This article has been published online by the Magyar Nemzet on February 11, 2021.
Italy is no exception to today’s pervasive and unstoppable materialist, relativist worldviews. Same-sex marriage has been legalized, mothers and fathers are labelled parent 1 and 2, and gender ideology has seeped into school curriculums. Massimo Gandolfini – neuroscientist from Brescia, chairman of the Family and Life Inter-parliamentary Party, and Head of the Protect Our Children family organization – is fighting to stop this process.
– You’ve been a key figure in the Italian fight against the so-called dictatorship of opinion. When did you start you start your social movement and what values did you base it on?
– It all started in 2015 when the government at that time proposed legalizing same-sex marriage. The political initiative was planned back in 2007 already, but it was met with such intense opposition from the people that it was withdrawn. Eight years later they gave it another shot, to recognize homosexuals as legitimate families under the law. This is difficult in several respects, especially because in Article 29 of the Italian Constitution, a family is based on a natural martial bond, ie. between a man and woman. A natural family is needed for procreation, maintaining our species, and ensuring the proliferation of our nations. Any other emotionally-based bonds that are inherently unsuitable for procreation are far from comparable to the traditional family model. These were the founding principles of our movement that has formed into a true community over the years. Not only have families and NGOs joined, but also powerful members of the church
and many political groups. In 2015 we held a “Family Day” demonstration in St. John’s Square in Lateran and another in 2016 at Circus Maximus where one and a half million people were in attendance. The purpose of the mass demonstration is to express our resistance to the ideological demagoguery as it does not reflect Italian tradition and our widespread values and emotions.
– What kind of results have you achieved with these demonstrations?
– We could not stop the materialist, relativist worldview pressures that the left continuously wave. Unfortunately, we were not able to prevent the legalization of same-sex marriage, but a strong civil resistance movement has emerged; we are prepared and act purposefully, opposed to cultural and political ideological attacks. The Family Day association, dedicated to defending families, has become a momentous and unavoidable political debate partner– especially when ideological demagoguery appears. The fight is very hard, the materialistic ideology of the opposition has extraordinary power. However, we feel it is our duty and vocation to protect traditional
values.
– You are the chair of the Family and Life inter-parliamentary group. How does the group work and who are the members?
– One of the most valued fruits of the Family Day initiative is the creation of this inter-parliamentary group which both senators and parliamentary representatives can freely join. The statute I created was signed by 110 politicians. Three founding principles are enshrined in the memorandum of the association. The protection of life from the moment of conception until the onset of natural death; the family as the natural bond between man and woman; and the primary right and duty of parents to the upbringing of their children. The Northern League, the Brothers of Italy, Forward Italy, smaller right-wing parties, and some members of the Five Star Movement have joined. The group’s aim is to prevent any legislation that builds nihilism or a culture of death to the detriment of family and life. It is also important to mention that the recent left-wing government of Italy does not reflect the political views and values of the country’s majority. Italy is under pressure from the European Commission which, even during a pandemic, is trying to force Member States to legalize same-sex marriage, teach gender ideology in schools, and authorize surrogacy. It’s a pretty thankless job, but our conscience demands that we must fight this battle of our time.
– Family Day has been fighting for years against gender ideology in schools.
– Our lives are under a “dictatorship of relativism” as Pope Benedict Emeritus XVI said after being elected to the chair of St. Peter. Gender ideology is the most absurd form of relativism– questioning and eradicating biological gender. We will not allow our children’s innocent consciousness to be infected with false ideologies. The ideological indoctrination of future generations is a dangerous thing, and we must do everything we can to prevent it. We are all aware of the false ideologies of the monarchial systems of the last century which were based on teachings that culminated in disasters.
– Former Interior Minister Matteo Salvini restored the usage of “father” and “mother” in official documentation, while the Head of the current left-wing government, Luciana Lamorgese, replaced the terms with parent 1 and 2.
– We voiced our opposition to this too. Instead of the father and mother, our givers of life, they’ve replaced these with utterly superficial, banal and dumb terms, parents 1 and 2– further devaluating and questioning the importance of gender. We are doing all we can to restore the biological terminology as soon as possible. We’ve called upon families. We’re encouraging civil disobedience. When people encounter this 1 and 2 parent naming, they should feel free to cross it out and write father and mother instead.
– How can other countries support each other?
– The destruction of family and life is happening globally, so nations must ally themselves to save these values. Every time a Member State is put under pressure because of their worldview– like Hungary and Poland recently– and the EU threatens to withdraw funding citing the rule of law. The EU representatives of our Family and Life Parliamentary group strongly support the Hungarians; they emphasize that you cannot force the introduction of rulings that will lead to anthropological abnormalities for any given country, everyone has the right to freely determine their own legal order. In 2019, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was a guest of the Brothers of Italy Party’s Atreju event, and I had the honor of exchanging a few words with him. I asked that he never give up the fight for defending families and lives. It brings me much joy to see that he has heard my request and stands up for this cause with extraordinary consistency, protecting family and life, and setting an example for other Member States.
Dalma Jánosi (Rome)
