GOP is criticized for campaign of Mafia metaphors

North Jersey Newspapers ^ | 06.29.05 | JOSH GOHLKE

[Coleus]

Republicans' liberal use of Mafia metaphors has angered some Italian-American activists who weighed in on the contentious campaign for the governor's office Tuesday.

Also on Tuesday, Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Forrester enjoyed some unexpected praise from environmental leaders who are at odds with his Democratic opponent, U.S. Sen. Jon Corzine, over preservation of a Delaware River island.

The Italian-American activists gathered in Trenton to demand an apology from top Republicans, who have repeatedly compared Corzine and his allies to mobsters in an effort to underscore his links to the party's most controversial figures.

"To actually have a party organization that uses this as a playbook ... is disgraceful," said Robert Bianchi, president of the state chapter of the Italian-American Bar Association. "A lot of times, Italian-Americans have just accepted these insults as a punching bag, and I'm not going to do that."

Republicans have not said anything about Italian-Americans in general, but party Chairman Tom Wilson has on several occasions referred to "La Cosa Nostra," another name for the Italian Mafia, and called Corzine and other Democrats "capos," or mob chiefs. Bianchi said that perpetuates negative images of Italian-Americans to the exclusion of more laudable figures such as explorer Christopher Columbus and continental namesake Amerigo Vespucci.

Manny Alfano, who heads an organization called the Italian-American One Voice Coalition, wrote a letter to Wilson decrying the "cheap effort to taint the electoral process." Alfano was one of several critics who pushed Corzine to apologize for two jokes he reportedly made about Italian-Americans during the 2000 Senate campaign.

A call to Wilson on Tuesday was returned by two Italian-American Republicans, former acting Gov. Donald T. DiFrancesco and Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce, who explained that Wilson meant no offense.

Earlier, several environmental leaders appeared with Forrester in Trenton to applaud the Republican's stance in favor of preserving a 300-acre island in the Delaware River near Camden. State and local officials have agreed on a plan to develop housing and a golf course on Petty's Island, but environmentalists say the state should accept owner Citgo Corp.'s offer to donate it as open space.

Corzine said in a statement Tuesday that it remains unclear whether the redevelopment plan is up to environmental and economic standards. However, he said the oil company's donation offer should be viewed "very skeptically" given pollution problems on the island, which is home to a pair of bald eagles.

[Coleus]

The Truth You Need To Know About Jon Corzine

[Echo Talon]

so all mobsters are Italian?

[Paul Atreides]

but party Chairman Tom Wilson has on several occasions referred to "La Cosa Nostra," another name for the Italian Mafia, and called Corzine and other Democrats "capos," or mob chiefs.

Well, when the shoe fits....

[Echo Talon]

Tell these people to STFU and ask them if they ever criticized The Sopranos.

[Paul Atreides]

Maybe they should start using the Swahili Mafia metaphors.

[carlo3b]

This is Democrap Gumba BS.. Give me a break, a few Hollywood words are no substitute for a real slap in the face, like being called a metrosexual.. Bada bing .. :)

[Echo Talon]

well you have the Russian Mafia, Sicilian... ya know not really exclusive to Italy.

[Paul Atreides]

I know. I was just being facetious to the content of the complaints, by the people in the article.

[Darkwolf377]

Cuomo is a "mean son of a bitch" who "acts like"a Mafioso."--Bill Clinton

[Paul Atreides]

Didn't Bubba apologize to Mario, for those comments, while claiming that he didn't say them in the first place?

[Echo Talon]

oh, and don't forget about the Gay Mafia :D

[Darkwolf377]

LOL Exactly. I didn't say it, and I apologize for it.

[goldstategop]

Tony Soprano and his family may be killers but they're still OUR family. Stop persecuting Italians in New Jersey! ;-)

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[HitmanLV]

I am an American of Italian descent (Sicilian actually, which has even more of an oldschool mob flavor).

I always encouraged the gangster stereotype - after all, if I were to hand pick a set of traits to intrigue women and strike mild fear in the hearts of people who don't know me well, it would be the modern Italian gangster myth/stereotype.

I embrace it - I actually have a fairly notorious surname, and I would often get asked if I was 'connected.' After years of telling people the truth ("no"), I realized most of the folks didn't believe me anyway, so now I casually say "Yes, that's my family, but I'm not involved with that kind of stuff...these days."

;-)

[Echo Talon]

Your supposed to say, if I told ya I'd have to kill ya. :D

[nutmeg]

Bada-PING!

[HitmanLV]

;-)

[fieldmarshaldj]

Is that you, Mr. Gotti ? ;-)

[HitmanLV]

Nope, but close.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Gambino ?