Discussion: Talk about Peter O'Toole

"Most of the Italians I have met (and I have met alot of them he has like 1000 cousins all named Tony, Maria & I even met a Rocko once) are what you would think they would be and there very proud of it. I don't think you said anything derogitory."

"I am not so much offended by the stereotype as driven to correct it.
BUT as the daughter of an Old Country Northern Italian, I am dismayed by the Mafia stereotype that is the predominant image of Italians in this country. I can't stand the Sopranos and my father detested "The Godfather" as well as Frank Sinatra - I don't care for him either'- although he did love Dean Martin.Those images do not represent Northern Italian culture. We don't all eat spaghetti; polenta and risotto are our first course dishes. Pasta is a first course dish in Italy; Italians from the Old Country often look askance at spaghetti served as a main dish. Furthermore the sauces made in this country usually have too much tomato and meat, as Papa used to tell me. Much of nothern cuisine is less spicy than that of the south. Classic pasta a la Bolognese does not have spices. It is flavored with meat, onion, celery, and carrot. Northeners are more reserved than Southern Italians. The only Tony in my family is my Portuguese mother's brother. Our masculine names were Giuseppe, Attilio, Angelo, and Luigi.
Many who accept the Mafia stereotype are Italilan Americans who have either never known the culture of their region in Italy or have forgotten it. Each region, by the way, has its own culture and dialect. Until 1866, when Italy became a united country, it was a colledtion of city-states and principalities, there was never from the end of the Roman Empire until until then a united Italy. The dialect of Tuscany became the standardized Italian taught in school.
Some stereotypes are true: most Italians I know love to argue, many talk loudly (My father certainly did) and the joke, "How do you silence an Italian? Tie his hands" is apt in a lot of cases.
I cannot not be offended when there is no intent to offend, but I do hope to broaden the image to include those Italians whose heritage is not the Mafia and not just spaghetti. "

"Sorry I didn't mean to stereotype all Italians.

We eat it all. I have to make spaghetti with a pork hock or neck bones and that's it. Very rarely will we have any hamburger in it (only if there is nothing else around). I have to hand make the gnocci cause it's just not the same. Angelosdaughter if your ever in Vancouver, BC and need to grocery shop you have to go to Cioffe's on Hastings. All the best Italian food. You can't even move in there on the weekends.

His family is from southern Italy in Calabria. His grandfather came over in the early 1900's then brought his wife over. Neither of them ever really learned to speak English. Catholic 10 kids in his fathers family. In his family they really do all have stereotypical Italian names though. Dominico, Philipo, Antonio.... The area that his family is from is actually the mafia capital of Italy. Last year they had the biggest mafia arrests ever in Italy in the Calabria reagion. Part of the reason this area is big with the mafia is becasue it is so close to Sicily.

The Italian community is HUGE out where I am. We are in western BC. Me I am a heinz 57. Dutch, Native, French maybe some spanish, Irish.....I am the epitomy of the preverbial melting pot!"

"I am not so much offended by the stereotype as driven to correct it.
BUT as the daughter of an Old Country Northern Italian, I am dismayed by the Mafia stereotype that is the predominant image of Italians in this country. I can't stand the Sopranos and my father detested "The Godfather" as well as Frank Sinatra - I don't care for him either'- although he did love Dean Martin.Those images do not represent Northern Italian culture. We don't all eat spaghetti; polenta and risotto are our first course dishes. Pasta is a first course dish in Italy; Italians from the Old Country often look askance at spaghetti served as a main dish. Furthermore the sauces made in this country usually have too much tomato and meat, as Papa used to tell me. Much of nothern cuisine is less spicy than that of the south. Classic pasta a la Bolognese does not have spices. It is flavored with meat, onion, celery, and carrot. Northeners are more reserved than Southern Italians. The only Tony in my family is my Portuguese mother's brother. Our masculine names were Giuseppe, Attilio, Angelo, and Luigi.
Many who accept the Mafia stereotype are Italilan Americans who have either never known the culture of their region in Italy or have forgotten it. Each region, by the way, has its own culture and dialect. Until 1866, when Italy became a united country, it was a colledtion of city-states and principalities, there was never from the end of the Roman Empire until until then a united Italy. The dialect of Tuscany became the standardized Italian taught in school.
Some stereotypes are true: most Italians I know love to argue, many talk loudly (My father certainly did) and the joke, "How do you silence an Italian? Tie his hands" is apt in a lot of cases.
I cannot not be offended when there is no intent to offend, but I do hope to broaden the image to include those Italians whose heritage is not the Mafia and not just spaghetti. "

"LOL...One of the first things that I was "told" about italians is that the North and South don't get along...Here it's not a problem other than a friendly rivalry but have heard about the problems in Italy. The Northern italians tend to be of a fairer complexion in general as well don't they. That's what I was told you can tell difference between southerner from a northerner. My fiance's family being from the south they are the typical italian look. Short, dark hair, olive skin & the Roman nose.

When his grandfather passed they didn't know he had served in the Italian military. When they held the funeral members of the Italian military showed up to the funeral, carried the casket and were decked out fully in their military gear. Apparently black feathers in their hats etc. He said they never really knew what his grandfather did for a job...but was always able to support 10 kids during the depression. He said one time his grandmother had to get shoes for all 10 kids but it was during the depression so it only happened once a year. She didn't speak english well and took the kids with her stamps to go get them shoes. The Shoe guy I guess had no patience for imigrants and she didn't speak english well enough so he just told her to get lost. She ended up getting so mad at the guy she beat the crap out of him with a shoe. He called the police to come and in the end they told him to stop being an idiot and give the woman the shoes she needed and she would probably leave him alone. My favorite story of his family!"

"Oh, I wish we had Italian markets here in Reno, Nv. where I live."

"That's so sweet, BVL. Sounds like you've become Italian, too :-)"

"I agree. BVL
Have you read Raeleen D'Agostino Mautner's book "Living La Dolce Vita"? But then, you probably have it all around you. :-)"