Since posting “War is Un-Italian,” the latest installment of my weekly Italiansrus.com column, on Monday, I’ve received numerous letters from many of you. These messages encouraged me to think more about the subject of Italy and war -- and here's what has been on my mind.

Many of you wrote to say that the Italians have been involved in numerous wars and can be as violent as the next guy. Yes, I realize that the Italian military has participated in numerous wars throughout history – from the Roman Empire to the U.S. intervention in Iraq. I even mentioned this in the column. My point about war being un-Italian wasn’t at all related to Italian politicians or military.

I am talking about the Italian people, the general public, who live and work in the country’s cities and villages. They are teachers, businesspeople, secretaries, janitors, hotel clerks and farmers to name a few. You can look to the past just as easily as the present for examples of their position. Ask any Italian immigrant to the United States if their parents or grandparents wanted Italy to participate in World War II. I guarantee they’ll shout a resounding N-O. Let’s not forget that the Italian people hanged Benito Mussolini in public in the end.

Most of the second wave of Italian immigrants, in fact, would not have come to the United States -- or become American citizens -- if that war hadn’t happened. That’s true for both sides of my family. Perhaps it’s true for yours, too. Even if the United States gave these immigrants plenty to sing about, they will forever be torn between two countries. Leaving home is never simple. I’m sure the Lebanese, Iraqi, Israeli, etc. refugees would agree.

Also, despite former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s fierce alliance with the United States, the Italian people were never in favor of the intervention in Iraq. Ousting Berlusconi was one way they protested. Marching and waving flags in the streets of major Italian cities was another. Then, there were the polls. You can read my previous Paesani columns on the subject to find out more.

The point is that I’m willing to bet that if you stop Italians in Roma today and ask them what they think about George W. Bush’s foreign policy and the continuing tensions in Iraq, the majority will probably tell you that they’re against the U.S. intervention there. They won’t care who is right and who’s wrong in the ongoing Israel-Lebanon conflict, but they will tell you that they want peace as soon as possible. Who doesn’t? Honestly, I never thought writing that the people want peace could be so controversial. It seems obvious enough to me.

One of my readers wrote to say that she thinks the Italian sense of family overrides pride in country and politics and this is why the Italian public so often goes against politicians calling for war. I think she’s absolutely right. Italians, by nature, don’t trust government. In fact, they’re constantly dismantling their government and coming up with a new plan. They are also notorious conspiracy theorists. But they can control their much smaller, more accessible families, and that’s just what they do. I think my reader hit the nail on the head with that argument.

While their families might argue – sometimes even violently – they usually find a way to resolve matters. Either they make peace or they don’t speak for years, until someone dies or gets sick. How many of you had aunts who wouldn’t talk to each other for years only to embrace and cry together at a funeral? I know I’ve had my share. Some Italians argue that modern life is getting in the way of Italy’s traditional family values. But Italian families, from what I can tell, still stick together more than others, especially those in the United States.

I would go so far as to say that the Italian mother’s relationship with her son plays a part in the public’s pacifism as well. These mammas don’t want their sons to be considered weak, but they don’t want them marching off to battle either. If there’s a slight chance someone will harm their babies, they’ll do everything in their power to prevent it. I can’t think of one Italian mamma I know – and I know plenty of ‘em in Italy and the States – who would be okay about her son (or daughter for that matter) heading to the Middle Eastearn war zones right now. I’m not sure she’d ever sleep again. What mother would? I can’t imagine that the Israeli or Lebanese moms out there are resting easy either.

Maybe my headline should have simply read “War Is Inhuman” instead of “War Is Un-Italian.” The more I think about it, the more I realize that drawing blood for oil, religion, political differences, etc. is pointless. Most civilians in any country would probably agree with me. They don’t want to have to flee their homes and fear for their lives. They probably don’t want to have to murder others either.  

That wise reader who made the point about Italian families said that one of her Italian students said killing each other is ridiculous, so he’d rather go out for coffee with his enemy. Folks, I think that just might be the simplest and most practical suggestion anyone has made about the peace process so far this week. Get that kid an award and get Condoleezza Rice on the phone now.