2024-09-25 11:03:00
The wounds of the West, the hot fronts of the world. Forgotten lives at the roots of hatred, unresolved stories whose shadow weighs on the present: the journalist tells them in «Spectres» (Longanesi)
Ghosts don’t exist. Except when we find them in front of us. And then they stop being cumbersome shadows that are soon dissolved. We have even forgotten the names of some “ghosts”. We find traces of others in the dark rooms of our consciences. Or in the removed pages of newspapers or in TV documentaries broadcast at the time the bouncers leave the nightclubs. But even when the “ghosts” fade into oblivion, they still remain the bad teachers who punish us for sins we didn’t even think we had committed.. It takes the tenacity and patience of good reporters to remind us that ghosts exist. And they still talk to us. Monica Maggioni has met some of them. He looked them in the eyes, reconnected the memories. Without being subjugated by fear or anger. Feelings that always surface when you meet those who have inflicted wounds on humanity. But Ghostspublished by Longanesi, it is much more than an amarcord in terror. It’s putting the West with its back to the wall. Remind him, remind us, that ghosts are a constant reminder of our mistakes. They are not a nightmare that lasts one night but real presences even when they vanish far from the everyday news.
The journey begins with Ahmed Yassin, the founder of Hamas. Starting from him is almost an omen. For what would happen next. On October 7th one year ago, a watershed that separated the boundaries between two worlds. Yassin’s distant words resonate disturbingly like prophecies that take away your sleep. A fragile little man who seems to break in front of a light breeze. Sounds that crackle inside a microphone that floods the mosques of Gaza with hatred. An unshakable faith in a design that gives you chills. The sheik who feels untouchable, with a past shrouded in the mists of mystery. He scrutinizes the journalist in front of him and doesn’t avoid uncomfortable questions. He gets predictions right, like the one about Bin Laden, which turn out to be prophetic. The death of Yassin which seems to shatter certainties acquired in the world of Islamic extremism. A leader who after him only the flood. But for his. We should have realized, known that ghosts leave seeds of hatred before they vanish. They are like seven-headed hydras.
Monica Maggioni describes that theater of incurable hatreds, of issues never resolved with the detachment of the reporter, but also the passion, the love for a land that cannot leave you indifferent. He knows the political nooks and crannies and the human tangles. Every return is a brick to add to the house of knowledge. Without ever being dazzled by those who would like to pull you to their side, perhaps even with profound and understandable reasons.
And the journey continues to Jenin. They call it “the city of suicide bombers”. Lives thrown away or sacrificed. It depends on who observes them. For some you are a terrorist, for others a martyr. For both of them a new ghost. A specter to be removed or remembered. They come from normal yet already marked existences. Incapable of inventing ways or ways out. Mahmoud Tawalbe and his brother Murad. Destinies decided at the table. Which an unexpected event puts on a collision course with choices with epilogues already written. The belt full of explosives that don’t go off. The arrest. The Israeli prison. Then the Palestinian one. And a new path to find. In a land where the right path is not found on any map.
There are also ghosts that shake our certainties. And even now we think of them as anomalies. Something that shouldn’t have happened and won’t happen again. The United States, Europe have antibodies that protect them from everything. This is how we pay for our arrogance, our blindness to look at those who walk next to us. August Kreis appears to us like a disorientated image rained down from clips of failed American films. The ones where bullies with long, dirty hair ride motorbikes with exaggerated displacements and decals and no Easy Rider to redeem them. “Men” who vegetate in wooden houses far from even the darkest province of the States. Good maybe for some villain-style parody of the Blues Brothers. Blonde beards streaked with grey, sleeveless leather vests, skull tattoos carved into his biceps. They babble about the Aryan race and Judeo-Masonic conspiracies. When they invite them on talk shows, the share goes up along with the ridicule. Even contempt seems too much. It’s not so much the fear but the annoyance of having them next to us. Like a crazy relative that you can’t wait to get out of your way. But those like August Kreis are not isolated monads in a near-perfect world. They are our bad conscience that resurfaces.
Like Anders Breivik, son of that Norway that the only evil it can produce is boredom. Where even the crime news ends up in a short paragraph placed just to fill a page. The neo-Nazi terrorist who one day committed a massacre on the island of Utøya. And we still look at him as someone foreign to us. An alien who reappears every now and then. Without realizing that some of his ideas are taking root. Slowly like little seeds. And they quickly become forests of hate.
Stories like those of the Italian girl who leaves everything to follow her man to the ISIS enclave in Raqqa. Or Morteza Talaei, Pasdaran officer and creator of the Moral Police of Tehran. Who presents himself as a harmless gentleman who is not yet very old. A crazy cell camouflaged in Pacific Canada. O Mawlawi Nabi Omari to remind us that the terror of the Taliban cannot be locked up in Guantanamo, in a prison from which not even the Count of Monte Cristo could escape.
All these knots had become twisted before our eyes. We thought it would be easy to untie them. It just took patience. It’s not like that.
The appointment
Monica Maggioni will present her book on Thursday 26 September at 6pm Ghosts at Maxxi, in the Carlo Scarpa room, in Rome. The new Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli, Marco Damilano, Walter Veltroni and Massimo Gramellini will be present at the presentation.
September 25, 2024 (changed September 25, 2024 | 1:02 pm)
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Time.news Interview: Unveiling the Spectres of Our Past
Time.news Editor (T.N.): Good morning, and welcome to this edition of our Insightful Interviews. Today, we have the honor of speaking with Monica Maggioni, an acclaimed journalist and author of the thought-provoking book Ghosts (Longanesi), which delves into the painful, often forgotten stories behind lingering global conflicts. Thank you for joining us, Monica.
Monica Maggioni (M.M.): Thank you for having me. It’s a pleasure to be here.
T.N.: Your book Ghosts touches on some heavy topics—unresolved conflicts and historical traumas that shape our present. What inspired you to explore these ‘ghosts’ of the past?
M.M.: For me, it started with a realization that many of our societal issues are rooted in unaddressed grievances. These ‘ghosts’ are not just relics of history; they are real, living echoes that influence contemporary perspectives. As a journalist, I’ve witnessed how easily we overlook these narratives, allowing the past to mold our future without ever confronting it.
T.N.: You begin your journey in the book with Ahmed Yassin, the founder of Hamas. What significance does he hold in understanding the current geopolitical landscape?
M.M.: Yassin is a compelling figure because he represents the intertwined nature of ideology and violence. His words resonate almost like prophecies regarding the evolution of extremism. By dissecting his ideology and its impact on future leaders, we grasp why such hatred takes root and perpetuates cycles of violence, particularly evident after the traumatic events of October 7th, which shifted global narratives entirely.
T.N.: Throughout your book, you describe places like Jenin, often referred to as ”the city of suicide bombers.” How do you navigate the complexities of viewing individuals in this context—either as terrorists or martyrs?
M.M.: The duality of these labels stems from perspective. To some, these individuals are seen as heroic figures fighting against oppression; to others, they’re labeled as terrorists. It’s crucial to approach these stories with empathy, exploring the human dimension of each life. Lives that are “thrown away” or “sacrificed” often stem from socio-economic despair and a lack of viable alternatives. My role as a journalist is to rehumanize these stories, presenting the struggles behind the headlines.
T.N.: In your exploration, you touch on figures like August Kreis and the growing ideologies of hate present in the U.S. and Europe. What do you believe drives the resurgence of such groups?
M.M.: Fear and disconnection are key factors. In an age marked by rapid change, whether it’s technological or cultural, groups like these latch onto a sense of superiority and victimhood. They embody our collective anxieties about losing ‘traditional values’ and respond with hostility towards those they view as ‘other.’ In writing about them, we must confront our own discomfort and insecurities that allow such ideologies to flourish.
T.N.: You refer to the ”bad conscience” that figures like Kreise symbolize. How can we begin addressing this discomfort within our societies?
M.M.: Acknowledgment is the first step. We need to confront uncomfortable truths about our own histories. This includes examining the narratives we promote and the complicity we may have in perpetuating inequalities. Education plays a crucial role in fostering understanding, dialogue, and ultimately, healing divisions.
T.N.: As we navigate these complex issues, what message do you hope readers take away from Ghosts?
M.M.: I hope they recognize that while history can be painful, it’s imperative to confront those shadows instead of allowing them to dictate our futures. Understanding our past is essential in breaking cycles of hatred and violence. Only through this acknowledgment can we begin to forge a path towards reconciliation and peace.
T.N.: Thank you, Monica. Your insights shed light on some deeply impactful issues we face today. Your work reminds us that confronting our ghosts is essential for our collective future.
M.M.: Thank you for the opportunity to share these stories. They matter now more than ever.
T.N.: That wraps up today’s interview. We encourage our readers to dive into Ghosts and explore the complexities of human experience through Monica Maggioni’s lens. Until next time, stay curious and reflective.