R.I.P. Sonny Franzese

[Ozgoz]

Italians are no longer an ethnic minority in this country. We don't have neighborhoods that speak Italian, have first generation American children and act as conduits to Italy via money, banking, specialized services. After three generations we fall in with the rest of the white population. There are neighboods in NY and still the midwest of pockets of Italian descendants but its demographics rather than a minority enclave. That would be the Chinese or Vietnamese communities. Anyone today targeted by the FBI is because of their involvement with the mafia is due to their involvement, not because any brass decided: "hey, we're gonna target the Italian people." If people want to make the argument that the FBI goes to extreme lengths in the pursuit of convictions, there are examples of that but likening it to any Italian-bias decreases any validity to the argument.

I feel like Fat Tony on that wiretap to Paul Castellano “Paul you speak so well, I wish I could explain things like this guy!”

[John W]

Let’s get this thread back on track

https://www.newsday.com/long-island/wak ... 1.42241317

[dave]

Well, he did it his way. Nice to see that he died a free man. Unfortunately I think this means that Michael will be even more obnoxious in the media. He'll probably come out and say that his dad killed JFK or some such bullshit.

I remember Michael Franzese went through a bizarre phase where he claimed his dad was born in 1919, not 1917, and how he was even able to fool the government about his own age. Michael indicated like Sonny was one-upping the government that way (no clue how). Then, when 2017 rolled around and the 100-year-old Sonny walked out of prison, MIchael never mentioned the age thing again, 'cos it's way better for the headlines if a 100-year-old walks out of prison compared to a 98-year-old.

The memorial card says 1919.

[Antiliar]

According to Carmine Franzese's (Sonny's father) Petition for Naturalization, his son Giovanni (John) was born on December 6, 1918. The World War II registration card for John Franzese in New York shows that he lived in Brooklyn and was born Feb 6, 1919, and was the son of Maria, and was 5'10" and 165 pounds, and lived on 346 Leonard Street. The address on Leonard Street matches the Naturalization of Carmine Franzese, so Sonny was actually older than it says on his memorial card.

[mpl0215]

RIP