Oh, for sure. I was especially impressed with his being "conscionable" when he suffocated his helpless nephew and when he gave the okay to Ralphie to murder his daughter's boyfriend. But he's not like Ralphie.
well, if you want to stay consistent and call the mafia 'a business' then isnt what tony did consistent with the 'it was only business and not personal' mantra. christopher was about to flip from what tony could see, and jackie jr. had to go because he had shot one of tony's guys, and if tony hadnt ok'd the hit on jackie jr.....then tony woulda likely faced some sort of revolt or possibly being hit himself. it was business not personal.
I'm pretty sure that Tony did NOT ok the hit on Jackie Jr. Chrissy wanted to kill him the very night of the card game fiasco but Tony wouldn't let it happen. He gave Ralphie the "choice," but was hoping the boy would be spared. Tony told Ralphie...you're a captain, he's in your household, I know you'll do the right thing. Tony didn't have the GUTS to do it but ol' Ralphie had no problem with it.
Tony made it very clear that if Ralphie did not kill Jackie Jr. that Ralphie would be responsible and lose any respect he had from anyone and possibly get whacked himself. As DC said he was taking the psychological burden off of himself and putting it on someone else.
So...Tony is not the lousy, cold-hearted, killing, bastard that Ralphie is. Tony wouldn't kill his best friend's son but Ralphie had NO problems doing it. The fact that Jackie was Ralphie's "step-son" of sorts, did not deter him from doing him in. Nor did the fact that Jackie resided under his very roof.
Chase makes it quite clear that Tony and Ralphie differ in their views on life/death. Ralphie maliciously kills an innocent horse - to the absolute DISMAY of Tony - and Tony kills him for his crime. He punishes Ralphie for his "un-holy" views towards life/death. Tony does NOT equal Ralphie.
