Anti-gay general sacked from post

(ANSA) - ROME, AUG 18 - 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. (ANSA).