THE EDITOR, Sir:AS ELECTION fever is in the air, the diaspora sits on the side waiting for its turn to have a direct voice in the system. Last week in Italy, the Italian diaspora's voice was heard.
Renato Turano, a baker in the tri-state region of the United States, was elected to Parliament to represent Italians in North and Central America, while Salvatore Ferrigio from Philadelphia and Gino Bucchino from Vancouver, Canada, were elected to the Italian Chamber of Deputies.
The world is changing as globalism redefines borders. Countries, such as Israel, U.S. Italy, even Iraq, are giving their citizens in the diasporas the right to vote in home elections via a representative in their Parliament.
Are we going to sit by and watch as others move ahead in their political evolution? It is time for the diaspora to raise its voice and be heard on the key issues that affect the country.
I want my constitutional right to vote, and I am sure that a large portion of the diaspora have been silently saying it.
But alas! I must concede that the Government will not give us these rights that are written in our constitution because of the fear that we the diaspora can swing an election, as is currently the situation in Italy.
I am, etc.,
CAROL MANLEY LAWTON Jr.
showa88@hotmail.com
teaneck, New Jersey
