The Bishop addresses the new administration: THE CITY NOW After the tumultuous days of the electoral campaign, silence has fallen. Even today I ask myself, despite the legitimate political confrontation: don’t truth and good make their own way? Two images seem to me to go down in the history of this last month: the handshake of Gengaro who, as a knight, went to compliment his opponent by offering her compliments, on his “Black Monday”, and a dance that Nargi and Gengaro had done so, invited to the party of a mutual friend, after the latest heated rallies. That dance reminded me of the “waltz turns” that Francesco Giolitti, in epic eras of our Italy’s history, invented to identify and justify the secret contacts he had with representatives of officially adversary nations. After him, in the continuation of the twentieth century and these first decades of the new Millennium, we have seen many other transformations which, in comparison with Giolittian’s attempts, make the latter appear like fairy tales for children. But let’s go back to the waltz between Laura and Antonio which could be anything other than a coincidence or a final idea of a subtle subliminal message when the imperative of great silence was in force. I would start from that gesture, from that improvised and innocent waltz, to design the new government of the city. Dearest Laura, first of all best wishes and congratulations on the result obtained by you and your team. I’ll tell you right away that I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes in these days when you choose the team that will govern the city of Avellino. So far the electoral strategies have prevailed, the fictitious “centre-peripheries” opposition, the waving of flags, the promises of both candidates, the fireworks as if for winning the scudetto (we are a stadium people!) , but now the common good must prevail and not the empire of one party. When you take the oath as the first citizen of Avellino you will not do so as Mayor of a party, but as director and guardian of an asset that concerns everyone, winners and losers. Now is the time of the city, of its truest and most forgotten needs, first of all of the people, all of them, without any kind of exclusion and, if there is to be a predilection it will have to be directed towards the pockets of poverty of Quattrograne, of Valle, of the Rione-Ferrovia . I am not writing to you as a Bishop, but as a citizen who fears that “Equal parts cannot be made between unequals” as Don Lorenzo Milani wrote. To choose the city and give it a stable government, your team must be as inclusive as possible, skipping the winners-losers divide, and choosing competent collaborators even from lists that have not reached the victory podium. I do not intend to cancel the task of the opposition which must be intelligent and, when necessary, collaborative, but, in playing roles, to think beyond the fences and the ancient and corroded party logic. The city needs stability and long-term projects which can only be achieved by a team that keeps the different souls united. I know it is difficult, but it is the high task to which you are called, in this solemn moment, to avoid uncertain balances and short-term interventions that justify the historical adage that the last victory is the basis for future war. Your Bishop, who does not want to confuse skills that are and remain different, accompanies you in these decisive days for the future of our city, prays for you and blesses you. Laura, it’s city time now. Who knows, maybe that impromptu waltz at a party is the key to our future.
