In the aftermath of the brutal attack on Silvio Berlusconi, the opposition in Italy is seemingly forced to choose between the rock and the hard place.

Should they rush to Berlusconi's hospital bed, as Pier Luigi Bersani, the head of the Partito Democratico, has done? Or should they follow the lead of Antonio Di Pietro, leader of the smaller opposition group Italia dei Valori, and point out that Berlusconi himself first spread the climate of hatred to which he has now fallen victim?

Either course of action appears to risk strengthening an ailing government. Berlusconi already portrays himself as a martyr. At this time, verbal attacks on him would only rally his troops and win him the sympathies of moderates. An escalation of the tensions, as in the 1970s, can only harm the left.

On the other hand, in a country where most media outlets are in Berlusconi's hands, the dominance of the government over public discourse is overwhelming. Can the opposition really afford to shut up even as the right ruthlessly attacks the legal system, the President and the very Constitution?

The dilemma seems insuperable. In fact, however, it is but an optical illusion.

Two things are beyond doubt. First, a further escalation must be avoided at all costs. It is the shared responsibility of all political actors, left and right, to stop the spiral of violence now. This requires fairness, and even compassion, towards political opponents. On this count, Bersani is right: our solidarity with Berlusconi knows no preconditions.

Second, in this dangerous time for Italian democracy, the opposition has a responsibility to insist on the most fundamental questions. How can we unite Italians behind a vision for a more just, more peaceful and more forward-looking country? Who can heal the country's wounds? On this count, Di Pietro is right: we cannot omit to mention that the current crisis can only be overcome by getting rid of Berlusconi.

From this perspective, the need to appeal to national unity is an opportunity, not a handicap. The left must, and it can, accomplish both tasks at the same time.

During the Bush years, America was deeply divided between "Blue States," traditionally left-leaning parts of the country, and "Red States," traditionally right-leaning areas. In his soaring speeches, Barack Obama called upon Americans to work together rather than quarrel. We are not a collection of Red States and Blue States, he told voters. We are the United States.

The Italian opposition needs to do the same. It must stress the need for Italians to overcome the divisions now plaguing the country to pursue the greater good. Then, like Obama, it should use the broad appeal of that rhetoric as a launching pad for its own political program.

So I have one piece of advice for Bersani and Di Pietro. Fear neither expressions of sympathy for Berlusconi, nor a passionate insistence on the ideals that can heal the country once he is no longer Prime Minister. Now, more than ever, is the right time to speak up and develop a shared vision for a better future.