Our streets have been filled with a much expected post war fall out - salty people, those wanting answers, those simply confused and wanting information. It has also been busy with explanations from some points of view of actions taken and the reasons why - what tends to follow is an emotional debate on perspective or power or justice. To step aside for one moment from these aspects of war and loss I feel the common space to speak has a gap - not to be filled with justification or explanation or bitterness or anger.

We are seeing a huge population of homeless just now, people in grief over lost parents, hurting but also with a desire to thrive and live the best way they can in honour of all that their parents showed them.

Is it ok to speak publically about missing a parent? What you learnt from them? What you hold dear and valuable? What kind of person you will be in their honour? Then to do this without the politics of war, a simple statement publically of who you are, how you feel and what you have learnt from your parents. Is this something that should be done behind closed doors and in private or is some of this really very ok for public communication?

I heard it begin with the death of Kurgan - RIP Sir - the streets became a voice for people's feelings and lesson's they had taken for time during their reign. I found it very refreshing to hear. BrotherHec also came here in a similar way when new York was under attack and once again such raw heartfelt emotion on these streets was inspiring and motivating. I am not ducking Omerta here - we all get that but to be proud of your parents, to talk about them and what you learnt and how you will be as a result I feel should be embraced.

Not all will want to do this I realise, however I feel many might - if the control and power play of war is removed from the speech - a simple street speech to say what you miss about your parent, what you learnt and how you will use it.

I don't mind beginning...I miss my mother every day. I will take from her memory a burning desire to be the very best I can be, to communicate well, to hold my own and to enjoy the journey and not search for a destination all the time. I learnt from her to trust gut instinct, if something or someone doesn't sit right there is usually / always a very good reason why. I also learnt that some value life at any cost over value. I learnt to stay true to myself no matter what and I learnt patience - we have all been fresh faced and naïve and new here at some point. She taught me to laugh, at myself sometimes but also to see things from a different perspective and take the time to consider them all.

She gave me a wonderful grounding to this world, I will carry her memory and use it to drive me forward in a new way, in my way, utilising all that she showed me.

I say this publically to sort of test the water - are these streets ready to hear something that is not a justification for war or death, or a salty relative wishing to challenge the powers that be - but simply someone missing a parent explaining what they learnt, what they will do with that knowledge and how they will develop as a result?

Caesar listens to the heartfelt speech with his head bowed in respect. Just like everybody here, he too had lost many he held near and dear to him in the war. Once Anteros had finished speaking, he looked up and addressed her. "Thank you m'lady for the highly illuminating speech. I must say that I echo your sentiments on fondly reminiscing our ancestors who fell during wars on the streets."

He paces around thoughtfully as he considers what she is suggesting. "What you are proposing is an obit of sorts, but written by the offspring of the dead, rather than their friends and associates, as the funeral thread already covers that aspect. It is indeed a good idea, but I can definitely see the potential such a thread would have to cause further shit shows in the streets."

He gestures to a few of the other speakers around, lamenting their parents' "unjust" deaths and challenging the powers that be. "There is an excellent chance that such a thread would be used for another round of passing the blame around, further discrediting the venerable dead."

She listens carefully and looks around at some of the gathered and could see his point some came with heavy but full hearts and ambition echoed in their eyes, others looked angry and vengeful and ready to pounce and make a point in haste...

Sir thank you for you words, I agree with you this matter does divide our people...I simply feel for too long the streets have been used as a playground for the young and angry - this is ok and sometimes just part of a process however we have to hope to constantly develop, become a better version of our parents, to learn and grow.

I believe it would become very obvious very quickly those that are mature enough to stand and speak of those they loved and the qualities they admired - whilst still hurting but in a grown up way that demonstrates a desire to develop, to communicate as best they can and to mature....the streets are a strict mistress, there is nowhere to hide, but speak from the heart and speak with honesty from a place of wanting to make those fallen proud of you are powerful words. I take your point - I think many will not be able to step up to this kind of communication and salty speeches or interruptions are part of this world. I do think though those that dare and can will demonstrate a distinction between the men and the boys.

Yes indeed Sir I am suggesting a space aside from the trauma of the funeral to share your family history, lessons learnt, the pain of loss and how you me anyone plan to make those sadly passed beyond proud. A move away from 'he said - she said - so I did' and more of a respectful pause to reflect, consider and adapt in a public place with only information that is appropriate, to remember those fallen in the best possible way....not caught up in rumour of explanations. A simple memory, a simple loss, a simple way to be a better version of our parents.

The mafia is built on respect, respect for those fallen, respect for those alive, respect for those in power and respect for knowledge. We all carry elements of these from our parents - this should be celebrated not hidden. Those that are secure enough in their roles need not fear this - there need not be a war or words, just men and women able and willing to step up in respect and talk fondly of lost ones and what they hold dear...

Wraak approaches the crowd, clears his throat and starts to speak. “Thank you Anteros for this opportunity. I come before you not to lament the passing of my father, but to celebrate his life. I fondly remember sitting on his knee listening to wonderous tales of successes and failures, shootouts and heists, camaraderie and famiglia.”

“As I grew up he taught me the values, of honor, respect, trust and Omerta. Values by which I now live my life. Without his teachings I would not be the man I am today. I will always miss him, but thanks to him I can move forward and live my life to its full potential.”

Wraak wipes away a tear from his eye, proudly lifts his head and walks away.

Caesar listens respectfully to Wraak's speech, and joins him in fondly reminiscing his deceased father. Although he never had the opportunity to get acquainted with him, he was certain that he was a fine gentleman, and a man of honour. He shakes Wraak's hand, and is surprised to find himself in the limelight after Wraak departs. He looks around at the expectant audience, with Anteros in the lead, and clears his throat.

"Hmm, well let's see. I would like to reminisce my late brother, who went by the street name of Julius_Caesar. The last time I met him was when I was 16. He was always the delinquent child of our family, being arrested at the age of 19 for petty theft in Italy, and being conscripted into the army by Mussolini. That was the last I heard of him, until I received the news of his death from America." 

He tries to suppress the emotion building up in his voice and continues speaking. "Although we never got on well together, he was my blood, and I am told that he was a man of honour. He respected his button till his dying breath, and was gunned down in service to his Don. No soldier could have asked for a better death than to die in the line of duty. May you rest in peace Julius."

Wiping away a tear discreetly, Caesar steps off the traffic island he was speaking on, and walks back to Anteros and the rest of the crowd. 

Huehuecoyotl has mixed emotions listening to @Augustus_Ceasar, he feels sorry for his loss, yet he feels envy about the honour and dedication Augustus shows to his late family member.

'To be honest, my father, Taradiddle, never cared for his kids, and look where that got my brother Xiuhtecuhtli.

And if we look further in the family.. look at how my grandfather AurelianoBuendia treated the lovely Ilene in the Philadelphia Business District.. What a horrible man that must have been! I am not proud of where I am coming from.

They are examples for me, though, perfect examples for what I should not become!'

I have vivid and fond memories of my kin. That's not hard though as my line is quite small. My uncle was the first to come here to America from England. The rest of us followed over shortly after therefore we got to see him numerous times so our memories are plentiful and still quite fresh. He certainly was the first of us to get into this business! None of us had done anything like this before. So was quite a shock to the system but I guess like many other newcomers, he felt like he landed on his feet with his selection of new found 'family'. They taught him their rules and ways, nurtured and helped him to become a confident Mafioso. Who near to the end of his life was no longer afraid to stand up proud here in these very streets and say what he felt.

I was very proud of him he survived for a fair time, considering he was in the mafia. He made it all the way to become a Consigliere, he even managed to tastes the delights and pressures of both Left hand and Right hand positions. He sent me a letter when he knew his time was almost up and he mentioned lots of things, lots of which I would not want to repeat as they were for family only, but he did say that I think should be passed on was to enjoy yourself.

You could be upset about a death of a relative, want revenge and be bitter to a fellow Mafioso, or even a Mafioso that had ordered the death of your kin, but really what would that achieve. You're really better of just moving on, embracing this new life as a fresh adventure and enjoying yourself.

The title of your speech says it all to me.  When I look over the journals of my kin - it's not so much about power, or fame or respect.  I can look back over the many dead bodies and remember the people.  The people who stood by the side of all of my kin.  The people who wanted to help.  The people who died beside them.  

It's not about how high up they got, or how accurate they were with their shot or how full their pockets were, each of my kin writes fond memories of the people that they spent time with in whatever family they were in.  

It’s an interesting question you ask here, Anteros. I’d welcome it very much when we could publicly appreciate the good things some of our ancestors did. But if we’re taking it public, it should have made an impact on the same scale. It would be okay to have the occasional kin of an average mobster come out here and hear them talk honestly about how the life of their ancestors shaped theirs. But I don’t need to hear a truckload of these experiences. It’s likely that a lot of people think highly about the life of their parents, but that in reality it wasn’t that special. In that case, I don’t need to hear about it.

The same goes for Godfathers, crewleaders and those in upper structures of families. Let’s not kid ourselves that all of them did great things. All of them ran a business, but that doesn’t say anything about the success of an operation. The Salvation Army runs a successful operation and has plenty of daily benefitters that praise it, but it’s obvious that they don’t make a successful bunch. So let’s not fool ourselves with the praise of many or be impressed by the time a crewleader ran an operation. Instead let’s honestly review that which crewleaders do, or what the dead ones did, so we can truly learn from their successes or mistakes.

We don’t need abstract, vague, thirteen-in-a-dozen accounts that teach us little. We need the real facts and a honest look at that. There’s a chance that these facts may be countered with facts from other parties, but that leads to interesting debates and that’s what we want. We don’t need the disgruntled kin shouting, but we don’t need false recognitions of greatness either.