So what was Francis Ford Coppola, doing? He's Italian and this was
one in a series of Godfather Films, right? Why did you insert "Step
and Fechit into your post? I've NEVER seen one of those films, but I
have a copy of "Little Black Sambo" and Tar Baby. I don't know about
you, man. Sometimes I wonder....
You've been carefully taught, huh?
--- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, "justifiedright"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> Dear Asbury Park UEZ and Paramount Theater,
>
> As you may know I have been a proponent of ridding our nation of
the
> last socially acceptable stereotype in Hollywood: The caricature of
> the Italian-American as either a conniving, cold killer who runs
> organized crime, or a grammatically-challenged dimwit who works for
> the guy who runs organized crime.
>
> Prior to the movie "The Godfather," Hollywood was balanced in their
> portrayal of mobsters in various ethnicities. Pretty Boy Floyd,
> Baby Face Nelson, Dutch Shultz, Bonnie and Clyde, Meyer Lansky and
> Bugsy Segal were all in movies, and none were Italian (they were
> also real people, unlike Vito Corleone or Tony Soprano).
>
> Since the move "The Godfather," more than 400 feature length films
> have been made where mobsters are just Italian. That list grows,
> and it doesn't include the larger number of TV show, radio and
> commercial Italian false caricatures.
>
> I note the UEZ passed along an advertisement by Paramount Theater
> for "Gumba Night." I hoped it had something to do with Gumby or
> Chicken Gumbo. I was saddened to find it was a misspelling of the
> word "Goombah" and used to describe a night of double feature
> Godfather movies (although I was happy to see that someone other
> than an Italian at Paramount Theater had proved the universality of
> the struggle with grammar).
>
> Goombah to Italians originally meant friend (although I must say,
> it's rarely ever used. I've never walked into Jimmy's Restaurant
> and yelled Hey Goombah!). However, it's in far more prevalent use
> today as a slur (even among Italians), conjuring up the stereotype
> described above.
>
> I know I am a long way from convincing people to frown on the
> showing of The Godfather as they would today frown upon the showing
> of the once popular Steppin' Fetchit movies (but I'm working on
it).
> Accordingly, I will not ask that Paramount not show it or the UEZ
> not promote it.
>
> However, "Goombah Night" is objectionable by today's standards. It
> sounds like an event. I attend prideful events like the Italian
> American Festival, Italian American Heritage Festival and the
> Columbus Landing.
>
> How am I expected to attend a "Goombah" event? Shall I appear
> casually in my velour running suit, zipper pulled down to the top
of
> my beer belly exposing my gold chains and just enough sprinkling of
> powdered sugar in my chest hair to confirm I've eaten my 6th
> sfogliatelle of the day? Or should I come retro in trench coat,
> tilted fedora and violin case? If that image is too scary, I'll
> just put on my vest, grind my organ and let my monkey dance for
> quarters.
>
> I know the UEZ has received an objection from another Italian
> American gentleman, and I'm fully aware that much of his was
> intended as a sarcastic swipe at me for my recent strong
disapproval
> of Councilman Keady's attack on Columbus Day and our heritage.
>
> That gentleman was not insulted by what Mr. Keady did and his
> insinuation that Italians needed a defense against Keady in his
> recent communiqué is disingenuous. He makes fun of that tradition
> and the costumes worn at the Columbus Landing, costumes worn by
> several of my family members over the years. His recent
> communication is in furtherance of the Keady-inspired attack by
> outsiders on the Asbury Park heritage and traditions held so dear
by
> our indigenous people.
>
> His sarcasm is an attempt to insult me despite knowing how offended
> I was by Mr. Keady's actions. I doubt he'd be so cruel toward
> another ethnicity, which confirms how vigorously I must defend the
> Italian American reputation. If, Heaven forbid, that same gentleman
> should ever find his fate in the hands of 12 jurors who think Tony
> Soprano is a peek at the Italian Genome, he will wish he had taken
> these matters more seriously too.
>
> I am further aware that this individual's true intent is to see me,
> a City supporter, oppose the City on any issue as he often does,
> since he is a City non-supporter. I'll grant him this one wish.
>
> I must first highlight a difference. My point has always been that
> Hollywood's bigoted Italian caricature is so prolific that it
> infects the psyche of America, so that most people will not
> recognize something like the word "Goombah" as a slur when in fact
> it is. The slur is masked so that people using it do not realize
the
> slur, as was the case here with Paramount and the UEZ.
>
> On the other hand, Councilman Keady's attack on our Columbus Day
> tradition comes from him after he studied the issue and thought
> about it (evidenced by the condescending reading of one of his
> Marxist books to the people of Asbury Park from the dais). By
> reading phony books to us, attacking our heroes and questioning the
> Italian American community's parenting skills (by saying we were
> lying to our kids about Columbus), Councilman Keady's actions were
> quite intentional and far worse than Paramount's failure to
> understand the word Goombah as a slur, thanks to Hollywood.
>
> The use of the word Goombah is nonetheless a problem. While Mr.
> Keady refuses to apologize for his intentional attack, Paramount
> Homes and the UEZ will show more class and act as follows:
>
> While the Godfather movies can be shown, Paramount Theater will
> retract and refrain from the use of the word Goombah and the UEZ
> will never again publish it. Each will apologize not for use of the
> word, but for allowing themselves to fall prey, as have millions of
> other Americans, to Hollywood's incessant misidentification of the
> Italian American aesthetic.
>
> Capice?
>
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