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| On the subject of what it means to be 'made' | Started by: Diamond_Jim on Jan 16, '09 10:17 |
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I was out for my morning run through the park when I saw the poor young lad being mugged by a gang of young miscreants. The total lack of respect for ordinary citizens and people just trying to live their live in general had been irking me of late, so I decided to intercede on the young man's behalf. Predictably the little twerps took one look at me and scattered. I proceeded to help the young man gather what was left of his belongings, books mostly, an interesting collection at that. Perhaps a useful connection down the road. What's all this for then? Going into Law Enforcement? "Y-yes sir" he stammered, "I'm hoping to join the FBN after I graduate". Well, always good to see someone from the neighborhood make something of their life. Here's my card, if there's anything you need son, you just give me a call, anything at all... The young man looked at the ornate business card I had proffered and gratefully stuck it in to his now empty wallet. Noticing the lack of cash I decided to get an early start on my new investment. Here son, take this. Go on, it's OK, you don't need to worry about paying me back. If you really want to repay me you finish your education and get yourself in the FBN. Be someone that the people in this neighborhood can look up to. A role model, that's what we really need around here. In fact if you need anything else, tuition, books, rent, whatever I don't want you to give it a second thought. You come to me, you here? The young lad gratefully accepted my money and hurried off on his way with a new found hope for the future. Little did he know how big a mistake he had just made. A well, it's not like supplying us with Intel wasn't a profitable gig. I strolled over to a nearby bench where I found a notebook he had dropped. As I sat to catch my breath I decided to have a look. The front page indicated that this was a paper on organized crime. Well this should prove to be an amusing read!
I chuckled to myself. Yeah, those were the days. Getting made was a big thing and it really used to mean something. Nowadays it doesn't seem to matter a fig whether you're Made or not. Hell, in one of our fair cities people are being openly encouraged to mug made men. Not just family members either; Made men are as much fair game for a mugger to attack as anyone else. Worse yet this doesn't just apply to made men. ANYONE is welcome to accost you and help themselves to your hard earned money in that town. If that isn't respect and fear...I snorted and flipped to another page:
Pffft - protected? hardly! I scratched my nose and looked around to see if anyone had heard me before I returned, somewhat embarrassed, to my internal dialog. These days it doesn't matter who you are. If you chose to walk the streets of a certain cities you are not entitled to expect to do so unmolested. In point of fact people, not just friends of ours, but everyone are not only being permitted to rob you, they are openly being encouraged to do so! Perhaps I'm just a relic from a by-gone era with expectations which are unrealistic in this "new mafia". Are we no longer "men of respect"? How much respect am I being given by some punk who walks up behinds me and swipes my wallet? Ah well. Maybe I shouldn't waste my time reading these fictionalized fantasies about the romantic and honourable ways of the idealized mafioso. Perhaps I'm just blurring the lines between the perception and the reality a little bit. Actually this book wasn't totally worthless. Giving it back gives me an excuse to do that kid another favour. Maybe I should read a little more of it first to get a better idea of the way we are at least being perceived.... |
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Not bad, sir. But I didn't come out here to acclaim your story. I came here to give my opinion. Firstly, I ask where you got your sources from. A criminal-focused newspaper? Not exactly credible. I don't trust the news of a civilian newspaper, let alone a mobster's. Besides, there is no "How-To" book for gangsters. No rules of how to be and how not to be. There is our code of Omerta, but that's it. Respect, Honor, Loyalty; these things, though they should be obvious to their meaning, have had too much gray area in their connotation for everyone to be on the same page. Everyone fluxing the definition to their own benefit. Understandable, but a catch-22 in of itself. So, It should be a given that Made Men are protected. However, I also disagree with that. That protection is only verbal. Yes, shooting a Made Man is seen as an act of war against that family, but should shooting a Wise Guy or Earner in that family been seen as any less? Mugging is an attack, no matter how you slice it. But the point of mugging obviously differs from that of shooting your gun. Personally, I like to trip those young bastards that try to steal my wallet and pelt their face against the ground a few times. Gets them good and bloody, and helps them remember not to do it again. Boys will be boys, and as a wise man once said, you have to learn the hard way. As I've stated before, I think we're all too nice. Let's put a scenario up. A Capo from Family "A" shoots a Made Man from family "B". For a while, he gets away with it, but within a few hours gets caught. What is the proper retaliation? Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems nowadays, we would kill the Capo from family "A" and be on our merry way. As I see it, the leader of family "A" either knew of the attack and approved it, or was ignorant to their members actions. Either way, the leader of family "A" was responsible for the attack. When you think of it like that, it puts a whole new spin on things. Now, all you who think I'm a war-monger or whatever you call it, stop and think for a while. Put yourself in the shoes. Now, I won't lie and say I love this peace, but I also won't say I love death. But there's a fine line between peacefully taking care of a problem at hand, and protecting your honor. Diamond Jim, thank you for this. I'm sure I strayed a little from your topic, so just pass me my placebos and I'll be on my way. |
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| Reply by: HarveyDent at Jan 16, '09 14:13 | |
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I agree with DJ here. Being "Made" is a big thing. Made men should be treated with respect. But nowa days it seems its just another rank. You work your ass off, only to find your just another person on the streets. There was a day when people saw the tag and not only admired, but feared it. You wouldn't dare pick pocket a Made man. Times have changed though...respect in this community has gone down. As you've said, its a new world.... To Harvey, back in the old days, shooting another member of a family was considered an act of war. The family didn't shoot its member and leave it at that. Maybe they were shot, but it lead to a war. As you said, the leader is responsible for the attack. We seem to be more about being in times of peace rather than being a mafia. It used to be about survival of the fittest. |
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| Reply by: BlackVampire at Jan 16, '09 18:19 | |
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| You know, I think there needs to be a renewal of the importance of being a made man. In the United States, the Mafia closed the books (stopped accepting made men) for almost 20 years. This brought a better respect to the few made members of a family. If no one respects the Made Men and above then we don't deserve to be called men of Cosa Nostra. It needs to be firmly enforced that touching a made man or higher is simply not tollerated. | |
| Reply by: Carmelo_Gotti at Jan 16, '09 19:23 | |
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Sees a gathering of well-dressed men talking and decides to join in on the conversation. To be "Made" has really lost its glory and respect around here. There are so many "Made" that it has just become another rank. I do recall a time when you needed three (3) references, with at least one of them "Made", to even be considered for the position. It couldn't just be anyone either. If you acted up and got killed, so did your references. So essentially you were holding four lives in your hands. That was the past, though. Today, we walk the streets and wear the title proudly, but there is no respect. I can atest to the fact personally: Jan 16, '09 02:15 Barboza tried to PICKPOCKET you. What kind of respect is that? An unknown criminal trying to take my wallet in a foreign city. What kind of welcome is that for a man who worked hard to earn the position of "Made". It's sickening, really. I think that part of the blame falls on the current leaders, not anyone imparticular, but collectively. If you promote someone as soon as they have the button and do not consider if they deserve it or not, then we have a huge number of "Made" when only some deserve it. As a community, we also take the blame. Have you considered how you treat "Made" as opposed to those underneath us? I know that in these times, I treat everyone the same. I need to work on that. So should the rest of the community. |
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| Reply by: Mr_Corleone at Jan 17, '09 01:34 | |
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| When my ancestors travesed the ocean and arrived at these shores... there were few mademan, very few caporegimes and perhaps one who could be considered a boss. The Italian and other ethnic criminal clans were in their infancy trying to make sense of Our Thing would become. They were someone to be respected, fear, it was something my original ancestor envied to become. There was no fucking around. You touched or spited these guys, you were swimming wit da fishes. | |
| Reply by: Sal_Giaquinto at Jan 17, '09 12:20 | |
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Mr_Corleone Its not just the current leaders, its the past leaders as well. |
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| Reply by: BlackVampire at Jan 17, '09 13:12 | |
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* Stepping forward, a cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth, Tequin raised his hand* " The idea of being made has certainly been a topic of much discussion around these parts of recent, and I for one agree with most the comments people have put forward. Sure being put on the books should be a major event, one that commands respect and fear among members of the community. Being reasonably new to these shores I obviously aim to get made at some point in my career, is that not the aim for us all? If changes were put in place which meant that more work was required to make it would I complain?" * Shugs shoulders* " No, instead I'd happily put in the effort required, pleased with the knowledge that when I make it there, its going to mean something not just to me, but everyone" * Takes a drag from his cigarette and scans the few people listening* " Now then, this is my question" * Raises a finger* " Is it too late to try and make changes, have we settled into a rut now that we cannot get out of?" * Raises another finger* " Secondly, how are these changes made?" |
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| Reply by: Tequin at Jan 17, '09 13:36 | |
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It is never to late to change things. but the only people that can change what is being done is the family leaders. they are the only ones with power to change such things. ANd the only way for it to change is for the family heads to be more strict about it. If the death penalty is shoved in there face, I'm sure they'll think twice before touching a made member of a family. |
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| Reply by: BlackVampire at Jan 17, '09 18:27 | |
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*walks through the mob as they seem to grow more and more frustrated Yes a simple thing would be close the book, no more made but the damage is already done i believe. Some of us come from a better time whent he streets were cleaned of crap and people made an effort to be something over a longer period. I do believe Made and above should be more important but i doubt we will see that, instead i just see the future as the higher ranks being further eroded till suddenly only Godfather/Godmother; which is a rank already questioned by some papers, street flyers and members of the public. If Godfather or Godmother doesn't get full respect, whats the point in bothering? |
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| Reply by: BetterOffDead at Jan 17, '09 23:47 | |
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I would just like to say something. An old wise man taught me this when I was young. It is elegant in it's simplicity... Respect is earned, not given. |
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| Reply by: HarveyDent at Jan 18, '09 02:42 | |
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| This old wise man would rather swallow pride and show the proper respect to a godfather/godmother, rather than the bullet for lack thereof. | |
| Reply by: Sal_Giaquinto at Jan 18, '09 15:25 | |
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very true. So allow me to ask a question to you, Sal. And to the masses as well. There is very obviously a difference between respect and showing respect. I will refrain from explaining as it will lead to talking in circles, but I think it's obvious. What is not obvious, however, is where that fine line exists. That is my question. Where do you stop showing respect and start actually respecting the individual. Or, I could even ask if it's appropriate to show respect despite not respecting the person. You say it's a matter of a bullet to the face, yet I could counter and say it's a matter of pride and honoring yourself. |
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| Reply by: HarveyDent at Jan 18, '09 15:30 | |
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Thinking for a moment, Louis adds his opinion to the convosation "I think it is to question if you should treat others as you would expect to be treated. It goes without saying though that if you take one road and be arrogant, cocky and ignorant of what is expected, you will most likley be treated the same and thusly find an ealry end by those superior. You could, treat everyone with the same amount of respect, but would that be seen as a weakness or character flaw? Is there some level between, would treating those above with respect and trust in their ability, and those below with caution and ignorance to thier rank be appropriate?" |
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| Reply by: LouisGato at Jan 18, '09 15:39 | |
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Fact is, two parties aren't going to agree all the time. Hell maybe never. I don't respect people out of convenience. Instead, I consider their worth, the people they've surrounded themselves with, their deeds, their image and their balls or hahaha, ovaries. Sal smirks. I really can't judge where someone should show respect and actually respect, but I give everyone the benefit of the doubt, I'm respectful and try to be genuine, of course I hold disdain towards certain injustices and arrogance and of course subversion, but either way I'm not here to wear my intention in the open like a necktie. Smile at everyone. If the order is given, make the move and try not to sweat too much or get blood on your suit and smile again. I know, I didn't really answer your question, but that's my philosophy. It's better to muck then to show. |
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| Reply by: Sal_Giaquinto at Jan 18, '09 15:44 | |
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