Freedom of the press. From the Italian Constitution Art.

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«Tutti hanno diritto di manifestare liberamente il proprio pensiero con la parola, lo scritto e ogni altro mezzo
di diffusione.
La stampa non può essere soggetta ad autorizzazioni o censure.
Si può procedere a sequestro soltanto per atto motivato dell'autorità giudiziaria nel caso di delitti, per i quali
la legge sulla stampa espressamente lo autorizzi, o nel caso di violazione delle norme che la legge stessa
prescriva per l'indicazione dei responsabili.
In tali casi, quando vi sia assoluta urgenza e non sia possibile il tempestivo intervento dell'Autorità
giudiziaria, il sequestro della stampa periodica può essere eseguito da ufficiali di polizia giudiziaria, che
devono immediatamente, e non mai oltre ventiquattro ore, sporgere denuncia all'Autorità giudiziaria. Se
questa non lo convalida nelle ventiquattro ore successive, il sequestro s'intende revocato e privo di ogni
effetto.
La legge può stabilire, con norme di carattere generale, che siano resi noti i mezzi di finanziamento della
stampa periodica.
Sono vietate le pubblicazioni a stampa, gli spettacoli e tutte le altre manifestazioni contrarie al buon
costume. La legge stabilisce provvedimenti adeguati a prevenire e a reprimere le violazioni.»
DEFINE
The following is the definitions of ‘satire’ in the Oxford English Dictionary.

Satire : the use of humour, irony, exaggeration or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices, particularly
in the context of contemporary politics or other topical issues

1. What is the problem associated with satire?

2. Sometimes the arguments criticized can be very offensive to some people
3. What is the aim of satire?
4. The aim is to make people laugh
5. What are its most common targets?
6. First of all, the most common targets is politics

CONSIDER THE ISSUE

1. Look at the following categories. Do you find criticizing or ridiculing them always acceptable (A), sometimes
acceptable (S) or totally unacceptable (U)?
a. Our own political figures A
b. Foreign political figures A
c. Religious figures, both living or from the past S
d. Public personalities (sports, TV, film stars, etc.) A
e. People of other nationalities or ethnics S
f. People with handicaps or disabilities U
g. Members of the opposite sex A
h. People with a different sexual orientation S

2. Give a YES or NO to these questions.

a. Do you think satire should not be allowed if it risks creating international or intercultural tension? YES
b. Do you think that freedom of speech includes the freedom to insult? NO

RESEARCH
In April 2016, the irreverent and very popular German comedian Jan Boehrmermann created un uproar in Germany by
satirizing the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The Turkish president was furious and the German chancellor
Angela Merkel angry and embarrassed.
 Article 103 of Germany’s criminal code deals with this question and states that whoever insults a foreign head of state,
or head of a foreign diplomatic mission in the Federal state is liable to be prosecuted and imprisonment up to three
years.
SEARCH the web for a short BBC video about the Boehrmermann incident. USE these key words for your search: ‘BBC
news’, Erdogan row’, ‘Boehrmermann. WATCH the video and complete the following sentences.
 Boehrmermann says that the German like two, maybe three things: David Hasselhoff (American actor, ‘Mitch’ in
the Baywatch TV series), ………………WARS…………………. and sausages.
 Since Erdogan became president in 2014 almost …………………2000……………… cases have been held against people
criticizing him.
 Those accused of insulting the president have included beauty queens, ………………ARTISTS.., cartoonists and
……………………JOURNALISTS………………………..
 The Turkish journalist, Cengiz Candar comments that president Erdogan needs not to be …………
CRITICIZED………………… at all. He wants to be ………………UNTOUCHABLE………….
 Under the Turkish constitution insulting the Head of State is a ……………CRIME……………….
 In a recent case a ……………HUSBAND………………………… reported his …………………WIFE………………. for insulting the
President.
 In today’s climate …………… INSULT THE HEAD OF STATE………………….. is not tolerated in Turkey.

EXPRESS your opinion and ideas

Look at the three examples of satirical cartoon drawings below. Choose one you consider a good example of satire.
Write an organized text of 150.200 words saying:
 What can you see in the cartoon
 Why have you chosen it
 What message it conveys
 Why the drawing has a greater impact than a long text

A.Zyglis, copyright 2020, Cagle Cartoons

W.Ho
garth, Gin Lane, 1751
John Leech, Cheap clothing, 1845