MAY 1 CONCERT: OSSERVATORE COMPLAINS ABOUT ATTACKS ON CHURCH http://www.agi.it/italy/news/200705021738-cro-ren0069-art.html (AGI) - Vatican City, May 2 - "This is terrorism, too". With these words, newspaper 'Osservatore Romano' referred to the "inane rally during the May 1 concert" which will be remembered for "the infamous attacks on the Pope". "Launching attacks against the Church is a form of terrorism" the newspaper wrote. "Fuelling irrational and violent rage against those people who always speak up for love, love for life and for mankind is a form of terrorism. Throwing stones at the Pope surrounded by shouts of approval of an easily excitable crowd is a form of terrorism". The Osservatore complains that "a small rally" was held during yesterday's traditional union celebrations "in which different things and verbal attacks were mixed in what turned out to be an confusing and inaccurate speech on evolutionism and the issues of life and death. All that happened before 400,000 people and an even larger TV audience". Although "the unions and other attendants distanced themselves from the statements made by the host, it is a fact that someone must have chosen this host, and whoever chose him did not take into proper account the present situation" the daily continued. The Osservatore was not shocked by the "shocking superficiality" of the speech and the "ludicrous issues" tackled but the "dangerousness" of the attacks launched during such a popular event. "The President of the Italian Episcopal Conference has recently been the targets of attacks and threats, while slogans are often being heard during demonstrations in favour of terrorism and messages constantly appear on the Internet written by members of the Red Brigades currently in jail: this offensive is trying to exploit the present wave of anti-religious feelings shrewdly fuelled by those people who make of secularity their only goal in life for political convenience". [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
