As everyone knows the mafia is an ugly beast, but what is it based on? How does the mafia operate? Mafia is a “Criminal Organization divided into several associations (gangs or families) governed by the law of silence and secrecy which exercise control over illegal economic activities and sub-government, originally spread in Sicily”.
Today we want to tell you the story of some heroes whose life was devoted to legality and justice against any form of mafia.
Carlo Alberto Dalla Chiesa was a general of the carabineers who fought the red brigades and above all against the mafia. He enlisted in the carabineers during the second world war and he fought the Red Brigade, a terrorist organization establishing the special anti-terrorism unit. In 1982 Carlo Alberto was appointed prefect of Palermo with the aim of fighting Cosa Nostra; but a few months after he had taken up his service he was assassinated with his wife and his escort agent.
Another generous man who fought the mafia was Don Pino Puglisi. Don Puglisi was a priest who tried to keep away from that criminal organization the kids who lived in a poor area of the town by welcoming them to the parish church where they could play safely. He was able to make children understand that it was not necessary to be criminals to be respected but simply through their own honest behaviour and ideas. He often addressed the mafia explicitly during his homilies, sometimes even in the churchyard. Don Puglisi removed boys and children from the street who, without his help, would have been involved in mafia and used for small robberies and drug dealing. What he was doing was the main cause of the bosses’ hostility. So they decided to kill him, after a long series of death threats. He was killed on September 15, 1993 on his birthday.
These stories must encourage us to fight the mafia and we must not be afraid of them because otherwise we will only play their game. Practising lawful citizenship with honest and lawful actions everyday is the first thing to do so as not to make all the deaths of those who fought them before us in vain and above all to make the world a better place.
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading...
