This was in the tread on the odds next to die in The Sopranos.

Originally Posted by Black Gotti:

This is why the Mafia is in such bad shape. All the old, wise Dons are passing on due to natural or "unnatural causes". This or they are spending the rest of thier lives in Walla Walla. The new generation of mobsters, as many famous gansters have said, are sloppy and have no respect. The thought Omerta is laughable now. People like Uncle Junior , who keep true to the code of silence, are dying or in jail for those very things. There are more "Made men" out there that are trying to get into witness protection then there are men trying to be made. More and more the Italian Mafia is losing streanth and power due to the old Dons dying and the new ones coming in and destroying powerful, old Regimes. These new Mafioso get into trouble real fast and forget about the code when it becomes time to do thier time. This is partially in fault to the introduction of cocaine to the world of the Mafiosi. More and more in recent times "Made men" are doing 40 to life, rather than the usual 10-15 years for most small time illegal crimes which the Mafia stood on back then, back in the "Golden Era". The big stuff was never a problem back then. Murders were never uncovered because of lack of witnesses and evidence. But now adays that all canges with the introduction of "new members". They rat out the "old members". The Mafia is in trouble and if the trouble keeps on getting worse with "new arrivals" then you can bet that there might be more wars and more Families deteriorating too.

Oh Well.....

The Don Ferro

Enjoy? Turnbull, others, what do you think about this?

I agree, but from what I was told there are still many in the mafia who don't believe in messing with drugs. Its supposedly forbidden. Then again in regards to this, I'm assuming it has alot to do with which city and which family too. The mafia isn't as strong as it used to be, but with the economy going to shit, it kinda makes me wonder if that would be what would launch them back. Then again its alot harder these days because law enforcement is so much more advanced than in the older days.

Hey Jimmy, you straight-edge???

Yes Sir! I'm crazy into hxc too. I'm also a guitar player. Why what's up?

Go check the music i'm into in the general disscusion section. Dude, glad to hear ur into ur hardcore.
Check the link on my signature. u MAY like it, but it don't reflect the hXc i'm into.
SWEET, a fellow hardcore fan!!!!!

There's no money, like drug money. I repect the old Dons' and their traditions. they built this. However, if you stand in one place too long, you'll never grow. Omerta is not laughable. Believe it or not, there are still those true to it. Not every New Generation Mobster is a snitch, a rat or a snake. When the gavel falls and it looks grim, you hold your head and do your time. Your 'Family' will ensure your seeds eat.

You know what? This is interesting. I once heard (from an FBI agent) that the Italian mafia is no longer in power and that the Hispanics are the ones running things nowadays. Now I don't know if this is true-but if "theres no money like drug money"-there might be some truth to this.

sigh

i dont think the mafia will ever be the way it use to be in the times of gambino "the golden era" too many rats there in the newspapers too often...and the sad thing is that the mafia wont whack out pple like gravano when he was "free" rat bastard got what was comin to him hope he dies in jail and the last thing on his mind is GOTTI! henry Hill shoulda whacked him..he walks around were all the mafia are whats left of them they should pop him...hes a sad thing it really is...hopefully one day things will be the way they use to be

We tend to romanticize the "old Mafia" and think of it as "men of honor" who "never murdered bystanders," "didn't deal in drugs," "respected their neighborhoods," "honored omerta," etc. B.S.! There is no honor among thieves. Just to take two examples: Mafia had rats long before Valachi, who got known only because of TV. Charlie Luciano was reputed to have ratted out an associate in a drug deal when he was about 18, to avoid prosecution. Which leads to drugs: The Mafia has always been involved with drugs on both wholesale and retail levels. The Dons publicly denounced the traffic, but were powerless to stop it--and never asked where the money came from that associates kicked upstairs to them. The famous Apalachin, NY, convention of 1957 was called by Vito Genovese to bless the traffic in drugs, not condemn it. And Mafiosi preyed upon, shot up, and exploited their own neighborhoods long before they branched out.
One thing about the old Mob: It was the employer of last resort for immigrant and first-generation Italians who had no recourse to colleges, unions, civil service, etc. Once in a while the Mob found a superior person, like Costello, Luciano or Gambino, who could have been successful in business, the professions or the arts if they had had a chance. Today, smart young Italian-Americans go to college, and the Mob gets the Gottis and Gravanos of the world.

Exactly Turnbull, I was just stating that it's different. I have always gone by that saying. (There is no honor in thieves.) I strongly believe in it. I am only refuting to the view point of the old mob. Possibly with traces back into Sicily, and even the Sicilian mob. Sure, they murdered innocent men and women, which is a terror beyond belief, but the mob was run on fear back then, was it not? The Dons were feared for many reasons. Nowadays though it is just to avoid jury duty and not to be killed. Back then, the system had cause, when the Sicilians were attacked they formed the Mafia for only other Sicilians and helped only each other. It was for weapons and protection for them and to the others. Then it was for money, and then drugs, and so on. I am just stating that it doesnt have meaning anymore other than, "Oh my father was in it". It's about money now. Money, drugs, and adultry. It may not be honorable now but WAY long ago it had a cause, bad or not. Its just different. But I stand by your point Turnbull on the mob in america during the early years, very inciteful.

The Don Ferro

Turnbull, you are right on with everything you said, but I think you missed the point. Whether we look up to the Old Mob or look down on them for their moral exploits, they used to be VERY powerful. LCN in this day in age is very depleted.

Although there were many rats and turncoats in the old days, it was nothing even remotely close to today's situation. Like DonFerro55 said, there are more made men wanting FBI protection than there are associates waiting to be made! Today's Mafia is a microcosm of society: greed is king, everyone is out for themselves, honor is becoming a thing of the past, etc. It is truly sad; not that organized crime is not "honorable" anymore, but that society is becoming less and less honorable.

Why do people still glamorize Gotti? He did more to ruin LCN than most of the other mob bosses combined!

You may not beleive me, but my brothers freinds uncle is a Boss up in Southern Italy, Pappoto, his surname is. Anyway as long as hes around at least some people will beleive in Omerta.