Right on. This is America. You don't have to do and be what your daddy was. You can, but you don't have to. How can he, or any of us, be responsible for what our ancestors (even near ones) did? Ever hear of ex post facto? Hmm?
I hope there's no outbreak of anti-Italian news stories trying to tie Rudy and his relatives into organized crime. It was distressing when it was done to Geraldine Ferraro many years ago, when she was a VP candidate, and it would be a step backward to read such negative mudslinging now.