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OSIA/CSJ President Dabbene Responds to Modesto Bee Cartoon
Washington, D.C., May 4, 2001 -- After learning of an insulting cartoon published April 26, 2001, in the Modesto, Calif., newspaper "The Modesto Bee," Commission for Social Justice President John Dabbene quickly responded with a letter that was printed in yesterday's edition (Thursday, May 3) of the paper.
The cartoon in question was included in the Opinion section of the paper, and contained the caption "Producers of 'The Sopranos' continue to receive protest messages from the Italian Anti-defamation League." The cartoon image was that of a man waking up in bed with the head of a horse next to him.
The Modesto Bee
Thursday, May 03, 2001
THAT DESPICABLE CARTOONI am writing to you on behalf of the Commission for Social Justice, the anti-defamation arm of the Order Sons of Italy in America, the largest and longest-established organization of Italian-American men and women in the world.
The editorial cartoon that was published in the Opinions section April 26 about Italian-American groups protesting HBO's television show "The Sopranos," with an HBO producer waking up to a horse's head next to him in bed, is despicable.
Italian-Americans have a legitimate case against "The Sopranos." HBO is making a profit at the expense of millions of hard-working, law-abiding, honest Italian-Americans whose reality bears little similarity to the violence, adultery and other forms of moral misconduct that "The Sopranos" portrays.
Italian-American contributions to our country and the world are broad and numerous, yet the media and entertainment industries are insistent upon focusing on negative characteristics that are not exclusive to Italian-Americans. Any other ethnic group that is maligned in such a way receives automatic apologies and the courtesy of a more vigilant editorial style. Why should we, as Italian-Americans, be expected to tolerate it?
The publishing of this defamatory cartoon is an insult to the CSJ, similar Italian-American groups, the 24 million Italian Americans we represent, and our fight for fair and balanced portrayals of Italian-Americans. You discredit yourself as a professional by ignoring your responsibility to provide unbiased information to your readers. Would you so maliciously criticize similar efforts from other ethnic anti-defamation movements?
We request steps be taken to rectify this. A retraction and an apology to your Italian-American readers are in order.
JOHN B. DABBENE President,
Commission for Social Justice Staten Island, NY,You may read Mr. Dabbene's response online at
www.modbee.com/opinion/letters/story/1,1270,263270,00.htmlOSIA/CSJ Contact:
Diane E. Crespy
219 E St., NE
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 547-2900, phone
(202) 547-0121, fax
dcrespy@osia.org
www.osia.org
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