As a member of The Sons Of Italy, I receive updates on what's going on in the "Italian American" society. I thought you might be interested in what I received today. Let me mention, that by joining this group, you have the option whether you want to join the "Italian-American Anti-Defamation" group or not. Of course, I am NOT part of that group. This Sons of Italy offers many wonderful activities/events and information for us Italian Americans, however I am really having second thoughts, because I don't agree with them in their thinking as far as this goes.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Political Profiling of Italian Americans
An Alarming Trend, Reports Sons of Italy

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17, 2002 - The media's fascination with "The Sopranos" and
other mob shows has invaded the political arena to the detriment of Italian
Americans in government, reports the Order Sons of Italy in America (OSIA),
the oldest and largest national organization in the country for men and
women of Italian heritage.

OSIA cites an alarming trend in recent news stories that likens Italian
American political figures to the fictitious Mafia characters and situations
in such mob hits as "The Sopranos" and "The Godfather."

"This political profiling corrupts the democratic process as well as the
rules of fair play," says OSIA Executive Director Philip R. Piccigallo.

In just the past six weeks, OSIA has found examples of the stereotyping of
Italian American politicians in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Newsweek
Magazine, and the New York Sun. Targeted were former New York gubernatorial
candidate Andrew Cuomo and U.S. Senator Robert Torricelli of New Jersey,
whose withdrawals from their respective races were chalked up to being made
"offers they couldn't refuse."

In its Oct. 14 issue, Newsweek offered up a two-page spread, "Tony and 'The
Torch'" by Jonathan Alter, that reads more like a "Sopranos" script than a
news article thanks to its liberal use of mob-speak (Torricelli "seemed
likely to get whacked in November … because when you 'rat out' New Jersey,
the voters treat you like Big Pussy."). The article draws analogies between
Torricelli's current political situation and the HBO series' main characters
and plots.

In Maine, U.S. Congressman and gubernatorial candidate John Baldacci
discovered a political opponent is airing a TV commercial that attacks
Baldacci by using phrases from "The Sopranos" spoken with a "mob" accent.
[See http://www.cartergov.com, "About Us," "Multimedia," "Commercials" for an
on-line viewing.]

"It is what we have been saying all along," says Piccigallo. "It isn't 'just
a movie' or 'only a TV show.' The line between fiction and fact has become
dangerously blurred to the detriment of Italian Americans in public life.
These events present irrefutable evidence of the very real damage
stereotyping does to Italian Americans. Instead of telling Italian Americans
to 'lighten up,' the press's reporting should clean up."

Established in 1905, OSIA has more than 575,000 members and supporters and a
network of 700 chapters coast to coast. OSIA works at the community,
national and international levels to promote the heritage and culture of an
estimated 26 million Italian Americans, the nation's fifth largest ethnic
group, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.


TIS