Newt In Venice

Newt Gingrich and his wife are touring Venice where he had these observations:
"One sign of Venice's longevity is found in two of its most famous private companies. Their diversity is a good reminder of the complexity of high civilizations.

The Segusi family has been making world famous Murano glass for more than 600 years. As family businesses go, that is a record to which to aspire.

The other great historic business in Venice is Beretta, which has been making guns since 1525.

It is a fascinating reality that goes against left-wing sentimentality. Beretta helped make it possible to protect the glassmakers of Murano, and businesses creating wealth made it possible to sustain the art and artists for which Venice is known.

This is a useful dynamic to keep in mind as we go through the next few years' debates."

I knew about Beretta since I own one of their fine shotguns and was already aware that they are one of the oldest gun manufacturers in the world. But I wasn't aware of their larger role in the history of Venice.