Tony, <<<As far as type casting people being a no no, I suppose that back in the Al Capone reign over the crime scene, Elliot Ness and anyone else, when trying to track him down by investigating other hoods, weren't heard saying "the guy was an Italian, or a dago, wop, greaseball or goombah." I can use those terms, check my name. If they danced around PC crap back then as has been done for the last umpteen years, Big Al's people would still be running drugs in the streets (which I know someone else is still doing).>>>
The founding fathers of our country (Washington, Adams, Jefferson et al) were highly educated and brilliant people. They risked their lives to create a nation which had as a core value protecting the liberties and rights of the individual.
The founder fathers knew what they were doing. They knew that these core values would be challenged again and again.
The example you cite is IMO not a golden period in our history. A twisted law enforcement individual used the media to gain personal attention and fame, trampled on the Constitutional rights of citizens, and used blackmail to stay in power.
To be sure we have crime in our country and we have organized crime. I believe, as Mario Cuomo does, that the nature of the Mafia as we know it is pure fiction.
Al Capone, Paul Castellani, Bugsy Siegel, Frank Costello, Willie Sutton, John Gotti et al were indeed evil elements in our society and to some degree were organized. But, they were no way organized in the manner that J. Edgar Hoover wanted us to believe. They were not organized like fortune 500 business. They didn't have budgets and didn't have business development gurus. They didn't reinvest their proceeds and grew their businesses.
They were thugs, killed people, gained immediate gratification from killing people and robbing their belongings and taking from them what they wanted. They may have been able to intimidate some small number of lower order thugs to do some of their more menial labors, but that was it. It is impossible to maintain an evil orgainization for very long. That is the nature of evil. They end up killing each other for short term gains.
What do you think the budgets of all law enforcement units are in this country and what do you think the budgets are for organized crime.
Oh, I'm not putting down local law enforcement units. The ones that maintain law and order on the local street level. My point is, low level street crimes are no less vicious and far more prevalent than organized crime.
As a result of all this Al Capone stuff, a lot of innocent everyday Italians had to overcome tremendous hardships to achieve what they have achieved in sharing in the great American Dream. Now that Italians have arrived, I only wish Italians have some compassion for others that are going to follow in their footsteps.
I have law enforcement people in my family (and also a lot of lawyers) and I love them dearly. I think they do a terrific job in most cases and provide a very much needed service.
However, I also love justice for all. I love the Constitution. I do not want any of our core values compromised for some short term gains and or to make some of you feel good .
Mary |
