"Making Your Bones"

Theres been a few disussions on "making you bones"so heres my 2 pence worth.

Maikng your bones-Supposed requirement for being made.

There is a popular myth that before someone can became a wise guy,he has to carry out a hit,or profesional killing.Actually this not true.Men get madeinto the mafia for other reasons than being a stone killer.A man for example can make it as a wiseguy because he is a "producer"that is one who makes big bucks for the organization though some special expertise.A crime family would not dream of risking a real moneymaker committing murders.

Early in his career Sammy "the bull"Gravano exhibited no brilliant potential and,so was required to make his bones to demonstrate his qualifications.To such hoodlums killing is to be regarded as a badge of honor.Sammy shot a man sitting in front of him in a car.Although two companions with him panicked afterward unable to take the tension,the bull felt differant.As Gravano relates in UNDERBOSS,the book on his career"I felt a surge of Power over life and death i was a predator.i was an anial.I was COSA NOSTRA"

Wise guys have an earnest desire to train hit men."Donnie Brasco"-undercover FBi agent Joe Pistone-Related having been asked by Lefty Ruggiero, a top Bonanno hit man,it he'd ever killed anyone,explaing that it would be necessary for him to be made.Brasco lied that he had killed a few guys over arguments.Lefty was not impressed.Those kind of Killing he said "don't Count"

A contract killing,he explained was much differant because you don't have the luxury of genuinely being enraged with the victim.A contract killing was done without fellings,with no concern about the victem one way or the other.A lot of guys,Brasco was informed,think they can handle that but then freeze up.Then Ruggiego made a magnanimous promise to his protege"next time i get a contract,I'll take you with me,show you how to do it"

Ruggiergo apparentley did a few "pieces of work"afret that but had no time to invite brasco along.Finally without any schooling,brasco was assigned a contrract,and the FBi was forced to end his six year undercover operation,since a federal agent could not be permitted to take part in a homicide.
Donnie did not get to sample the fruits of such murderous endeavous as did Sammy the Bull.After his first successful murder,Gravano went before high ranking Carmine "Junior Persico,soon to be made head of the Colombo family.Persico wanted to know how the hit had been carried out.He was very pleased and impresses.Later a persico underlining informes the bull that it had been"a good piece of work" and that "Junior loves you.He's real proud of you".

Mafia hits are not always as anonymous as popularly belived.In this case the Colombo-controlled area of Brooklyn knew that a crewof the family had handled some work and that sammy was a not the crew workhorse.It brcame known that the family intended to have Sammy made when the mafia books were opened for new members.That entitled him to new respect.Previosly the bull had been just another tough.Going to a club or disco the bull had always stood in line like anyone else.Now it was differantWhen bouncers spotted him,he was pulled out of line and ushered inside by the proprietor.Other patrons were bounced from a prized table and sammy was accommodated with everything on the house

FBI-er Brasco got no such Perks.

Well, your post prompts my opinion that getting "made" in the Mafia today is just about the worst thing that can happen to you:
First you have to serve a long "apprenticeship," in which you're little more than a slave or indentured servant to the made guys in the crew. You have to show "respect" while they make you eat s*** every day and heap humiliations on you. You can't refuse any order, no matter how humiliating.
If you're "lucky," your apprenticeship will last less than 10 years. Usually (but not always, as DeNiro points out) you have to kill someone you don't know, for some reason that's not explained--risking life and liberty with no cash compensation. Then you're made.
You've got it knocked, right? Wrong! You're assigned to a capo--and now, instead of being everyone's slave, you're his slave exclusively. He'll give you a living, but you have to make some outrageously huge "nut" every week, and give most of it to him. If you don't, he'll charge you "vig" of 4-6% per week, same as his loanshark victims.
Within minutes of bein made, your name will be known to every federal, state and local law enforcement official assigned to the Mob. They'll learn about you thanks to your new, beloved brothers in the Mob--all of whom inform on others to law enforcement in return for being left alone by the fuzz to pursue their rackets. In the months ahead, your Mob brothers also will tell their law enforcement pals that every crime they committed was really committed by you-- the better to keep the cops watching you, not them. And if you somehow manage to keep out of jail, your capo, underboss or Don will get nailed on a RICO indictment, and rat you out in return for a reduced sentence.
But, as DeNiro said, you'll probably go to the front of the line at nightclubs and discos.
No thanks!

Sort of like what Don Geoff does to his moderators here on the boards!

Just kidding Boss!

Turnbull, that is a fantastic synopsis of what actual mob life is really all about! They should take your post and hand it out to every kid that has ever considered getting "involved" in mob circles. Excellent stuff my friend!


Don Cardi

yeah some people here thanks being in the mob
is cool they seen too many movies :rolleyes:

Actually, according to the 1988 Update section in Donnie Brasco; after his identity was revealed, the "making your bones" rule was re-instated in making guys. Makes sense; it's one way to prove beyond reasonable doubt that someone isn't FBI. A made FBI agent would be chaotic to the mafia.