The American Spectator

p> ON PARADE br> Re: Francis X. Rocca’s The Anti-Soprano Mafia : /p>

I read your article on the Columbus Day parade, and was somewhat surprised by many of your comments. As a first generation Italian I feel that your remarks are a bit misguided, but I can sympathize with your views. I do understand that the comments by Mr. Fugazy seemed nonsensical, but from the perspective of an Italian they’re quite correct. Most Italians would not like to be associated with organized crime, just like most Southerners would not want to be associated with racism and slavery.

p>I usually do not give any consideration to the “whining” of minorities, including Italians, simply because most of the time it is unwarranted. But the Sopranos issue is a valid one, not because of the way it portrays Italians — his has been done before — but for the way in which people seem not to care. If HBO decided to program a show which stereotyped an African-American family by portraying them as having links to the inner city gang scene, I’m sure most African-American organizations would be very vocal and pressure the network to change the show. I think Bloomberg’s weak attempt to connect with the large Italian community of New York is really what is offensive, and for that reason I wouldn’t want the actors in the parade. I feel that most minorities in this country take issues such as these a little too seriously, but I’m sure if this was an African-American, Jewish or Hispanic issue, fewer people would be criticizing Mr. Fugazy’s comments. br> — Marc Forgione /p> p> ANGELS IN THE STANDS br> Re: K. E. Grubbs Jr.’s The Triumph of the West