An Italian army general who made
anti-gay remarks in a self-published book was removed form his
post on Friday.
The officer, General Roberto Vannacci, was sacked as head of the
military geographical institute in Florence.
The decision was taken by army high command.
Defence Minister Guido Crosetto on Thursday promised
disciplinary action against the general for making homophobic
remarks and lashing out at feminism and environmentalism among
other issues in a self-published book the contents of which had
not been shared or cleared by military bosses.
"Do not use the personal rantings of a serving general to
polemicise with the Defence ministry and the armed forces," said
Crosetto on X, referring to the book 'The world back to front'
by 55-year-old General Vannacci, who currently directed the
Italian Military Geographic Institute (IGMI).
"General Vannacci has expressed opinions that discredit the
Army, Defence and the Constitution. For this reason, the Defence
ministry will start the foreseen disciplinary examination," he
added.
"The Armed Force distances itself from the entirely personal
considerations (as specified in the text) expressed by the
officer," read a separate statement from the army, adding that
the force reserved the right "to take all measures necessary to
protect its image".
In his book Vannacci, formerly head of the Folgore paratroopers,
says of homosexuals: "You are not normal, come to terms with
it!", insisting that "normality is heterosexuality".
"If everything seems normal to you, however, it is the fault of
the plots of the international gay lobby," he adds.
He also speaks strongly in favour of self defence: If a burglar
enters a house, "why should I not be authorised to shoot him, to
stab him with whatever object I can get my hands on?".
"If I plunge the pencil I have in my breast pocket into the
jugular of the mug that attacks me, killing him, why should I
risk being condemned?"
Vannucci responded to the furore caused by his words by saying
he was not bothered by the criticism but that he was grieved
that his words have been taken out of context.
"Criticism does not bother me and I am not going to reply to
Minister Crosetto", he said.
"I will follow (the minister's) instructions," Vannacci
continued. "What upsets me is the instrumentalisation: sentences
have been taken out of context and used to construct stories
that do not emerge from the book," he said. "I am saddened by
the decontextualisation and the trial of opinions," Vannacci
concluded.
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