THE LUCCA BAN

The worst law enacted thus far in 2009 is Lucca’s ban on “ethnic foods.”

New vendors who wish to serve kebobs, falafel, tortilla wraps and Chinese takeout are now illegal in the city. Only those “ethnic food” vendors established prior to the law can remain in business.

The city administrators argue that foods served by immigrants, mostly on street corners and back alley entranceways, are a threat to Italy’s culture, more pointedly Tuscan cuisine. As they see it, tourists and residents of Lucca will forego the food of gourmets to feast on fast food cooked on outdoor hibachis and served from two-wheeled carts. They fear if given the choice we will prefer Moo Goo Gai Pan over Pasta Primavera.

Between Pisa and Florence, the walled medieval City of Lucca, with about 83,000 people, is noted for its hospitality and livability. Before the ban, Lucca was celebrated for its purity. As restaurants and trattorie in Florence, Rome and Venice gave in to the fickle tastes of tourists Lucca remained true to tradition. The food served in the city has always been unapologetically Tuscan, with recipes among others of wild game from nearby forests roasted with locally grown vegetables and herbs. (Reference: Please read article “Lucca-Italy’s Walled City,” in the July/August 2007 edition of PRIMO.)

Immigration is a touchy issue with me. As editor of PRIMO I have been immersed in the history of Italian migration to America. Much of that history is plagued with the persecution of Italians at the hands of opportunistic politicians and their ethnocentric constituents. As Italian immigrants took up residence outside the country’s major cities in increasing numbers the backlash against them went into high gear. It led to the passage of the National Origins Act in the 1920s for the primary purpose of keeping out Italians.

Based on this it is hard for me to agree to any law that prohibits immigration...anywhere. And that in essence is what the Lucca food ban does. It is not a law to preserve Italian culture but rather to throw out immigrants. It takes away the livelihoods of Arabs, Africans and Chinese in Lucca. Many will have to return to their native lands or come to America as a result.

There is so much I dislike about the law that it is difficult for me to find where to start. But I will try and share with you my top two peeves.

First, the law is wrong on its stated premise. The idea that Italian food is under threat of becoming extinct is ludicrous. In fact the opposite is true.

Here in America Italian cuisine reigns supreme. Every grocery store carries foods imported from Italy or inspired and created from Italian recipes. Italian food is served almost everywhere in America from the finest restaurants to the local sandwich shop. The cities of these immigrants, Cairo, Nairobi, and Hong Kong, all have numerous Italian restaurants there as well. Italian prepared foods are consumed all over the world, more so today than in the past because of free trade. Take for example Nutella, the hazelnut chocolate spread from Italy. It is fed to children all over the Middle East. And pasta; it is now a staple in households throughout Africa. The growing Chinese middle class have developed a taste for Italian wine. And then there is pizza…enough said.

Italians can rest assured that their food and culture is alive and well in the world.

That I find most galling about the law is how it seeks to tell people how to live their own lives. Why is it that officials everywhere feel a need to dictate human behavior? In that way Lucca is no different than anywhere else. But Lucca’s ban tries to govern personal choice at its most intimate level. What is more personal than the food you eat? According to Lucca administrators, the state can trust you as an adult to vote, to serve in the military and to own property, but not to choose which food to eat on the city’s streets.

It is mindless. I can only hope the days of Lucca’s “ethnic food” ban are numbered.

Until then, I advise everyone to follow the law. The next time you find yourself in Lucca, remember this: Like it or not, you have to eat delicious Italian food.