It's only ok to stereotype groups that are supremier than others
Posted on 11/04/2022 4:11:56 PM PDT by nickcarraway
The official Trailer for the new animated Super Mario Bros. movie dropped last week to much fanfare. Mind you, I know very little about the Mario Bros. video game, television and movie universe aside from playing the game many years ago. The hoopla, as it turns out, had very little to do with the trailer itself, but rather actor Chris Pratt’s accent – or lack thereof—for the lead character of Mario. Apparently, it’s not stereotypically “Italian” enough. Either that, or his “Brooklyn-Italian” accent is not authentic enough. The latter complaint is no surprise given Pratt grew up in Minnesota. As to the former, I’ve actually been to Italy and Sicily and no one sounds like that when they talk.
Regardless, I think the bigger question is: Why is pushing Italian stereotypes in popular culture still okay?
It’s bad enough the character of “Mario” features a prolific mustache and a sizeable nose. Now, you want him to sound like the sing-songy Italian stereotype as well? Why not give him an organ grinder while we’re at it.
People are also reading… Twin Falls County Most Wanted David Wayne Ford Death notices Letter: Setting the record straight We live in a time when stereotypes of African-Americans, Jewish-Americans, Mexican-Americans, Indian-Americans, Muslim-Americans, Native-Americans and even Irish-Americans are RIGHTFULLY condemned. But somehow Italian-American stereotypes are okay.
As one of Idaho’s approximately 36,000 Italian-Americans, I don’t get it.
Before I get too carried away, I’ll make some disclosures. According to DNA testing, I’m about 30-percent Italian – mostly Sicilian. However, I “look” and “sound” Italian-American according to most Idahoans I’ve met over the years (although I can’t grow a mustache and my nose is regulation size). My last name is obviously so. When I was in Venice several years ago, I was tan enough to pass for a local to several tourists who asked if I spoke English. Same deal in Athens. All-in-all, I identify as Italian-American and am proud to do so. That being said, our time in America has not been easy.
Let’s start in New Orleans in 1891 where the largest mass-lynching in American history took place – almost a dozen people. The victims? Italians.
During World War Two, hundreds of Italian “enemy aliens” were sent to internment camps. Thousands of others had to register with the federal government and were subject to surveillance and property confiscations.
In the years following the war, Congressional hearings and a New York State Police raid near Buffalo exposed the existence of a nationwide criminal organization called the “Mafia” or “La Cosa Nostra.” Italian-Americans – who were already considered criminal and suspicious by nature – were now branded as such officially.
In the decades to follow, when Italian-Americans were not depicted as criminals in popular culture, a new strain of stereotype started to emerge: the suave, good-looking man who was great with the ladies, but was kind of stupid and didn’t make much money. Italian-American women didn’t fare much better. While they tended to be attractive and strong-willed, they were also “loose.” John Travolta (who has family in North Idaho) played these stereotypes to the hilt in the hit movies Saturday Night Fever and Grease, as well as the popular TV show “Welcome Back Kotter.”
More recently, one of the all-time great TV hits – “Friends” – featured the character of Joey Tribbiani played by Matt LeBlanc who, to much fanfare, portrayed the good-looking, yet dim-witted, Italian-American to perfection.
And now Mario.
I ask again, how is this still okay?
Today, around 75-percent of Italian-Americans are white collar workers. For decades, we’ve earned incomes above the country’s median. We have members of Congress, Senators, and for several years two of the nine seats on the U.S. Supreme Court. The most powerful woman in American history – Nancy Pelosi, formerly Nancy D’Alessandro of Baltimore – is Italian-American. We have business owners, scientists, doctors, lawyers, millionaires, billionaires, and yes, some of us can carry a tune. Our acting chops are also pretty good.
Italian-Americans have run the gamut of American Culture since we stepped foot in this great country. Whether it was picking cotton in the South or onions in the North; mining coal, cutting hair, managing businesses, inventing financial products, defending clients, representing counties, states and the nation itself, Italian-Americans have earned their keep in this country. Yet, despite these gains as a people in this state and country, the stereotypes persist.
Why is that still okay?
Italian-Americans graduated long ago into one of America’s leaders. We should not tolerate stereotypes that demean millions of Americans who have helped forge this state and nation into something better than it was before we got here. Reducing Italian-Americans to a cartoon is not just insulting, it’s un-American.
And that’s not okay.
Maybe someone should ask the little Mafia Princess Nazi Pelosi why the stereotype is still in play. Could it be as simple as Nazi “likes” the badass stereotype. She seems to perpetuate it on a daily basis.
Because like Christians, its okay to discriminate and insult certain groups.
Part of the reason it is acceptable is that many Italians are okay with it, and celebrate it for the most part. They are relaxed enough that they can play along. I grew up in Connecticut ... 25% Italian. They made the best food, so my German-Irish father had my Polish-English mother learn how to cook sauce and make lasagna, etc. Because their food was better, and they care about it.
Also, Italians themselves have fun with it. It took Coppolla, Brando and Pacino to make The Godfather.
This has been posted before, but it never gets old:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcp8rN-YqLw
Because nobody gives a sh#t except the Leftist SJW’s who are so obnoxious the REAL question is why do people still put up with their horsesh#t???
Because some people have a sense of humor.
I haven’t seen much condemnation of stereotypes of caucasians. It’s not just the Italians.
"Rightfully"? I disagree.
Because they are real? They talk with their hands, eat certain foods, act certain ways, love the Catholic church but ignore it, etc.
Stereotypes weren’t invented out of thin air and they are not perfect predictors, but on average, they are right.
Black picnics will often feature fried chicken and watermelon. Latina women have hot tempers. Indians get drunker that whites on the same amount of booze. Brits have bad teeth, horse faces and seem gay. Chinese are good at math and can be greedy and materialistic. Arabs are sneaky, prone to quickly anger. Germans are OCD about everything, French guys will steal your woman. Whites can be kinda stiff on the dance floor.
Just enjoy it.
We Italo-Americans don’t give two shits.
We’re grown ups. Men. Your childish insults make us laugh.
Cross us in business, look at our women, talk about our mothers - cement shoes for you. But baby talk? Ha! Your wear your jealousy on your sleeve.
And va’ fan’culo
Well, in this case sugar butt it is because Mario was created by Shigeru Miyamoto who is not American but Japanese and does not give a flipping frack about your tiny feels.
If you’re not Italian, fake it.
And they used to mock us.....
Exactly, we used to laugh at this shit. What happened?
“I haven’t seen much condemnation of stereotypes of caucasians.”
Did you hear the one about the greatest philosophers, artists, composers, writers, and, scientists?
They explained that even when mocking them they would fight and die for your right to do so.
Many lesser cultures would find this hilarious.
“The most powerful woman in American history – Nancy Pelosi, formerly Nancy D’Alessandro of Baltimore – is Italian-American.”
I’d leave that out of your argument compagno.
Well said, Sir....
Grazie mille!
Spot on.
I’m married to a first generation Italian & I wouldn’t have it any other way ; )
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