Proper Inductions

Phil Leotardo, seeking to build support for his proposed decapitation of the Soprano crime family, cites, among other things, the idea that the Jersey mob doesn't do the initiation ritual properly. I'd read that as nothing more than puffery, but then I read this this afternoon:

New Jersey crime family mobsters talk a good game. They claim to be the models for The Sopranos. They once pulled off a hit for John Gotti when his murderous crew couldn’t get it done.

In Gang Land, however, the Newark-based DeCavalcantes have long been second class wiseguys. [...]

The problem, Palermo told FBI agent Nora Conley, was that decades earlier, legendary boss Simone (Sam The Plumber) DeCavalcante, (left) who took over the family in 1962, had altered important long-standing parts of the initiation rite.

These included the well-known use of a gun, knife and a burning holy card, Palermo said, recalling that during his induction in 1976, “DeCavalcate explained that he did not feel it was necessary to actually use these items in the induction ceremony.”

Shameful stuff, when you get right down to it.

This article available online at:

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2007/06/proper-inductions/40703/