BumbleBee was sitting in his office reading through some past journals of old mafiosos. Reading about La Cosa Nostra was a hobby of his, when he actually was awake. Otherwise his past time was usually snoozing. On rare occasion though, sitting behind a desk, sifting through some old leather bound journals he sneezed. The dust was getting to him, but he still read away in the middle of the night. As he read and read some more he started pondering a question that seemed to keep coming up through multiple generations of mafiosos. The honor and access of the Button. He stopped looking down and started to ponder looking up in air. The convo hit him like a truck, he grabbed his cigar and whiskey flask as he ran down to the street where some mobsters were hanging out enjoying the outdoors. He nods at a couple of them and takes center stage as he starts speaking emphatically. 

It is no secret, the Button is a huge milestone in La Cosa Nostra. Its a sense of great pride, honor, rather even high prestige. It was long ago as these journals state, there was a time and age when getting to the button was considered hard. Then came an era when getting to the button seemed to get rather easy. The prerequisites required to get to the button have always seemed to be within reach of most mafiosos. However induction into the inner circle of the mob world, has always been a door kept and guarded by the Boss's of our world. Ultimately the Crew leader makes the call, there is a ceremony, some blood is spilled, vows taken and you become Familia. 

Going back to the Journals. Some ages ago the population of the game was mostly Wise guys and Earners. Men/Women charged to run tasks for the Boss. Capo regimes were leaders of smaller crews or sub crews, families were much bigger then. Almost as big as the population of city now a days, making sub crews a functional unit. Then came the age of Godfathers! All of the sudden due to the boom in business, units of transactions started to come a lot more frequently than before. This was our Golden age of sorts, Godfathers took hold across the country in multiple cities and then even districts. Mob was booming, Wise guys were going extinct, everyone was a Boss or better. Till well, everything is cyclical right? 

Last some regimes got paranoid due to past internal coupes and started a sort of 'clensing' tactic. Familia didn't mean much anymore, and ranked Button men started disappearing in the middle of the night. No explanation, no word, just vanished! This would not persist before. When Button men or women in our world die, there is usually a meeting to be had. Blood to be paid, or blood money to be offered. Either way Button men don't just simply vanish! Consider it the protection that comes with being a Button man. Due to the clensing/purge tactic, Boss's of the mafia world at the time were eliminated with the help of town hall. Dead bodies of the internal mob war were starting to spill out into the public streets. The codes of omertà were being broken. The politicians just couldn't win reelections with the mob at war with itself. Hence a council was setup, new rules hatched as prescribed with the advice of the men/women at town hall. And boom were back to the old days of when majority of the world is Wise guys and Earners.

BumbleBee pauses for a little and takes a swig of his whiskey mixed with a hint of motor oil. Takes a puff of his cigar and resumes to converse. 

Looking back at old journals, who thought a couple of changes and a couple of meetings would bring us back to this point in the cycle again? Last I looked in the mob records, there were about 200+ Wise guys and under compared to about 120 odd Button men. Some may not like this perhaps. From my angle the glory of the Button is back! Being Familia means something again. Button men don't just vanish anymore in thin air, or atleast not without consequences. The Button again is a sign of trust bestowed by the Crew leader upon their member. Rather than simply being a facet of business in La Cosa Nostra. 

BumbleBee has a puff of his cigar and looks at the folks in attendance.

I wonder what you Mafiosos of the world think about the prestige of the Button now?!?!?

The button.

Now i am not a made man or even close for that matter. I dont believe i have put in the time or risked my life like the men and women who hold their respective buttons do and have. Although, It doesn't mean i wont. 

BrotherHec takes out some hand warmers and begins to warm his hands up. The heavy snowfall last night really made him shiver. 

I have never been one to read the journals of the past and believe it should be this way or that. The past is the past for a reason. It helped us to get where we are and i think that is good. I hold a certain fondness in my heart for the stories i have heard about, how their was a unique prestige given to those who were elevated to that status. 

An unidentified man just walked past BrotherHec and PICKPOCKETED him for several thousand dollars. 

As i was saying. In my humble opinion. I hold high respect for a made man. A made is a reflection of a crew leader himself. I believe that is why so many people are overjoyed when they receive the button. I think what damages that pleasure is comparison. When people begin to compare their life to their fathers life and state that it was easier for their father to get a button.

When people begin to do this they not only bring everyone else down around them but they diminish the prestige of the button. Believing that one is deserving for a promotion based off his drug sales to me is laughable. To consider giving someone the promotion simply because they have killed more people than most their age is not a fair reason either. It must be a combination of many things. Of things seen, like those of drug deals and donations, and those unseen, like those of hits performed and loyalty. The crew leader makes the evaluation and chooses if that person is worth it.

When i see a made man in the streets it is true a certain fear courses through me. I know that man can easily kill me. I know that if i were to fight that man for any reason I would lose the war. Not because of the man alone but because of who stands behind a made man. The entire city stands behind him and would fight for him. He becomes untouchable. There is also a certain respect that goes through my mind. The fact that a man found someone worthy enough to devote his life and loyalty to. That is honorable to me. 

So how i do i view it, The button? Easy. It is the most visible way for someone to say that he represents something greater than himself and that something represents him just the same. He becomes the face of the crew and crew would fight for his life. That is how i look at it. 

BumbleBee listens to BrotherHec intently as he watches a brilliant mafioso make his speech in the streets. 

So how i do i view it, The button? Easy. It is the most visible way for someone to say that he represents something greater than himself and that something represents him just the same. He becomes the face of the crew and crew would fight for his life. That is how i look at it

I couldn't have said it better myself! It is this level of interconnectedness that combine to become the rank of Made Man. I look forward to you getting your wings here soon as well. You would certainly be a very valuable asset to our community, the way you carry yourself young lad. 

BumbleBee takes a puff of his cigar as he looks about listening to other opinions on the topic. 

Having only been in New York for the past few day's Heathro decides to take a walk around the unquestionably cold street's.. Well out adventuring, he stumbles across a respectfully looking fella' speaking out to what looked like a group of hardened mobsters.. He decided to slip into the crowd and get a good listen to what the guy had to say.. 

When he had finished speaking, Heathro decided to pipe up and give the man his opinion on the matter.. Whether it was wanted or not.

Good Morning, Sir.. And good morning to everybody gathered here today.

Focusing back on the smartly dressed man he continues..

That was a nice, reassuring speech. I've always stood by the approach you have just pointed out, there was most certainly a time where people were becoming made left right and canter and little to no effort was put forth. It's as If some leader's believed it would make a family stronger if he just promoted everybody as soon as possible, If anything.. I think it makes them much weaker.. But hey I'm not here to tell anybody how to run their family.

It's still not where it should be, but it's coming along! Seeing more made ceremonies in the street's would be ideal I reckon, It will give those becoming made more of a sense of establishment and worth! 

Realizing he is rambling on in front of unfamiliar faces' Heathro decides to step back and see if anybody else chuck's their opinion out..

Petah was walking home from the airport in NY on a Monday night in Febuary, not exactly the in a great mood due to the freezing cold weather. Hailing a cab at the airport was next to impossible though so he got fed up and walked. As he made it closer to Manhattan he heard a firmiliar voice having a discussion and stopped to listen.

There was a group of mobsters up ahead discussing the importance of becoming a made man. Petah listened to a few people share their opinions and the figured he would chime in himself. 

I know I am only knew to this way of life you are discussing, so I can only speak to how I view a made man as an associate. I believe a made man, as others have said... is someone who commands respect. They have paid their dues and earned the trust and respect of their leaders. Becoming a made man is a big deal, if the higher ups in your organisation give you your button to me that says they completely trust you. 

To me the biggest thing is trust. Pretty much anyone can join a crew, but in order to become a made man or woman your leader needs to have faith in you. They need to really believe you have the best interest of their crew and city in mind every time you do anything. That's what I think anyways, you are representing the people who gave you that button every time you do anything.

Act like an ass? Your making them look bad. So it really is all about trust to me.  

<font color="#B4B4B4">Petah stepped back and lit a smoke to let the others continue their conversation. </font>

Adrenaline was heading home after a long night of heavy drinking, he could barely walk. He heard BumbleBee's voice so he directly followed it. It was an interesting subject that he had been thinking about.

He didn't stop shacking his head as a sign of agreement during BumbleBee's lecture. Yes, a "lecture" because he always enjoyed learning from older mobsters and specially the upper structure he follows.

Then a young one steps up, he did seem to know what he's talking about. But Adrenaline had too many drinks to stop himself from reaching the man's pockets during his speak taking $3200, he then winked at BumbleBee and smiled. 

Adrenaline listened to everyone, he fixed his tie, cleared his throat and had his attention.

Thank you for bringing this up MR Bee. I've been thinking about this for a long time.

I've seen made men earning their position according to their blood line. I've seen made men earning their position by their crew earnings, titles were being sold in an indirect way.

Many made men didn't even have to do much.. They just recieve their position. While of course, the majority of made men did work hard to earn it.

I think every crew leader has their choice of how to run their thing. But the question is, when we notice a crew that follows no promotion standards, does it affect the way we look at their members? I believe it does.

I think easy buttons would only hurt the crew's reputation negatively.

Adrenaline continued his walk home with careful steps, then he called his accountant to pay BrotherHec his money back. He only pickpockets for adrenaline.. the stimulant.

BumbleBee listens to Heathro intently as he makes his point about celebrating the button publicly and how speed to get to the button doesn't always ensure quality and strength. He walks forward and shakes his hand. Getting your buttons is definitely a great honor, it should def be cherished as such. Some just choose to do it in a bar, others like the public parties. I certainly look forward to yours my young friend. You best believe Ill be there. He gives him a smile as he steps aside watching Petah take center stage. 

He looks at Petah all drenched from a long walk perhaps. His words resonated very much with what had been said earlier. He made a passionate speech about the "trust" involved in achieving the rank of Made Man. BumbleBee stepped forward and gave him a tap on his back. You my young friend make me proud, when I call you a crew member. This thought process that you have of always thinking of Made as a reflection of your Crew Leader, will take you far. As long as you are mindful of what you say and how you do it...with the example of how your leadership performs. You will only honor the responsibility and the trust bestowed upon you with the button, when your time comes my friend. He offers Petah a cigar and some whiskey as they both step aside for Adrenaline to speak. 

Bumblebee had a couple of puffs of his cigar as he watched Adrenaline say his bit about the Button. He listens carefully as Adrenaline makes his point about some CL's not weighing the button heavily enough. He waits for Adrenaline to finish as we walks up to him to shake his hand. Thank you for your words in the streets sir. What you say is very valid. Some leaders perhaps have lesser standards, or for the lack of a better word, different goals expected of their members. Some have really high expectation, others have reasonable ones. This is what makes a leader different in my opinion. Some leaders tend to help in achievement of these goals, others like to see people learn how to swim on their own. Everyone brings a different flavor and touch to La Cosa Nostra. None is right, none is wrong...different ways for different people. What you say though is very true. Sometimes its better to have rare exceptional quality that makes a leader shine, vs quantity that just adds to visibility and presence. 

​​​​​​​He offers Adrenaline a cigar as they both walk over to the corner making space for another to speak up about their feelings on the Button.