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Italians admit to being idiots
Sunday Times (South Africa) ^ | Monday April 10, 2006 07:35 - (SA)

Posted on 04/10/2006 8:27:06 AM PDT by dead

ROME - It may be vulgar, it may be rude, but a word deriving from the slang for testicles has taken on a life of its own in Italy's rough-and-tumble election campaign.

What began as a slur by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi against supporters of his rival Romano Prodi, the word now figures on opposition posters, T-shirts, and even the lips of straight-laced senior citizens.

Ever since Berlusconi branded anyone who would support the opposition as coglione - translated variously in English as "bloody idiot," "dickhead" or "moron" - they have sassed back, with the slogan "I'm a coglione" sprouting up everywhere.

"Berlusconi's the coglione," said 71-year-old Mara Ferri at the start of Prodi's final election rally in Rome's Piazza del Popolo.

"He thinks he can stay on as the boss of Italy, but we won't be part of his business. We want a clean and honest Italy. I'm prepared to pay higher taxes to see the back of him."

Railway worker Luigi Cifa agreed: "If being a coglione means wanting to pay higher taxes and respecting the law, then I'm a coglione."

His wife Tiziana, a postal employee, chimed in: "Today it's a point of pride to be a coglione."

Posters could be seen in the square with the rhyming slogan "Better to be a coglione than to vote for Berlusconi".

Sapa-AFP


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: berlusconi; italy; prodi
If you intend to vote for a politician in the hope that he will raise your taxes, you are a coglione.

For the record, we have a very large Italian-American community here in New Jersey.

1 posted on 04/10/2006 8:27:07 AM PDT by dead
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To: dead

Dead, you took the words right out of my mouth. He is a coglione.

This is straight out of the DNC playbook. "Vote for me, and I'll raise your taxes."


2 posted on 04/10/2006 8:31:15 AM PDT by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: dead
Sounds like a variation of Jeff Foxworthy's "You might be a redneck" shtick.

"If you'd rather drive out for a beer with Ted Kennedy than go huntin' with Dick Cheney, you might be a coglione."

3 posted on 04/10/2006 8:42:32 AM PDT by Jonah Hex ("How'd you get that scar, mister?" "Nicked myself shaving.")
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To: dead

"Italians admit to being idiots"

That would make Italians smarter than Democrats. At least they recognize they have a problem!


4 posted on 04/10/2006 9:03:39 AM PDT by ConservativeBamaFan (Ted Kennedy's car has killed more people than Dick Cheney's quail gun.)
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To: dead
There's an Italian castrato in Voltaire's Candide (ch. 11 & 12) whose comment after rescuing a pretty woman is O che sciagura d'essere senza coglioni!
5 posted on 04/10/2006 9:27:04 AM PDT by Verginius Rufus
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To: dead
Coglione

Soon to be added to the FReeper lexicon right before DUmmie and Moonbat.

6 posted on 04/10/2006 9:53:26 AM PDT by manwiththehands (I will remember in November.)
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To: dead

"....But I thought that, that when it was your time, that you would be the one to hold the string. Senator Coglione; Governor Coglione."

7 posted on 04/10/2006 9:56:33 AM PDT by dfwgator (Florida Gators - 2006 NCAA Men's Basketball Champions)
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To: dead

"wanting to pay higher taxes and respecting the law"


Wanting to pay taxes? Wow, at least this dude admits it! What a privilege, uh?

Never mind the sure sign of sheeple - "respecting" the law - no matter how mindless or tyrannical it is. I thought commies loved opposing the law? Naaaahhhhh


8 posted on 04/10/2006 9:58:50 AM PDT by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue.)
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To: dead
Che cazzo stai dicendo, Wilis???

(Whatchutalkinbout, Wilis?) :-)

9 posted on 04/10/2006 10:01:42 AM PDT by JoeSixPack1
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To: Verginius Rufus
I heard a live recording of the last castrato, Alessandro Moreschi, recorded in 1902. I found his voice to be EXCEEDINGLY unpleasant.

Listen for yourself.

10 posted on 04/10/2006 10:29:06 AM PDT by my_pointy_head_is_sharp (Soon Israel will be just a memory.)
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To: dead

Wow. I will have to remember this one the next time someone says that politics in America is just mud-slinging. Our politicians got nothin' on the Italians.


11 posted on 04/10/2006 10:36:32 AM PDT by Rocky (Air America: Robbing the poor to feed the Left)
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To: JoeSixPack1

According to the Oxford World's Classics translation, it means, "O what a misfortune to be without balls!"


12 posted on 04/10/2006 12:28:41 PM PDT by Verginius Rufus
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To: Verginius Rufus

ROFL... Oy Vey...

i coglioni, le palle = ... .....


13 posted on 04/10/2006 12:45:31 PM PDT by JoeSixPack1
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