a gay man
in the context of his cultural society and his religious church,
where civil mores and religious traditions would only exacerbate such
a sensitive soul and conscience, it is not surprising that he would
contemplate to end his life in such a miserable but bold way.

Every year, on January 13, since 1998, I have often thought about
Alfredo Ormando's profound human loneliness and spiritual isolation,
so devastating emotionally to himself that even the painful flames of
self-immolation did not hurt as much; because the inner fire of
internalized homophobia was much greater than the physical fire
around his body, there as he burnt himself up, symbolically, in the
middle of St. Peter's Square, as a self-induced holocaust to his
society and to his church and to his God.

Poor, Alfredo. If only it could have been otherwise.

But from his sacrificial offering of himself, so much has occurred,
not only in the souls of glbti and straight Italians but also in the
souls of many others, in other nations and in other religions, in the
ten years since 1998 and in the many more years yet to come.

So, sleep quietly now, Alfredo; rest contentedly in peace forever;
although misunderstanding yourself and being misunderstood by others,
your life was not in vain; indeed, it was the laying down of your own
life, of your own accord, that gave it its ultimate meaning. And in
that, you have given greater significance to us in our lives, and to
those who are yet to live.

--- Sal

==========


http://www.openeyepictures.com/alfredosfire/af_proposal.html

"Alfredo's Fire" -- The Movie

-----

A one-hour documentary, ALFREDO'S FIRE brings to life the man behind
the flames and the issues his fire illuminates. The film exposes
tensions between faith and homosexuality -- conformity and
individuality -- and shows the deadly consequences of religious
intolerance.

ALFREDO'S FIRE takes on an issue often lost in the gay and lesbian
liberation struggle: the relationship between anti-gay discrimination
and religious intolerance -- and, ironically, the importance of
spiritual expression. A questionable martyr, with the light of a
match Alfredo connected a history of persecution and self-
annihilation to a hope for communion. The fire that consumed Alfredo
is the same that illuminated him, allowing him to be seen in a
society that would rather not see. It was a fire, Alfredo believed,
that would join him with a God in whose image he could never be seen
while alive.

Representing both the lighting and extinguishing of a life force,
fire is a perfect leitmotif for exploring the issue of homosexuality
and religion. It is simultaneously communion with an elusive God, an
expression of pent-up passion and rage, a coming out, a purification,
self-annihilation, and liberation -- feelings or ideals experienced
by gays and lesbians worldwide. Recalling the burnings-at-the-stake
of homosexuals by the Church in the Middle Ages, Alfredo's fire, like
the namesake film, is both a memorial and protestation. Never again.

By showing the life and death of one man at once drawn to and
repelled by his deepest longings, the film puts into relief
contemporary issues regarding faith and sexuality. Several
documentaries have been made on gay subjects. Usually they are
focused on cases of homophobia, discrimination, or liberation -- gays
as victims or victors. Disinterested in such dualities or
merely "religion bashing," we want to explore the nature of the
oppression -- but also the responsibility of being different in
society. Moreover, what are the enduring, life-giving qualities of
spiritual connection, and how can its absence cripple? Instead of
glorifying Alfredo's action, we see his story as a touchstone and
mirror.

The fire that Alfredo ignited is emblematic of the struggle for
acceptance of gays and lesbians in religious and social institutions,
but also of the universal drive to better oneself, and to be seen and
accepted in spite of personal difference. In reassembling the
tattered existence of one man, ALFREDO'S FIRE offers a spark of hope
and compassion -- a flame by which to remember, witness, and come out
of the dark.


==========


http://www.january13.org/index.asp?id=38 [Italian version]

http://www.january13.org/indexeng.asp?id=38 [English version]

January13.org
[sponsored by Arcigay, Italy's largest lgbti organization]

"Alfredo Ormando (1958-1998)"

-----

Alfredo Ormando was born in San Cataldo (Caltanissetta, Sicily) on 15
December 1958. His parents were illiterate farm-workers with eight
children, living in very modest economic conditions.

Following his father's death, he lived a turbulent childhood and
adolescence, and never attended school regularly. He was still a
minor, when he was sent to a re-education centre; he ended the first
cycle of intermediate school aged 20, and then obtained its diploma
in 1993 when he was 35.

He lives in precarious conditions and is unemployed, ending up in the
street.

He spent two years in a Catholic Seminary, victim of a mystic crisis:
this experience changed deeply his concept of the world.

Meanwhile he keeps being keen on writing which soon becomes the main
objective of his life: to convey via his works the emotions and
contradictions of everything that is around him.

The publishing houses refuse to publish all of his novels (an
autobiographical Trilogy in three volumes: Il Dubbio, L'Escluso, and
Sotto il cielo d'Urano: The Doubt, The Excluded, and Under the Sky of
Uranus), fairytales and short tales.

In 1995, making a great economical sacrifice and with the help of his
eighty-year-old mother's old age pension, Ormando publishes at his
expense the short novel Il Fratacchione [The Big Brother], and in
1997 five short tales in a magazine he created with the title "I
Miserabili" ["The Miserable Ones"].

In October 1997, after not passing for the second time the written
test of the Latin exam – the last exam before getting a degree in
Literature - may have been one of the main reasons for sinking again
into a state of depression: He had been a victim of depression many
times, but he would have never overcome this one.

Alfredo Ormando feels unsuccessful both as a man and as a writer.

In December 1997, he wrote this letter to a friend of his in Reggio
Emilia:

... Palermo [Sicily], Christmas 1997

... Dear Adriano, this year I can't feel it's Christmas anymore, it
is indifferent to me, like everything; nothing can bring me back to
life.

... I keep on getting ready for my suicide day by day; I feel this is
my fate, I've always been aware but never accepted it, but this
tragic fate is there, it's waiting for me with the patience of Job
which looks incredible.

... I haven't been able to escape this idea of death, I feel I can't
avoid it, nor can I pretend to live and plan a future I do not have;
my future will just be a prosecution of this present.

... I live with the awareness of who's leaving this life, and this
doesn't look dreadful to me! No! I can't wait for the day I will
bring this life of mine to an end; they will think I am mad because I
have chosen Saint Peter's Square to be the place where I'll set
myself on fire, while I could do it here in Palermo as well.

... I hope they'll understand the message I want to convey; it is a
form of protest against the Church which demonises homosexuality,
demonising nature at the same time, because homosexuality is its
daughter.

... Alfredo.

Excerpts from his correspondence:

"I want to die, I don't want to be marginalized forever."

"I am sorry if I was born, for having polluted the air you breathe
with my poisonous breath, for having dared in thinking and behaving
like a man, for not having accepted a diversity I did not feel, for
having considered homosexuality a natural sexuality, for having felt
just like heterosexuals and second to none, for having the ambition
of becoming a writer, for having dreamt, for having laughed."

"The monster leaves the place in order not to offend you, not to make
you feel ashamed any longer of his disgraceful presence, not to make
you feel disgusted and turn your back when you meet him while walking
on a street."

"I couldn't deceive my biological love for life anymore, I couldn't
find a reason for my marginalization, for my endless loneliness."

"Do not try to build me a tearful tombstone; shall I be an infection
after my death as well. If fuel won't produce its effect, turn me
into ashes, cremate me and disperse my ashes in the Roman
countryside: at least I would like to be useful as manure."

"Imagine, with one simple act I will get rid of all of you... during
these 39 years I have never meant anything to you, instead you are
ashamed of myself... I am not scared of dying... I am going back
home."

At the beginning of January 1998, Ormando feels he has come to the
last step of his painful via crucis.

On that cold 13 January 1998, Ormando has just become 39 years old.

His mother had talked to him the previous night. Alfredo had called
her to inform her that he would have to go to Rome for his studies.
Gaetano Mangano, his landlord in Palermo, had seen him two days
before, and Alfredo had borrowed from him a hundred thousand lira.

A woman who is cleaning the toilets in Saint Peter's Square sees
Ormando pouring fuel on his clothes and running ablaze to the centre
of the square.

The police immediately try to help him; and a policeman tries to
extinguish the flames, using his jacket. Before fainting Alfredo
mumbles: "I haven't even been able to die."

He is brought to St. Eugenio Hospital, where he died after ten days
of atrocious death throes.

The letters he had on himself are not published, and the Vatican's
press office gives out a press release in which it is declared that
Alfredo Ormando committed suicide, not because of his homosexuality
or of his protest against the Catholic Church, but because he has
serious family problems.

But, immediately after his death, the ANSA press agency received his
letters and published part of them.


==========

http://www.january13.org/index.asp?id=42 [Italian version]

http://www.january13.org/indexeng.asp?id=42 [English vesion]

January13.org
[sponsored by Arcigay, Italy's largest glbti organization]

"Giornata Mondiale per il Dialogo tra Religioni e Omosessualità"
DIECI ANNI DOPO: 13 gennaio 1998 - 13 gennaio 2008

"World Day for the Dialogue between Religions and Homosexuality"
TEN YEARS LATER: 13 January 1998 - 13 January 2008

-----

Il 13 gennaio 1998 Alfredo Ormando, intellettuale e poeta siciliano,
si tolse la vita dandosi fuoco in piazza San Pietro, in segno di
protesta contro l'omofobia delle gerarchie vaticane.

[On 13 January 1998 Alfredo Ormando, Sicilian intellectual and poet,
took his life by putting himself on fire in St. Peter's Square, as a
sign of protest against the homophobia of the Vatican hierarchy.]

Da allora, ogni anno Arcigay organizza a Roma una commemorazione del
sacrificio di Ormando e quest'anno se ne celebra il decimo
anniversario.

[Since then, every year Arcigay has organized at Rome a commemoration
of the sacrifice by Ormando, and this year its tenth anniversary is
celebrated.]

A dieci anni esatti di distanza, il bisogno di riflettere sul
rapporto che le fedi religiose e i loro rappresentanti hanno con le
persone lesbiche, gay e trans è ancora attuale come allora. Alcune
confessioni hanno manifestato segnali di grande e significativa
apertura, ma le grandi religioni monoteiste hanno continuato
l'atteggiamento di condanna verso le persone omosessuali.

[At exactly ten years' distance, the need to reflect on the relation
that the religious faiths and their representatives have with
lesbian, gay and trans persons is actually still as previously. Some
confessions (denominations) have manifested signs of great and
significant openness, but the grand monotheistic religions have
continued the attitude of condemnation against homosexual persons.]

Specialmente il Vaticano esprime delle posizioni che sempre più
graffiano la coscienza e la sensibilità di molti fedeli cattolici,
chiudendo le porte al dialogo, che invece viene alimentato, spesso
faticosamente ma con grande passione e convinzione, da molte comunità
religiose di base.

[Particularly the Vatican expresses its positions that are always
lashing out more at the conscience and sensibility of many faithful
Catholics, closing the doors to the dialogue, which instead of
becoming nourishing, though often exhaustive of great passion and
conviction, from many religiously based communities.]

Anche quest'anno Alfredo Ormando verrà ricordato con il tradizionale
Sit-In in piazza Pio XII (la piazza antistante a Piazza San Pietro) e
con un Convegno, il cui tema sarà: "Liberaci dal Male: quis custodiet
custodes?".

[Also this year, Alfredo Ormando shall be remembered by the
traditional Sit-In at Pius XII plaza [the plaza in front of St.
Peter's Square] and by a Convention, whose theme shall be: "Deliver
us from Evil: who is watching the custodians?".]

Segreteria [Secretary]
06 64501102

Ufficio Stampa [Press Office]
347 9578585

13gennaio@arcigay.it

==========

http://newscontrol.repubblica.it/item/404937/omofobia-sit-in-arcigay-
a-s-pietro

Repubblica.it [a major Italian online newspaper]

"Omofobia: Sit-In Arcigay a S. Pietro"
[Homophobia: Arcigay Sit-In at St. Peter's"

13 gennaio 2008 alle 12:48 — Fonte: repubblica.it
[13 January 2008 at 12:48 - Source: Repubblica.it]

-----

Alle 14 di oggi a Roma l'Arcigay ha organizzato un sit-in in piazza
Pio XII, accanto al Vaticano, in memoria di Alfredo Ormando,
l'intellettuale siciliano che il 13 gennnaio del 1998 si tolse la
vita dandosi fuoco in piazza San Pietro per protestare "contro
l'omofobia delle gerarchie vaticane e la loro ingerenza nella vita
politica del nostro paese".

[At 2:00 pm today at Rome, Arcigay has organized a sit-in at Pope
Pius XII plaza, in front of the Vatican, in memory of Alfredo
Ormando, the Sicilian intellectual that on 13 January 1998 took his
life by putting himself on fire in St. Peter's Square to
protest "against the homophobia of the Vatican hierarchy and its
interference in the political life of our nation".]

A dieci anni di distanza l'Arcigay ha voluto organizzare anche un
convegno che si svolgerà presso la Fondazione Olivetti alle ore
16.00.

[At ten years' distance, Arcigay has wanted to organize also a
convention that is being held at the Olivetti Foundation at 4:00 pm
today.]

"Il sit-in in piazza Pio XII sarà un momento per tutto il popolo lgbt
(lesbiche, gay, bisessuali, transgender) da dedicare alla memoria di
Alfredo Ormando ma anche la prima di una lunga serie di
manifestazioni che Arcigay ha deciso di indire nel 2008 per aprire
una nuova fase politica in relazione con tutta la società civile
italiana" ha dichiarato Aurelio Mancuso, presidente nazionale
Arcigay.

["The sit-in at the Pius XII plaza will be a moment for all lgbt
(lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgerder) people for dedicating the
memory of Alfredo Ormando but also the first of a long series of
demonstrations that Arcigay has decided to proclaim in 2008 to open a
new political phase in relation to all civil Italian society" has
declared Aurelio Mancuso, Arcigay national president.]

"Il 13 gennaio è importante occasione di dialogo con tutte le
confessioni religiose — ha affermato Carlo Guarino, responsabile
nazionale per Arcigay della giornata per il dialogo per religione e
omosessualità — è nostra intenzione confrontarci con chi vuole
combattere la discriminazione e il pregiudizio. La religione infatti
è componente fondamentale della vita di molte persone lgbt che può
contribuire a migliorare la qualità della vita stessa quando riferita
alla sfera privata".

["January 13 is an important occasion for dialogue with all religious
confessions (denominations)" - has affirmed Carlo Guarino, Arcigay
national representative for the Day of Dialogue for Religions and
Homosexuality - "it is our intention to involve ourselves with
whoever wants to combat discrimination and prejudice. Religion in
fact is the fundamental component of life for many lgbt persons that
can contribute to making better the quality of life itself when
relegated to the private sphere".]


==========

Other web-sites, featuring tributes to Alfredo Ormando:

Soulforce: Action Alert about Ormando Day:
http://www.soulforce.org/article/340

Open Eye Pictures: the movie Alfredo's Fire:
http://www.openeyepictures.com/alfredosfire/af_proposal.html

Wikipedia: Article about Alfredo Ormando [English]:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfredo_Ormando

Wikipedia: Article about Alfredo Ormando [Italian]:
http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfredo_Ormando

Short Biography of Alfredo Ormando:
http://andrejkoymasky.com/liv/fam/bioo1/orma1.html

Longer Biography of Alfredo Ormando, with Links:
http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/allen/foa/foav4n01.html

==========
Salvuccio da USA