Italian-American organizations issued a Sopranos-like response Wednesday to a candidate being called the “godfather of the border crisis.”
Democratic New York candidate Tom Suozzi rebuked Republican opponent Mazi Pilip’s use of negative Italian stereotypes through a statement issued by his campaign and several Italian-American advocacy groups.
“The Order of Sons of Italy Commission on Social Justice, the National Italian American Foundation, the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations, the Italian American Action Committee, the New York State Italian American PAC, the New York State Order of the Sons of Italy, and the former president of the New York State Sons of Italy have issued a joint statement. In today’s New York Post, Mazi Pilip said, ‘Tom Suozzi is the godfather of the border crisis.’”
“As Italian Americans and Italian American organizations, we condemn this anti-Italian attack and demand Legislator Philip apologize and refrain from issuing any other anti-Italian stereotypes in the future,” the statement said. (RELATED: REVIEW: Season 1 Of ‘The Sopranos’ Is Incredible Television)
In Italian American-related news, Tom Suozzi’s campaign and organizations condemn Mazi Pilip for calling Suozzi “the godfather of the border crisis.” pic.twitter.com/lDvuSha5TH
— James Downs (@jamesd0wns) January 17, 2024
Suozzi was called the “godfather of the border crisis” Wednesday in a New York Post article by Pilip’s campaign, but it was her campaign communications director Brian Devine who made the remarks rather than Pilip herself. The “Godfather” comment is a reference to Don Corleone, the Italian mafia boss in the film “The Godfather.”
Suozzi’s response sparked comparisons to a scene from the television series “The Sopranos.” In the scene, the character Silvio Dante blamed “anti-Italian discrimination” for Christopher Columbus’ portrayal as a “slave trader.” He called Columbus Day “a day of Italian pride” and said that “they want to take it away.”