Di Canio (soccer player) 'fascist but not racist'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/4544008.stm

Lazio striker Paolo Di Canio has defended the raised-arm salute that earned him a one-game ban by saying he is "a fascist but not a racist".

Di Canio will contest a one-match ban for the salute, made against Juventus on Saturday, and he told Ansa news agency: "I am a fascist, not a racist.

"I made the Roman salute because it's a salute from a comrade to his comrades and was meant for my people.

"With this stiff arm I do no want to incite violence or racial hatred."

who used to use that symbolic gesture. Things didn't work out so well for him, I hear.

Yeah, the guy who made the trains run on time?

The one such wonderful Americans ad Henry Luce, Prescott Bush, William Randolph Hearst and Henry Ford drooled over????

it's all about AC Milan

1) He says he made the salute to "His People." Just who are "His People." Like minded fascists, maybe?

2)Di Canio defended the gesture, saying it was not intended as a political statement and that he would continue to acknowledge his fans in whatever way he chooses. If he's not careful, the only place he'll be "saluting his fans" is from the stands. If FIFA suspends or bans him, there's no place on Earth he can play. Using banned players can cause a Federation to be ousted from FIFA -- Which means no World Cup and no interenational squad will play you, because they could lose their membership.

3) I am a supporter of free speech. If this fascist had done this at a bar or somewhere that was not a sporting event or a team function, I'd say he has all the right in the world to be a moron. But, he did this at a venue which embarassed his Club and it could have negative reprocutions on the Club as a result.

He used to play for my team (Sheffield Wednesday) and to be honest with you he was over-rated and it was a good thing that he walked out on us. Had that not happened we might have been relegated from the Premier League a season earlier then we did.

And the manager of Wednesday back when he was playing for us was Ron Atkinson. Not the best pair to have at the same club.

That's like saying, "I'm not a serial killer, just an ordinary murderer."