With Out Persecution

Matt Welch | October 31, 2005

From Drudge comes the day's most predictable news -- The National Italian American Foundation is officially

distressed by the attempts of some senators and the media (CNN, CBS) to marginalize Judge Samuel Alito's outstanding record, by frequent reference to his Italian heritage and by the use of the nickname, "Scalito."

Humorless NAIFer A. Kenneth Ciongoli, the Geep whose very name screams out an outsider's desperate embrace of WASPy first-initial dickwaddery, goes on to insist, bizarrely, that "no one mentioned that Justice Breyer was Jewish." He finishes with a flourish of persecution envy:

In honor of the memory of the just departed Rosa Parks the Senate champions of civil rights should insist that Judge Alito be considered only on his extraordinary merits.

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|10.31.05 @ 9:13PM|#

"WASPy first-initial dickwaddery"

I've always thought there was something wrong with people who do that, but I've never been able to express it correctly. I feel more complete now. Thanks Matt.

And don't even get us started on the Tony Soprano fella! Kudos, Matt, for working "dickwaddery" into the discussion, too.

|10.31.05 @ 9:15PM|#

Arlen Specter, let my people go to the Supreme Court!

|10.31.05 @ 9:33PM|#

Really, it seems you hardly see a day
go by without the NIAF complaining about something or other.

Scalito

I suppose it would be in bad taste now to start referring to him as "Judge WOP-ner."

|10.31.05 @ 9:42PM|#

So it was like, Breyeranski or something?

|10.31.05 @ 9:49PM|#

They're going to be pissed when the find out Columbus isn't "Italian." :)

|10.31.05 @ 10:14PM|#

Kudos, Matt, for working "dickwaddery" into the discussion, too.

Indeed!

|10.31.05 @ 10:25PM|#

Demerits immediately for anybody invoking Rosa Parks. Schumer got like 20 demerits this morning in the span of a 10 minute press conference. Chuck Schumer holding a press conference? *gasp*

|10.31.05 @ 11:00PM|#

Does anyone get what these organizations want? I mean, is there anyone who thinks less of Italians because of the Godfather, or the Sopranos? They're endearing if anything.

|10.31.05 @ 11:33PM|#

I don't get how this has anything to do with his heritage, when it has everything to do with his swinging from Scalia's nutsack. To have TIME come out with an article saying that he doesn't always agree with Scalia sounds like the WH has been asking their friends in the media (and at the NIAF) for favors today.

|11.1.05 @ 12:04AM|#

Tyler,

One only has to read a few opinions by Alito and Scalia to see that their tone and jurisprudence are substantially different.

Next time, remember that you're supposed to actual back up your ignorance with case law, not leftist slanderinging points.

|11.1.05 @ 1:59AM|#

When will the right grow tired of its ceaseless race-baiting?

|11.1.05 @ 2:16AM|#

yes, loweel

one only has to read a few opinions to see that Alito is trying to out-wingnut Scalia. Substantially different if you want to call Scalia meek by comparison.

You can call me ignorant and you can call me leftist, but in neither case will you be correct.

|11.1.05 @ 3:48AM|#

Can we call you an ignorant leftist?

Ron Hardin|11.1.05 @ 6:28AM|#

Rosa Parks was a proud Italian-American.

|11.1.05 @ 7:10AM|#

Kos points out this morning that the president of the National Italian American Foundation is a Republican donor whose son clerked for Alito.

I'm sure that has nothing to do with his press release, though.

|11.1.05 @ 7:37AM|#

You can call me Ray, and you can call me Jay, and you can call me ignorant, and you can call me leftist...

|11.1.05 @ 8:45AM|#

I'm a-gonna win! Mwah!

|11.1.05 @ 9:43AM|#

As an Italian-American I'm distressed that the NIAF president didn't stress what would be Alito's greatest asset if he's confirmed -- with a fellow Dago on the court we can rest assured that dissenting justices will be brought in line with horrific intimidation (severed horse heads, etc, the standard Italian American negotiating techniques). And, should that fail to swing their opinions, Alito can just gun them down, because that's what us WOPs do when we're pissed. Also, it would be really cool to see the court dress code switch from black robes to velvet gym suits. It's also reassuring to see that the NIAF is sticking so ferevently to its stated "non-partisan" mission statement.

|11.1.05 @ 10:09AM|#

If Ayn were still alive, you far-righties would be shakin' in your tighty whities.

I only look like an ignorant lefty because you fucks are far off the map in gestapoland.

|11.1.05 @ 10:49AM|#

Signor Haklyut!

Since when is Christopher Columbus NOT Italian? Take that back, stronzo, or support it with facts if you can!

ciao

|11.1.05 @ 11:24AM|#

Like Jesus, Columbus was a black man.

|11.1.05 @ 11:28AM|#

"I only look like an ignorant lefty because you fucks are far off the map in gestapoland."

No, that sentence is sufficient.

|11.1.05 @ 11:31AM|#

nino,

The controversy over his origins is fairly well known.

|11.1.05 @ 1:51PM|#

Mulla Nasrudin often wandered into the graveyards, thinking about life and death. One day he was pursuing this uplifting activity when he saw a fierce-looking dog crouched near one of the tombs.
Outraged at this defilement, he took up a stick and waved it at the dog. But it merely growled, and seemed about to spring at him.
The Mulla was not one to expose himself to danger if it could be avoided. 'Sit there by all means,' he said reassuringly to the hound, 'for there is no objection as long as you crouch at the dead man's feet'.

|11.1.05 @ 7:23PM|#

Waitaminit....

I thought Cristofero Colon was `sposeta be an Iberian Jew of the converso/marrano variety, whose family moved to Italia after the expulsion, nu?

As for dickwaddery, wasn't &Uumlberwasp C. Boyden Grey a great friend of Reason?

|11.1.05 @ 7:48PM|#

WASPy first-initial dickwaddery

I prefer "aristocratic."

|11.1.05 @ 9:20PM|#

I see that you are making jokes about our fellow Italian-American, Judge Alito. I would encourage you to stop being so disrespectful, because it would be very unfortunate if, God forbid, you were to end up at the bottom of Lake Michigan wit' cement overshoes.

How's your family?

|11.2.05 @ 9:26AM|#

I've yet to see conservatives play a race card that didn't have me falling out of my chair laughing.

It's a terrible, terrible thing to mention that he's Italian. Now, if he were the daughter of sharecroppers...

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