Are you a typical Italian?

Are you a typical Italian?

By Joe Renna

To think anyone is a typical anything is considered racist. But that's not true. Culture and heritage are used to explain characteristics that are inherent in people of similar background. Distinguishing traits do exist, both physically and behaviorally. Both good and bad. We can't embrace some and deny the others.

For a complete list of stereotypes just turn to Hollywood. Art reflects life, warts and all. In fact, directors zoom in on those warts. It's the part that is most interesting. Characters on the screen are not a far cry from the characters walking the streets.

Anyone protesting the negative depiction of an ethnic group in film must be willing to eliminate all reference to that ethnicity. But first they must get in line behind every other group who can lay claim to negative stereotyping in the media.

Today, offense is being taken more out of boredom than necessity. It trivializes real struggles for equality when energy is wasted on trumped up issues. There is real racism, sexism and oppression depicted in the media. The news reports it every day. These headlines are not plagiarized from Hollywood scripts. The real heroes in society are those who fight for justice for all, not just their own group. The battle is not fought in the media, but within the community with weapons like charity and goodwill. Peterstown is home to many heroes and role models. You won't find them as subjects of motion pictures because they exist where it counts, in real life.

The artists in the industry have a passion for provoking an emotional reaction. Performers desire to be as entertaining as possible. Studio executives want to make money. The system works because all three are targeting the same market. They would all love to reach every single person out there, but the choice is not theirs, it's the audience's. Society defines what is creative, what is entertaining and what is successful. The underlaying accusation that the movie producers act with malice is just plain paranoia. The fact is that Hollywood does use generalization when depicting ethnicities. But those generalizations also exist in the real world. Mostly perpetrated by ethnocentrics.

Members of the Sons of Peterstown are united by a few factors besides a relationship to the neighborhood. Ethnicity is not one of them. Diversity exists amongst it's members on other levels too. No one was every excluded based on anything but gender. More importantly, all members share a common desire to preserve the traditions and ethics set forth by previous generations, and to insure that the values of unity, hard work and charity are kept intact.

Just as a group does not represent all individuals within its community, an individual character on screen does not represent an entire ethnic group it portrays. If America has taught this world anything, it's that we are all individuals and equal under God. Uniting on common ground for the good of everyone is a sound activity. It should not limit the rights of the individual in the group or those outside it.