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Being part of certain organizations, getting certain types of protection and assistance from those organizations, and, most importantly, kicking up a part of the proceeds from the criminal activities to those organizations.
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Originally Posted by Chriz Brown
What is the criteria to be considered "the Mafia"? Being Italian and engaging in illegal activities?
I would like to point out that while some elements of real mafia lore was written into The Sopranos, it is fiction.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BugsyPal
One can be the son or daughter of "Mafia" and still not go that route. In both fact and fiction many "made men" did their best to see that their children got a good education and or otherwise got far away from the "life" as possible.
Tony Soprano's youngest sister was a clear example. In the Godfather Michael Corleone wasn't on track to join the family "business" either; that is until circumstances changed.
Jackie Aprile Jr. (again with the Sopranos) was sent to college and so forth by his father to keep him out of the life. But the father died and things didn't work out, and we know how that all ended.
Jackie Aprile, Jr. is a classic example of why many Italian mafia don't always want their sons (or daughters) to follow in their footsteps; some people just aren't cut out for that sort of life. Sadly once you are in there rarely is a way out except death. That and or become a rat and go into witness protection.
I mean can you imagine a kid like A.J. taking over his father's family? Meadow, probably yes, but not the son.
Despite all the romanticism and whatever services the Mafia once provided to Italian Americans things are what they are; they are parasites who feed off human misery. It takes a special kind of person to be involved much less run with that sort of crowd. Whoring out women, beating people up, extorting money, killing, maiming, promoting vice (gambling, drugs, etc...), stealing, and so forth. To live in a house where everything is either a product of the above and or "fell off a truck" .
One thing always liked about Meadow Soprano was at an early age she saw through her father, the family and their "associates" BS. She knew early on what her father truly did for a living, and even on a few occasions taunted both Tony and Carmella about it.
And they are another one; the wives. Yes, Mrs. Gotti like mafia wives before, then and since tell or convince themselves their husbands and sons are in legitimate business. Hey, we all need to tell ourselves something to get to sleep at night. They also both in fact and fiction get highly indignant when "decent" Italian wives and mothers look down their noses at them, but they made their beds....
Where did we get off subject; talking about "The Sopranos"? I mean yeah it was a good show, but you know you would be in prison talking to a shrink with that 411 Mainly based off a Jersey faction. Last episode I think he got whacked. On subject what places does anybody know throughout Manhattan? Stores, restaurants, cafes, etc. I know there are some on Mulberry Street. That's about it.
Where did we get off subject; talking about "The Sopranos"? I mean yeah it was a good show, but you know you would be in prison talking to a shrink with that 411 Mainly based off a Jersey faction. Last episode I think he got whacked. On subject what places does anybody know throughout Manhattan? Stores, restaurants, cafes, etc. I know there are some on Mulberry Street. That's about it.
I would say Little Italy off the top of my head. My friend's family is from Naples (Campania) and when I was in my late teens/early 20s, we'd stroll up and down the blocks back then talking in Italian and we'd hear either Italian or dialect spoken by the old timers. I also would frequent a few Italian restaurants with a buddy of mine who was half Spanish (from Spain) and half Italian... Those days are long gone though. Little Italy is basically almost eaten up by the Chinese. They seem to have a fetish for Italian areas. Anyway, maybe I'll go to the San Gennaro festival next year and see what is left of it. The mafia is still around but not as powerful as they were.
Mainly in the outer boroughs in places like Staten Island or Howard Beach, but they try to lay low now the way the mafiosi in Italy do it.
I would say Little Italy off the top of my head. My friend's family is from Naples (Campania) and when I was in my late teens/early 20s, we'd stroll up and down the blocks back then talking in Italian and we'd hear either Italian or dialect spoken by the old timers. I also would frequent a few Italian restaurants with a buddy of mine who was half Spanish (from Spain) and half Italian... Those days are long gone though. Little Italy is basically almost eaten up by the Chinese. They seem to have a fetish for Italian areas. Anyway, maybe I'll go to the San Gennaro festival next year and see what is left of it. The mafia is still around but not as powerful as they were.
Mainly in the outer boroughs in places like Staten Island or Howard Beach, but they try to lay low now the way the mafiosi in Italy do it.
That about sums it up. They're about the same as they once were. Just not in Little Italy. What I was looking for. Asians lol. Probably Pizza, Pasta, and Gelato. Safe trips if you go next year. Thank you.
I would say Little Italy off the top of my head. My friend's family is from Naples (Campania) and when I was in my late teens/early 20s, we'd stroll up and down the blocks back then talking in Italian and we'd hear either Italian or dialect spoken by the old timers. I also would frequent a few Italian restaurants with a buddy of mine who was half Spanish (from Spain) and half Italian... Those days are long gone though. Little Italy is basically almost eaten up by the Chinese. They seem to have a fetish for Italian areas. Anyway, maybe I'll go to the San Gennaro festival next year and see what is left of it. The mafia is still around but not as powerful as they were.
Mainly in the outer boroughs in places like Staten Island or Howard Beach, but they try to lay low now the way the mafiosi in Italy do it.
Used sneak into Manhattan and hit Orchard Street/Little Italy area back in 1980's, and you still had a good number of Italians left. There was a record store we used to go to for Italian stuff such as the first "Gloria" by Umberto Tozzi (not the cover by Laura Branigan ).
That the Chinese "took over" Little Italy was the Italians fault really; by the 1980s or so what was left began moving to Long Island, New Jersey, Brooklyn, Queens or Staten Island and the Asians began buying up property. You still have some Italians down there and or they at least own the property.
Friends live in that new building on Ludlow Street across from Katz's deli. Walking around you hear Italian and even many Italian tourists go down there to hang out, so there must be something.
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Off subject.
Mainly based off a Jersey faction. Last episode I think he got whacked. On subject what places does anybody know throughout Manhattan? Stores, restaurants, cafes, etc. I know there are some on Mulberry Street. That's about it. 
Anyway, maybe I'll go to the San Gennaro festival next year and see what is left of it. The mafia is still around but not as powerful as they were.
That about sums it up. They're about the same as they once were. Just not in Little Italy. What I was looking for. Asians lol. Probably Pizza, Pasta, and Gelato. Safe trips if you go next year. Thank you.
