Italian-American group urges schools to promote a more positive image of Italians

[LightHouse89]

Yeah, my father is kind of like an Italian-American version of Archie Bunker. One of these days I should do a thread describing all of the conspiracy theories he has developed.

Thanks, it is a good combo and a pretty common one in the Midwestern United States from what I can tell.

sounds like my uncle bob. he use to drink beer and watch tv and go on about how the jews have used these devices to turn people into liberal robots.

[LightHouse89]

Romero wrote "the night of livind deads", right?

yes and then dawn of the dead he made this one too which was not as popular until the remake afew years ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyHyp7hmmsA

[Tacitus]

This is unfortunately for the most part true. Excluding recent immigration and the recent first And second generation the established Italian-American community was built from very poor people that came from small villages insouthern Italy mostly Calabria and Sicily their ancestors spoke dialetto and a funny experience I often have is to find Italian a Americans so think they speak Italian when they speak in fact their families dialect and a bastardization of even that. Readily many of them make jokes about being in the mafia or having family members who are made men. As if it was a thing to be proud of or the only way they can identify something Italian. Also many of them don't even know where in italu their ancestors came from and yet they like cretins call themselves Italian. It is because of their ignorance that they choose to embrace the negative stereotypes and simply five a bad name for their own heritage that they are ignorant to.

The worst are the ones that are half-Italian and half something else that embrace these stereotypes full-heartedly.

[Trogdor]

I also just thought I would point out that most of the actors from Jersey Shore were not even Italian/had Italian ancestry. Only a couple of them did.

[Ulla]

True but I think this program is to draw Italian descendants here away from the 'Mafia' and negative stereotypes so they can look at the positive things of Italian culture/history. Its a shame they know next to nothing about the Roman Empire or other things that they should be proud of but instead are more proud of Hollywood's interpretation of Italians in America in the 1920s.

I agree. And this is the reason why there is a lack of understanding between Italian-Americans and Italians. Those Hollywood's movies tell the story of Italian-Americans, but the films that tell the story of Italians and Italy are others.

Few examples

Ladri di biciclette (1948)



8 1/2 (1963)



La Dolce Vita (1960)



Deserto Rosso (1964)



C'eravamo tanto amati (1974)



La grande bellezza (2013)

[SardiniaAtlantis]

The worst are the ones that are half-Italian and half something else that embrace these stereotypes full-heartedly.

This is unfortunately a large percentage of them.

[LightHouse89]

I also just thought I would point out that most of the actors from Jersey Shore were not even Italian/had Italian ancestry. Only a couple of them did.

Yes which is ironic about the show. My step mother who is Italian hates that show. She thinks they make Italian americans look like fags.

[Trogdor]

There is a book that was written several years ago that explores stereotypes of Italian-Americans and ethnic identity. It's called Were You Always an Italian? by Maria Laurino.

[LightHouse89]

This is unfortunately a large percentage of them.

Not so much in the upper classes for mix Italian-something else white americans hahaha. I have some that are friends and they do not take interest in this mafia crap or jersey shore crap.

[Piccolo]

I agree. And this is the reason why there is a lack of understanding between Italian-Americans and Italians. Those Hollywood's movies tell the story of Italian-Americans, but the films that tell the story of Italians and Italy are others.

Few examples

Ladri di biciclette (1948)



8 1/2 (1963)



La Dolce Vita (1960)



Deserto Rosso (1964)



C'eravamo tanto amati (1974)

Movies really exemplify the divide between Italians and Italian-Americans. Italian cinema is so varied and interesting, while American movies about Italian-Americans are usually either about the Mafia or about loud, obnoxious families eating and screaming at each other.