Open Letter to Roberto Saviano

Dear Saviano, I introduce myself.

I am a lucky flea compared to your media power, I am lucky because I had the opportunity to let people hear my voice, with a press release, to reply to what you have said about waste in television, on a national network, without contradictors, during a programme seen by millions of people, giving an share of responsibility in Naples’s events to the citizens of Varese Province. Following with the presentation, I immediately tell you, and with this I warn you, that I associate the term “hero” to people who you surely appreciate too, for example the deputy brigadier of the Carabineers Salvo d’Acquisto and the lawyer Giorgio Ambrosoli; I don’t live on politics even if for almost 15 years I am actively engaged, I have no preconceived ideas about the South of Italy; I believe that the safeguard of the person and the respect of legality must be inviolable in the heart of every election programme. As it was said, Saviano, do you want to help me to find an answer to some questions? Why did you want to point your finger to, which on media terms has the same power as a deadly laser, towards a land where I live, in order to mortify the citizens who have learnt, during the years, to differentiate their own waste until they achieved excellent results, even superior to the Lombard average? Don’ t you want to speak about correct planning by in-charge organisations? Don’t  you want to recognise that the planning was made here and not elsewhere? You are free to have your own opinion, of course, but I believe that in front of people that have the week regularly marked by the type of waste that they have to put out of their front door for the collecting of the day after, one should have a more careful behaviour. Do you know what the risk is? That citizens think that their actions and their effort was useless, that the “politicians” are only interested in their stomach and so it was right sending to hell both the waste collection and politicians!

Why don’t you understand that this aspect of your arguing which is very positive, finishes with creating much more the mistrust that is always more widespread towards those who work honestly in the public administration too and more in general, toward the State and its representatives? Free information is welcomed, we should insist with the journalistic inquiries, we should write as long as possible about the phenomena of immoral behaviour, with which the newspapers have taught us to live together with, but I am waiting from you to also say that, beyond the corruption, beyond the mean things, there is still those who daily do their duty of good citizen and good public administrator. You see, Saviano, it can be that I am neither of these two positive figures, but I strongly claim the right of asserting their existence. Come to meet our mayors, come to examine their passion and their enthusiasm; came to meet our citizens you will see how many pleasurable surprises you will have. Do not misunderstand me, I do not want to give you the representation of our society as the onewhich concretises the Marx’s utopia and so perfect, projected in a undefined space and time dimension, where men should be able to create an happy coexistence. Also here we have our contradictions, our problems, unsolved matters that, to cut things short, that might never be resolved, but at least we live in a place where planning is a serious thing and collaboration with citizens, above all in some sectors has given remarkable results. So, help us with your media power to enhance what we have done and give us an helping hand for what we have yet to do. Saviano I am waiting for you, come to have a coffee with us and maybe during the trip read a nice book of Piero Chiara.

Yours sincerely,

Luca Marsico