“Italy’s tourism minister has demanded that Apple remove the ‘offensive’ What Country app from its online store after the travel guide described the Italy as the home of ‘pizza, the Mafia and scooters,'” Nick Squires reports for The Telegraph.
“The application, which can be downloaded to iPhones, iPads and iPods, characterises each nation with words and images; Italy is summed up with a road sign which reads ‘Mafia parking only,'” Squires reports. “Britain is characterised by ‘tea, weird sense of humour, football hooligans and rain,’ while Germany is summed up with ‘beer, discipline and autobahns.’ China is reduced to ‘overpopulation, kung fu, Great Wall, Tibet and tea ceremony,’ while the most defining characteristics of the US are ‘melting pot, hamburger and the American dream.'”
“The tourism minister, Michela Vittoria Brambilla, condemned the app as an affront to Italians’ dignity, describing it as ‘offensive and unacceptable,'” Squires reports. “She instructed government lawyers to take legal action against Apple and demanded that the application be removed from its iTunes online store. ‘Italy is a beacon in the world for its history, culture and style. I cannot allow our country to be discredited by having it represented by a criminal organisation,’ the minister said.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Makes us long for the days when people could laugh at themselves and government servants worried more about doing meaningful things than exploiting cheap political angles.
• When you’re writing these things, you’re in a room making each other laugh, you really have very little sense of political correctness or incorrectness. This is a question that Europe tends to ask and America doesn’t. – Mike Myers
• The notion of political correctness declares certain topics, certain expressions, even certain gestures, off-limits. What began as a crusade for civility has soured into a cause of conflict and even censorship. – George H. W. Bush
• Political Correctness doesn’t change us, it shuts us up. – Glenn Beck
• I believe that political correctness can be a form of linguistic fascism, and it sends shivers down the spine of my generation who went to war against fascism. – P. D. James
• That’s not to say that I don’t find anything offensive. – Sarah Silverman
Disclaimer: One or more of the quotes above is intended to produce ironic reader feedback in light of the subject matter at hand.
Progress…not…
Progress…not…
Since when is Italy the home of pizza and scooters,,,.
Since when is Italy the home of pizza and scooters,,,.
The app creator should simply change ‘mafia’ to ‘easily offended’ or ‘pompous’ and see how they like that instead.
The app creator should simply change ‘mafia’ to ‘easily offended’ or ‘pompous’ and see how they like that instead.
I hate tea and football
I hate tea and football
So are they trying to distance themselves from pizza, the mafia, or scooters? All three? Lol.
So are they trying to distance themselves from pizza, the mafia, or scooters? All three? Lol.
Italy should demand correction from the app maker and ASK Apple to also ask for the change to the app.
Italy should demand correction from the app maker and ASK Apple to also ask for the change to the app.
Well, spaghetti benders, where exactly is the home of the mafia?
Well, spaghetti benders, where exactly is the home of the mafia?
Don’t deny it Italy, you have an awful lot of scooters. And the best pizza I ever ate was in Venice. So what, about that Mafia thing.
Open a bottle of Sangiovese and lighten up, man.
Don’t deny it Italy, you have an awful lot of scooters. And the best pizza I ever ate was in Venice. So what, about that Mafia thing.
Open a bottle of Sangiovese and lighten up, man.
I would have added:
His Excellency Benito Mussolini, Head of Government, Duce of Fascism, and Founder of the Empire
I’ll say that’s offensive, pizza (real pizza) was invented in the United States!
While I’m at it, hamburger for the US? Everyone knows it’s the hot dog. No wait, that could be offensive too.
I would have added:
His Excellency Benito Mussolini, Head of Government, Duce of Fascism, and Founder of the Empire
I’ll say that’s offensive, pizza (real pizza) was invented in the United States!
While I’m at it, hamburger for the US? Everyone knows it’s the hot dog. No wait, that could be offensive too.
So where is the home of pizza and scooters, Taiwan?
So where is the home of pizza and scooters, Taiwan?
“affront to Italians’ dignity…”
When did Italy get some dignity?
“affront to Italians’ dignity…”
When did Italy get some dignity?
“Italy is a beacon in the world for its history, culture and style”
History? Do you really want to get into WWII?
Italy history – When the world needed us most, we let you down.