Sunday, March 19, 2006

SOPRANOS:"Who Steals my Purse Steals Trash, But Who Steals my Good Name, Steals an Inestimable Treasure."

The ANNOTICO Report

"Who Steals my Purse Steals Trash, But Who Steals my Good Name, Steals an Inestimable Treasure."..Shakespeare.

"All the elaborate business plans, innovative ideas, and savvy strategic moves are meaningless if you don't have a GOOD REPUTATION in the eyes of your customers, employees, and potential investors. A solid reputation is what gives people the confidence to do business with you...", so says Charles Foburn, Executive Director of The Reputation Institute at the Stern School of Business at New York University.  http://www.reputationinstitute.com

/press/05_05_PROFITguide_interview.pdf

Now why is so difficult for Italian Americans to realize that their "group" reputation,is as important as their "individual" reputation??

How much more difficult is it to get a job, sell a product, get admitted to the "right" social circles, get accepted to the "right "universities, be considered for a position of trust, be promoted to a position where you would project the "image" of the company, and on ad infinitum, if you are thought of as in worse terms than being part of a tribe of "Gypsies", synonymous with being a traveling "scam artist".

Laws that punish the use of racial or ethnic insults,  and constant reminders to the Media  against denigrating ethnic groups, does not  appear to influence the Media's use of "preferred" heroes and heroines, and Italian Americans as the "villains" of choice.

You will either join an Italian American Organization that is dedicated to fighting Italian Defamation and Discrimination, and be part of the Solution, or just sit there on your couch, muttering "whatever", too lazy to defend the Italian Heritage you take such Pride in, and incidentally, you know so little about, (and your kids even less), or be part of the Solution!!!!

Italian-Americans Want to bada-Banish "Sopranos" Stereotypes

Boston Herald

By Laura Crimaldi
Sunday, March 19, 2006

Are "The Sopranos" finally winning over more Italian-American fans with another season of thugging, whacking and mayhem?

Fuhgedaboudit.

    "It represents the Italians in an unfavorable light considering their contributions to civilization. The minute people think of crime and organized crime they think of the Italian ethnic group, and every ethnic group has organized crime," said Pearl Oliva of Framingham, host of the Guido Oliva Italian Program on WSRO-AM 650. "Sometimes when I meet people and they ask about my Italian heritage, the first thing they mention is crime," he said.

    The wildly popular HBO series returned to the little screen last Sunday after a lengthy hiatus. The National Italian American Foundation has never been a big fan of Tony and the boys at the Bada-Bing club.

    In 2001, the organization held a panel debating the harmfulness of the stereotypes of Italian-Americans promoted by the show.

    A year later, the NIAF blasted New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg for inviting the cast of "The Sopranos" to the Columbus Day Parade.

    The organization even released a statement in 2002 when Miss New Jersey Alicia Renee Luciano was questioned about her opinion of the television program by a pageant judge.

Oliva, who taught Italian at Framingham High School for 28 years, quotes Shakespeare to sum up her feelings.

    "Who steals my purse, steals trash," she said. "But who steals my good name, steals an inestimable treasure."

http://news.bostonherald.com/local

Regional/view.bg?articleid=131159

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