Wednesday,
February 20, 2008
Sliwa Does Penance for Italian
American Slur with Paddling and Mouth Washing
The
ANNOTICO Report
My
Report dated February 14, was titled : "Polak
Radio Host Curtis Sliwa Apologizes for Claiming 1 in
5 Italian Staten Islanders
However,
he was encouraged to go further, and visited a predominant Italian
Senior Citizen Center on Staten Island where he not only issued
a "mea culpa" then he got down on his knees,
made the sign of the cross, clasped his hands as if in prayer and
took his punishment like a man: He had his bottom paddled with a wooden
spoon and his mouth washed out with soap by an Italian grandma.
The
Italian Seniors were touched by his humility, and gave Sliwa
Valentine chocolates to take away the taste of the soap..... and I withdraw my "Polak"
reference.
Making the Punishment Fit The Crime
Sliwa paddled and fed soap as payback for his
slur against
By
Judy L. Randall
Wednesday,
February 13, 2008
STATEN ISLAND,
N.Y. -- Curtis Sliwa did his penance on
First there was
his mea culpa to a roomful of senior citizens for having trash-talked the
borough by insinuating the
Then he got down
on his knees, made the sign of the cross, clasped his hands as if in prayer and
took his punishment like a man: He had his bottom paddled with a wooden spoon
and his mouth washed out with soap by an Italian grandma.
Said
Sliwa: "If I have insulted or besmirched anyone
on
The scene, at the
Arrochar Friendship Club in
The flap started
with news of the big Gambino crime family bust and
word that Islander Joseph Vollaro had ratted them out. Vollaro
"This is
Although Sliwa hasn
"Every fifth
person would mean you have close to 100,000 people in organized crime on Staten
Island, and there aren
Still, Sliwa allowed that his remarks could be seen by some as
playing into one of the worst stereotypes about
"I think
some would think that," he said.
In organizing the
event, Ignizio brought the props -- spoon and soap --
saying, "They are reminiscent of my younger days. Let me just leave it at
that."
"He made a
stupid comment and he needed to apologize," added Ignizio.
"Whenever anybody has a bully pulpit and they espouse anti-Italian
sentiments, they ought to apologize."
"I think it
Yet the seniors
were in a forgiving mood yesterday. They laughed and applauded Sliwa
Mrs. Cammarata, of
"Sometimes
we don
Amy Votinelli, Friendship Club site coordinator, gave Sliwa Valentine chocolates to take away the taste of the
soap.....
Judy L. Randall
is a news reporter for the Advance. She may be reached at
randall@siadvance.com.
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