Update: National Italian American Foundation Demands "Scalito" Apology

Drudge Report ^ | Mon Oct 31 2005 15:56:42 ET | A. Kenneth Ciongoli

[Brian Mosely]

National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) Statement:

The NIAF is distressed by the attempts of some senators and the media (CNN, CBS) to marginalize Judge Samuel Alito's outstanding record, by frequent reference to his Italian heritage and by the use of the nickname, "Scalito."

Appropriately, no one mentioned that Justice Breyer was Jewish or suggested that he was lock-step ideologically with the other Jewish Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, it would have been outrageous to do so. We still do not know Justice Robert's ethnicity.

We are justly proud of Justice Alito's Italian heritage and his sterling academic and judicial records as well as his impeccable integrity. However, he should be considered as an individual. In honor of the memory of the just departed Rosa Parks the Senate champions of civil rights should insist that Judge Alito be considered only on his extraordinary merits.

Sincerely,

A. Kenneth Ciongoli

Chairman of the National Italian American Foundation

[freepatriot32]

[firebrand]

The tenor of the comments and pictures on this thread shows the true story of the Italian stereotype in America, better than the thoughtless compartmentalization of the nickname. Those who say it's no big deal are worse than the original perpetrators.

[Ramcat]

Viva Alito!

[StarFan]

As an Italian-American and NIAF member I must say that they are trying a bit too hard to be offended by all this. No big deal, I say.

Ditto and I couldn't agree more.

[The_Republican]

ROTFLMAO!!!!

[djf]

Once, just once, can't somebody say something perhaps even a bit funny without the national whiners association having a dementia attack?

It's old, folks, really, really old.

Where's Lenny Bruce when you need him?

[TigersEye]

The NIAF is distressed ... by frequent reference to his Italian heritage and by the use of the nickname, "Scalito."

However, he should be considered as an individual. In honor of the memory of the just departed Rosa Parks the Senate champions of civil rights should insist that Judge Alito be considered only on his extraordinary merits.

Sincerely,

A. Kenneth Ciongoli

Uhhhh, Kenny, you're not using your noodle. (Sorry, unintentional reference to pasta there.) The "Scalito" moniker is based on the philosophical likenesses between Justice Scalia and Justice Alito not their shared ethnic heritage. IOWs, similar merits.

"Oh. Never mind then." - Kenneth Ciongoli-Rosanadana

[Cinnamon]

Libs might get an offer they can't refuse

[HitmanLV]

I'm actually the rare breed of Italian-American (actually I'm 100% Sicilian with a notorious surname who looks the part) who doesn't mind the mob stereotype so much! Actually in my own small ways I do my part to encourage it! :-)

The Scalia/Scalito thing has more to do with a superficially similar sounding names and a similar philosophy, not some kind of bigotry, I think.

That being said, it will be more ornery if they try to create an innuendo connecting him to organized crime. That IS bigoted, and I think Chris Matthews read something earlier that one of the Dem talking points is that Alito lost an organized crime case years ago, creating an innuendo that he is somehow 'weak' vs organized crime (wink, nod, place finger up against nose and smile).

That really stinks.

[savedbygrace]

It's a shot across the bow. It says, "Back off, or . . . "

[JewishRighter]

I thought Scalito was a combination of Scalia and Alito, a comment on his similar judicial philosphy or temperment. If that's true, I think the nickname is the highest compliment.

[TChris]

The ravings of members of the Professional Offense-Takers of America.

Grow some skin already.

[JewishRighter]

Doh! see my 71.

[TigersEye]

I'm actually the rare breed of Italian-American (actually I'm 100% Sicilian ...

That's an interesting statement to me. Many many years ago I had a Sicilian-American friend who would get rather perturbed about being called 'Italian.' "I'm Sicilian! Not Italian. Got it?" I got it but not everybody did and, in spite of the fact that he was at least two feet shorter than I am, I was never even tempted to needle him about it.

So I am wondering; are you especially egalitarian or was he particularly biased?

[irons_player]

Start up the band saw Big P.

[johnny7]

Bad day for the MSM.

Ain't it SWEET?!

[NatsFan]

While this is a bit silly, can you imagine what the reaction would be if the Republicans made a play on words with the name of a Democratic nominee they opposed? The MSM would be demanding apologies and resignations nonstop.

[HitmanLV]

I can't speak for him., but in my case I found that most Americans have no little or no grasp of the distinction you describe, so since it's close enough I just tag myself as 'Italian' or 'Italian-American' rather than 'Sicilian' or 'Sicilian-American.'

The norther-southern Italian rivalry back in the motherland is very real, but it was probably more of a big deal 50 years ago than now. Many authentic northern Italians don't consider Sicily to be Italy, and in fact look down their noses at all Southern Italians. Many authentic Sicilians don't consider themselves Italian, either. Many Southern Italians have an extended cultural link with Sicilians, but don't care too much either way.

Italy is an odd country - there has never really been much of a national identity in the last several hundred years, anyway. Garibaldi came closest in his goal to unify Italy under one national identity. The folks there identify more with family, town, and maybe extended region, than they do with a national Italian identity.

Based on looks and some cultural aspects, Sicilians have more in common with Greeks and Maltese. Indeed, in the pictures of my mom and her side of the family back home as children, you can clearly see the folks playing around in ancient Greek ruins and architecture (clearly not roman architecture).

I'd like to say it's all one big happy family, but it isn't. Doesn't matter to me, much. So to answer your question, if I know that the person doesn't know much about Italy, I identify myself as Italian. If they are visitors from Italy, or Italian themselves, I make the distinction more in the interest of clarity rather than sensitivity or anything else.

[uncbob]

As an Italian-American and NIAF member I must say that they are trying a bit too hard to be offended by all this. No big deal, I say.

Anything to put the dems on the defensive

Got to use their own tactics against them

[Republican Red]

My maiden name ends in a vowel and I wasn't offended by this nickname. I am offended daily by the media and senators but not about this.

A very long time ago, my very Italian grandfather once told me that good Italians have names ending in "i" (i.e Guiliani), bad Italians end in "o" (i.e Gambino), "a" could go either way. Obviously, my maiden name ended in "i". I can think of numerous examples of this theory not holding true but in all these years this bit of ethnic profiling never left me. I wonder what my grandpa Leo would think of Alito. lol