Italians throw a wrench into 'democratic' american empire

News from Vicenza, Italy is of an overwhelming vote in favor of not allowing the US to construct a new military base - Dal Molina - in their environs. The local referendum took the high road, instead of being a mere "NO BASE" measure against the empire's encroachment. According to this report:

The referendum asked local residents if they agreed with the City of Vicenza taking up measures to purchase the Dal Molin area, the site of the proposed base, in order to designate its use in the public interest and to protect the environmental integrity of the site. With a resounding no to the new base, 23,050 voters, or 95.66%, voted in favor of the referendum.

Equally or perhaps more important, was the fact that although Burlesquecroni's regional lackey managed to get the referendum suspended through court action, on the day of the vote over 24,000 miscreants nevertheless went to the polls.

It was an extraordinary example of citizens taking democracy into their own hands, a victory over apathy. And it wasn´t the first time it had happened in Vicenza, where for over two years the people have not only succeeded in blocking construction of a base they don´t want, but also in creating a community which takes an active role in the politics that affect their lives and the lives of others around the globe.

One wonders if the Bush administration is going to approach Italian democracy the same way it has Palestinian: if you don't like the results, just ignore them and do whatever you can to discredit the electorate. With the right friends in power, anything's possible, no? Yet in a country where people are willing to burn thousands of Roma out of their homes and battle the police over garbage dumps, it seems Washington will not have an easy time trying to force its military agenda on the majority. Here's a nice clip from last year, offering some background as to why the resistance to the US base is so widespread.