Omertà

"Whoever appeals to the law against his fellow man is either a fool or a coward. Whoever cannot take care of himself without police protection is both. It is cowardly to betray an offender to justice, even though his offenses be against yourself, as it is not to avenge an injury by violence. It is dastardly and contemptible in a wounded man to betray the name of his assailant, because if he recovers, he must naturally expect to take vengeance himself. A wounded man shall say to his assailant: If I live, I will kill you - If I die you are forgiven.

From THE RISE AND FALL OF THE CLEVELAND MAFIA - Rick Porrello (1995)

Omertà.

Impossible to define.

Difficult to fully understand.

Yet, indelible and permanent.

It is as real and solid as a stone wall; yet, as intrinsic as the blood that flows through our veins.

What on earth is Omertà?

Lately, I find myself thinking a lot about the code of Omertà. For us 2nd and 3rd generation Sicilian Americans, we were taught this code through various expressions. "Don't be a rat, a stool pigeon, a snitch." We all know being called any one of those names is an absolute disgrace to you and your entire family, but why? What was so terrible about tattling on someone who was doing something wrong? From a Sicilian perspective, the answer is everything!

Most associate Omertà simply with those involved in the Mafia, but this code of conduct is deeply rooted in the psyche of all Sicilians. It is a code of silence. It represents a deep mistrust of the state, ingrained in a culture over hundreds of years of abuse and deprivation, at the hands of the reigning "authority." Subscribing to this code means that one must remain silent when questioned by any authority, government, or outside influence. Omertà is strictly adhered to during criminal investigations; specifically, one should ignore and/or avoid any interference with illegal activities, even if you are the victim of a crime. Cooperation of any kind is punishable by death.

With this idea in mind, let us examine the often debated etymology of the word. One theory is that Omertà is a dialectical variation of the Italian word umiltà, meaning 'humility.' This interpretation connotes that Omertà exists through fear, which on many levels, I am sure it does. However, the more widely accepted belief is that the word derives from the Sicilian word 'omu' (man) or the Spanish term 'hombredad' meaning "manliness;" this implies a sense of pride involved with keeping the code.

No matter which way you dissect the word, one idea is abundantly clear. Sicilians deal with Sicilians. If a Sicilian is going to submit to any authority, that authority must be Sicilian. If a Sicilian must answer for a crime, a Sicilian will deliver the punishment. Anything less is seen as shameful.

After centuries of silence, Omertà was broken for the first time in 1963 by Italian-American mafioso, Joseph Valachi. Attorney General Robert Kennedy described Valachi's testimony as the "biggest single intelligence breakthrough yet in combating organized crime and racketeering in the United States." Twenty-one years later, Tommaso Buscetta was the first Sicilian to violate Omertà. His testimony at the Maxi Trial put almost 400 mobsters behind bars.

So, what changed? I can only speculate, but here is my working theory:

The further a society comes away from hardship, the less insular they become. And when the" us verse them" ideology loosely applies, that society is less likely to feel compelled by a code like Omertà. Don't get me wrong, Omertà is by no means obsolete. The wall of silence is still a very real thing; however, it is no longer impenetrable.

Personally, I have mixed feelings about the subject. On the one hand, it saddens me to know that Omertà has allowed crime to thrive, silenced victims, sent the innocent to prison, and reinforced the stereotypes of Sicilians. On the other hand, Omerta provides insulation, protection that stands between you and yours from those that would cause harm. It is an aspect of my identity, and it has instilled in me a practice that I find extremely useful in today's climate.

Today, the village green, the piazza, or the town square is a digital forum. These "gathering" places have evolved into a sounding board for anyone with an account. Opinions on everything from politics to meal preferences incessantly flash across my screen. Some are pleasant and agreeable, others not so much. As a result of this modern practice, I have seen too much negativity. Friendships lost, family members argue, insecurities have developed when posts are not acknowledged.

If I have learned anything through writing this blog, it is that one’s culture, no matter how far removed, shapes how you see and interact with the world around you. And somewhere along the way, I decided that there was something to be said about silence (pun intended).

The world does not need to be privy to my every passing thought; however, I will leave you with just one:

Cu è surdu, orbu e taci, campa cent'anni 'mpaci.

("He who is deaf, blind, and silent will live a hundred years in peace").

Omertà.