Very true. People who grew up outside of the northeast or the Chicago area are shocked at how much the stereotype persists, even if their are more Italian-American bankers and lawyers than mobsters or folks in the "linen supply business."
One thing that's great about the rise of Central American and Russian gangs: somebody else is now stereotyped into the role of "criminal."
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.
I thought Scalito was his name. I thought it was just too weird to have two judges named Scalia and Scalito. Of course, I had a cup of coffee and realised that Scalito was supposed to be a some sort of slur against Alito. I would take it as a compliment. I remember the first time I got slurred over italian food *LOL* Of course, this was done by the same kids who asked me if black people really do eat watermelon. They were from the somewhere in midwest, one kid from Iowa so I just think it was not mean spirited but just ignorance. I do think that they should apologise but then I just hear my father screaming at me that Italians don't whine.