I don’t understand the people who think that Sicily is only about the Mafia. This is an island full of many beautiful things, which explains why many people who come here love it. There are gorgeous seas and in my country we see it everywhere, it’s a place that I love a lot. So please don’t think Sicily is only about this or that but come and see it with your own eyes, and after, talk about it. You’ll change your mind and you will understand why we are angry when people say “Sicily is an island of bad things.”
Gabriele di Filippo, III ASP
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Bravo! I am a Sicilian American whose ancestors immigrated to the Untied States in the 1880's but I and many others have a strong bond with Sicily and the Sicilian people. It is so wonderful that you are speaking out to negate all the horrible lies spread about Sicily and its great people. Unfortunately, the problem is mostly with the Sicilians themselves. They just do not Speak Out! They allow everyone, everywhere all over the world to write, film and say anything bad and totally false about Sicilians and say and do NOTHING. People have been brainwashed with all this Mafia stuff because of the all the books, films and television that depict Sicilians as criminals. Puzo, a Sicilian wrote The Godfather and the Sopranos was created by a Sicilian American and acted by all Italians. These people are just greedy bastards who have made millions by the negative stereotyping of our people. Many non-Sicilians have made a fortune off "Mafia" books and films. Most Sicilians are individualists and apathetic and do not understand how all this negativism is so dangerous to them. We here in America are also outraged and upset. I have been to Sicily last year and it is the most beautiful and wonderful place on earth. We are a great, unique, intelligent, honest, and noble people. WE MUST ALL SPEAK UP. In America I belong to the National Italian American Foundation( they have a website (www.niaf.org). This organization based in Washington DC is constantly fighting negative stereotyping and defamation of our people. In Italy, your problem is the Northern Italians, who will degrade and insult Sicilians, there fellow countrymen, to Germans, English and French people. I have heard this and I was deeply hurt. You are on the right track. This website alone has already caused much positive change. I will be following and god bless you. Thank you so much. Mike Molino
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