Just as one should never build a house without a blueprint, one should never 
engage in activism without a master plan. I would like to present my own 
master plan for activism on the local level in this issue, following up with 
a similar plan for national activism next month.

The suggestions that follow represent a synthesis of policies and procedures 
that already exist, suggestions offered by activists on the local and 
national level, with a few thoughts of my own thrown in for good measure.

Without further adieu, then, here is my blueprint.

The community will respond with praise:

1) when assistance is provided by the community at large to Italian-American 
individuals, groups or causes.

2) when positive images of Italy or Italian Americans are used to promote a 
business.

3) when an advertisement, television program or movie depicts Italian 
Americans in a positive or balanced manner.

4) when a public figure speaks highly of Italian Americans in general, or of 
an individual because he or she is an Italian American.

5) when a news outlet draws attention to the positive contributions of 
Italian Americans to society.

Possible responses:

1) a letter of thanks to the appropriate individual (and his or her 
superior). 

2) a letter to the editor of appropriate news outlets praising the 
individual, organization, business, producer, etc.

3) a laudatory press conference in the case of particularly newsworthy acts.

4) an award when appropriate.

The community will respond in a corrective manner:

1) when an Italian American is denied housing, education, a job, a promotion 
or membership in an organization solely because he or she is Italian American.

2) when negative images of Italy and Italian Americans are used to promote a 
business.

3) when a public servant, radio personality or educator speaks demeaningly 
about Italian Americans in general, or about an individual because he or she 
is an Italian American.

4) when a news outlet draws attention to the criminal background of friends 
or relatives of an Italian American when that individual has been accused of 
no wrongdoing.

5) when a news outlet uses the term “Mafia” or “Cosa Nostra” as a generic 
term for organized criminal activity.

6) when a news outlet focus their attention on Italian Americans in organized 
crime out of proportion with the involvement of other ethnic groups in 
organized criminal activity.

7) when the terms “wop,” “guinea,” “dago,” “greaseball” or other ethnic 
epithets are used in a public setting.

Initial responses:

1) Enlist the help of a private investigator or an investigative reporter to 
determine the facts in an instance of discrimination or demeaning statements.

2) Write a non-confrontational letter expressing our concerns and requesting 
an immediate meeting. If the offending party has a superior, direct the 
letter to the superior and request the presence of both at the meeting.

3) Hold a non-confrontational meeting detailing our concerns and seeking 
redress.

Remedies sought:

1) in the case of discrimination, a reversal of any discriminatory act or 
policy.

2) in the case of business promotion, the elimination of any offensive 
slogans or imagery.

3) in the case of a demeaning public statement, a public apology and 
commitment to eliminate such statements in the future on the part of the 
offending party, and a public condemnation of such statements on the part of 
his or her superior. 

4) in the case of tainted news coverage, a commitment to eliminate such 
coverage in the future.

If adequate redress is not made:

1) in the case of discrimination, immediate legal action should be taken.

2) in the case of offensive business promotions, a postcard campaign should 
be directed at the business owner promising an economic boycott if redress is 
not made.

3) in the case of negative media coverage or demeaning statements by a radio 
personality, a postcard campaign should be directed at the advertisers, 
promising an economic boycott if they do not withdraw advertising support for 
the show.

4) in the case of demeaning statements by a public servant, a postcard 
campaign should be directed at the offending party (if elected) or whichever 
superior is elected, promising to vote him or her out of office if redress is 
not made.

5) in the case of demeaning statements by an educator, corporate and 
individual contributors to the academic institution should be urged to 
withhold contributions unless redress is forthcoming.

Tactical issues:

1) A coordinating committee representing the major activists groups in the 
community should meet monthly to discuss strategies and formulate responses. 
The committee should be chaired by its three most articulate, diplomatic, 
persuasive and well-versed spokespeople, who are empowered to speak for the 
group. If a problem requiring an immediate response arises, the three 
chairmen should confer and assign a spokesman to respond unilaterally, but 
within the guidelines set forth above.

2) To increase the chances of a positive outcome, offending parties should 
initially be treated as though they are unaware that they have given offense, 
and every effort should be made to sensitize them to our concerns, and win 
them over to our point of view. 

3) Promise retaliation only after all other avenues of negotiation are 
exhausted. When you threaten retaliation at the outset, it puts people on the 
defensive and reduces the chance of success.

4) Since public protest rarely works (except in the case of public officials 
or institutions), and often boosts sales, protests should be private and 
aimed at the pocketbook whenever possible. Public demonstrations should only 
be used as a last resort, and only if the end result does not benefit the 
offending party.

5) Since businesses respond to numbers, every reasonable effort should be 
made to maximize involvement in postcard campaigns. One way to do this would 
be to make funds available to print and insert protest cards or letters into 
Fra Noi and the mailers of member organizations that are easy to fill out and 
send to the appropriate advertiser or other authority. 

6) Since an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, regular meetings 
should be held with the editorial boards of local print and electronic media 
outlets to sensitize them to our concerns and issues BEFORE any offense is 
given.

7) Any efforts to combat stereotyping on the national level (i.e.: TV 
programs, advertisements, movies, books, videos, etc.) should be consistent 
with the above guidelines and done in coordination with a national effort.

Other worthwhile investments of time and money:

1) Develop and produce a brochure that can be given to offending parties, 
which movingly explains our pride in our heritage and our resentment of 
discrimination, defamation and stereotypes.

2) Run a monthly Media Watch column in Fra Noi condemning negative acts, 
commending positive efforts, and charting progress in our efforts to achieve 
redress. Also, run an ad in Fra Noi each month urging the readers to report 
any acts of discrimination, defamation and stereotyping to the coordinating 
committee.

3) Identify every major news decision maker in the Chicago area and send them 
a free copy of Fra Noi each month along with a one-page digest of the stories 
in that issue, plus a one-page position paper, in an effort to awaken them to 
the positive stories that can be told. 

4) Develop a network of media watchers who monitor every major radio show, 
television series, news outlet and movie release in the Chicago area for 
positive and negative portrayals.

5) Run ads in major Chicago-area newspapers at the beginning of Italian 
Heritage Month, and in major university newspapers at the beginning of the 
fall term, (seeking free ads as public service announcements wherever 
possible), explaining our pride in our heritage and our resentment of 
discrimination, defamation and stereotypes. 

6) Research the legal recourse available to us, both here and in other 
states, for both Italian Americans and other ethnic, racial and religious 
groups. If Illinois should be providing greater protection to us, then laws 
should be drafted and lobbied for.

7) Set up a legal defense fund to defray the cost of any legal or legislative 
work that needs to be done.

8) Hire a full-time staffer to accomplish all of the preceding.