Chills and thrills in Carbonia.

I witnessed a well-organized protest today. So happy to have been there. To see it all. Maybe 2,000 protestors ambling, marching, stomping down Via Gramsci, the main street of the city of Carbonia. In Sardinia. In protest of the demise of the middle class. So encouraging.To see Italians protesting the loss of their jobs. Because factories and other businesses are moving away. To find cheaper labor. And to make ungodly profit. And to hell with the common good. To hell with the workers. To hell with the middle class. Well, the folks in Carbonia don't want to take this new form of capitalism any more. They want jobs. They want a decent, living wage. And they've taken to the streets. En masse. Waving flags. Colorful flags of labor unions and of the province of Sardinia. Oh, so beautiful. The demonstration. Loud. Vocal. Sent chills and thrills up and down my back. I'm proud of these people. We need more like 'em. All over the world. In big cities. In small towns. In the countryside. Everywhere. Many workers went on strike today. To join the protest. Most businesses closed. There's a unity in Carbonia. A fervor. The people are pulling together. To set an example for the rest of Italy. And for the world. --Jim Broede