Mobster Joke Lands Prominent NJ Reporter in Hot Seat


Politico reporter Matt Friedman apologizes after comparing an Italian American school official to disgraced mobster Al Capone.

Frank Capone, president of the Middletown, N.J. Board of Education, plans on installing armed police officers in his school district starting in August.

The decision came after the Uvalde, Texas massacre, and Capone publicly urged New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy to provide funding for the added security.

In response, Matt Friedman — a reporter and author of Politico’s New Jersey Playbook — wrote “Will Capone arm [the police officers] with Tommy guns?”

Friedman faced an immediate backlash for comparing the school board president to mobster Al Capone, and he quickly backpedaled:

“…I took an easy headline shot without taking into consideration the ethnic implications. Not even a funny headline. I regret it,” said Friedman.

“I acknowledge that Mr. Friedman apologized for a very distasteful comment,” Frank Capone said. “There is no place in this world for hate or discrimination.”

A long and winding stigma 

If it had been a slur against the Jewish, Black, LGBTQ+ or Asian communities, Mr. Friedman would have most certainly faced a much broader and more punishing outcry, but for some reason it’s still perfectly acceptable to compare law abiding Italian Americans to crooks, thieves and murderers.

The mafia references and comparisons are insensitive, marginalizing and brimming with prejudice — and they’re everywhere.

The Buffalo Bills proudly tout their “Bills Mafia” fanbase, The Simpsons features the armed, knuckle-dragging “Fat Tony,” and last season, Saturday Night Live comics dressed up as Super Mario and Luigi and spoke in exaggerated Italian American accents.

It’s completely unacceptable and indefensible, and it’s time for the defamation to stop.

Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA) and The Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Presidents (COPOMIAO) are leading the way with advocacy and anti-defamation initiatives; in fact, COPOMIAO will soon launch a new Italian American curriculum that will, in part, seek to end this racism through education and enrichment.

With hope and through strategic work on local and national levels, these incessant mafia references will be erased from mainstream American dialogues sooner than later.

 

Make a pledge and become a member of Italian Sons and Daughters of America today. 

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