"Absoloootely, doll!" What a great leap they made, and they did it right!
Some of the folks I met around the Market used to say, "We went over to It-lee to look up our relatives, and boy, am I glad my grandparents came to America!" I had the same experience on my roots tour in Ireland—the town one of my GGs came from was lovely, but other than farms, sheep and a couple of pubs, there wasn't much. I could see why he left. I love both those countries and they are inexpressably beautiful in their ways, but the U.S. became truly great in a class by itself. Our President is trying very hard to inspire people to make it that way again. It's an uphill battle, and it's going to take decades of presidents, even if it can actualy be done... because, of course, the fundamental problem is spiritual.
As for the Italian enclaves like the one I lived in, it really was a shame to see the 3rd and 4th generation kids who stayed in da nayb'hood and perpetuated what was essentially the working-class Italy of the 1930s. When Italian friends of mine came over from Rome to visit, they said it was like a time capsule, and warned me not to try to learn Italian from the way they spoke. And of course, most South Philly people's roots, like my Irish potato-famine side of the family, hadn't come with the monied and privileged habits of culture, so many of the youth identifying as Italian knew nothing about classical Italian art, music and opera, poetry, the real food, the artisanship, industries, agriculture and architecture, instead taking their cues from the Godfather-type movies and The Sopranos. Kulchah? D'shore! Da Iggles! Da Mummerz!
It was by no means all bad there -- in fact, it was heavenly in its way because it was still nominally RC Christian. But like most immigrant areas, by the 4th generation it is something wholly "other." I would love to go back there to live, if the "there" was still there, but it has changed too much. Even the Market is almost half Hispanic and Asian.
Hey...easy on da Iggles!
I have said this over the years that GOD would have to etch the message on a wall with HIS finger for me to go back there...and this from someone who eagerly embraced living in a 4th world (bleep)hole, as you know, since that came with HIS full empowerment and anointing.
I remember sitting on my grandmother’s front steps one blistering hot July night (as we were there for a few weeks on our way back to Haiti) telling The LORD that I would need the aforementioned confirmation in order to return to living in Philly! While I enjoy the occasional swing-by, I am happy as I can be that HE has honored my request.
Buona Notte!