I was watching House M.D. and it showed two Italian brothers who were gangsters and involved in illegal activity. Like a crime family, Godfather type.
So, I know where the stereotype originates from. Italians came from Italy to the shores of America as migrants in the last century and were able to make a life of their own, but a small sliver (I think) of the community did involve themselves in not so legal activities. I thought it was the thing of the past that Italians were disproportionately involved in Criminal activities and I had though they got mixed in the American melting pot and probably are not disproportionately involved in crimes anymore. So, is the stereotype of Italian gangsters still true to this day (I know probably to a lesser degree?)
I must say I am not white/American/Italian or anyone who has anything to do with these groups. I have never seen an Italian in real life and I don’t hold any prejudices against or for them.
The whole community was heavily Italian, steeped in mafia lore, and generally had an air of “being looked after.” The shoveling incident just seemed to me a little like I had been turned into a “made man”.
It was probably all just me being a naive little Kentucky boy far from home, but… I dunno.