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Why do mainland Italians hate Sicilians?
#775571
05/04/14 10:31 AM
05/04/14 10:31 AM
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Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 339
cornuto_e_contento
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Why do mainland Northern and Southern Italians hate Sicilians? I have been reading in biographies about Southern mainland Italian businessmen who had a heritage that is from either Calabria or Campania, or Naples, and even a lot further north such as Venice and Tuscany where they said that Sicilians are "bad", "dirty", "not to be trusted", "not like us", or other nonsense that's bigoted and they would hurt or kill people who were Sicilian. I have been told by Italian friends that mainland Italians from both the North, Central, and South on the mainland of Italy do not like Sicilians. Why is that? To me as someone who is Hispanic it is puzzling since we do not hate other people from different countries who are also Hispanic. We just find the slang terms for words used in other countries to be different or odd but it's not hate, bigotry, or prejudice for people in those other countries. In Mexico if we want to say something is cool in slang we will say "Que padre!" but in other Latin American countries they say, "Que chévere!" in Spain they have a slang term for cool that is very offensive and I will not write it here. I found the below link which I copied the text of into this thread. http://www.usaonrace.com/sticky-wicket-questions/2313/why-are-italians-prejudiced-against-siciliansWhy do Italians appear to be prejudiced against Sicilians? ~Puzzled in Poughkeepsie Dear Puzzled, It is puzzling, isn’t it? Most Americans consider Sicilians to be Italians, so how can prejudice exist between people who live in different regions of the same country? Although this prejudice is considered by many to be more historical than contemporary, you will find that an ample number of Sicilian families who believe it still exists. As a Sicilian-American woman in my mid-50’s, I can remember my grandmother’s childhood warning to me to always say I was Italian, not Sicilian, because if others knew I was Sicilian they would be mean to me. She based her instruction on the fact that the Italian women in our neighborhood wouldn’t eat the food she prepared for the parish potlucks because they believed that Sicilians were dirty, and food cooked in their kitchens was somehow contaminated. The memories of her warnings flooded back to me in 1996 when I made a batch of Sicilian fried green tomatoes for a neighbor man who had helped my husband change a flat tire soon after we moved into an ethnic neighborhood in Akron, Ohio. The man’s wife turned me away at the door, letting me know that Mr. Scarpetti would not like anything that I cooked. There are a number of reasons that Italians might feel they are superior to Sicilians. Sicily has been an impoverished region since being robbed of its National Treasury in 1860 when it was occupied by the Italian Army. During the occupation, the factories of the region were disassembled and relocated to Northern Italy. Without a manufacturing base, the island was forced of olives, lemons, almonds, oranges, and grapes for economic survival. Unfortunately, due to erupting volcanoes many of the regions crops were buried under lava, thereby forcing a wave of immigration to America. Along with poverty, the heritage of Sicilians also assaulted their reputation. In 831 AD the Moors, dark-skinned Arabs, entered and dominated Palermo, and other major cities on the island. The Moorish reign lasted for 230 years. During that time there was much racial mixing that occurred. As a result, Northern Italians tend to look upon Sicilians as people of color. If being perceived as poor, dirty, and being treated inferior because of race isn’t enough, Sicilians are also suspected of being criminals. La Cosa Nostra, or the Mafia, was born in Palermo in the mid 19th Century. Still today, some areas of Sicily are not under the full control of the legal government, but are run by the Mafia. The belief that all Sicilian families, whether they live in the U.S. or in their native land, must be in some way related to the mob, continues to live on in the thinking of some. During the early 1900s, a wave of Italian and Sicilian immigrants entered the U.S. There was a cost to admission though, because the immigrant had to declare the amount of money they were bringing with them into the country. Those without funds were turned away. The average Northern Italian’s declaration was $23.53 while Sicilian’s averaged only $8.67. Those without funds were known to attempt to sneak into the country without proper documentation. Immigrants without papers became known by their initials “WOP.” The terms Wop, Dago (refers to dirty), and Guinea (derived from “Guinea Negro”) were labels assigned to Sicilians because of their dark complexion by those who considered themselves to be Anglos, such as Northern Italians. Most recently, with the advent of the television show Jersey Shore, other ethnic slurs for both Italians and Sicilians have re-entered the American lexicon. Goombah (a thug or Mafioso), and Guido or Guidette (Northern term referring to Italians who try to portray a mafia mentality) are once Sicilian and Italian heritage. Discrimination in any form has never made much sense to me, so it is difficult to say exactly why some Italians might want to carry a bias against Sicilians, other than the fact that they were historically conditioned to do so. It is always difficult to justify the oppression of a group of people unless you can find a few reasons to feel as though you are superior to them, and I am certain the Italians have their reasons. Sources: http://www.italiamerica.org/id49.htmhttp://www.gentracer.com/history.html - See more at: http://www.usaonrace.com/sticky-wicket-q...h.PC8p0MLg.dpuf
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Re: Why do mainland Italians hate Sicilians?
[Re: cornuto_e_contento]
#775574
05/04/14 10:42 AM
05/04/14 10:42 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,296 Throggs Neck
pizzaboy
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The Fuckin Doctor
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Posts: 23,296
Throggs Neck
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To me as someone who is Hispanic it is puzzling since we do not hate other people from different countries who are also Hispanic. I don't know about that, Cornuto. Here in the Bronx there's quite a bit of animosity between the Dominicans and the Puerto Ricans. Between the Mexicans and Puerto Ricans as well. When Trinidad fought DeLaHoya back in the '90s, the Mexicans and Puerto Ricans were at each other here like cats and dogs. There were lots of arrests and near riots on the night of the fight.
"I got news for you. If it wasn't for the toilet, there would be no books." --- George Costanza.
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Re: Why do mainland Italians hate Sicilians?
[Re: dixiemafia]
#775582
05/04/14 10:58 AM
05/04/14 10:58 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,296 Throggs Neck
pizzaboy
The Fuckin Doctor
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The Fuckin Doctor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,296
Throggs Neck
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Pizza are y'all the same way? Like do you consider folks on Long Island stuck up or anything like that? Well, maybe the women . Remember Janice, Chandler's nasal girlfriend on "Friends"? Talk about a stereotyped group of broads! And I'm joking, of course. But the Italian American and Jewish women on Long Island do tend to have high hair and talk through their noses .
"I got news for you. If it wasn't for the toilet, there would be no books." --- George Costanza.
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Re: Why do mainland Italians hate Sicilians?
[Re: carmela]
#775616
05/04/14 12:33 PM
05/04/14 12:33 PM
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,526
LuanKuci
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This is ridiculous. Italians do not hate sicilians and vice versa. I've been in Sicily plenty times in August when mainlanders come down to vacation in Sicily. There is no animosity. exactly I thought it was because Italians in the northern industrial cities were richer and looked down on southern Italians? northern italian regions were as poor, if not even poorer, than most southern ones during the great emigration years (1860 - 1930). 1876 - 1900, 5 millions, mostly Northerns 1900 - 1915, 9 millions, North/South tied 1915 - 1945, 4 millions, slightly more Northerns than Southerns 1945 - 1976, 5 millions, mostly Southerns (high numbers flock to Norther Italy) 1976 - 2000, 3 millions, slightly more Southerns than Northerns 2000 - ongoing, 780 thousands, North/South tied since the formation of Italy as a united country in 1861, roughly 30 million italians moved elsewhere, which is half of its current population of 60 million. Basically, if one counts all siblings born abroad to italian immigrants, there are more "italians" outside of italy than on italian soil. out of all Italian regions, the one that has seen more of its residents move out is Veneto. sources: ISTAT, Fondazione Migrantes, Fondazione Agnelli, Museo dell'Emigrazione, Fondazione Altreitalie, Fare Geo Informazioni, Memorie Grandi Migrazioni, M.E.M Museo del Mare di Genova
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Re: Why do mainland Italians hate Sicilians?
[Re: cornuto_e_contento]
#775617
05/04/14 12:45 PM
05/04/14 12:45 PM
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 722 Midwest
LittleNicky
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Underboss
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Posts: 722
Midwest
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Better yet why does this troll cornuto_e_contento still get responses
Should probably ask Mr. Kierney. I guess if you're Italian, you should be in prison. I've read the RICO Act, and I can tell you it's more appropriate... for some of those guys over in Washington than it is for me or any of my fellas here
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Re: Why do mainland Italians hate Sicilians?
[Re: m2w]
#775740
05/05/14 06:10 AM
05/05/14 06:10 AM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,292 NJ
carmela
Underboss
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NJ
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northern italians hate the southerner, not just sicilians but calabrians and especially neapolitans also that's coz of the big immigrations from south to north started in the 50s Come on, that's not true and you know it. Is that the way that you feel toward sicilians? I mean they make remarks about one another, referring to each other by not so nice names, they think their own food is better, etc etc, but this outright hate, I don't see it.
La madre degli idioti e' sempre incinta.
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Re: Why do mainland Italians hate Sicilians?
[Re: carmela]
#775755
05/05/14 06:51 AM
05/05/14 06:51 AM
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,475
m2w
Underboss
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Underboss
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,475
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northern italians hate the southerner, not just sicilians but calabrians and especially neapolitans also that's coz of the big immigrations from south to north started in the 50s Come on, that's not true and you know it. Is that the way that you feel toward sicilians? I mean they make remarks about one another, referring to each other by not so nice names, they think their own food is better, etc etc, but this outright hate, I don't see it. not like the past but still in some northern places yes
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Re: Why do mainland Italians hate Sicilians?
[Re: HuronSocialAthletic]
#775822
05/05/14 11:45 AM
05/05/14 11:45 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,296 Throggs Neck
pizzaboy
The Fuckin Doctor
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The Fuckin Doctor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,296
Throggs Neck
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Honestly what is a Sicilian? The seafaring Iberian tribal folk of old has been deluded beyond recognition at this point. I'm Sicilian, but what am I really? I Have much more in common with a Tunisian than with a motherfucking Tuscan.
Everyone from the Normands to the Berbers have occupied & pillaged Sicily. Relax. You're from Chicago .
"I got news for you. If it wasn't for the toilet, there would be no books." --- George Costanza.
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Re: Why do mainland Italians hate Sicilians?
[Re: pizzaboy]
#775824
05/05/14 11:46 AM
05/05/14 11:46 AM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,292 NJ
carmela
Underboss
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Underboss
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,292
NJ
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Honestly what is a Sicilian? The seafaring Iberian tribal folk of old has been deluded beyond recognition at this point. I'm Sicilian, but what am I really? I Have much more in common with a Tunisian than with a motherfucking Tuscan.
Everyone from the Normands to the Berbers have occupied & pillaged Sicily. Relax. You're from Chicago . yeah exactly!
La madre degli idioti e' sempre incinta.
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Re: Why do mainland Italians hate Sicilians?
[Re: cornuto_e_contento]
#775847
05/05/14 12:15 PM
05/05/14 12:15 PM
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 722 Midwest
LittleNicky
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Underboss
Joined: Feb 2013
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I have met Sicilian American people who look very Iberian or Spanish; but then I read about how people from what's now Valencia in Spain went there. There was a union between Aragon and the kingdom of Naples (which included sicily) in the late 1400s. It was later part of the spanish empire/Habsburg Monarchy. So there is a decent amount of spanish blood in addition to the berber, norman, french, german, greek, etc etc. Might have among the most diverse blood lines on earth.
Should probably ask Mr. Kierney. I guess if you're Italian, you should be in prison. I've read the RICO Act, and I can tell you it's more appropriate... for some of those guys over in Washington than it is for me or any of my fellas here
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Re: Why do mainland Italians hate Sicilians?
[Re: LittleNicky]
#775851
05/05/14 12:54 PM
05/05/14 12:54 PM
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Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 339
cornuto_e_contento
OP
Capo
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OP
Capo
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 339
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I have met Sicilian American people who look very Iberian or Spanish; but then I read about how people from what's now Valencia in Spain went there. There was a union between Aragon and the kingdom of Naples (which included sicily) in the late 1400s. It was later part of the spanish empire/Habsburg Monarchy. So there is a decent amount of spanish blood in addition to the berber, norman, french, german, greek, etc etc. Might have among the most diverse blood lines on earth. OK I meant long before that: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SicaniThe Sicani are thought to be the oldest inhabitants of Sicily with a recorded name. The Greek historian Thucydides[1] claimed they immigrated from the Iberian Peninsula (perhaps Valencia)
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