What has happened to Federal Hill is the same that has happened to almost all Italian or Italian-American neighborhoods across the country: A CHANGE IN DEMOGRAPHICS (emphasis on the demographics.) It's true that organized crime can be violent, but it is organized violence. I'm not justifying it, but stating the facts. Once in a blue did an innocent bystander get caught in the middle? Yes, but once in a blue. They don't mention the respect and order that came with the old neighborhood.
Years ago on Pleasant Avenue, when East Harlem was an Italian oasis, a young man held open the apartment building door for a young lady who was the daughter of a very prominent person in the neighborhood. The young lady was carrying groceries. The kid not only held open the door, but helped her with the groceries to her apartment. After he came out of the building he was met by a couple of wiseguys who were permanent fixtures in one of many social clubs across the street. The kid was taken to the club and thoroughly interrogated on what his true intentions were and told next time to just hold open the door and never to allow himself to be outside of plain sight with the girl again.
Years ago on Elizabeth Street, when Little Italy was an Italian oasis, a very attractive young lady was walking down the street. Across the street was a man whistling and making all kinds of comments on her beauty, but a little to suggestive for her taste. Her uncle was a big shot on Mulberry Street. She reported what happened to her uncle. Everyone knew who the guy was as everybody knew each other in the neighborhood in those days. The wiseguys eventually got a hold of this man wherever he was and brought him to Mulberry Street. They called the big shot's daughter and told her to come to the club, but to wait outside. When she arrived outside the club, they brought the man outside and made him bend down on both knees to apologize and beg her forgiveness. As he humiliated the woman in public, he too was humiliated in public and told if it ever happened again he would get a lot worse.
Years ago on 17th Avenue, when Bensonhurst was an Italian oasis, a young hot piece of braciole was told to shut her face by a so called neighborhood tough guy. She too was related to someone big, and the tough guy got his arm broke. Being that it's Bensonhurst ( a johnny come lately Italian neighborhood that's now all Chinese) I'm pretty sure in this case the girl probably deserved to be told to shut her face.
THAT WAS THE TRUE ITALIAN NEIGHBORHOODS BACK IN THE DAY.
It is called CONTROL.
The "change in demographics" phrase usually means the neighborhood has been overrun by blacks and Hispanics. If it's anybody else, they just say the neighborhood changed. I'm not a racial guy, but why is it when blacks and Hispanics inherit a neighborhood they destroy it? In every one of their neighborhoods across the country it's the same thing: senseless killings, wanton violence, dirty streets, unkept yards, killing each other for a cellphone or ipod, numerous rapes. There are no more excuses. The president is half black, although they keep saying he's the first black president. There are many black and Hispanic high achievers in politics and medicine today. There's an old African proverb that states it takes a village to raise a child. I strongly disagree. It takes a FATHER and a MOTHER to raise a child. LA FAMIGLIA!!!
Now, that's the OLD SCHOOL.