Sprozz was only a Wise Guy, but he certainly kept his finger on the pulse. Whether there were public street appearances, coffeeshop mutterings, or just friendly conversations over a glass of the good stuff in a speakeasy; Sprozz either knew about it, or made it his business to find out.

Such discussions were integral to 'our thing' and it was a shame that so many cretins did not realise this. Thankfully for Sprozz, he was not one of these men, and he had noticed an emerging trend of late.

Onore, or honour. Along with Omerta, Famigilia and Sangue, Onore has historically been a concept regarded as indispensable, an essential pillar on which Our Thing stands. It was what elevated us, what made us more than the other common criminals and bottom feeders that roam the streets.

Is that still the case? Or is Onore now seen as a virtue to be embraced when possible, but to be discarded when practical? Has pragmatism overtaken our principles? I think there's argument both for and against. You see, there's no way to say whether the community is A or whether the community is B, because a community is not a simple thing; it is subject to dozens of different factors and furthermore our thing is often guided by no more than a dozen powerful individuals, where as it contains some 3-400 individuals all with varying opinions.

For example, if you look at the Godfather Council, it is easy to see Onore is as well regarded and important than ever. The robots proved to be an excellent source of income and target practice to boot; but for the Council, Onore overruled practicality and their use was banned. (Incidentally, this discussion is not to be turned into one detailing the pros and cons of robots, there are plenty of these discussions already and if you try to hijack this one, I will advise you to fornicate with a close relative and then ignore you.)

However, venture down to street level and things are not quite so clear cut. I'm not going to be needlessly stating the obvious here as the majority of non-idiots will understand what I'm referring to; but recently we have seen one or two instances of individuals, groups, or even entire cities being called out. In the past, this would nearly always be met with bloodshed. Why? Because no matter the amount of diplomatic discourse, the best and most effective way to deal with someone dishonouring you is a bullet between the eyes.

Why has this not happened? There's two scenarios as I see it, one is that for some people, their sense of honour is not so strong that they would die for it. (Seemingly the phrase death before dishonour is now an extinct one). Alternatively, it is perhaps as simple as that with the amount of wars we've seen recently, the big boys aren't particularly keen on entering into prolonged conflict over honour; thus taking the path of pragmatism over Onore.

I could use myself as an example at this stage, my commentaries on Vegas are satirical, and have been well received by many. However, regardless of whether they are intended as a joke or not, they are certainly disrespectful towards those who are the focal point of the jokes, and that is the salient point. Is that acceptable? I'd say yes, because I'm hardly going to condemn myself here, but many others could, and perhaps should, say no.

This brings me to my final point. Should those who aren't made be subjected to the same codes and rules as those who are made? Yes, of course there is the argument that those have earnt their button should be allowed more freedom and leniency; but ultimately the concepts I mentioned earlier (notably Omerta and Onore) are historically ideals that applied to members of a Family. The majority of people not Made these days are not members of a Family, they are associates. Until the moment they have sworn an oath to their Leader, they are little more than hired help – so should they be expected to adhere to the same set to stringent laws as their superiors?

Your thoughts on this will be eagerly anticipated. Except you, Gene_Hunt, we don't want your thoughts.

The world that you know Sprozz is not what this place always was. The streets used to be a place where you could freely express your opinions without fear of winding up at the bottom of the ocean unless you constantly stepped over (granted, a very blurred one) line. Back then people aired their views freely and after reading my ancestors diaries it seems that this world was for the better, more people came to the streets, more people aired their opinions and more was found out about a certain character(s) before they were either entrusted into higher positions of authority. At one point people generally got auth for how good they were at streets speaking and by that I don't mean who was the most respectful/honourable... it was a case of who could create a spark in the streets, who could get other people involved in their threads, who could... get a reaction.

My blood much preferred this world when that was the way things were done. People were "found out" much quicker, minions were filtered out of the auth system if they couldn't conduct themselves without dribbing in the streets.

In general, being "Made" has not been an honour for a while with the majority of family heads... as soon as someone had the "experience", they were Made. So why rank mean aabsolutely anything in the streets is beyond me.

Well, this is certainly interesting. One the one hand, it's honourable that you should choose to rush to your city's aid; on the other hand it's quite dishonourable on two levels. First, it's dishonourable that you don't have the bollocks to confront me personally. Secondly, it's very dishonourable to me that you only think I'm worth a $1,000,000 bounty. How fucking paltry.

Either way, it's all academic considering at no time did I 'tell anyone from Det how to run their family', although it would be interested to see how you inferred as much. If you shouldn't like to respond in public, please feel free to respond using the method of posting another anonymous hit with your reply as the reason.

You're quite right there TeQ; although it's still a commonplace debate 'tactic'  to dismiss a younger person's points solely based on their rank, even if the higher ranker themselves have contributed little to the streets.

However, I would disagree that death only came to those who 'constantly' stepped over the line in the past. I used to say, and still do, that it's possible to get away with anything purely on the way that you say it; but it's stlil exceedingly easy to get yourself put into a pine box if you phrase things in such a disrespectful way that you offend a big boy!

Interested topic Sprozz, one that i am glad you bought up.

With the need to re-build following recent wars and the pledge from the Godfather Council for peace, it seems people have got a little too excited with the whole 'freedom of speech' malarchy. Having being through a phase of silent streets with only few people prepared to voice their opinions, everyone appears to be keen to jump on the street bandwagon to speak up. there seem to be a pretence that they can say what they want, which of course is false. I think maybe things have got a little too out of hand. Recently there has been much arguing in the streets, wild accusations flying around and a few cases of dis-respect. This isn't debating, this is a mixture of disgruntled people trying to stir things up, cities trying to throw their weight around to show who has the biggest balls. As you say we have seen cities getting called out, take philly for example, they have been given a rough ride, was it really called for or is it a case of 'we are bigger than you so deal with it?'

One thing that ticks me off is the amount of associates hitting the streets screaming abscenities. I like to see the little guys trying but when you see a Gangster calling out a Capo, well it just doesn't bode well and shouldn't happen at all. I believe this needs to stop before things get worse.

There are certain ways to go about things and there are some things that need tweeking, a few 'unwritten rules' that some people need to be reminded of. Everyone should know their place and unless it is constructive criticism and respectful, some people need to learn to hold their tongue.

Clarity came forth and attempted to smile at Sprozz, she was still a bit angry at him for her early morning wake up call. Grumbling a bit as she stood before him she then began to respond to his speech.

"You won't be seeing promotions going so freely in my family, I can assure you that just because you have your "experience" doesn't mean you have "earned" the right to be come Made. So because of this I do expect more from my family members."

"What does this mean? I expect that if you are officially now apart of my family that you will show respect and show honor, above all else. You will never see me trying to quiet a voice, but more so show them or ask them to speak without insulting others. This is where I feel honor does come into play. Those who can show respect to everyone while presenting their views, with pure honesty and fairness, without rudely attacking one another shows true honor."

"Do I feel those below Made Man should also be expected of this? Yes, I do believe they should. Will I punish them for making a mistake? Not as harshly as I would someone that I deemed worthy of becoming apart of my family, which means those Made Man and higher. We are to teach them and to show them the way that it should be said or done. Once we feel that they have learned this, then they should be granted the right away of becoming Made Man. Do higher up's forget honor and respect? Yes, they do and that is why you see a few die for it.  I will say I'm much more forgiving if the person has yet to become Made Man than I am of those who I promoted."

Clarity then held her hand up to stop a few from speaking before she continued.

"Should we feel that people are not keeping to our honor code because they make a jestful speech? No! Even though for some it can be taken as disrespectful, they have to remember that it is all for the smiles. Granted, some jokes can be taken too far, but if the speaker is being respectful about it, then why would you have any less honor? Are your actions not honest and fair? I believe them to still be so. Yet, that could be because I have a sense of humor. A few around these parts don't."

"I hope this is somewhat of an answer to you. For myself, I think I just started ranting! So I will end my response here before I start to go into anything and everything!"

Nodding her head in respect she then smiled before giving Sprozz a small glare. She was going to have to get the man back somehow! 

I see what you did there. You include my name to get more people to listen to you. Clever. For a Wise Guy.

I'll pick up on one or two points, ramble a bit and then just leave you all to it. Should Made Men be given more slack in regards to what they do and do not say in the streets?

No. A Made Man has been accepted in to the inner circle of the family. He is a trusted man. Trusted. The important word. This man should be given very little if any slack. Quite simply because you are basically speaking for your boss when you enter the streets. I think it's been lost in quite a big way the meaning of Made Man. Perhaps it's me and I haven't seen things but I cherish the rank. The GT value it. It's one of the reasons I joined them. Plus there was a chance to blow shit up. But some people now see Made Man as a given and not as something you have to work hard for. "But I have the units" Is a cry I hear a lot and leaders buckle. You might have the units you fucking moron but it doesn't mean you have the brains or the bollocks to pull this suit off son. Hence why leaders should be very careful handing these suits out because, for me, if you wear that suit then your leader 100% trusts you. If your leader 100% trusts you then what you say he agrees with. Dangerous thought eh? The other dangerous thought is that, by rights, if you make a threat then your leader should follow through with it. Even more dangerous eh?

The other point is the opposite end. Should Wise Guys and below be given less slack. I agree with you entirely. They shouldn't be given any slack. At all. They are trying to show they are well rounded individuals you can trust. If they're as gobby as Sprozz after a shandy then they are just no good to you. They make you as a leader look bad at the time but also later on. You'd be amazed how many times I hear people say "How did he get Made after.." People around these streets never forget. If you are promoting lunatics into Made positions then there is every chance they will take over the asylum.

You say that these members are only usually associates nowadays. But they are associated with a member of the family. A trusted member. If they spout off and cause a massive inconvinience then their sponsor, as well as the associate, should really be swimming off into the sunset together. In a none man loving way.

In a lovely summary here: If you have no honour then you should really have no life in the Mafia.

Passed down through my blood line has always been a little black book.


No Gene not that thing you use to call girls up every night of the week. The book that gave me a few guidelines about what my fathers and grandfathers learnt in our world.

One chapter in the book is all about the streets.

It basically says, you can say what the fuck you like just as long as those more powerful than you wont feel pissed off by it. Each time you think about what you are going to say give it some thought and wonder who it may piss off. If it's likely to piss off a godfather then it is probably best not to say it

I don't mean to assume, nor put words in your mouth Sprozz; so please tell me if my interpretation is a bit skewed. From what I've heard, I think you're referring to the grey area between Honor and Pride. You can be an honorable, respectable mafioso and respond to street slander in a calm, collected manner. You can deny it, you can reject it, you can disprove it, you can even agree with it. But one response has proven to be met with some disdain; and that's the bullet between the eyes.

One, we've got the blurred line between pride and honor. A proud man may take another man's words as an attack on his character, and act by shooting that man in the face. The original "slanderer" may not have even had bad intentions with his words, and the shooter's pride biased his mind to too great a degree; and he acted on it. But then again, you aren't supposed to take blatant disrespect lying down. I think if the slander is false or incorrect, it can be proven wrong. That puts a mark on the reputation of the slanderer, rather than anything against you. Plus, you don't risk any conflict.

Second, if someone springs on "disrespect" in the Streets, whether or not it was deliberate slander; how does it make the shooter look? For some; the shooter was trying to shut up a valid point made against him. For others, the shooter couldn't hold in his anger and took the shot. It would take intricate planning and control over circumstantial variables to make it appear as though it was a slaying purely for disrespect. And in most cases, when someone is disrespectful; their boss takes care of that for you (which is another discussion entirely).

Some individuals aren't in a position to act on such behavior. If reacting harshly to someone's words would throw your whole city into conflict (a conflict that you started), how would other cities react? A feud would erupt that would most likely end poorly for the original shooter. On a reasonable level, you have to holster your gun. In my opinion, logic trumps honor. After all, this is a business we're running, isn't it? It's bad for business to shoot people in the face.