ItalianAware

Christopher Columbus Needs Your Help

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Wed, 30 Aug 2017 12:45:00 +0000

Columbus Statue - New Haven, CT

For years, we at ItalianAware have been sounding the alarm over the ever increasing attacks against Christopher Columbus and Columbus Day. For years, we've been telling you that the man (and his holiday) were at serious risk of being erased from the history books. All of those warnings fell on deaf ears. And here we are: New York City (and its beyond hypocritical mayor) have zeroed in on Columbus as a potential “Symbol of Hate.” The feckless mayor has decided to impanel a review board to determine what constitutes a symbol of hate – and Columbus is A#1 on their chopping block. If the panel (an unelected body, mind you) determines that Columbus is a "Symbol of Hate" (whatever that means), his statue will be torn down.

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Pictured: A Hypocrite at the Columbus Day Parade

Why is Columbus a target of their scorn? Because some like to paint him as a lunatic that killed and enslaved people for fun. We've addressed these concerns, at length, in the past. They are either baseless or complete hyperbole. Columbus was not a predator; he was a product of his time. It is wrong, on every conceivable level, to look at historical figures through the prism of modern day morality and values. Caribbean activists claim that Columbus (and Columbus alone) killed and destroyed whole populations of people throughout the Caribbean and Americas. That level of destruction is impossible for one man to perpetrate on his own. The more likely explanation for it was the systemic colonization and settlement of the Caribbean by people from every region of the world, across multiple generations. Again, the times affected the people and their actions. Societal values and mores were different. No amount of statue removal will erase that.

So, why blame Columbus? Because he was there first and he fits the narrative of an “oppressive” white male keeping native minorities down. That is as honest an answer that you will ever get. We won't play coy and dance around the elephant in the room. The ironic part is, Columbus probably didn't consider himself “white” (that was an Anglican/Northern European construct.) He probably considered himself a Latin – being from Italy and living in Spain. The things he did, both good and bad, were motivated by social values and politics of the time – not racial superiority.

Why should you care about this attack on him? Make no mistake:Italians were persona non grata in America during their wave of immigration. We were hated for our skin color, language and religion. In the immortal words of Mario Cuomo,

“They arrived in a country hostile towards them and the streets weren't paved with gold. In fact, the streets weren't paved at all. And they were expected to pave them.”

So, to cut to the chase, we didn't have much going for us.

Somewhere along the way, the Italians formed a community to help each other survive in the New World. They all began to rally around Columbus as symbol of their identities as Italian- Americans. Over the course of time, Columbus became synonymous with the Italian American community and experience. The proof is in the pudding: “Columbian” organizations exist in all manner of professional/social associations and the Columbus Day Parade is, essentially, an Italian pride parade.

Columbus Parade Week - NYC 1892 (Learn More)

As Italians, our connections to Columbus are deeply rooted. We have been rallying around his history and his image for well over one-hundred years. Our community developed in his protective shadow. At times, he was the only welcoming, familiar face in an America that was openly hostile towards us. Columbus allowed you, your grandparents and possibly their parents to ease into their American identities. He made leaving Italy, and all they had ever known, a bit more palatable. He was always there when we needed him.

Now, in 2017, Columbus needs you. He needs you to write your local congressman. He needs you to show up at rallies and protests. He needs you to be very vocal about his possible dismissal from the landscape and history. Our relatives looked to him for help and refuge in the past. We need to return the favor.

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Keith Olbermann's Anti-Italian Rant

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 06:36:00 +0000

Right to Left: Keith Olbermann & Anthony Cumia

Social media is a crazy place. One minute, you're looking at someone's pictures from a trip to Rome, the next you're yelling at Keith Olbermann (yes, that Keith Olbermann) for being anti-Italian.

Allow me to elaborate.

I grew up in New York City. My young adulthood happened to coincide with an extremely popular radio show: The Opie and Anthony Show. My friends and I would listen to it everyday and talk about it/reference it non-stop. Yes, it was “shock jock” radio. No, my religious high school wouldn't have approved.

Gregg "Opie" Hughes & Anthony Cumia circa 2000

Like countless other fans, I've felt like I have known the hosts for years. After all, they share personal stories with us each day. To that end, I knew Anthony was Italian – from New York. As a fellow Italian, his stories always hit close to home. The cultural similarities were there and I connected with that.

As an adult, I still listen to O&A's respective shows daily – even if I don't agree with everything they say. I also follow the hosts on Twitter, just to keep up-to-date. It was there, on Twitter, that the following caught my attention. In the midst of a feud between Opie and Keith Olbermann, Anthony was called a racist. To the average O&A fan, this is nothing new. Anthony really had nothing to do with this particular Twitter war. Then, someone alerted Olbermann to Anthony's full name: Anthony Cumia.

Olbermann:

"Is that his last name? Never had a chance, did he?"

There are few things that last names consistently convey. In some countries, they may convey family lineage. In others they may convey whether the person is male or female.

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The one thing last names consistently convey, across borders and around the globe, is ethnicity. When I refer to a person as Sean MacDougal, you get an insight into the person's background. When I refer to a person as Joseph Zamboni, you get a different perspective.

We use these social cues all the time. Is it reasonable that Sean MacDougal is Irish or Scottish? Yes. Sure, he could be adopted or from mixed ancestry. But, someone (somewhere) in his life had a certain ethnic background associated with that last name.

So, when Anthony Cumia was called a racist by Keith Olbermann and Olbermann then said, “With a last name like that he never really had a chance.” Everyone agreed that Olbermann was calling Italians racists.

Then, I got involved and had this exchange with Olbermann:

To which he replied:

This statement was appallingly condescending. Not only did he insult my ethnicity, but now he was insulting my intelligence. I called him out on his BS. Anthony Cumia is clearly an Italian name.

This is how Olbermann replied:

So, the grand master of “intellectual bashing” was reducing his tweets down to scatological humor? Unlikely. What's more likely is Olbermann was going for an intellectual, tongue-in-cheek ethnic reference, particularly the ever popular stereotype of Italians being ignorant and/or intolerant of others. This stereotype has been popularized in Spike Lee's films.

Furthermore, Olbermann's explanation doesn't make sense. Anthony's name involves a slang term for semen. Therefore, he must have been bullied as a child. So, he became a racist. Huh?

The thing that really angered me was Olbermann's nonchalance about the issue. He dismissed what he said by playing coy and then demanded that I apologize to him. I wonder if he demanded that Jewish groups apologize to him after he made a Nazi salute at a journalism awards dinner :

I don't know what will happen to Keith Olbermann. He may be fined, he may issue an apology or he may just go on with no repercussions. I highly doubt he will get fired or suspended. That's where we are as a society. We have groups we can deride and we have groups that we can't. Italians aren't just a safe group to aim for – they are a preferred target. This dual system does nothing but breed animosity.

I'm all for eliminating political correctness. Oddly, today's society picks and chooses who gets PC protection. Some do, some don't - in arbitrary fashion. This approach forces people like me to fight for protection for my own kind, even when I think no one should be protected. The irony is sickening.

Paradoxically, Anthony Cumia would have probably made a comment similar to Olbermann's in a similar situation. However, and the distinction should be clearly made: Anthony would never back-peddle from the comment, pretend its connotations are not what he meant and then attempt reverse psychology. He would hit it head on, be honest about his assessment and move past it. What Olbermann did was intellectually dishonest and morally reprehensible.

But, I take comfort in knowing that Anthony Cumia probably has more viewers than Olbermann and that Olbermann couldn't hack it on MSNBC. Or Current TV. Current TV.

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Are Italians Romans?

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Fri, 24 Oct 2014 04:30:00 +0000

A mural of a Roman soldier (left) has been said to resemble Sylvester Stallone

In doing research for an upcoming article on The Sopranos, we encountered a scene that truly grabbed our attention:

In the scene, Tony Soprano is discussing...um, “business” with a Hasidic man. Let's just say, the two are combative with one another. During the course of their discussion, the Hasidic man begins talking about Jewish perseverance. He references the Siege of Masada (an event where less than 1,000 Jews held their own against multiple Roman legions for years – before committing mass suicide.)

In the exchange, the Hasidic man says to Tony:

“For two years, 900 Jews held their own against 15,000 Roman soldiers. They chose death before enslavement. And the Romans? Where are they now?”

Tony replies: “You're looking at them, asshole.”

This scene made us realize something: When we learn about Italian history in our schools, there seems to be a disconnect between being Italian and being Roman. History books and lessons seem to gloss over the fact that the inhabitants of Italy were the first Romans, had preferred status in the empire and continue to be the best, modern and direct link to the Romans.

History books essentially declare Romans “dead” after the fall of Rome – and they are not mentioned again. It's as if all the Romans in Italy disappear around 400 AD and are replaced by some new, strange people called Italians. Basically, we're taught that there is no continuity between Roman and modern Italy – which is so very, very wrong.

Conversely, the same cannot be said of the modern Greeks – who are readily associated with ancient Greeks. We always hear about how Greeks gave the world democracy...so why don't we focus on what ancient Italians (Romans) gave us? Here are some the reasons we believe contribute to this misguided history:

1. All Italians were Romans – But not all Romans were Italian.

Confusing, we know. But, this may clear things up: think of the Roman Empire as America. People from any of the 50 states are considered Americans. The same was true of the Empire. You could be a Roman from any area of the Empire, just like you can be an American from any state.

Here's where things get tricky: for much of its history, Rome was very stingy with granting people full citizenship. So, it was very difficult for people from the outer provinces to attain full Roman citizenship. However, people born in Italy (from the northern alps to the rocky beaches of Calabria) were given full Roman citizenship from the start, no questions asked. Why? Because Italy is where it all started – and the first Romans were natives of Italy.

2. The Names are Not the Same

As simple as this may sound – we believe it holds true. The fact that Italians did not retain the name “Romans” is a major factor in why there is a disconnect between Roman and Italian history.

So, if native Italians were the first, true Romans – why weren't they called Romans after the fall of the empire?

Good question. The term “Roman” denoted one's citizenship to the empire. However, it did not indicate where in the empire you were born. For example, the same way you can be an American from New York you could be a Roman from Spain. So, when the empire no longer existed, people were no longer citizens of Rome. They were, however, residents of their proper areas.

Italy's ancient name was Italia. Britain's ancient name was Brittania. France's name was ... Gaul. Sorry to ruin the continuity here! (NB – Why didn't France use the same logic as other areas? Because Gaul was actually conquered by a confederation of Germanic tribes called the Franks after the fall of Rome. France owes its name to them.)

Naming conventions got a bit tricky after the fall of Rome. That does not negate the “Roman-ness” of the people who founded the Roman Empire (Italians.)

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3. Italy wasn't Destroyed after the fall of Rome

Popular belief holds that Italy was sacked and occupied by multiple forces after the fall of Rome. This is unequivocally false. Groups like the Byzantines, French, Spanish, Normans and Moors all claimed areas of Italy at one point or another...but did they really occupy and conquer it and its people? Nope.

Contrary to popular belief, all of Italy is considered a “genetic island.” According to recent research, there are only two “genetic islands” in all of Europe. A genetic island is a large area or country that possesses a uniform gene pool. This means that Italy has one of the most unvarying gene pools in all of Europe. Locals in Northern Italy are extremely genetically similar to people in Southern Italy, and the same goes for east and west.

If Italy were occupied, conquered and pillaged by all of the above named peoples – Italy would not have such unvarying, uniform genes. Why? Because the alleged conquerors were from widely different areas of the globe – with their own, unique genetic markers. The only way to explain why those “conquerors” genes are not in Italy's gene pool is to conclude that they did not conquer and occupy the way many people think.

The more likely scenario for Italy's history is that it possessed strategic value. As a result, many forces sought to possess it lands – only to fail a short time thereafter. For example, everyone loves to talk about the Muslim conquest and influence of Sicily. ( Extremely NSFW video)

Would you be surprised if we told you that Muslim invaders spent 100 years trying to conquer Sicily and then only possessed it for only 100 years after that? You may also be surprised to find out that after the Muslims fell in Sicily, they were all rounded up and expelled from the island.

Yes, the Muslims and a slew of others held possessions in Italy - and left cultural fingerprints on the society. But possessing a land does not mean you conquered its people. A basic example of this could be found in US history. For decades, the US possessed a huge chunk of land west of the Mississippi...but that did not mean it had conquered the natives of that land. In fact, the US had barely made contact with them.

So, when you hear things about Italy being sacked and pillaged by outsiders – take it with a grain of salt. Italy was more strategic than alluring and it saw its fair share of people just passing through – or warring with third parties.

Conclusion:

Italy and its inhabitants are the direct descendants of the Romans. Our lineage and bloodlines founded the Roman Empire and somehow have remained more or less intact to the present day. Although the Middle Ages were not necessarily kind to Italy – it did pave the way for the Renaissance, which you guessed it, began in Italy.

We are the continuation of a great people and history. Marvel at your people's accomplishments and the impact they have had on our world. Not many cultures have similar stories.

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Remembering Itavia Flight 870

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Wed, 23 Jul 2014 06:30:00 +0000

Reconstruction of Itavia 870's wreckage

One of the largest stories in the news right now is the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. It is the largest (recovered) aviation disaster since the 9/11 attacks. The nature of the incident seems undeniable – it was shot out of the sky by a missile. European, American and Russian sides all agree on this aspect.

The incident reminded us of one of the most forgotten aviation disasters of all time: the downing of Italian airliner Itavia 870 in 1980. It is commonly referred to in Italy as, La strage di Ustica - The Massacre of Ustica.

Itavia was an Italian company that dealt with European based travel. The flight, carrying 81 people, was from Bologna to Palermo. About 2 hours into the flight, the plane was no longer on Italian radar. Italian fighter jets were scrambled to the plane's last known position. Wreckage of the plane was found in the Tyrrhennian Sea – between Sicily and Naples, just off the small island of Ustica.

It was readily apparent from the outset of the recovery that something was “wrong.” The plane did not have any characteristics of catastrophic failure. Further, the plane offered no distress signal – a common feature of planes experiencing failure. However, the plane did feature multiple blast patterns consistent with high explosives. This had investigators puzzled.

It was only after a majority of the wreckage was recovered that Italian authorities were able to reconstruct the plane. It is here where the final pieces started to come together. The blast patterns that the investigators had first noticed during the recovery effort were now on full display. However, one thing struck them as odd – the blast turned the exterior metal of the plane inward towards the cabin. A bomb on the plane would cause the metal to curl outwards, away from the plane.

This meant one thing: the explosion came from outside the plane.

The findings caused Italian high courts to rule:

“The DC9 incident occurred following a military interception action, the DC9 was shot down, the lives of 81 innocent citizens were destroyed by an action properly described as an act of war, real war undeclared, a covert international police action against our country, which violated its borders and rights.”

It is important to note that Italy has been fervently asserting that the airplane was shot down for over 30 years. So – if the plane was shot down....who did it? This is where the story takes a very weird turn.

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To understand the story behind the downing, you need to understand the politics of the time:

1) Libya's dictator, Muammar Ghaddafi, was Public Enemy # 1 for the United Nations, Western Powers and the United States.

2) Italy is situated right in the middle of the Mediterranean basin – which places it in close proximity to Libya and Western Europe. Italy is also home to multiple American and United Nations military bases.

The prevailing theory on why Itavia 870 was downed was because it was in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

UN forces (namely, American and French) were alerted that either Gaddafi and/or a high ranking Libyan politician were flying in jet, over the Mediterranean – back to Libya. The decision was made to assassinate the targets.

American, Italian and French fighter jets were scrambled and they met up with what appeared to be their target. We say “appeared” because the plane carrying Gaddafi had been diverted and safely landed on the island of Malta. Why was it diverted? Because corrupt Italian officials had given Gaddafi warning of the assassination attempt.

However, Libya's own Jet Fighter was not aware of this change of plan. The plane went to the rendezvous point and found a plane that looked like Gaddafi's. It then shadowed the plane. When American and French forces found a plane being protected by Libyan fighter, they took no chances. They fired on them at once. It is believed that the Libyan fighter was able to fight back momentarily; Itavia 870 was not as lucky. It was blown out of the sky on its first strike.

While this is only a theory, it is supported by very hard to ignore facts:

Map shows proximity of Itavia's crash - and location of crashed Libyan Jet

1) A crashed Libyan fighter jet was discovered in the hills of Calabria (in close proximity to the Itavia downing), 21 days after the incident. The body of the pilot had been badly decomposed.

2) Blast patterns on the plane showed an explosion occurred outside of the plane – not inside.

3) Newly released documents from Libya after the death of Gaddafi and Fall of Tripoli reveal that Gaddafi had successfully evaded an assassination attempt in the air – and that a civilian airliner was downed by accident as a result.

Why is this event never remembered? Probably because of the motives behind the action. No nation is willing to admit (in the modern era) that it was attempting to assassinate a country's leader.

So, while we all lament the downing of Malaysia Airline 17 and the loss of its innocent passengers, let us also remember the people of Itavia 870. The only reason their story was hidden was because the “good guys” were to blame.

Visit Itavia 870's memorial website to learn more about the incident

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Mike & Molly Uses Massive Slurs Against Italians

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 21:50:00 +0000

A few years ago, we wrote about the Jersey Shore. One of our biggest gripes with the show dealt with how MTV promoted it. Specifically, in early ads, MTV used multiple references to Italian culture and heritage – while intentionally calling the cast members a bunch of guidos. In one ad, MTV went so far as to insinuate that a guido was a different species than human. We're not kidding.

"the tri-state area's most misunderstood species, the Guido."
Did you know Italians were display pieces at local zoos?

More importantly, we predicted that if MTV were permitted to call Italians guidos, it would set a dangerous precedent that would pave the way for the media calling us much worse. That is what they do: they say increasingly provocative things until they hear a major backlash.

Fast forward to 2013. Jersey Shore is off the air – and we're all in the clear with stereotypes and slurs, right? Wrong. In fact, the slurs were taken to a new high when one of the most popular shows in the country, Mike and Molly, used two derogatory terms against Italians in a matter of seconds. According to TV Series Finale, Mike and Molly averages 8.5 million viewers, roughly the equivalent of the entire state of New Jersey watching it every week.

With all that in mind, we present to you the final minutes of Mike and Molly, Season 3 – Episode 22:

Welcome to 1899, everybody! Children work in coal mines, we lock our immigrants into factories and major media calls Italians greaseballs and wops.

Political Cartoon: Italians have come a long way since the turn of the century

Mike and Molly did this in front of 8.5 million viewers. That's how highly esteemed our people are in the eyes of the media. We're nothing more than glorified punching bags for major television networks. In this overly politically correct world , Italians are still fair game. We find it ironic – a basketball owner can make private comments about a particular group and have hell thrown at him. But when you make public comments about Italians no one even bats an eye.

Would CBS dare do this with other ethnic groups? Would a character on a major network ever be scripted to say, “I'd take a bullet for this n****r?” Imagine the uproar. There would be boycotts, marches in the streets, multiple press conferences, apologies and firings. But, when it happens to Italians – it's as if it didn't happen at all.

A quote from our website, 2008:

"The constant application of stereotypes to Italians by the media is Anti- Italianism. If the same were done to African Americans it would be labeled racist. To women? Sexist. To Italians? Entertainment."

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Another point to note is that our Italian organizations are failing us. The National Italian American Foundation hasn't issued a press release on stereotypes or slurs in the media since Jersey Shore first came out (2009). Further, when the Jersey Shore fiasco occurred, some Italian organizations actually dismissed the issue. Organizations like i-Italy held conferences declaring that “guido is not offensive.” i-Italy did this, despite the fact that countless Italians were offended by the show and its use of the term. Of course, i-Italy has credibility issues on the subject: they have a self-professed “guido and cugine” writing for them. It also doesn't help that this cugine has a meatball song. Again, we're not kidding.

Make no mistake about it: wop and greaseball are absolutely offensive terms for Italians. There is no equivocating here as this is not a grey area. i-Italy can hold as many conferences as it likes – it will not change the meaning of the terms.

Top Google results for "wop meaning":

The word wop has always been used in reference to Italians. One popular theory alleges that it is an acronym, meaning “With Out Papers.” This term would be applied to illegal immigrants – who had no papers (green card/citizenship/etc). While this is one of the better known theories – it is wrong. The correct origin for wop stems from the Southern Italian dialect word “guappo.” The word guappo (pronounced gwa-po) means worthless guy/macho thug. The word was adopted and corrupted by Americans and applied to Italians as a whole. So, what are wops? Worthless people.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary Definition of Wop

The word greaseball has always been used in reference to Mediterranean and Latin peoples. Its origin is vague – but it seems to stem from popular Italian hairstyles during the 1800s. Placing a slick product in your hair and slicking it back or to the side was fashionable and easy. As a result of the style's popularity, it became applied to Italians as a whole. The term “grease” was used to denote dirtiness or filth.

Robert De Niro - Sporting a slicked back hair-do in The Godfather

Era appropriate Italian man with slicked back hair

As a brief aside – this origin story of greaseball rings true in my family. When my grandfather first arrived here, he said some fellow Italians were called “greaseball, part-in-the-middle.” This would confirm the origin of the term as a derogatory remark placed on all Italians resulting from the popularity of their hairstyles.

Top Google result for "origins greaseball"

Dictionary.com definition of "greaseball" - listing it as a synonym for wop.

So, there you have it: CBS finds it acceptable to call you worthless, filthy people in front of 8.5 million viewers. They will continue to do this until we fight back. But, organizations like the NIAF don't fight back. What they have done rather effectively though, is send us multiple e-mails requesting donations – and to attend their Gala event. Why should any of us attend this event? It will only be covered on the news as a “large gathering wops” in Washington, D.C.

The NIAF highlights a major problem in our community: we're all asleep at the switch – and it seems like nothing will wake us from our slumber. The media will only continue to push the envelope. Trust us, the way this escalated from guido to wop – it will certainly evolve into guinea and dago. Just give it some time.

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Most Popular Italian Dessert Items – Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Thu, 24 Apr 2014 04:53:00 +0000

Italian cuisine does not end at dinner. In fact, there is a large history behind the dolci (sweets) of Italian cooking. Here, we will examine the history and origins of some of the most popular Italian dessert items.

1) Cannolo

Cannoli from Vaccaro's in Baltimore, MD

Perhaps the most popular of all Italian desserts & pastries – it is an Italian household staple, especially around the holidays. One would be hard pressed to find a box of holiday pastries that did not contain a few of these gems. People often mistakenly refer to a single one as “a cannoli.” A singular one is a “cannolo” - plural is “cannoli.” Please do not say, "pass the cannolis."

"Cannolis" is the equivalent of saying desserts-s

What are they? Ricotta cream filled, fried dough “tubes.” You can tell they are fresh by the crispness of the shell. If the shell is soggy, it is not as fresh – but is still safe to eat.

History: Cannoli originated on the island of Sicily, in the Palermo area, during the Middle Ages. Typically, they were served once a year, in preparation for Carnevale (Fat Tuesday in America). Some claim that they were crafted as fertility symbols. They eventually became a year-round staple throughout Italy – and then followed Italians to the New World during mass immigration.

Specific Holiday: Unlike some Italian pastries, cannoli are not eaten on any one specific holiday. They are a year round treat for Italian family gatherings.

2) Sfogliatella

Sfogliatella

Another staple in the Italian pastry box, this delicacy traces its roots back to Naples. In fact, there is an old Napolitano saying, “A Napoli tre cose sono belle: ’o mare, ’o vesuvio, e sfogliatelle” (In Naples there are three beautiful things: the sea, Mount Vesuvius, and sfogliatelle). The name sfogliatella literally means “made of many layers” - which is exactly what the outer shell resembles.

What are they? Triangular shaped, sweet ricotta filled shells. The traditional type (the riccia pictured above) has a hard, crispy outer layer. The frolla type is soft, and more dough like.

History: Sfogliatelle are variants of a sweet cream filled pastry created in Italy in the 1600s. The original pastry, called Santa Rosa, was created in a monastery. The recipe for Santa Rosa stayed a secret until the early 1800s, when a man named Pasquale Pintauro in Napoli proper, decided to make his own unique version of the pastry. His variant is what we now know as sfogliatella – a shell filled with a thick, ricotta cream.

Specific Holiday: No specific holiday – enjoy whenever you like!

3) Zeppole/Sfingi

"Zeppole" on the left, "Sfingi" on the right

You cannot walk down a single Italian feast without seeing 10 booths dedicated to this delicacy. Even though these items have different names – the names are typically interchangeable, depending on where in Italy you are from. Generally, Napolitani refer to them as Zeppoli. Sicilians refer to them as Sfingi.

What are they? Fried dough balls, either filled with cream or “just” covered in sugar or honey. In some places (namely, Calabria) a variant calls for the plain fried dough to be filled with a single anchovy and served as an appetizer – typically around Christmas time.

History: Hold on to your hats – this is complex. Many agree that St. Joseph's Day has been celebrated throughout Italy with fried, sweet dough since 500AD. This feast was a Christian replacement for the much-older Roman celebration of mid-March, dedicated to their wheat/farming god. In essence, this type of food has been eaten for over 1,500 years. So far, so good.

Some historians believe that the Italian word “zeppole” comes from the Arabic word zalābiyya, which was a form of sweetened, fried dough. While the similarities between the two foods is undeniable – we're not convinced of that particular word origin. However, another Arabic word for zalābiyya is sifanj. There is no denying the correlation between that and the Sicilian word sfingi.

Specific Holiday: Zeppoli (the kind you see at a feast- just fried dough with powdered sugar on top) have no specific holiday. They can be enjoyed whenever. The Calabrese style (with an anchovy in the middle of the dough) is enjoyed during Christmas season – only. Sfingi (the kind with cream and a cherry) are typically enjoyed on St. Joseph's Day.

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4) Pastiera & Colomba

"Pastiera" at top, "Colomba" at bottom

It is impossible to enter an Italian bakery, pasticceria or grocery store without seeing these beauties during the Lenten season.

What are they? Sweet cakes, eaten for either breakfast or dessert. Pastiera is a typical round cake. Colomba is in the shape of a dove. More on that later.

History: Pastiera has a very long history. Many agree that its origin can be traced to ancient Rome – where our ancestors would welcome the coming of Spring. The practice of making a sweetened bread for the coming of Spring was adopted by early Christians to celebrate the coming of Easter.

The variation that we are most familiar with was created by a nun, in a convent, in Napoli. According to a site devoted to the dish, a “nun wanted that cake, symbol of the Resurrection, to have the perfume of the flowers of the orange trees which grew in the convent’s gardens. She mixed a handful of wheat to the white ricotta cheese, added some eggs, a symbol of the new life, some water which had the fragrance of the flowers of the spring time, cider and aromatic Asian spices.”

Colomba (Easter Dove Cake) – Also has a very long history. However, its history has several possible origins. According to one legend, the cake was invented in Lombardia in 1176AD, to honor the victory of Lombardy over the Holy Roman Empire. The victory was marked by two doves above the decisive battle – which locals interpreted to be the Holy Spirit.

Another legend claims that the bread was first made in the 572AD, again in Lombardia. This time, the bread was created after the northern city of Pavia was occupied by King Alboin and his troops. Upon entering the city, King Alboin requested that the city give him its twelve best women. One of these women, not wanting to be given over to the king, prepared a cake in the shape of a dove ( a symbol of peace.) She presented the cake to the king. He was struck by her innocence – and decided to spare her and the city.

Whichever legend you choose to believe, two things are plainly obvious: it is old and it is of northern Italian origin.

Specific Holiday: These cakes are only enjoyed during Easter Sunday & Pasquetta (Little Easter – the Monday after Easter Sunday.)

5) Panettone

Panettone

An Italian staple during the Christmas season, it is typically served for breakfast or dessert.

What is it? A dry, sweet cake. Traditionally plain, but can be served with chocolate, nuts or candied fruits in the dough. Some varieties come with packets of powdered sugar to be sprinkled atop the cake.

History: Again we look back to our ancestors, the Romans. Historically, the Romans served a tall fruitcake – topped with honey. We know this based on ancient descriptions and on certain paintings from the Renaissance. This type of cake became paired with Christmas as early as the 1800s – where its decadence fed into the over-the-top nature of food and giving during the season.

The origin of the cake is undoubtedly Milanese.Competing legends exist to explain the modern variation of the cake. The first legend suggests that the cake is shaped (and named) after a type of religious hat worn by bishops ( a Pane Tone)

The second legend suggests that the bread was created by a baker (named Toni) who created the cake to impress the Duke of Milan. The Duke enjoyed the cake, and wanted more of the Pane di Toni (Toni's cake.) This phrase was then corrupted to “Panettone.”

Specific Holiday: The entire Christmas season.

Check out part 2 of this series!

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Most Popular Italian Dessert Items – Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Thu, 24 Apr 2014 04:53:00 +0000

Gelato

Try to make it down an Italian street or walk through an Italian neighborhood without seeing a sign for this popular frozen treat. We guarantee you won't make it five steps without encountering it. And yes – its that popular because it is that good!

What is it? In the simplest of terms, it is Italian ice cream. However, there is a world of difference between what we know as ice cream and gelato. Gelato is softer, healthier and more flavorful than ice cream. It is softer because it is stored at a warmer temperature, healthier because its recipe requires less fat and more flavorful because it is dependent on natural flavorings and ingredients. Try a peach flavored gelato – and you'll swear you just bit into a peach. We're not kidding – gelato actually contains bits of the fruit.

History: We could say that the “theory” of gelato started in ancient Egypt and Rome – where the wealthy would get ice from the mountains, mash it with fruit juices and serve cold. But, realistically speaking – those are ices. The first, actual gelato was made in the late 1500s byBernardo Buontalenti. He created the item for the de Medici family – who then used it in their courts and parties. However, the treat was not popularized until the late 1600s when a man from Sicily, Francesco Procopio, moved to Paris and began selling the item in his cafe.

Specific Holiday: No specific holiday – but it is an excellent warm weather treat!

Zabaglione

While it may not be a household staple – it appears on nearly every Italian restaurant dessert menu.

What is it? It is a sweet, light, airy, soft and fluffy treat made from egg yolks, sugar, wine and garnished with fruits of choice. People have compared it to the Spanish flan, chocolate mousse or egg nog. In our opinion – it isn't close to any of those things. It is zabaglione – and really isn't comparable to any other dish.

History: According to a site dedicated to food, in the ninth century, the Piemontese tradition of zabaglione was brought to Torino; and in the 16th century in Florence, the dessert was created at the court of the Medicis. The difference is the original Piemontese version zabaglione was a drink thickened with egg yolks; the Florentine version was considered, and used as, a sauce.

One legend also exists that claims a military captain created it in the 1500s. Having no provisions to feed his men, he ordered his soldiers to raid local farms. They came back with eggs, sugar and fortified wine.
Another legend claims that Friar Pasquale de’ Baylon created this dish to cure numbness and “reinvigorate” the people of his parish.

Specific Holiday: None, enjoy at your leisure!

Tiramisu

A staple of Italian restaurants, bakeries and groceries the world over. This cake is THE go-to Italian cake.

What is it? A perfect mixture of ladyfingers soaked in espresso, layered with a whipped mixture of egg yolks, egg whites, sugar and mascarpone cheese, flavored with cocoa.

History: How old do you think this dessert is- 100, 200, 500 years old? What if we told you no mention of this dessert exists before the mid 1960s? Indeed, the first mention of this type of dessert – along with its exact recipe and name, does not appear anywhere before the 1960s. In fact, there are several disputes over who truly invented it. By all accounts, it was created in Treviso (near Venice) – it is just a matter of who created it. One claims it was made in the restaurant "Le Beccherie." Another claims that the dish was first created in Treviso in 1967 by a baker named Roberto Linguanotto and his apprentice, Francesca Valori. And lastly, another claims it was created by Carminantonio Iannaccone, in the 1960s in Treviso.

Who are we to believe? Well,Carminantonio Iannaccone currently lives, and operates a bakery, inAmerica (Baltimore, MD). We've met him, frequented his shop and yes, tried his Tiramisu'. As far as we're concerned, he's the real deal. His Tiramisu' is the best we've ever had!

Specific Holiday: None – enjoy!

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Biscotto-

The perfect pairing with a cup of coffee or espresso – these guys are often the most overlooked of Italian sweets.

What is it? A hardened cookie, often flavored with chocolate, nuts, anisette, sugar, wine, etc.

History: Biscotto is a direct Latin term meaning "cooked twice." Bis = twice, cotto = cooked. They have been in existence sincethe Roman empire. They were a preferred item for the Roman legions for their durability and nutritional value. Biscotti were durable because their being cooked twice ensured that they had little to no moisture about them. Without moisture, the dough becomes preserved and can last for extended periods of time without refrigeration or conservation. Unfortunately, it appears as if the Roman biscotti were all about function- and not about form. They had no flavoring added to them, at all. It wasn't until the 1400s that Northern Italians began using biscotti again, this time adding all sorts of flavors and spices to make them enjoyable.

Specific Holiday: No specific holiday.

Tartufo

A common item in Italian restaurants – but nearly impossible to find in Italian homes, this gem is an Italian enigma.

What is it? A delicious, round gelato treat, with a fruit or chocolate filled center, covered in a hard chocolate shell.

History: The dish was created in Calabria in 1952 – in preparation for King Victor Emmanuel II and an aristocratic marriage. A pastry chef in Pizzo, Calabria created the dish out of necessity – the venue that was hosting the event did not have enough cups to serve gelato to the large guest list. Knowing that gelato needed to be served, the chef created a way to served gelato on a plate – without making a mess. By taking two balls of gelato and sculpting them around a tasty center treat, the chef created a new dish. In order to prevent the gelato from melting quickly or sliding all over the place – the chef covered a ball of gelato in a hardened chocolate shell.

King Victor Emmanuel II loved the dish and it became a local delicacy. To this day, it is nearly impossible to find commercially available tartufo in Italy or in America. Recipes are notoriously hard to come by – and the dish is very time consuming to create. So, when you see it on a menu...eat it!

Specific Holiday: None.

Check out the first part of this series!

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Related articles

Meet The Capones Cast Members

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Mon, 14 Apr 2014 12:30:00 +0000

Uncle Al

You know what it means when you're an Italian organization and the cast of The Capones hates you? It means you're doing your job. Last week, we wrote about how the show is literally the bottom of the Italian stereotype barrel. The Reelz show follows the alleged descendants of Al Capone as they manage their Chicago based restaurant.

Since writing that article, we were alerted to the show's facebook posts. They are the the most atrocious and offensive posts on the internet. Not just offensive to Italians - offensive to any one with a brain. Here are some of the low-lights:

Picutred: Italian Stereotype Hell

The Capones facebook posted the above over the course of a few weeks. In our opinion, the weekly Mob Cookbook posts, create a gangster nickname game and the post about Al Capone's mansion were the most appalling. All of this lead us to screencap their facebook and tweet the following to Reelz Channel:

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This then caused Dominic Capone to respond with, what could be, the most unintelligent comment ever:

Huh?

If you're wondering what any of that means, you're not alone. Apparently, after years of Political Science classes on Italian/Roman history, Dominic has decided that Italians have no heritage to protect. Why do we have no heritage to protect? Because we were gladiators who killed each other and cut off heads for the crowd. I must have missed that day in college.

But, just when we thought we couldn't receive a more unintelligent comment - his fellow cast member responded to us:

I think Dominic and Bart were in the same Political Science classes. Dominic thinks Italians have no heritage and Bart thinks Sicily isn't part of Italy. Welcome to the carnival boys and girls!

It should be noted that Bart made this comment after posting this Vine video, where it is painfully obvious that he's wearing an "Italia" jersey.

Look familiar?

Exhibit A

But, the insanity doesn't end there. Dominic Capone didn't want to lose this battle of wits to his fellow cast member, so he responded with this:

Again - huh?

This tweet does not follow any of the prior conversation. After days of contemplation, we think we know what this tweet means. Dominic is trying to theoretically prove that we have no integrity as an organization because we would theoretically cash a check from him if he theoretically sent it. We think he learned this logic from Plato's Republic...but, it could be Socrates too.

It really seems like the cast does not know how to use social media. In an unrelated event, cast member Staci Richter verbally attacked a 72 year old woman who is legitimately related to Al Capone, for no apparent reason.

The comment (and grammar) speaks for itself.

Let's see what next week brings from this sorry lot.

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Meet the Cafones...I mean, Capones

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 05:32:00 +0000

The Capones - Reelz

Have you ever walked around wondering, “What are Al Capone's descendants doing?” Well, great news- Reelz has given his family a reality show! You remember Al Capone, right? He's the gangster/suspected murderer/tax-evader that terrorized America for decades.

Capone - Lovingly referred to as "Scarface."

When I first saw the trailer for the show, I did two things: 1) I had to remember to close my mouth and; 2) all I could say was, “Why?” Is the state of television programming so bad that this show was the best available idea? Do we really need another show where Italians are a punching bag for the general public? Who thought this was a good idea? I am at a loss for words.

More importantly, I cannot think of a more offensive figure to base a reality show on. Al Capone was, for all intents and purposes, a warlord that wreaked havoc in the streets. He is widely considered responsible for the largest “hit” ever perpetrated in America – the infamous St. Valentine's Day Massacre. In that incident, seven men were tricked into thinking they were being arrested by police officers. As they had their backs turned, the fake cops machine gunned them all. Only the finest of princes could orchestrate such an act. Capone bribed, stole and murdered his way to the top, and now we're checking in on his family. Are we supposed to be interested because we want his “legacy” to be intact?

Capone's handiwork on St. Valentine's Day

Now, before anyone says the show is not about Italian stereotypes and is not offensive to Italians – let me draw your attention to the description of the show on the Reelz website:

No Italian stereotypes here. At. All.

Here are the low-lights:

1) The Capones own and operate a restaurant called Capone's - with an image of Al Capone as their icon. Their motto? "Try our pizza - or else."

2) Look out guys - this family loves lasagna! *Ugh*

3) Dominic Capone is called “the Boss.”

4) "...the family always ends the week with the traditional Sunday dinner, where the drama is always spicier than the pepperoni."

5) Look out for Momma Capone – she'll hit you with her rolling pin!

As if that promotional material weren't filled with enough Italian stereotypes, we have this video – where we cannot escape the fact that Al Capone is a god-like figure for this family – a standard bearer for them all to live by.

The Capones | Movie Trailer | Review

As Uncle Lou eloquently states in the video, “If Big Al could see how things are being run, he would crap in his coffin.” Charming. Who cares what “Big Al” would think – he was a criminal! If you're doing something he would disagree with, you're probably doing the right thing.The video also talks about non-Capone relatives who were involved in the Mafia, as if it were a badge of honor. I'm sorry – but, if I had three hitmen in my family, the last thing I would be doing is broadcasting that fact to the entire world. Che disgraziato!

They seriously need to take that rolling pin away from her

I suppose that brings me to my final point, so please indulge me. Did you know that direct relatives of Adolf Hitler are living in the United States? For a long time, the family was located in Long Island, NY. If you didn't know that, it is because after World War II, the family took every precaution and pain to ensure that it remained a family secret. They were ashamed of their past. The only reason this information came out is because investigative journalists finally tracked them down after decades.

The four living Hitler descendants

Up to that point, the family were model citizens. They served in America's forces, had small-town jobs and were spectacular neighbors. After World War II, no one showcased their wretched past. No one bragged about “Uncle Adolf” and no one certainly complained that Uncle Adolf would disapprove of the family's decisions. No one grabbed the limelight, no one was given a reality show.

Father of the four boys above, William Patrick Stuart Houston (ne: Hitler)

Uncle Adolf was one of Satan's minions – and the family acknowledged that. So embarrassed was the family, that the current line of Hitlers (boys pictured above) will be the last. All four descendants are brothers. None of them have married. None of them have children. It is speculated that this was done intentionally – to end the family line and rid the world of Hitlers once and for all. How hauntingly poetic.

Come to think of it – only Italians seem to revel in the “glory” of their Mafia connections. We saw this on display with Growing Up Gotti – and now again with the Capones. What is wrong with them? The Mafia is not a thing of which to be proud – it is an organization that built itself by terrorizing and extorting honest, hardworking Italian immigrants.

Shows like The Capones are the absolute worst for our image and community. They portray us as imbeciles who enjoy the Mafia stereotype. This, in turn, hurts us doubly: we're portrayed as idiots and we're giving the message to the public that it's ok to continue the Mafia stereotype - because Italians are ok with it.

Basta with these shows - they do nothing more than demean our culture and break it down into its worst stereotype. Bravo for the Huffington Post taking shots at the show. You want an Italian reality show? Go to Rome and walk around in the glory and magnificence that your people built. Your people gave rise to the greatest civilization the world has ever seen - revel in that. Do not revel in cafoni roaming the streets in thousand dollar suits and ordering "hits" on people.

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Are Italians White? (Part 1)

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 18:35:00 +0000

Italian portrayed as dark, ape-like creature

Are Italians white? In a word, no. Some modern Italian Americans will undoubtedly be offended by this statement. But, the only reason anyone would be offended by this statement is because they believe being white is superior to being non-white. White is an American creation - and has little to do with our true ethnicity or background. In fact, Italians were not considered nor listed as white by American authorities when they first started to arrive in large numbers in the late 1800s.

We'll look into this issue and establish the following:

Part # 1 - What is White?

Part # 2 - Italians are Latin

Part # 3 - White is an American Label

What is 'White?'

Many people believe that being white in America begins and ends with skin color. While it is true that skin color is an essential characteristic of being white – it is not the only requirement for “being white.” Whiteness, in America, is a political and social designation that does not necessarily exist in other parts of the world. In America, one's whiteness allowed them to vote, hold office and own land. The same restriction is not true for other countries or sovereign states of seemingly white backgrounds.

To understand what “whiteness” means – we have to look back at our country's founding. America was founded by white skinned males of Protestant background. Their definition of whiteness included a person's skin color, religion and (to a lesser extent) their language and customs.

The Signing of the Declaration of Independence - Only one signatory (out of 56) was Catholic

Now, based on that definition – the picture becomes clearer. A person with white skin – from a Catholic background - was not “white” and was considered unequal to a white, American Protestant. Could a Catholic vote? In Colonial times – no. In fact, many colonies had passed laws banning Catholics from living within their borders. Could they vote in early US history? Technically, yes. But anti-Catholic sentiment ran rampant in this country for generations – and denied them (either by law, force or public opinion) full access to all America had to offer (think running for public office, obtaining an education, having large land holdings.) It is not by coincidence that anti-Catholicism has been called the "deepest held bias in the history of the American people."

Political Cartoon - Abandon Religious Liberty when it comes to Catholics

Why did white Americans hate Catholics? Many posit that it was a trait inherited from America's English roots. England was staunchly anti-Catholic, anti-Pope and anti-Rome since the Protestant Reformation. Laws were passed in English Parliament forbidding Catholics from holding Parliamentary office and an even more disconcerting law forbade Catholics from inheriting the throne. This attitude towards Catholics migrated towards the New World, where many of our Founding Fathers were convinced that a Catholic could not be a "good American" because he would have a more powerful allegiance to the Pope.

Political cartoon showing the KKK defending America from the evil grip of Rome

This “otherness” and hatred applied to Catholics didn't seem like such a big deal in America's early history. Roughly 1% - 2% of the population was Catholic in the early 1800s. However, large scale immigration was about to occur – and change the stats dramatically. Millions of Italians and Irish arrived in America in the late 1800s. No less than 90% of them were fiercely Catholic.

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This was not a politically correct time in America. People were not tolerant of their new neighbors. Newspaper editorials wrote about the new immigrants in a way a space traveling journalist would describe newly discovered barbaric species on other planets – with shock, disdain and abject horror. A line was drawn by American society long ago : White (Male) Protestants to the right – all others to the left. Very few were allowed to cross that line – and Italians were no exception. Why? Because they weren't white – not by a long shot. They didn't have white features, they didn't have white language and they certainly did not have white religion.

Regarding The Italian Population Political Cartoon (from upper left to bottom right) - A nuisance to Pedestrians; Their Sleeping Apartments; Afternoon's Pleasant Diversions (knifing each other); The Way to Dispose of Them; The Way to Arrest Them.

It was very clear to newly arrived immigrants – if they wanted to survive and thrive in America they needed to assimilate. They needed to get as far away from their language, customs and traditions as quickly as possible. The race to “be white” had begun.

Check out Part # 2 - If Italians aren't white, what are we?

Check Out Part # 3 - White is an American thing

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Are Italians White? (Part 2)

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 18:35:00 +0000

Italians are not white. Italians are Latin. In fact, we were the first Latins!

A bit of history:

Lazio in the heart of Italy

Romans (which are the direct ancestors of modern Italians – with little variation) were the founders and promoters of Latin culture. The word Latin stems from the region in Italy where the Latin language and culture first started – Latium (modern day Lazio, Italy- the province that houses Rome - see above)

Map of Roman Empire - with many Modern Countries Listed

As Rome expanded into one of the largest and longest lived empires in history, it spread the Latin culture and language. The impacts of this culture can readily be seen in large swaths of modern Europe. All countries that speak a “romance” language speak a derivative of Latin. In fact, the term romance language stems from an ancient phrase which meant, “the language of the Romans.” Modern countries that speak Romance languages are Italy, Spain, Portugal, France and Romania.

Latin culture was distinct from the other ancient cultures in Europe - such as Celtic, Germanic or Greek. This distinction is still present today in the languages spoken and in the systems of law. Latin countries still have civil law systems (based on Roman law.) Germanic countries (like Germany and England) have common law systems. It is also important to note that modern Latin countries continue to be overwhelmingly Catholic.

A curious thing:

In America, we are all well acquainted with the term Latin-American or Latino. But, did you know that there is such a thing as a Latin European? Now – based on what we know about Latin Americans, one would think that a Latin European is European with Spanish ancestry. But, you would also be surprised to learn that the term represents people from Italy, Spain, Portugal and France.

What we think of as "Latin America"

So, why in America is “Latin- American” or Latino only reserved for people of Spanish/Hispanic ancestry? It's actually a historical quirk. See – when America was first discovered, it was quickly explored and influenced by Latin European nations. Don't forget – Columbus sailed for Spain, and Spain was the first to lay claim to lands here. They were quickly followed by the Portuguese and French. It wasn't until much later in the game that non-Latin countries (England and Netherlands) began to explore and colonize the New World.

Antique Map of the Americas - with Various Land Owners

While Latin – European countries were colonizing, map makers and explorers began to call the New World the “Latin- Americas.” In fact, areas in North and South America were considered the Latin – Americas. However, once England and the Netherlands began to be major players in the New World, a distinction needed to be made. So, the Latin- Americas were assigned to the areas with the most Latin influenced territories (notably – South America and the Caribbean). Plain old “ America” was assigned to English/ Dutch controlled areas.

In conclusion:

So, technically, a “Latin-American” or Latino is one who comes from an area that was influenced by a Latin-European country. As we set up earlier – the Latin- European countries are Italy, Spain, Portugal and France. And as we set up even earlier than that: Latin culture is directly derived from the Romans, who are the direct ancestors of modern Italians. Therefore, Italians are Latins.

Check out Part # 1 - Italians are not White

Check out Part # 3 - White is an American thing

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Are Italians White? (Part 3)

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 18:35:00 +0000

Anti-Italian Political Cartoon - Note: Italians depicted as rats disembarking a ship labelled " The Slums of Europe."

Why did Italians want to be white? As we mentioned in Part 1 of this series, being white in America was desirable. Being white brought with it privileges that others did not have. It was as if you belonged to a highly selective club – one where you became a part of the power structure of the country. Being white also became synonymous with being American. The whiter you were, the more American you were. Therefore, the idea of being white was so desirable that it forced ethnic groups to shed their ethnic identities quickly.

The language of a people is one of the most important markers of ethnic/cultural identity. Indeed, language creates a unity among peoples – and allows them to retain their sense of community. One of the first things that Italian Americans lost (and lost rather quickly) was the Italian language. Many people often remark how Italian Americans have not retained their ancestral language.

The reason for this is simple and three-fold: 1) Italian immigrants were motivated to make money – and realized that speaking English made them more employable and; 2) Italian immigrant parents forced their children to speak and learn English and; 3) Italian immigration happened to coincide with two world wars – both of which heavily featured Italy on the wrong side. Therefore, speaking Italian in America was considered “favoring” the enemy.

Anti-Italian Language Poster During World War II - Mussolini saying: " It is necessary to destroy democracy."

It is important to remember that this was not a politically correct time in America. Americans were not open or receptive to outsiders and did not ease immigrant transitions in the country. This is completely different from modern times, where immigrants can expect to see and hear their language spoken to them at all times. Perhaps Italians could not retain their language like modern ethnic groups can because it was not provided nor prevalent. In either case, societal and community pressures forced Italians to lose their language quickly.

As we mentioned earlier, sharing a language creates and maintains a sense of community. As Italians began to lose their language, their connections to one another began to fade quickly. While Italians tend to retain some of the religious customs of their ancestors – that connection is also eroding due to a lack of religiosity in America as a whole. Little is left to bind Italians together.

Image of newly arrived Italian immigrants

In conclusion – Italians may not be “white” in the classical, American sense. However, it is important to note that what motivated Italians was not their desire to be Italian in America. Their desire was to succeed and achieve greatness in America at any cost. So, while they may not have retained their original customs and traditions, they did manage to succeed rather quickly in their new surroundings. In fact, they achieved success and elevated themselves out of the immigrant ghettos within one generation of being here. Perhaps losing our language and traditions was the cost of success in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries.

Check out Part # 1- Italians are not White

Check out Part # 2 - Italians are Latin

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Calabria Swept Away

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 23:14:00 +0000

Pictured: Lungomare of Marina di Gioiosa Jonica. Paved walkway, lidos, beach, water (Summer 2013)

While the world prepared for the Olympics - parts of Italy were under siege by coastline smashing waves and torrential downpours. The main area affected was the Ionian (southern most) coast of Calabria.

Points A to B indicate area affected - approximately 25 miles

As many know, coastal areas in Italy are built around a "lungomare." A lungomare is, essentially a stonework boardwalk that runs along the coast line (see first photo above.) It gives inhabitants and visitors instant access to the beach, places to eat and a scenic view.

Large section of Lungomare in Siderno - February 2014

Large Section of Lungomare - Gioiosa (February 2014)

Unfortunately, a large swath of lungomare in Calabria (stretching from Rocella to Bovalino) has been completely destroyed by the storm. According to local reports, in three days the area experienced waves in excess of 24 feet and a rainfall of more than 3 inches.

Here is a video of the storm hitting Siderno:

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Anthony Bourdain Takes on the Mafia

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 17:22:00 +0000

Anthony Bourdain said the single greatest thing regarding Italian culture and the Mafia. It was during a segue portion of his show, Parts Unknown. It was so poetic and to the point that I needed to put it down on paper – and share with everyone.

Let's refresh our memories:

Anthony Bourdain is a chef/author/tv personality. He currently stars in CNN's Parts Unknown. The premise of the show is simple: Anthony is sent to different areas of the world to experience local customs and cuisines.

On Sunday, October 13 2013 – Anthony traveled to Sicily. He started the show off with a comment about how the town was “ where the Godfather was filmed.” He imagined how annoying it must be for the locals and the town itself (which has stood since the 1100s) to be overshadowed by the movie and tourists.

Overhead map of Sicily

The show progressed – and mentioned a great deal of anti-Mafia ideas and ideals. It brought on one local who extolled the virtues of an anti-Mafia movement known as Addiopizzo. Addiopizzo ( Addio means goodbye – pizzo is a term used for extorted money). This movement has grown across Sicily and the mainland.

Addiopizzo sticker for storefronts

Even though the show featured a heavy, anti-Mafia message – the best was Bourdain's anti-Mafia soliloquy. Here is what he said:

"I love the films Godfather I and Godfather II but they had nothing to do with any organized crime from reality- they're opera. Magnificent opera. But basically, a morality tale about loyalty and destroying the things you claim to love and want to protect... "

"Actual organized crime members, generally speaking, are a bunch of spectacularly uneducated, lazy ass sociopaths who have no problem stealing from their own harder working neighbors. Here, in Sicily, their interests are less glamorous than gambling and prostitution. They are, and have traditionally been, a gigantic, parasitical organism - one that has now grown to near equal size of its host."

There you have it. In a few short sentences, Bourdain was able to reduce the Mafia media image into two parts: reality and fiction. The Godfather is appealing because it was crafted to be appealing. Same for all other Mafia media. But the real Mafia? Unrefined, uncivilized, unappealing – it lacks any type of redeeming quality.

But, the most compelling thing to remember is this: Bourdain mentioned how the Mafia steals from its harder working neighbors. Well, in Italy – that means that the Mafia is shaking down its own. And lets not forget, the Mafia would have had no chance of surviving in America had it not been able to shake down fellow Italian immigrants for monthly extortion money.

Addiopizzo indeed.

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Columbus Day Parade, New York City - 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 23:30:00 +0000

Daily News float - Columbus Day 2013

Columbus Day allows the world to see our culture's contributions. And, Columbus Day 2013 was chock full of cultural highs. For starters - many floats were dedicated to specific Italian icons. Chief among them were Machiavelli (author of "The Prince") and composer Giuseppe Verdi (celebrating the 200th anniversary of his birth.)

This year also bore witness to multiple floats representing the numerous Italian schools in the New York metro area. Even to a person heavily involved in the Italian community, it was definitely eye opening to see how many schools actually represent our culture.

Lastly, the day saw NY Governor Andrew Cuomo, NY Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the mayoral candidates in attendance - showing their support (and pride) for the Italian culture.

Before you enjoy our photos below - please remember one key thing: Christopher Columbus is the unifying force for the Italian community. He was selected by Italians, for Italians. His name and image appear in Little Italies across the United States and Canada. His contributions to the founding and settling of the Americas are incontrovertible. Do not let revisionists and certain groups with political agendas attack, dismantle or destroy the federal holiday that recognizes our cultural contributions to the Americas. This is our day - and we must protect it.

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The Best Line of The Godfather Films

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Wed, 25 Sep 2013 14:30:00 +0000

Depending on where you get your information, The Godfather (Parts I & II) are either the greatest movies ever made or the worst thing to happen to the image of Italian Americans.

We've always been on the fence about the whole issue. We've written that the movies are so good that they rival a Shakespearean tragedy. It wouldn't matter if the subjects were Italian, English, Roman or Greek. The powerful scenes and strong dialogue are hard to ignore.

However, the proud Italian in us recognizes that it gave generations of non- Italians a warped idea of what it means to be Italian, what Italian culture is and what our cultural values are. For a long time, we held a gripe with The Godfather series for this sole reason. We're glad to say that the gripe is gone – and here's why:

Our new found respect for the movies is nestled in a scene that no one ever talks about. It is seemingly a throw away scene, setting us up for bigger developments later in the movie. But, as a stand alone scene – it sends a message that is more powerful (and empowering) to the Italian community than any other dialogue.

Let's refresh our memories:

Vito Corleone, with his family, on the stoop

In The Godfather (Part II) Robert De Niro ( Vito Corleone) is an Italian immigrant trying to make his way in New York's Little Italy. Times are tough – and he struggles to make ends meet and support his family through legitimate means. He has a job at a grocery store. This is where we first meet Don Fanucci – the “Boss” of the neighborhood. Fanucci comes into the grocery and demands that the owner hire Fanucci's nephew. The owner agrees – and promptly fires Vito (De Niro) because he cannot afford to employ both.

Vito then begins to take notice of Fannuci and how he operates within the neighborhood. In the next scenes, we're shown Vito and his best friend, Genco, in an Italian theater watching an Italian melodrama.

After the play ends, Vito's friend, Genco wants to see the female lead of the play – with whom he is in love. They go through a back stage door and see Don Fanucci shaking down the theater owner (who is also an Italian immigrant. )

The shakedown gets very heated – and Don Fanucci takes a knife to the theater owner's daughter (pictured above), threatening to kill her. The theater owner relents and pays Fanucci's price.

In a side alley, just outside the stage door, Vito asks Genco about Fannuci. Here is the dialogue:

Genco to Vito:

Genco to Vito:

Now, here is the greatest line in the entire Godfather trilogy:

Vito to Genco:

Genco to Vito:

Why is this the best scene? Because it tells the audience everything it needs to know about the Mafia. It tells the audience exactly what the writers, directors and producers think about the Mafia. Namely, that the Mafia started as a thug organization – terrorizing fellow Italian immigrants and shaking them down for money. Why did they choose the Italians and not some other group? Because these new immigrants had no protection and American society wouldn't care about their "ethnic" problems.

The scene also sets us up for what is to follow: Vito will be a departure from the traditional Mafia mentality. He will not terrorize people (especially his own), provided that they have no involvement in his way of life. We see this in the following scenes where he resolves local disputes and refuses to get violent with a shady landlord.

Remember, that poor Landlord

Don't get us wrong – Vito Corleone was not a saint. However, our favorite scene establishes that Vito (as well as 99% of fellow Italians) saw something abhorrent in Italians attacking fellow Italians. It is a critique on the Mafia and is a silent message that it was a plague on the Italian community.

Why Vito Corleone became a gangster is still up for conjecture. Perhaps he thought, after seeing Fanucci, that the position of Don needed to be filled by a man with a better sense of right and wrong. We'll never know.

We still think the movies harmed Italian identity. But, we now believe that has to do with public perception of the films - and not intent on the part of the film makers.

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Our Photos of Rome

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Sun, 25 Aug 2013 00:37:00 +0000

During our trip to Rome this July, we took a ton of photos. Some of our best were posted to sites like Instagram and Twitter. All of these photos were tagged with the line: What Our People Built

That line was (and is) very powerful. It highlights our achievements and culture - a culture that sometimes gets confused with (and encumbered by) nonsense.

During our trip, we didn't mention the word "stereotype" once. We focused on the positive. The beautiful, amazing, awe-inspiring positive that is our culture.

We're still sifting through our 1,000+ photos. But, we wanted to give you a taste of what our trip was like.

So, please enjoy this "teaser" while we continue to work on the finished product.

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Haagen Dazs Gelato Commercial: Italian Stereotypes at their Worst

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:04:00 +0000

Hey, do you like gelato? Would you like it better if it were sold to you by screaming Italians? If yes, have we got a great product for you!

There are few times in life where I'm left speechless. The Haagen Dazs gelato commercial was one of those times. I literally had no words as two Italians (presumably a couple) began screaming at each other for no reason.

The commercial opens with the husband/boyfriend arriving home with flowers in hand and simply saying: "Ciao, amore."

The wife/girlfriend's response to this was to smash a plate on the floor:

And say:

The boyfriend's initial reaction was, understandably, this deer-in headlights pose:

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Which quickly turned into this:

The girlfriend's reaction: face to face, nose touching screaming match

But wait! Just as the argument is reaching epic proportions they both look down and see the Haagen Dazs Gelato container - and all is calm.Until, of course, the girlfriend asks the boyfriend to apologize.

He becomes enraged and she screams:

Why this is offensive:

I hate this commercial for two very large reasons : 1) it taps into the "all Italians do is scream, be violent and lose their temper" stereotype and; 2) the screaming has nothing to do with the product. The screaming was put there to "play up" the idea that these two were Italians. We assure you - if the characters were soft spoken, the gelato would taste the same and be just as appealing.

I personally hate the commercial for a separate reason: I was really disappointed. When the commercial first came on, and I heard Italian - I was intrigued. I was excited for whatever product was to follow. That excitement turned into anger rather quickly. We're so much more than these companies and TV shows would have you believe.

UPDATE: 4/28/2014

Since people were commenting here claiming that we're “alone” on the issue of this commercial – we decided to take another look.

We started off by researching a bit. It turns out – we're not alone. Haagen Dazs' facebook page is inundated with comments calling the ad “stereotypical,” “digusting,” and “offensive.” We also know most of the people visiting our article are using the search words “haagen dazs gelato commercial awful,” “haagen dazs stereotypes” and “haagen dazs Italian stereotypes.”

Don't believe us? Check out the screencaps of the Haagen Dazs facebook page - starting from last year when the commercial first came out:

We're far from alone on the issue

Just as an aside – we do not look for things to quarrel over. Many Italian – themed commercials are just fine in our book. FIAT had a wonderful series of commercials come out this past year. On the gelato front – Breyer's seems to make a gelato without using Italian stereotype to sell it. What a novel idea.

FIAT Commercial:

Not offensive - just clever

Breyer's Gelato Commercial

Still Not Offensive

In sum, the point regarding Haagen Dazs is, no other ethnic group would be portrayed like that in a commercial – so we shouldn't be, either. Find a different way to tell me gelato is Italian and Italians enjoy gelato. Breyer's did - I'm sure Haagen Dazs could as well.

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In Defense of Antonin Scalia's Voting Rights Act Remarks

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 14:00:00 +0000

In Defense of Antonin Scalia

Before we get into the substance of the debate on Justice Scalia's controversial remarks – here are a few items to note:

1) The writer of this article is a law school graduate- and passer of the NY Bar-who has firm grasp on the law.

2) Antonin Scalia never said he was, “White and proud.”

3) Antonin Scalia did say that Section 5 of the Voting Rights act was a “racial entitlement.” He did not say that voting rights were a racial entitlement – more on that distinction later.

4) This article does not favor Republicans to Democrats, nor does it agree (or disagree) with Scalia's statements. It presents the facts in a clear, unbiased and educated way.

1- Do Not Confuse Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act with Actual Voting Rights

A screen-cap direct from the Justice Department's website

What Scalia Said: Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act (shown in the picture above) is a "racial entitlement." He did not say voting rights were a racial entitlement.

You see, the uproar stems from a confusion over the subject of Scalia's remarks. In a session on the renewal of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, Scalia did say the words “racial entitlement.” However, those words were aimed at Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act – which has very little to do with one's ability to vote. In fact, Section 5 pertains to a state's ability to redistrict voting boards and zones. It does not mention who can or cannot vote, nor does it mention a racial component to voting. Scalia's comments were directed at the districting/redistricting of areas – not on one's ability to vote.

Briefly stated: a state is allowed to draw voting districts as it sees fit. All of our states have districts – and we (as citizens) all belong to one. These lines are drawn up by our state representatives. However, not all states have the ability to draw these lines by themselves. Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 indicates that several southern states are not allowed this ability. Why? Because they were the most notorious perpetrators of Jim Crow laws. So, these select states must draft a redistricting plan and send it to the federal government for approval.

States affected by Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act cannot redistrict without approval from the federal government. All other states are free to redistrict as they please - without direct government oversight and say-so.

Herein lies the problem: we have a minor thing in America called federalism. This essentially holds that States have unassailable rights and powers that the federal government cannot impede upon. Moreover, any power not not granted to the federal government by the Constitution is impliedly granted to the states. Conservatives are big believers in States' rights (and small federal government.) Liberals tend to minimize States' rights and expand federal control. Scalia, the consummate conservative, does not favor the federal government encroaching on States' rights. Further, Scalia is of the opinion that no race should be shown any preference by law or statute- which Section 5 clearly does. This is not politicking here – its just facts.

So, when Antonin Scalia said that Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was the last vestige of “racial entitlements,” - he was referring to the preferences and protections given to minority districts in a select few states. Such preferences and protections are not afforded to the American population as a whole – nor are they given to minorities outside of some southern states. This is what he means by a “racial entitlement” namely that one (or a few) races are given preferential treatment over others. Scalia's comments had nothing – and we repeat nothing- to do with a minority's ability and right to vote.

Furthermore, Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act has created a 48 year inequality among the states - with some given more freedoms than others. Our union was created as a union of equals - not of haves and have nots.

2- Scalia Never Said He Was “White and Proud.”

Much of the fury with Scalia is rooted in a quote being maliciously attributed to him. The quote is “ I am White and Proud.” Such a statement evokes images of White America terrorizing the Black community – and evokes concepts of racial superiority. Fortunately, Scalia never said it- just as we can imagine a Supreme Court Justice never would.

The quote is attributable to a Representative and Black community activist, Jim Clyburn,- who (in misguided fashion) said:

"What Justice Scalia said, to me, was, 'The 15th Amendment of the Constitution ain't got no concerns for me because I'm white and proud.'"

Horrendous grammar aside, his quote was misinterpreted to have come directly from Scalia -as if he were a raging racist. How has this played out? You tell us:

Apparently, Mr. Boykin forgot to "fact check" that Section 5 has nothing to do with the right (or act) of voting.

Astoundingly, people still believe (nearly 10 days removed from the event) that Scalia made such a heinous comment.

3- Scalia's Ethnicity Was Attacked:

The Twitter-verse found pleasure in attacking Scalia's ethnicity - as if his being Italian had anything to do with his point of view: (NSFW)

Others aimed their hatred directly at the Italian culture:

Sure thing: Can we start by giving back the largest lynching in US history that was so graciously "given" to us?

A complete lack of research or understanding about Scalia's comments led to a barrage of anti-Italian sentiment. The pen may be mightier than the sword – but, ignorance possesses incomparable strength.

At ItalianAware, we are not concerned with your political leanings - provided you are informed. The "outrage" over Scalia's comments stemmed from an uninformed public being riled up into a frenzy by an equally uninformed media.

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North End, Boston - Photo Gallery (Part 1)

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Pizza at Regina Pizzeria

Regina Pizzeria Napkins

Cappuccino At Caffe' Vittoria

Homemade Fusili at Giacomo's

Cannoli from Mike's Pastry

External Shot of Regina's Pizzeria

External Shot of Mike's Pastry

External Shot of Caffe' Vittoria

Restaurants on Hanover Street

Modern Pastry

Giacomo's (definitely worth the wait!)

Cantina Italiana has the best signage

Trieste Assn. 1919 - A local Italian organization?

Farmacia Italiana- reminds us of the farmacie in Itay
with its signs and green cross

State Senate office of Anthony Petrucelli

Italian novelty shop

Bova's Bakery (open 24/7)- best bread we had!

Closeup of Regina's iconic sign

No matter how far you travel, Italy is always a few steps away.

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Spotted: Italian Stereotypes from Klement Sausages

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 15:00:00 +0000

Guido is #3 - in case you couldn't tell

A dedicated user sent us the following e-mail:

"I am very upset to find out that Klement's Sausage Company has a racing sausage for the Milwaukee Brewers named GUIDO.The sausage is an Italian sausage and I find this to be a very offensive name. Please let me know your thoughts."

Being a baseball fan, I have always known about the Milwaukee Brewer's "sausage race." I also knew there was an Italian sausage involved. However, I never knew they had names (silly me.) Apparently, the Italian sausage is named, " Guido." This is a proper Italian name - and at first glance, doesn't appear to be offensive. That is, of course, until you find out the names of the other sausages.

Italian Sausage: Guido
Polish Sausage: Stosh
German Sausage: Brett Wurst
Mexican/Spanish Sausage: Cinco
American Sausage: Frankie Furter

Our research reveled that the sausages' names are puns - not true ethnic names. For example, rather than naming the German sausage "Dirk" or "Felix" they chose "Brett Wurst." The Mexican/Spanish sausage wasn't named, "Julio." They chose, "Cinco." Only the Italian sausage was given a true ethnic name - that also doubles as a derogatory term for Italians.

Here's the first Google result for the name, "Stosh":

Pictured: Being Normal

Now here's the first Google result for the name, "Guido": (possibly NSFW)

Pictured: Shame

We think the internet has spoken: Guido is officially (and undoubtedly) an offensive term for Italians.

The naming of the Italian sausage does appear to be intentional - they chose a name with a double meaning. The Italian sausage's alternative meaning is highly offensive while the others are "cute." One simple question remains: Why?

Your thoughts?

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Spotted: Mystery Worshiper Stereotypes Italians and Dyker Heights, Brooklyn

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 23:17:00 +0000

We thought this was interesting: a reader sent in the following screen-cap from the website Ship of Fools

Ship of Fools' site has a "Mystery Worshiper" (Amanda B. Reckonedwythe- how clever) who goes to various churches on Sundays and gives his review of the neighborhood and the church services. This particular Sunday, the Mystery Worshiper was in Regina Pacis - one of Brooklyn's most beautiful churches (that has recently been elevated to a Basilica.)

Ship-of Fools' mission statement claims,

" We're here for people who prefer their religion disorganized," says the Ship's editor and designer, Simon Jenkins. "Our aim is to help Christians be self-critical and honest about the failings of Christianity, as we believe honesty can only strengthen faith."

Apparently, the way for Christians to come to terms with their faith is to go into ethnic neighborhoods and demean the population.

Beautiful Regina Pacis

What amazes me is that the "Mystery Worshiper" had never been in Regina Pacis and had never been to Dyker Heights prior to his trip. Yet, in one Sunday he found out that Dyker Heights is THE home of the the Mafia and also home to poor Italians. How fascinating- and wrong.

Anyone who has been to Dyker Heights, Brooklyn knows 2 things: the area is overwhelmingly Italian and it certainly is not poor. Dyker Heights is home to some of the most lavish and expensive houses in Brooklyn.

See how Dyker Heights is one of the wealthier areas in South Brooklyn? See how the Mystery Worshiper knows nil about where he was?

Further, if the neighborhood were THE home of the Mafia - do you really think the residents would talk about it like a tourist attraction? On what grounds does the Mystery Worshiper base his claim that,

"Residents will furtively point out the garish, overdecorated homes of present and former capos and consiglieri, as well as the social clubs and pizza parlors that could be lifted off the set of the Sopranos if they weren't for real."

So, not only are the inhabitants mafiosi, but any and all Italian establishments must be Mafia enterprises. Sure. I guess his stereotype-laden rebuke of the area was his way of being a "good Christian." A fine way of saying thanks to a neighborhood and parish that welcomed an outsider in on a Sunday morning.

This is why we HATE Italian stereotypes on TV and movies. It gives non-Italians the idea that Italian neighborhoods are "ganglands" and that everyone is a Mobster or mob-affiliate. It makes people believe that individuals with vowels at the end of their names are dangerous and corrupt. Trust me, as a person from Bensonhurst (a neighboring area of Dyker), there are thousands of hard-working, honest Italians in Dyker Heights. They do not need some dope to besmirch them.

Our recommendation to the Mystery Worshiper: Pay more attention in Church and pray for your soul. We think you missed the part where God dislikes prejudice.

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Little Italy : A List of the Best Ones

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 21:03:00 +0000

What would a list of Little Italies look like? Well, first we'd have to define the meaning of a true Little Italy.

A true Little Italy, by our estimation, is characterized by some combination of all the following elements:

1) Significant Italian & Italian American population

2) A Genuine neighborhood- not a carefully crafted tourist trap

3) Features Italian restaurants and specialty shops, owned and frequented by Italian locals.

4) Italian language is spoken on a routine basis

From those elements, it is clear to see that Wikipedia's List of Little Italies is completely inaccurate. While it does seem to list places with large Italian populations, it does not “nail” what is and is not a Little Italy. For example, Staten Island, NY has an unbelievably large Italian population. However, it is not home to a single Little Italy.

Staten Island is known as "Staten Italy" - but has no Little Italy

Using those factors for determining where the “true” Little Italies are, we compiled the following list. This list is based on Little Italies we have visited. It will be updated when we travel to new, deserving places.

Boston's North End, Mass.
Baltimore, MD
Federal Hill, Providence, RI
Wooster Street, New Haven, CT
Dyker Heights, Brooklyn, NY
Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, NY
Arthur Avenue, Bronx, NY
North Beach, San Francisco, CA
Heart of Italy, Chicago, Ill.

The above are what we consider “true” Little Italies. Our travels have allowed us to investigate these places thoroughly – and we feel that they are accurate and fair. In each of the above named places, there is a significant Italian/Italian American population, Italian is spoken on a routine basis, Italian specialty shops are frequented by Italian locals and most importantly: the area is a genuine community.

Street Sign- Federal Hill, RI

What do we mean by “genuine community?” Simply put, the area feels like a real neighborhood- with real neighbors and people committed to that particular community. People have their “roots” there and work hard to keep the community pristine. When we went to the above Little Italies, we knew that we weren't just speaking with workers, waiters and barristas – we were speaking with people who had a long familial history with the community.

Street Sign- Wooster Street, CT

This “genuineness” factor is severely lacking in our most glaring omission on the list: Manhattan's Little Italy. The Little Italy of Manhattan is the most overrated, overhyped, underwhelming Little Italy we've ever visited. It is simply a tourist trap- carefully designed to get people to come to the area and eat a mediocre dinner. It sells Italian horns, T-Shirts and photos of John Gotti. It's workers can't find Italy on a map, let alone actually speak Italian.

San Gennaro Feast Sign- NY

More importantly, the area has been abandoned by Italians. They no longer work, live or eat there. Simply stated, the area is not a place Italians identify with. It is a place Americans identify with as being a representation of what is Italian. The area is essentially a cartoon version of what it used to be. Little Italy, Manhattan is an Italian theme park- not an authentic community. The same can be said, unfortunately, of Philadelphia. This stems from a missing feeling of “community” along with a disjointed Italian population and a total loss of the Italian language.

So, stay tuned as we update this list. And, don't forget to check out our write ups, reviews and photos of the Little Italies we have visited.

Posts You May Also Like:

Little Italy: New York

Little Italy: Boston

A List of Italian Stereotypes

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Little Italy: Manhattan, New York

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Past

Make no mistake- when someone mentions Little Italy many of our minds wander to Manhattan's Little Italy. The reason for this is due to the way it has been glorified in books, television and movies. It has always been portrayed as an area that is a bastion of Italian culture and cuisine- an old school holdout in a rapidly gentrifying New York City.

Indeed, Manhattan's Little Italy was THE place to be for Italian immigrants to New York at the turn of the 20^th century. The reasons why Italians settled in the area is simply because it was convenient. The area was at the southern tip of Manhattan Island- which was one of the most undesirable areas of Manhattan to live (so- cheap housing was readily available.) Moreover, the location was also where a majority of Italians first set foot in America after being processed at Ellis Island.


Mulberry Street- Early 1900s

The area saw a huge influx of Italian immigrant between 1880 and 1930- and as a result, Italian shops, service centers and restaurants opened up to cater to their needs. Religious feasts and celebrations were also incorporated into the area. In fact, Manhattan's Little Italy is still home to the San Gennaro Feast- which is celebrated every September.

The area began to lose it's Italian population during the middle 1940s. The reasons why are manifold, but revolve around these main issues: 1) Italians rapidly moved up the economic ladder; 2) Italians were prevented from coming to America in large numbers and 3) World War II allowed for Italians to be accepted by mainstream America- which allowed them to move out of the “ghettos.” This meant that middle class Italians were now moving to more spacious areas in Brooklyn and Queens.

Nevertheless, Manhattan's Little Italy remained an Italian neighborhood for much of the remainder of the 20^th century. This is evidenced by its still present Italian shops, restaurants and feasts.

Present:

VERY Little Italy

While still widely regarded as being “Italian”- the area is rapidly changing. In fact, 2010 census indicates that for the the first time in over 100 years, there is not a single resident in the area that was born in Italy. Nada. Why? Well, for starters- Italian immigration to America is virtually non-existent. On average, 3,000 Italians emigrated to America yearly between the years of 2001-2010. Of the total European immigration to America during that time (approx. 1,260,000), Italians accounted for 30,000- or .0238%

The area is also shrinking. It is being flanked by an ever growing Chinatown and an up and coming area referred to as NoLita (North of Little Italy). These two factors have combined to change the area as well as reduce it size and scale. Furthermore, residents of the NoLita area have attempted to shrink the size and scope of the yearly San Gennaro feast- as they claim it attracts traffic, violence and dirt.

What to See & Eat:

I know you're asking “Where are the real restaurants in this review?” The fact is- there aren't any. This is an honest-to-goodness write up of the Little Italy- and quite frankly, it has some of the worst Italian food we've ever tasted. So, we suggest you go to Lombardi's and eat dessert at Ferrara's- skip the “fancy” (and terrible) restaurants.

Ferrara's Bakery: Perfect place for a cannolo and espresso. The shop has been there for well over 100 years, and has serviced the community and now the tourists. While the menu is packed with tasty items, be prepared to pay a steep price. A recent trip for two cost approximately $30 for 2 Espressos, 2 Cannoli and a few cookies.

Lombardi's- Lombardi's has the distinction of being the first pizzeria in America. More importantly, it also has the distinction of being the first pizzeria to offer “pizza to go.”

The pizza is very good- and every New Yorker has gotten into the obligatory “Lombardi's vs. Grimaldi's debate” over which shop has the best. But, like anything else in Little Italy be prepared to 1) pay and 2) wait. TIP: Whichever pie you choose, you have to try their Italian soda. Trust us. :)

The Italian American Museum- If you have the chance to go to Little Italy- aim for the morning/afternoon and make your way to this museum. Housed in the old Banca Stabile building, the museum aims to preserve Italian culture and heritage. The founder, Dr. Joseph Scelsa is an affable man who can explain every facet of early and contemporary Italian life to his visitors.

San Gennaro Feast- Generally held in the middle of September, the feast is a long running tradition in the neighborhood. San Gennaro is the patron saint of Naples- and at the very beginning of the feast, one can witness the statute of San Gennaro being paraded through the streets.

TIP: If you do go to the feast, 1) take public transportation and 2) the restaurants in the area set up booths for outdoor dining. You can literally dine and sit in the middle of the feast- not a bad way to spend the night!

Check out our complete photo gallery of New York's Little Italy

More photos from Little Italy, New York:

Check Out More Little Italies:

Boston's North End

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Cancel Columbus Day?

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Columbus Day is an endangered species. As we've written in the past, college campuses across the country donot acknowledge it; cities and towns have replaced it or ignored itand many of its parades have been canceled. Why? Because Columbus is un-PC. He is the first face of European America. He is falsely linked to genocide, slavery and rape. He is accused of crimes that did not exist in his time. He is a man constantly on trial- with many accusers and few defenders.

Today's society wants to hold Columbus accountable to present day standards and laws- not the standards that existed in his time. In the legal field, this would be considered an “ex post facto” incrimination- essentially that Columbus is guilty of crimes that were not crimes when he acted.

This behavior by society is akin to creating a law today that states “no one can drink coffee.” Tomorrow, police come to your house and arrest you because you used to drink coffee every day before the law was passed. However, you have yet to break the new law- you haven't had coffee since the law was passed.

Oddly, our founding fathers were brilliant enough to include in the Constitution that we can never be tried in an “ex post facto” way. So, if it is good enough for us, shouldn't it be good enough for people for whom we now sit in judgment?

US Constitution: No Bill of Attainder or Ex Post Facto Laws...

Society also wants us to forget the fact that America was “Europeanized” and that part of that process involved displacing many native peoples. However, this cannot (and should not) be linked to Columbus. The persecution of natives lasted hundreds of years after Columbus arrived here. Columbus was in the Americas a few dozen years at best- towards the end of the 1400s and early 1500s.

What was perpetrated on the natives of the Americas was a representation of cultural mores and beliefs of the time. It was far larger than Columbus himself- it was a European mindset of dominance. If Columbus were truly a “lone nut” in how he treated the natives, then certainly conditions would have improved after his death. They did not- they got much worse and lasted through to the 1800s.

Genocide, Rape and Torture - Accusations without facts

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly- there are unsubstantiated, second and third hand evidence that Columbus committed these alleged crimes. The belief that he had slaves stems from what few documents remain of his voyage. In Columbus letters and journals, he alludes to the natives being “ good servants” and “eager to please.” He also sent natives back to Spain- to show the royal court what he had found. Here is a direct quote from Columbus- which new age historians consider to be evidence of his enslaving people:

"It appears to me, that the people are ingenious, and would be good servants and I am of opinion that they would very readily become Christians, as they appear to have no religion. They very quickly learn such words as are spoken to them. If it please our Lord, I intend at my return to carry home six of them to your Highnesses, that they may learn our language. " (source)

People who want to reconsider Columbus Day claim this is “proof” that Columbus was a slave trader. But, his tone is not hostile. Why would he send them back to Spain? Could it be because he needed to prove to the Queen of the most powerful country on the planet she hadn't wasted millions of dollars on him? He didn't have an iPhone or Skype- he needed to send back living, breathing proof.

Columbus was a master businessman- and self promoter. He knew he needed to finance return trips to the Americas. He was not going to get those funds if he had told the royal court- “We encountered natives who were very hostile and combative- we need to send an army to establish a colony here.” Even if Columbus experienced hell on Earth- the royal court was only going to hear pleasantries.

And, truth be told, Columbus did experience hell on Earth. Some of the native peoples he encountered (see: Carib & Taino People) would have shocked even the most outrageous European- with their noted practices of 1) Human Sacrifice and; 2) Cannibalism But, why would revisionist historians care about these wonderful practices? After all, these people no longer perform these acts...that was years ago! We can't judge primitive people from our modern cultural values! Hypocrites.

If we are going to judge Columbus by 21^st century standards and in turn ridicule him- then let's not stop there. Let's demand an end to celebrating Washington's birthday and the Fourth of July- after all, each of our founding fathers were slave owners. We should also burn images of Taino and Carib people in effigy- since they were cannibals and practiced human sacrifice. And as ridiculous as these argument sound- equally absurd is deriding and ending Columbus Day.

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