Israel be shamed. The people who were crucified and vilified during World War II are treating Gaza in a similar fashion today. For the same reason. NO REASON!

Meals are lacking. Nurses fewer and fewer. Starvation rampant. Babies first bones and then dying. 

Why? Does not make sense.

Where is the U.N.? The U.S.? The free world? More than words are required.

The cost to renovate the “free plane” from Qatar remains unknown. Free is not free in this instance. The cost will be in the billions. And in the end, the plane will not belong to the U.S. It will become the property of Trump’s Library in 2029. 

There is an anti-Italian trend that pops up occasionally in the U.S. Unwarranted. Nevertheless still occurs.

I recall the anti-Italianism during World War II. I was only 5-10 years old. It was there. Initially Italy had been our enemy when it sided with Germany in World War II. The animosity and ill will continued for years thereafter. I recall having to fight almost every day during lunch hour or after school because I was of Italian extraction. Not just me. All Italo-Americans.

The fighting became a way of life. I came to dislike/hate many of those who opted to pick on me. Yet I and other Italians faced up to it and met the “enemy” blow for blow.

Italians were not merely disliked. They were treated as if Negro Americans. In school and employment. For many years following the war.

In my 90 years, I have seen this anti-Italianism repeated frequently.

Most recently, in Newton, Massachusetts. A somewhat affluent community. Composed of nine ethnic groups, Italians one of them. The Italian one known as Nonantum.

The Italian heritage has been obvious and significant in the 90 years. It has been recognized in a number of ways. The Italian community, stores, restaurants, Churches, community support, etc. Part of the team. However every now and then groups of anti-Italians would opt to defecate on their neighbors.

Adams Street runs through Newton. Its center road markings the three colors of the Italian flag: Red, white and green. For all years to honor Italo-American residents. A new adminstration decided to remove the Italian colors. Replaced the 3 colored line with a green line alone.

Italians were highly irritated. Insulted.

Newton also has an Italian festival once a year. For 90 years and more. Sponsored by the St. Mary of Carmen Society. Highly successful. A statue of the Blessed Mother carried down the middle of the street. Catholics walking behind carrying candles. Catholics from most states and Canada visiting to participate. The event 3 days. Food booths and musical stands galore. A religious and lay party time.

I am familiar with such a festival. We had two in Utica. One was the Feast of Saints Cosmo and Damien. Two Italian brothers of old who healed the sick. Stands galore. Italian foods of all kinds. Several bands located on corners. And the march behind the Blessed Mother. 

My grandmother made the walk every year barefoot in thanks to Mary’s response to her prayers that my grandfather not die when he came down with the flu 1n 1918 from which millions were dying. I walked with my grandmother, though wore shoes. I carried a cross also. One year my Cousin Maurice and I ran a stand. We ate more than we sold.

The Utica feast continues to this day. I occasionally think of it with a guilt feeling. It has been years since I have attended one. I might add that our home was on the direct path of the parade and right in the middle of the entire festival.

The anti-Italianism continued for many years. In college, my recollection is there were only two Italians on my dorm floor. Frank Ravioli and me. The school roomed us together.

I met a New York City young lady. She was a day hop at Mount St. Vincent College. Invited me to Sunday dinner. She and her family were Irish. During dinner, her father referred to Italians as “Niggers.” I politely challenged him. That was the end of the young lady and me.

I had no intention of returning to Utica to practice law following graduation. I was fairly smart and was offered a position with a major Washington, D.C. firm which I accepted. On the day I graduated from college, I wrote a letter to the firm withdrawing my acceptance. I had decided to return to Utica to practice. It was the family thing in me that motivated such a move. I was not aware how difficult it would be to get a Utica job.

The prominent Utica firms were anti-Italian. Italian lawyers were expected to be general practitioners. Do wills, real estate closings, criminal work and the like. None of the big stuff. Big stuff was bank and insurance work.

I could not get the type of job I wanted because of my Italian heritage. I ended up working for a female lawyer for the first year doing divorce work. Which I forever hated thereafter.

It took a while. However I ended up with my own major firm doing insurance work across the breath of New York State from Albany to Buffalo with offices in Utica, Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo and Albany. When I got deeply into environmental work, I had to open a New York City office also.

Much more to write about today. However I have rambled too long already.

Enjoy your Sunday!