The Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur is a tough one to say the least. 25 hours of fasting, introspection, and almost mandatory attendance at synagogue services where we spend the better part of the day trying to convince G-d and ourselves that this year, we’ll be better if he just gives us a chance. Never mind that we are all likely repenting for the same things we repented for the year before, and the year before that.
This year, as with most, the twenty five hours of Caloric abstinence ended with a meal called the “Break-fast” at the home of my Wife’s Parents. The repast, which can be as extensive and labor intensive as a Thanksgiving dinner to prepare, is in this family at least, an extravaganza of dairy based, brunch style entrees meant to be easy on the stomach after so many hours without a bite. This year, Mom invited cousins we had not seen in some time, as well as friends from just around the corner.
Now the first few minutes of most of these meals are pretty quiet as everyone tries to get as many blintzes and bagels into their mouths as will fit. But as the lox begins to disappear, and the hunger pains begin to subside, the conversation begins.
With the headlines being what they are, it was only natural for a group of well educated adults to enter into a discussion about current events. Were this just a conversation between my Father-in-law, who believes the only President worse than the one we have, was the one he replaced (with Carter pulling a close third), and I, the discussion would be lively enough. But with Cousin Randy, a successful businessman having views just to the right of the Reverend Falwell, and Dad’s friend, the Judge, somewhat conservative and practical, but pessimistic that any hope is left for this country to turn around any time soon sitting at the table; I felt the tension begin to mount.
The gloves came off as the group of us attempted to solve all of our nation’s problems from unemployment and immigration to corruption and fiscal accountability. An ambitious enough task in itself, but where nerves were finally struck, was when the discussion turned to the moral fiber of it all.
America has seen its share of tough times. In the last 100 years, we have fought two world wars, been devastated by both disease and depression, and have lost Presidents to assassination and resignation, and all of this pales to the struggles and loss of life that preceded it in our first 100 years. Yet I can see no moment in our past where the moral fiber and decency that has held us up as a light and example to all other nations has been so challenged or even endangered, as it is today.
From the endless parade of Housewives on the Bravo Network to the sad scenes of child stars turned crack addicts, incoherently slurring their way through a 12 episode series, our sense of what is acceptable has hit an all time low. We live in a world where athletes have multi-million dollar contracts waiting for them as they exit prison, and politicians caught lying, stealing from the public, or unfaithful to their wives, are rewarded with book and television deals shortly after blaming their misdeeds on their childhoods, their opponents, or some convenient addiction to the prescription drug.
As we commiserated over the litany of offenses to our society and our senses that seem to be driving their way deeper into our lives, one area in particular struck the Judge with special distaste. For years now, cable television, movie scripts, and even the average “Joe” on the street have been slandering and demeaning the proud accomplishments and successes of Italian Americans.
While movies like Good Fellas (1990), A Bronx Tale (1993), and Casino (1995), all preceded it, the HBO Series “Sopranos” (1999-2007) did little to improve the image of Italian Americans. Today, an even more distorted view is offered up in the form of the MTV series “The Jersey Shore” depicting obvious Italian youth winding their way through life drunk, stoned, stupid, and forever breaking the law.
The Judge shared with me how his Father drove a truck to feed the family and put him through law school. His uncle sold cheese, and while he ultimately became successful, it was not before losing everything three times over.
After listening to his stories, and in the spirit of this being the 74th anniversary of our national celebration of Columbus Day, I decided to do a little research of my own and share with you a little of the true “reality” of Italian American heritage.
Between the years 1876 to 1976, the U.S. was the largest single recipient of Italian immigrants in the world. The Italians played a major role in the social fabric of this young nation with individuals rising to national stature in many different fields. From 1880 to 1900, southern Italian immigrants became the predominant Italian émigré reaching nearly 485,000 in that mass migration.
In the U.S., where by the turn of the 20th century cheap land could no longer be found, the mostly agricultural Italians in Italy became mostly urban in America. Starting from the bottom of the occupational ladder and working up, they accepted jobs such as shoe shinning, rag picking, sewer cleaning, and whatever hard, dirty, dangerous jobs others didn't want. Even children worked at an early age, often at the expense of their education. The Italians were known for rarely accepting charity or resorting to prostitution for money, another reflection of patterns of morality brought with them from Italy.
Living conditions for the Italians tended to be over crowded and filthy. Italian laborers also tended to skimp on food in a desperate attempt to save money. However, after time, and the later generations found their way, the dirtiness of their homes disappeared along with the complaint of weak Italians from lack of nutrition.
The Italians who immigrated to our shores were noted for their diligence and sobriety as workmen. In the late 19th and 20th centuries, Italians often became fishermen, shoemakers, waiters, fruit sellers, and tradesmen. Most were unskilled laborers though, working in mines and construction. Over the years, the Italians rose up the economic scale acquiring job skills in blue-collar jobs as well as becoming educated and entering into professions.
Italian immigrants established hundreds of mutual aid societies, based mainly on kinship and place of birth. As large numbers of Italians began to settle in America, they began to establish enclaves where they felt they would be safe from the prejudice and fears of the largely Irish and German communities that surrounded them. These communities are often referred to as Little Italy's and would be a mix of small business, bakeries, taverns and men and women selling breads and fruits from push-carts. Many of these communities would publish their own Italian-language newspapers, which contained news from Italy, promoted Italian culture and provided an outlet for frustrated new immigrants who could not yet fully understand English.
"La Familiga" (the family) was at the core of Italian immigrant life, and often seen as the root of survival. As the immigrants settled in America, however, certain traditions pertaining to the family began to change. The condition of life in America was not conducive to the patriarchal culture of Italy and the language barriers served to give the children unprecedented control over the decisions of the families.
Today, the descendants of those early Italian immigrants number nearly 16 million, according to the U.S. census of 2000; although through intermarriage, the number of people in the United States with at least one Italian grandparent is estimated to be about 26 million. The U.S. Census Bureau also reports that Italian Americans are the nation's fifth largest ethnic group, with two-thirds in white-collar positions in business, medicine, law, education and other professions.
As I’m sure the Judge already knows, far from the organized crime stereotypes or the drunken tramps that currently get portrayed by MTV, Italian Americans have made many outstanding contributions to American life since their arrival to our shores. We are all familiar with Frank Sinatra, Joe DiMaggio, and Fiorello LaGuardia; but here are a few you might not have heard of…
Attilio Piccirilli and his five brothers carved the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC along with the famous lions guarding New York's Public Library, statues in Rockefeller Center, and many other works. The studio that he and his brothers established in New York in 1889 became the largest sculpture studio in the country.
The first Italian American millionaire was Generoso Pope, who came to America from Benevento in 1904. He began as a railroad laborer, later worked for a small construction firm, the Colonial Sand and Stone Company, which he bought out in 1925 and made into the largest supplier of building materials in the country.
Two Italian Americans developed the American shopping mall. William Cafaro began building and operating neighborhood shopping centers in the 1940s. When he died at age 84 in 1998, he was one of the richest men in America, leaving behind $800 million. Edward J. DeBartolo, Sr. began as a construction worker and ended with the largest real estate and Development Company in the nation. During the 1960s, DeBartolo Corporation began to develop shopping malls and suburban office parks.
Chef Boyardee, the man behind the nation's leading brand of ready-to-eat spaghetti dinners, pizza, sauce and pasta, was Ettore Boiardi, an Italian immigrant, who began as a chef's apprentice at age 11, eventually opened a restaurant in Cleveland, Ohio and in the 1930s, began selling his pasta and sauce in cans. During World War II, Chef Boyardee was the largest supplier of rations for the U.S. and Allied Forces.
John Basilone is the only enlisted Marine in U.S. history to receive the nation's two highest military honors: the Navy Cross for valor and the U.S. Congressional Medal of Honor for his service in World War II. Basilone, an Italian American Marine sergeant from New Jersey, fought at the Battle of Guadalcanal (1942), raised millions of dollars in war bonds, and was killed in action during the Battle of Iwo Jima in 1945.
Captain Don Gentile of the U.S. Army Air Force shot down over 30 Nazi planes during World War II. Eisenhower called the 24-year-old pilot a "one-man Air Force" and personally pinned the Distinguished Service Cross on him. The "Ace of Aces" was born in Ohio and bought his first plane when he was 15. He died in a training accident after the war in 1950 when he was only 30.
Lee Iacocca, (born "Lido"), brought the Chrysler Corporation back from the brink of bankruptcy during the mid-1980s. The company was in the black within a month of his tenure as chairman. He resigned in 1992.
The cough drop was created by Vincent R. Ciccone, who began his career in the 1930s as a janitor at the Charms Candy Co. and retired as the company's president and chief executive officer. Ciccone secured 20 patents, including the "Blow Pop," a lolly-pop with a bubble gum center. He died at age 81 in 1997.
The oldest tribute to Columbus still standing in America is a stone obelisk in Baltimore Maryland. It was erected on a private estate in 1792. Long before Hollywood and comedians began to portray Italian Americans as mobsters, drunks, killers, or beach trash, these proud and successful American’s made their forever enduring mark on the culture and the heritage that is this great country.
I for one thank G-d that Christopher Columbus had the courage to follow his dreams and convictions which allowed him to play a founding part in what turned out to be the greatest nation on earth. See your honor, there’s still hope.
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