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Focus: Image & Identity
home >> Image & Identity >> Focus: Image & Identity Reports >> Spring 2003
Fighting the Negative
Our responses to the negative and inaccurate depictions of Italian Americans are met with a wide range of reactions varying from sincere apologies to snide suggestions that we “lighten up.” Here are some highlights since our last report.
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Regrettably, it is more of the same. The latest in the tradition of harmful and unflattering images of Italian Americans on television is the ABC program, The Family. This program taps into old stereotypes relating to Italian Americans as unsophisticated, crude buffoons. Even the title of the program, “The Family,” conjures a cliché stereotypical image of Italians. A reality show, The Family did break some new ground in that it is a show about “real” Italian Americans.
But the show is problematic because it portrays a false and misleading image of the Italian American community. In the United States, Italian Americans are represented across the broad socio-economic spectrum. However, objective analyses have demonstrated that the median Italian American family is in the top strata of income and economic achievements. Why is this reality not reflected on this “reality” television program? Moreover, was the ethnic identity of Joe Millionaire a seminal issue?
But the underlining problem remains that the family in this program does not represent the manner in which many Italian Americans want to be portrayed on television. This sentiment was conveyed by NIAF and other Italian American organizations that came together in a coalition, spearheaded by Manny Alfano and the Italian American One Voice Coalition, denouncing this program for singling out and ridiculing Italian Americans. Strong criticism was also echoed by several journalists as well as Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr., who represents New Jersey’s 8th District. Pascrell stated that this program, “can only add fuel to the fire of perpetuating stereotypes about Italian Americans.”
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So what else is on television? Mafia Doctor, a story about a successful surgeon who is secretly working for the mafia, did not need to be criticized by the Italian American community. The television critics did it for us, blasting the show with resoundingly negative reviews. The only things that were worse than this poor excuse for television were the recent Ragu and Rubbermaid commercials which exhausted the tired stereotype of the Italian American woman clad in black and making sauce. Upon contacting these companies, NIAF was informed that they had not intended to offend any group and that their “market research” indicated that this was an appropriate advertising strategy. Needless to say, NIAF did not agree. By the way, do any Italian Americans actually purchase Ragu sauce?
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National Public Radio (NPR) remains a sore spot in the Italian American community. Not because they have run 34 stories about the HBO program, The Sopranos. Rather, because they refuse to do a story about the real Italian American community; one which discusses our positive impact upon the fabric of this nation rather than one that continues to reduce us to the level of criminals and thugs. Italian American activist and NIAF member Steve Antonuccio first broke this story, which NIAF mentioned in a recent NIAF News Picks and Pans piece. He noted that NPR’s coverage of the program was excessive, a view that was substantiated by NPR Ombudsman Jeffrey A. Dvorkin. Dvorkin publicly acknowledged that NPR had “overstepped the bounds of what could be considered modest and appropriate" and NPR had in effect, “rendered a disservice to all listeners by not exploring the series’ impact beyond increasing cable subscriptions for HBO.” NIAF has contacted them repeatedly, asking that they expand their horizons and move beyond this fictional program. We are still waiting. For anyone interested, here’s a link where story suggestions can be submitted http://www.npr.org/about/pitch/.
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NIAF scored a victory for Italian Americans in the business community. Business Week published an editorial by NIAF Executive Director John Salamone in response to a negative article about Joseph Nacchio, the former chairman and CEO of Qwest Communications. Apparently the magazine had to be reminded that it was not acceptable to describe business executives of Italian descent with mafia innuendo and demeaning stereotypical references. They got the point.
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NIAF went on the offensive and requested that radio station KC101 in East Haven, Connecticut remove a distasteful song, “Christmas in Staven,” from its airwaves. During the past Holiday Season, this station created and aired this song, which depicts Italian Americans in a particularly disparaging manner. NIAF noted a number of complaints about the song from disturbed Italian Americans who were offended by the song’s lyrics which associate Italian Americans with organized crime and depict them as fools. NIAF requested the same respect and sensitivity that the station would give to other ethnic, religious, and racial groups. The station management claimed to be receptive to NIAF’s concerns but contended nonetheless that the song was requested by a number of Italian Americans as well. The East Haven Courier served as the forum where both sides of the debate voiced their opinion relating to the song in the form of letters to the editors. Interestingly one Italian American woman claimed that NIAF concerns were “laughable” and the result of “oversensitivity.” This may lead one to question whether Italian Americans have lowered their standard to such a degree that this type of flagrant mockery is so openly accepted if not embraced. Chi sa?
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NIAF recently joined forces with other Italian American organizations to conduct a faculty training session at the Renbrook School in West Hartford, Connecticut. The session was intended to train teachers on the harmfulness of stereotyping of Italian Americans, stemming from an incident which occurred during the “Renbrook Revue,” an evening program of skits written and performed by Renbrook students, in October 2002. One skit was viewed as particularly demeaning to Italian Americans, which resulted in a tirade of criticisms directed at the school and a demand that the school encourage the faculty to become more sensitive towards the Italian American community.
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Emphasizing the Positive
NIAF continues to believe that a proactive measure to curb the defamation of Italian Americans is through the promotion of the best of Italian American culture and heritage.
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Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone is indicative of the sacrifice and contribution of Italian Americans to the United States. NIAF joined together with a number of other groups to recognize February 19 as John Basilone Day. John Basilone, the son of Italian immigrants, was the only enlisted Marine in World War II to receive the nation’s two highest military honors – the Navy Cross and the U.S. Congressional Medal of Honor. This year marks the 2nd anniversary of the observation of Basilone Day and among those honoring this special day include Governor McGreevy of New Jersey and mayors of several cities across the nation. Currently, NIAF remains involved in the movement to have a stamp created in honor of him.
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NIAF remains committed to promoting Italian American Studies and will serve as a co-sponsor of the 36th annual American Italian Historical Association (AIHA) conference which will be held in November in Boca Raton, Florida. The program will include lectures and discussions focused around this year’s topic, "Italian Americans and the Arts & Culture.” Scholars and Italian Americanists will deliver papers dealing with all aspects of Italian Americans and their contributions to the Arts, which include writing, singing, dancing, painting, sculpture, cinema, storytelling, and theatre. NIAF is especially pleased to partner with this outstanding organization which has served as the vanguard of the Italian American Studies movement for the past 35 years. Anthony Tamburri, Chair of the Italian Department at Florida Atlantic University and the 2002 Chair of the NIAF University Grants Committee, is the newly elected President of AIHA. He will certainly provide sound leadership to this impressive group.
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Anyone wondering whether students are interested in learning about the Italian American Experience should take notice of this semester’s enrollment for the course the “Mafia Movies” offered at Columbia University. The student enrollment in this course baffled the faculty by breaking all existing enrollment records in the history of this Ivy League institution. There were 250 students attempting to enroll in the 100 allotted spots for this course, compelling Professor Nelson Moe to limit enrollment with priority given to upper-classmen.
So what does “Mafia Movies” have to do with Italian American Studies? Not much on the surface but with a closer look we see the connection. The course description notes, “We will explore questions of ethnicity and immigration and will compare the different histories and cultural meanings of the Mafia in Italy and the US. Special attention will be paid to the cultural construction of regional and ethnic stereotypes.” This translates into the teaching of Italian American history including such salient aspects as immigration, discrimination, and an evaluation of the Italian nation that they left.
This enrollment record illustrates that there is a serious void throughout many of the nation’s college and universities and that there is a need for courses in Italian American Studies. Outside of Columbia University, many professors of Italian American Studies have reported that their class enrollments are overflowing as well. The problem remains that while successful at places where they are offered, there are not enough schools throughout the nation offering such courses. Italian American Studies needs to be a sweeping initiative and not just localized to a few schools with exceedingly high Italian American demographics.
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NIAF is emphasizing the need for Italian American Studies within high schools as well. NIAF is sponsoring a workshop "Teach The Teachers," at Harvard University this May. This will be a one-day course that focuses on Italian American studies so that these high school teachers can incorporate this information into their curriculums. Professors Carol Bonomo Albright and Elvira De Fabio, two instructors at Harvard University Extension will conduct the workshop.
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NIAF is still your Voice in Washington
NIAF, for nearly three decades, has served as an extension of the Italian American delegation in the United States Congress. The current Italian American delegation of the 108th Congress includes 29 members, six United States Senators and 23 U.S. Representatives, who trace their ancestry to Italy. Representatives Jim Oberstar and John Mica are serving as the Co- Chairs of the Delegation, replacing recently retired Congressman John J. LaFalce. Approximately seventy additional Members of Congress are Associate Members of the Italian American Congressional Delegation because of the proportion of Italian Americans in their districts and/or their interest in the Italian American community.
The first event of the Italian American delegation of the 108th Congress was the recent NIAF Public Policy Forum held on Capitol Hill in March. New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Chairman and CEO Dick Grasso gave an impressive lecture on the challenges facing the stock market. After being warmly introduced by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Mr. Grasso talked optimistically about the history of the NYSE and how it has persevered through many challenges including the Great Depression, the Second World War, and most recently the 9-11 tragedy. After Mr. Grasso’s talk, he fielded questions from an exclusive audience which included notable business and government leaders and numerous Members of Congress. Some highlights of the audience included Senator Hillary Clinton, Senator Frank Lautenberg, Senator Patrick Leahy, Senator Trent Lott, Representative Charles Rangel, and Representative Mike Ferguson. This event also served as an opportunity to welcome the newest members of the Italian American Congressional delegation: Representatives Rick Renzi, Tim Ryan, and Virginia Brown-Waite.
NIAF Public Policy Forum events are held several times a year featuring a prominent keynote speaker addressing the important issues confronting the nation. These special events are sponsored by NIAF in conjunction with the Italian American Congressional delegation. Other recent NIAF Public Policy Forum events have included General Anthony Zinni, United States Special Envoy to the Middle East, discussing the precarious Israel – Palestine issue and Giovanni Prezioso, General Counsel of the Securities and Exchange Commission, discussing the recent financial dealings of companies such as Enron and Worldcom, which ended sadly for many investors.
Italian Americans continue to excel in many diverse areas and to contribute immensely to the United States. Together let’s spread the good news of what we are doing.
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