Comments on: Mean streets of Italy's new wild west

By: Felice

Felice — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:47:14 +0000

I invite the people who are reading this article to consider shortly the occasionality of this episodes and the restricted area in wich are confined compared with the larger good meridional area. Whould you avoid visiting New York only to avoid some dangerous zones?

By: mark

mark — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:04:51 +0000

being retired navy (1994) and having made 9 med cruises and was stationed in naples for 2 years. i have seen the area over a 22 year period. we called naples the arm pit of the med. when we would arrive there we would try to get out of the area to spend our down time. seems that not much has changed. south italy has been and will be a strong hold of the mafia until the itialian government desides to do something about it. try going to northern italy and you will not find these problems. the people there won't stand for it like they do in the south.

By: Paolo

Paolo — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:59:31 +0000

Thanks o much to inform about such terrible situation. I would never risk my person visiting those terrible and criminal places.

By: Enzo

Enzo — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 20:56:47 +0000

It's too bad that the American Navy helps the mafia. They just built a large military base in this area north of Naples. They say the Americans paid far too much for the land because the deal was controlled by the mafia (they owned the land). Now the American government spends millions of dollars each year for off base housing in trashy crime filled cities like Casal di Principe. The houses often rent for 200-300 percent above market price. It has become a cash cow for the mafia who always get their cut (or else!).

By: Steve

Steve — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 18:56:06 +0000

I lived in Frignano, a few miles down the road from Casal di Principe, and I always thought it was strange how a good number of U.S. military families were directed to Casal di Principe by the on base housing office.

Its sad to think how beautiful the Naples area could be and its ruined by the Camorra. Unfortunate.

By: Andreas

Andreas — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 16:43:51 +0000

My father used to say "Mafia che spara, mafia che ha paura" (Mafia that shoots, mafia that is afraid), meaning that when the unrest is this obvious the criminal world is not working smoothly. The contrast with Sicily, where tourists are quite safe despite the presence of powerful organized crime, is stark.

Just as the Sicilians did years back, the people of Campania need to say "enough is enough". Without popular support, any action against the mafia is doomed to fail.

By: carlos h.

carlos h. — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 21:33:14 +0000

its saddening that Italy and other European countries are being swamped with illegal immigrants. Most immigrants are having a hard time assimilating into the European way of life, resulting in ill feelings of being left out or being discriminated. This situation forces people of limited means to take any chance they could get to work, legal or otherwise. Their illegal activities in turn, encroaches the local crime groups which in turn are being "driven" out of business. The end result is hostile reaction. Murders as the case they say in the south.

The lack of preparation brought about my poverty or ignorance or the combination of both is causing a already grappling Italian Society in ways in coping with the immigration issue. I just hope that immigrants like me have more belief in themselves rather than resorting in activities they maybe used to back home.