The Truth about Made Men and Associates

Much has been written through the years about the process of getting “made” into the Mafia...some truth, but many falsehoods.

Here is the unvarnished truth about getting your “button” to become a “made man”, as opposed to remaining an “associate” of Cosa Nostra.

https://thenewyorkmafia.com/made-guys-associates-of-the-mafia/

Most interesting. So much so that I can't disagree with anything. But then again; what do I know?

Lol...glad to hear you agree with my assessment. It is a bit of a unique perspective. My viewpoint is a bit different from what is typically written about these two positions.

Your work on the DeCavs was great. I think you should keep pushing it, because people's knowledge of that family tends to be, there was Sam, then a 40 year blank spot...and then the Sopranos happened.

Going to read this one now.

Glad you wrote this, NYM, because it's all true. The "glamour" of the Mob, my ass! Best representation I saw was in Donnie Brasco, when Sonny Black's crew were reduced to breaking open parking meters for quarters.

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Hello Barrett, I agree about the DeCav's. that's why I actually focused on them and created a link on our website. There are dozens of DeCavalcante members and associates that I did various bios on.
I also gave a short history of their chronology from their inception on up as an intro. If you haven't already visited us there, try this;

https://thenewyorkmafia.com/decavalcante-family/

Let me know what you think of it.

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I think that Hollywood's version of it, The Godfather, and all the other movies and shows made about it grossly inflated peoples perceptions of it. I know it did mine. And of course even many informers never really gave a deep synopsis of what its really like to be a member. There was good, but there was also a lot of negative. And as I said in the last few decades the scales have tipped into the negative column heavily.

glad you enjoyed my take on it

One more tidbit that I neglected to highlight in my initial story piece which I think is another valid point to consider.

The fact is that in "The Life" there may well be times when a street guy (made or not), feels he may be up for the "hit parade" by either his own crew, or that of another Family. Conflicts are a relatively common occurrence.

As a made guy if you're "called in" by your boss, you gotta go in. If you do not then for sure you'll be up for the hit parade even if the initial call was not about that. Whether you think your life is in danger or not, you MUST report when, and where, and how your superiors tell you to. If not. then you're a dead man walking!!

But as an "associate", regardless of what standing you may have, even if you were already proposed for formal membership, if you do not "come in" there isn't an automatic death sentence placed against you.

You may get ostracized. You may get chased, or get the "Riot Act" read to you, but thats it!.... and know what? If in fact there was a hit out on you. If you were gonna get clipped or hurt, then you may have just saved your own life by ducking that meeting.

I cannot explain the huge amount of goodfellas who walked into their own death by reporting when they knew damn well they had a potential problem. Likewise, There have been more than a few goodfellas who got clipped for the precise reason (the only reason) that they didn't respond to the boss' call to "come in" when called.

Lots of times the "call" is really to test the soldier about his trust, respect, fear, obedience, abeyance of the rules, etc.... and the hierarchy, the boss, will use that failure to obey as the reason for killing the soldier. Especially if the soldier is on the hierarchy's shit list to begin with for whatever reason.

Like Sonny Black Napolitano after Donnie Brasco's true identity was revealed



Like Robert DeBernardo, who didn't come in when Gotti called him.

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Correct Turnbull, thank you. Two more who did knowingly walk in to their death were Tommy DeBrizzi of the Gambino's, and Tommy Ocera of the Colombo's.... you could even say Tony Bananas Caponigro and Al Salerno from Philly knew they had a problem also. But they hoped they could talk their way out of it. We all know how that turned out.

But Sonny Black was classic. THAT is a true mob mentality. A believer so to speak.