What do you think the Mafia is? Is it Organized Crime? A organization of killers? A labor union? A mini-government? A collection of families? Or maybe all of the above?

Do you believe the Mafia at any time was right? Do you think that the mafia's bad outnumbered its good? Or is it a situation where you have to understand the Italian Culture to get a taste of what they thought was bad or good?

My Idea:
It is said the in Sicily it was ran by three things: The Church,The Government, and the Mafia. Then honor was what it was all about, honor to your family...and family was anyone through distant blood..or through a close friend, then their family...would be your family. This idea carried onto the U.S where people did not understand honor. When someone diddnt keep to their word, they would think that the man dishonored himself..and would most likely be killed..Americans dont understand that. I personally belive that in the beginning, it was fitting to their culture, and now and in the U.S, in many cases it was fitting, and in many it was not. It all depends on where you look from it.. I personally am a family member of the East Coast and Sicialian part of the Mob, though I dont think I would ever want to get my hands dirty directly.

So what is it to you?

Government definately. It has it own rules and kind of court (The commission)

And I believe they were right sometimes. Especially in the beginning when Sicily was continous overruled by others.

An alternative government. And of course a criminal organisation.

And they were right sometimes yes. When Sicily was overruled by others the mafia protected the farmers against the high texas of the overrulers. And the helped the allies with the invasion in Sicily (it was better for therselves also but...)

But of course, normally, it a CRIMINAL (so not a good) organisation..

Yeah, but that's obvious I think.

A goverment that got out of hand,but still going strong

well yea sure its its own real government but i think people look more to the bad than the good because while sure they commit crimes our government could be found guilty for the same things after all while they may commit criminal acts they do try and help people. personally i dont think there any different than any other major organization with the execption of the crimes.

Now who's being naive??? :p

Depending on what Era you're talking about they were an alternate government.They made and enforced rules, and you followed them or lived with thier punishment. Were they ever right? No, not in the sence of the word. But to immigrants who had nowhere else to turn, then in a sence, sure.
I dont believe they do or ever have hung out and killed people just to pass the time. They (with the exceptions of a few, there will always be exceptions)only killed those who deserved death in their world.

Now who's being naive??? :p [/quote]well mob or major company we know there all corrupt

I don't look at the Mob as a criminal organization. Killings (theres always exceptions) were against other Mobsters and according to the rules (usually) of the Cosa Nostra.

Fugettaboutit!
Of course the mob is a criminal organisation..They dont kill people others than criminals, thats not true. I think a lot of (inocent) people get killed. People who didn't pay protection money (pizzo)for example. And even if they are exception it's still a criminal organisation..And by the bussines they do: by drugs, heroin and cocain, a lot of people die. OK, own responsibility you can say...

Anyway, its a criminal organisation no doubt about it.

Small Governments.

But Immortal

The Mafia a little complex. Lets just start witha brief history:

In the beginnning it was a government, a defendent for an island of peasents. The Mafia was the place to go to when you needed help. The police weren't going to help you, the government wasn't going to listen to you, but the Mafia was always there to protect you from theives, fend off hoodlums, and bring honor to an island of shame.

But still, some Italians could not take the extreme injustices of Italy and so they immigrated to the land of the free. However, it was in America, too, that they were being treated unfairly. And so, again, the Mafia helped to put money in the poor man's pocket and try to rise the minority of Little Italy to be equal to the WASPs of Uptown.

Then, after the comission was created and after all of the mustache petes were dead, the mafia began its decay. Now, the government Mfaia wasn't really helping anyone. But, they were providing a service that you couldn't get anywhere else. Just like any other business, they were gaining money by selling something that few others were. However, the men got greedy and power hungry, increasing the deaths and the money. However, they were soon all over with anyway.

So, what is the mafia? It was a government for the those who needed it, and a service for those who wanted it. But I often get a little angry whenever the mafia is put down for its murderous rage. Because, even right up the fall of La Cos Nostra, the Don was no different then any leader of any country, the capos no different then any governer. They were always giving the people what they wanted (of course backed up and rooted in a little unmoral, unlawthal activities.

**Please note that, I, in no way defend the death of any himan being, thats right, any human being, however the real Mafia, I believe is not nearly as evil as most outsiders believe**