Knickers in a knot

How well I understand Piero Ronci's fear of sport and language being abused in "psychological colonialism".

His own poor country, Italy, has suffered the indignity of having soccer inflicted on it by the British, athletics by the Greeks and more recently Australians have lifted the Italian standard in that other British import, Rugby.

But let us not stop at sport. Pasta came from China, TV from America, fashion and haute cuisine from France and pizza came from The Hut.

Of course Italy has not been blameless in its own "use of sport as a butting ram for penetrating the cultural and economic tissue of countries" or influencing language. For example blood sports like "throwing people to the lions" and of course good old Roman debauchery are still found around the world.

I risk being churlish, but must mention other examples of Italy's "linguistic chauvinism, cultural arrogance and colonial attitude" -- Latin, the Mafia, fat ladies singing, meatballs, my wife's love of expensive Italian shoes, and unparalleled political instability.

Piero, old fruit, let us stop this nonsense. It all smacks of fiddling while Rome burns. Colonialism was/is a fact and in general a blight. The price of liberty remains eternal vigilance. But let us not unnecessarily get our knickers in a knot. (There I go again with colonialist colloquialism, sorry).

GRAEME ST. JOHN

Jakarta