Apathy in Italy creates mozzarella tragedy

I heard a lot of outrage about New York Governor Eliot Spitzer's alleged involvement with a prostitution ring and this man's fall from grace. Even my husband, who is originally from upstate New York and presently in Iraq, has not only followed the scandal closely, but couldn't get over his disappointment about this politician. 

I also thought that the situation was disappointing and disrespectful to his wife, his family and the country. Most people have expressed similar or stronger feelings with regards to Spitzer.  

However, the one thing that I heard in people's comments, especially young people, is that while they were genuinely outraged by this elected official's behavior, they still believed that the American political and legal system, with its numerous problems, has checks and balances in place to discover corruption and illegal actions and often punishes those who act outside the law. 

This attitude is in sharp contrast with what I often hear when I speak with my family back in Italy, where more often than not there is a complete sense of apathy and lack of belief in any kind of system that can make changes, bring to light corruption or punish those who work outside of the law. 

Case in point: the Mozzarella Tragedy. 

My family and I have been discussing the plight of this beloved cheese, made from buffalo milk. It's squishy, soft and buttery with a distinct taste - mmm, it's delicious. And it appears that the illegal trash dumping around Naples, where the mozzarella is produced, has contaminated the cheese.  

The scandal is not the illegal dumping or corruption. The Camorra, the Napolitan version of the Mafia, has been doing this for years and everyone acquiesces. The issue is that politicians (or anyone else for that matter) won't do anything about the mozzarella tragedy. Sales have gone down by 40 percent and people are afraid to eat it - and rightly so.  

As I talked about this issue with my relatives and my young cousins, I was saddened to hear that they were resigned and that they felt this is just the way things are in Italy: it's corrupt; what can you do? 

True, the issue of organized crime in Italy is complex. But from personal experience, I can say that many Italians, especially young people, have lost, or perhaps not cultivated, a spirit of resilience or hope for change. The apathy that grips them is discouraging, especially when I am able to see how much individuals and hard work can accomplish. 

Though the Spitzer scandal was different than the mozzarella situation, Americans reacted with outrage and anger and a conviction that they need to change what isn't right, even if the definition of what is correct varies from person to person. Italians accepted the status quo without much of a fight. I realize that Italy is very different than the United States, where we enjoy unparalleled freedom, but I still think that attitude makes a big difference and a system that believes in individual freedom and initiative will always fare better.  

Both scandals are disappointing, but I think that I have been profoundly affected by the plight of the mozzarella. In fact, ever since reading about it, I cannot stop craving it or hoping that somehow I will get my hands on some non-toxic Mozzarella di Bufala. 

Anita Doberman is a freelance writer, mother of five and wife of an Air Force pilot stationed at Hurlburt AFB in Florida. Contact her at: anita@anitadoberman.com