Annonymous members of organized crime in several major Northeastern U. S. cities have, for the first time, commented freely in a major study on the public's perception of gangsters. In a landmark report, adherents to the strict code of omerta, or silence, have not only confirmed their membership in the crime group Cosa Nostra but have also provided a unique glimpse into the lives and attitudes of those who live and die by the gun.
One high-ranking boss of the Italian-American crime syndicate offered insights into the mob and its varied crimminal enterprises. "These people, regular people, people not in the life ... they are totally wrong about a lot of [things]. First of all, we don't all wear pinstripes and fedoras. And we ain't all Catholic. And we don't eat pasta every night and say 'Badda-bing', and 'Forgeddaboutit'. You know, we have families, go on vacations, we have mortgages, problems, all that."
"We are sick of the public's attitude toward people with a last name that ends with a vowel," said another "wiseguy" who also contributed to the report. His comment was echoed by a large number of those polled. "It's like people think we ain't got no feelings. We hurt, too. We really do," said another.
There was another point upon which there was almost universal agreement. When questioned about activities like extortion, loan-sharking, intimidation, kidnapping, drug-trafficking, and the murder of associates or enemies for the slightest perception of disrespect, one mobster clearly spoke the minds of the many: "Oh, yeah. We do that stuff."
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