UNCLE TONOOSE: Sometimes I Swear AT Italians

Copyright © 2005 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved.

A fool and his ice cream are named after IAs

As we get to the annual celebration of Columbus day in America, a lot of people think that gives them an open season on berating all of the explorer's accomplishments.

Sadly, many Americans of Italian descent, many with similar backgrounds to me, have yet to research their own culture and heritage.

If given the chance to research in a library or watch a rerun of The Godfather trilogy, we eat our young.

No, not all of us. There are service groups in the country that spread and preserve the great Italian culture and strive to make Italian Americans aware of this great history.

Here's an email I got from someone trying to sell me something, although I never figured out how what they are selling had anything to do with what it is I do.

The company is tied to an acting star from the HBO cable network about the lowest of the low who happen to be represented by people with a similar ethnic background to me.

Anyone stupid enough to watch that show should have to live with what they believe in their everyday lives.

As for the people who work on it and are creative and become actors because of it ... sheesh!

Just a quick note to say hello and to wish you well!

Modern Renaissance is a Fine Arts Publisher that can reproduce your
original artwork or photographs on canvas or watercolor paper. Co-Owned by Federico
Castelluccio, "Furio" of HBO's "The Sopranos" now offers a giclee printing
service which produces astounding quality at a modest price to you.

If you are interested, please feel free to call or visit our web sites.

(We Are In The Process Of Updating Our Web Sites With Pricing
Information. In The
Meantime, Individual Quotes Will Be E/Mailed To You)
Take Care,
Gail Ferris

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How can anyone pretending to be familiar with my work actually send me THAT letter?
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You can turn it around if you want to.

You have to want to.
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FIRST PUBLIC SCREENING OF “ANTI-ITALIANISM: DISCRIMINATION AND DEFAMATION IN
THE HISTORY OF ITALIAN AMERICANS”

All major Italian-American national and regional organizations will gather together, 513 years after Christopher Columbus discovered the American continents, to rediscover themselves and to move forward.
New Jersey – Seton Hall University is pleased to invite the Italian American community to the first public screening of the short film “Anti-Italianism: Discrimination and Defamation in the History of Italian Americans,” directed and produced by Paul Budline for the Charles and Joan Alberto Italian Studies Institute.

The screening will be held on
Wednesday, October 12, 2005, at
Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey,
Walsh Library: Beck Room A/B.

Reception begins at 5:30 PM; screening at 6:15 PM; discussion to follow.

The event is open to the public at no charge.

“Anti-Italianism: Discrimination and Defamation in the History of Italian Americans,” is a 30-minute documentary filmed in December 2004 at an international conference organized by the Alberto Italian Studies Institute of Seton Hall University.

The film, featuring Joe Piscopo and many others, presents incisive discussions of a history of discrimination that included lynching and racial bigotry, as well as the social and psychological effects of present-day stereotyping in the media.

The film is a major step forward in creating greater awareness and understanding of how Italians have been perceived in the United States historically and of the obstacles they have overcome.

In American history, Italian immigrants experienced many forms of discrimination that were distinct from the traditional cases of prejudice against newcomers, and were fueled by different motivations and manifestations.

Notwithstanding their documented accomplishments in American society, Italian
Americans continue to experience ethnic slurs and episodes of violence.

“Many Italians have thought that the best thing is simply ignore this and to try to get along in American society” says William Connell, Executive Producer of the documentary and organizer of the 2004 conference, “but from my perspective as a
historian, it seems that this tolerance just permits these phenomena to continue, while it has also resulted in a great deal of ignorance about the extent of this
important history and the unfortunate ways in which it survives today.”

"Anti-Italianism” also documents in an engaging way the ongoing efforts of Italian Americans to confront media and Hollywood stereotyping.

With the help of the Anti-Bias Committee of UNICO National under the leadership of Manny Alfano and the New Jersey Italian American Heritage Commission, the Alberto Institute this past year was able to hold the first major academic conference devoted to the history of discrimination against Italian Americans.

On this occasion Charles and Joan Alberto will be presented with the Mille Grazie Award of UNICO National's Anti-Bias Committee.

To recognize its sponsors and supporters, the Alberto Institute will be presenting UNICO with 500 copies of the DVD for distribution to chapters and members.

Also, 500 copies will go to the New Jersey Italian and Italian-American Heritage Commission, in appreciation of their support. The copies will be distributed to each school district in the State of New Jersey.

Additional gifts will be presented to Order of Sons of Italy in America (OSIA), the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) and to the Columbus Citizens Foundation.

The DVD is directed and produced by Emmy award-winning Paul Budline for the Charles and Joan Alberto Italian Studies Institute at Seton Hall University. Executive Producer: William J. Connell.

For additional information about the event please call Dr. Connell at (973) 275 2928.