ABSTRACT: In reply to the radical party's appeal, Marco Ferri and Roberto Conti from "Roncaglia & Wijkander" prepared an insert with the caption "up with the cunt" for the 1994 membership campaign which was published on the "radical newspaper". Emma Bonino had expressed reservations thereon, advising the authors, while stressing their complete freedom, to reproduce that sentence the way it appears on the walls, since that was the spirit of the text. In a letter published thereafter, Marco Ferri and Roberto Conti confirmed their choice. Emma Bonino answered declaring that she accepted their decision in the name of the "rule" of "carte blanche" to advertisement experts.

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LETTER FROM MARCO FERRI AND ROBERTO CONTI

Dear Emma,

after changing the caption, Roberto and I felt like the editor of the People's newspaper, who couldn't make up his mind whether or not to publish a text by Mao Tse Tung. Mao called him and told him "either you shit or you come out of the toilet". We made a "radical" choice.

We decided not to send you the clip of the ad with the picture of the graffiti: it is weak and malicious.

We are sending you the clip of the ad as we had originally devised it, bu with the text more visible because you remarks were correct.

If the ad stirred such a discussion between us, there are all the ingredients to stir controversy also among the readers. The task of an ad is that people read only what they are interested in, and sometimes it's an ad.

An ad with these characteristics stands excellent chances of becoming the opportunity for drawing attention on your membership campaign. It would be a pity to waste this opportunity.

We signed it with our name and surname, not just because you asked us to do so, but also because we consider it fair.

If you decide not to publish it we'll stop breathing to protest.

Kisses,

Marco Ferri Roberto Conti

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EMMA BONINO'S REPLY

Dear Marco and Roberto,

you can breathe freely because we're obviously going to publish it. In my life I have never given up doing something difficult for fear of discussions or for the controversies it would have stirred. My reservations, which I confirm, concern the appropriateness of fighting vulgarity through the exhibition of vulgarity itself, which, as you say, is "male". But the agreements were "carte blanche", so I accept your decision...

Emma Bonino

Translator's notes

BONINO EMMA. (Bra 1948). President of the Radical Party, former member of the European Parliament, as of 1976 member of the Italian Parliament. Among the promoters of the CISA (Information Centre on Sterilization and Abortion) and active militant in the campaign against clandestine abortion. She was tried and acquitted in Florence. Participated in the conduction, on a national and international scale, of the campaign on World Hunger. Among the founding members of "Food and Disarmament International", promoted the circulation of the Manifesto of Nobel Laureates.