Not Really the Mafia?

Okay, we all know what the Sopranos is about. A high ranking mafioso who deals with the pressures from both of his families. However, ever since watching Commendatore in Season 2, I questioned if the DiMeo Familiy was even Cosa Nostra.

Let me explain. Tony is Neapolitan, right? Okay, so, so was his father. Now, his father was made, but he wasn't at all Sicilian. Now, at the time his father was working for the Dimeo Family, he would never be made considering he was of Northern Italian descent.

Another thing, the DiMeo Family, as shown in Season 2, works directly with the Neapolitan Mafia, or Camorra. And I believe that it is an breach of Commission rules to ever do so.

So, I have questioned on several occasions whether the DiMeo Family was really an American form of the Camorra, or whether it was just an inaccuracy on David Chase's part.

Does anyone know for sure, or at least have any insight into this?

You seem to be under the impression that someone had to be Sicilian to be made in the US Mafia. That was true in the early years of the 20th century, but gave way under pressure during Prohibition. The Mob needed bodies, and membership opened up to men who weren't necessarily Sicilians--they just had to be Italian on both sides.. Joe Valachi was Neapolitan. So was Vito Genovese. Frank Costello was Calabrian. John Gotti was Neapolitan. None of them were from the North of Italy.
Tony's unit is a Mafia family--he formally (and finally!)inducted Christopher a couple of seasons ago.
As has been posted elsewhere, the Commission doesn't have many "rules," and most of them are unenforceable anyway because the Commission seldom meets, and Mafia families have nothing in common except mutual distrust. Mafia families are dedicated to one proposition: greed. They'll do business with any individuals and organizations that can help make money--the Camorra, the Russian Mafia, the Golden Triangle opium traders in Myannamar and Thailand, terrorist arms dealers, etc.

Thanks Turnbull. I know that nowadays that as long as your Italian you can be made but I though that this took affect much later then the prohibition era. Thanks again, TB you never seem to let me down.

You're welcome, Moscarelli.

Today only your Father has to be Italian to become a made member. You need that Italian last name. Remember John Gotti Jr. is a made man and his mother is jewish.

DS

Could somebody help me out here with aa few more Mafia guidelines?

So now you can be made if you're half italian blood - do you have to be catholic? what about people whose mother is full italian but their father isn't, so they don't have the italian surname? Is it more difficult to be made if you're not blood related to a Family? Has any Family ever made a non-italian? Or a woman?

If anyone knows anything about any of that, please give me your thoughts!

I don't believe that there is any evidence of a half-Italian mafioso. Don't confuse Mafia asscoaites with made members.

By the way, it was Victoria Gotti's father that was Jewish. John's parents were both Neapolitans.

According to Joe Pistone, in his book, "The Way of the Wiseguy," the rule is that your father has to be Italian for you to be considered Italian, and thus be qualified to be made. And Olivant is right: Victoria Gotti's father was Jewish, mother Italian. Under Jewish religious law, all Jewishness descends from the mother, so Victoria wasn't considered Jewish.

Cosa Nostra has had to accomodate changes in society, economics, the law, etc. in order to continue prospering. It apparently gave up on the total Sicilian parentage a long time ago given its induction of some well known Mafiosi who were not Sicilian like Costello and Genovese. However, I've never heard of such accomodations going so far as its inducting a member that was half Italian. I think that some people confuse being made with being an associate. There's a big difference.