Please be sure to read through Mary Lou Romano's message to me, my reply to her,   and then my Appeal to the Italian American Community.

Cara Amico!!

Mille grazie per la informazione a Buon Natale per Bambini!
So great of you to take the time to compile this information!

We are putting on a Buon Natale special event for the family on Sunday Dec. 12 here in New Jersey.  We'll be making our own miniature presepi, enjoying italian music and dance and make pizzelle!  The information you sent will add to our activities!

Again-- Mille grazie!  You are doing a great thing!

Marylou Romano,  Director, D'Italia Programs
ditalianj@yahoo.com

Mary Lou,

So pleased that the information I sent out in the ANNOTICO Report, Christmas in Italy:FOR KIDS that was compiled from information provided by Geoffrey Claroni, of the Calandra Institute was of such help to you that you were willing to take the time to write.

I have discovered that those Reports dedicated to KIDS, and that focused on Columbus Day, an Italian Thanksgiving, an Italian Christmas, and La Befana have been the Reports consistently BEST received, and most commented on.

This of Course runs Contrary to those who think that Italian ancestered Parents are attempting to TOTALLY "assimilate" their Kids, OR that the Kids are Not interested in their Italian Heritage.

Hopefully, The MAJOR Italian American Organizations, and ALL LOCAL Italian American Communities will put more emphasis on their "Kids Projects/ Bambini Italiani", and ABORT Contributions to NON Italian Charities, and Reconsider their Scholarship and Travel Programs that help a very FEW Italian American Youth, as opposed to helping HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of Italian American Youth.

May you receive the Support you obviously Deserve
Great Success, and Best Wishes
Richard Annotico

OK, some of you may be Timid about fighting IA Defamation/Bigotry. Being an "Activist" is Not "high class" enough for you. :(

Besides, it is less effort for you to justify sticking with the disastrous, and discredited "passive", do nothing strategy of the last 100 years!!

Well then, why not engage in promoting the Education of our Community to the Richness of our Italian Heritage and Culture?

What you say, that's sounds too Filiopiestic? Again that sounds like justification for Inertia, and Not recognizing that we are Not saying we are the Best, But saying that it is important to appreciate the Complexity of the Culture from whence we come.

If you don't know where you've been, you're Unlikely to know where you are going!!

They will more than likely counter with: Why not just have a Spaghetti Dinner?

As if That is the Panacea to ALL Italian Problems, and also as if the All of Italian/Italian American Culture can be found on the plate in front of you.

How about Introducing Your Kids, Grand Kids, Nieces, Nephews, etc to Italian Traditions, History, and Culture.

Oh, No, that is Fragmenting the Community, they complain.

No, Actually it is called Diversity.

Blacks, Latinos, Asians, Native Americans, etc., have extensive K-12 and College, and Graduate courses in each of their Cultures, that "contribute" their color and flavor to the American panorama.

Unfortunately, Euro Ethnics have been un-PC for almost 40 years, so until the educational system is willing to restore a degree of "balance" in the teaching of Ethnic Studies, or Italian Americans become more politically "active", and insist on Italian American Ethnic Studies, we will have to follow the example of the Jewish Community, and provide it in a parallel system.

Interestingly, while the kids who are provided with Ethnic Studies, seem to flourish with Self Esteem, the Euro Ethnics seem "adrift" without a rudder. Even to the extent of "adopting" minority cultural "styles", in the absence of knowledge of their own

To correct that, we must throw our Kids a "lifeline", an Appreciation for their "own" Ethnic Roots. Most easily done with Education wrapped in Entertainment.

What is/can YOUR Organization, Community do to SAVE OUR KIDS from a bland future and empty past????

The Annotico Report is a commentary on Current News items of interest to those of Italian ancestry, that appear in US, Italian, and International publications.

The Annotico Report can be viewed at:

Parliamo - The Annotico Report  (Current)
http://www.italiamia.com/cgi-local/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=annotico

"Italy at St. Louis"  Italy at St. Louis Index Page (Archives)
http://www.italystl.com/

Italia Mia, Italian products and links about Italy
http://www.italiamia.com,(See Top Center, under BUON POMERIGGIO, The Annotico Report)