Gabriel Bevilacquasays it so well !!!
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'THE SOPRANOS': FUHGEDDABOUT 'EM!

Philadelphia Daily News
By Gabriel L.I. Bevilacqua
Mon, Mar. 22, 2004

ARE YOU excited over the return of "The Sopranos"?

Have you been reading all the stories about the characters, plot lines and behind-the-scenes events surrounding the show? Be watching every episode?

I'm not, I haven't - and I won't.

"The Sopranos" is not for me.

But don't get me wrong. I've watched some episodes. I understand that people find it entertaining. I know that the show is wildly popular. And people are entitled to watch whatever they want, especially when they are paying for it through a subscription to a premium cable network. Indeed, under such circumstances, I'd be the last one to advocate censorship. Creativity and free speech must be protected in a free society.

But that same freedom gives me the right not to watch the show and to explain why others should think twice about tuning in.

I don't see anything particularly innovative about "The Sopranos." It simply milks a time-worn formula, perpetuating the stereotype that nearly all Italians are involved with crime in some way.

It's an overworked genre.

An extensive case history by the Italic Studies Institute found that 40 percent of the 1,220 films produced in the United States. since 1928 that featured Italian-American themes depicted Italian-Americans as gangsters.

And even when Italian-Americans weren't depicted as violent criminals, in 29 percent of the remaining cases they were portrayed as boors, buffoons, bigots and bimbos. Imagine over a period of 72 years, in more than half the cases, the depiction has been largely negative. That's a powerful stereotype to have to overcome.

Crime is an equal-opportunity employer. It should be treated as such. We need no catalog of the fine accomplishments of Italian-Americans to realize that the continuous spotlight on criminals of Italian descent has misshapen the image of Italian-Americans.

I hate stereotypes. Stereotypes are wrong. They are wrong regardless of the targeted group.

Stereotypes are hurtful. They affect public perception. And that often means diminished opportunity for the affected groups. Regardless of race, ethnicity, faith, gender or sexual orientation, we must all work together to reject the destructive shorthand of stereotypes. For example, we must make it clear that it is wrong to stereotype any group as Christ-killers or as lazy, stupid or alcoholic.

When I served as chairman of the Commission for Social Justice of the Order Sons of Italy in America, I worked with organizations and corporations to educate others about the damaging effects of stereotypes. I did all I could to encourage a reduction in the words and images that conjure up stereotypes. But that's not enough - we also have to encourage the positives.

In the case of Italian-Americans, Ray Romano has been widely praised for his warm depiction of three-dimensional characters in "Everybody Loves Raymond." Stanley Tucci's superb film about two Italian brothers, "Big Night," comes to mind.

And Philadelphia lawyer-turned-writer Lisa Scottoline has done a wonderful job of creating meaningful Italian-American characters for her mystery novels. Scottoline explains: "I wanted to see main characters named Rosato and DiNunzio - and have them be honest, hard-working professionals, not the mobsters so often portrayed."

Positive true-life images and stories can be created, and they can be entertaining, engaging, thought-provoking and successful. But they are all too rare. They must be encouraged and supported if they are to flourish.

It's easy to resort to a cliche. But breaking the mold is where true creativity begins.

So, you can watch "The Sopranos" if you want. Old habits are hard to break. But wouldn't you really rather encounter stories and characters and images that don't hurtfully stereotype groups in our society?

I know I would.

And I think we'd all be better off for it.

Gabriel L.I. Bevilacqua is chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association.

Philadelphia Daily News | 03/22/2004 | 'The Sopranos': Fuhgeddabout 'em!
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/8246170.htm