Comments on: Is Jersey Shore’s J-Woww Revelation She’s Not a ‘Guido’ a Violation of Our ‘Nigger’ Law?

By: Nani

Nani — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 21:13:06 +0000

Hey HN! I haven’t commented in so long, I feel like a toddler. But in any case I would like to add my thoughts. Italians as a group clearly can feel multiple ways about this issue and no one Italian speaks for the group. Just as no one Black person speaks for the entire group of Blacks in America. I would also like to say that Irish Americans, Italian Americans and many other ethnic groups have been treated poorly at some point in this country. However, over time our country has a tendency to slowly add more groups into “White”. At one point Italian wasn’t White, English and French was White. But slowly we add more ethnic groups to White and they become acceptable. Blacks will never get included in “White” which makes them very different from all other groups. Nonetheless, my thought is that Italians could be viewed poorly by those in small parts of the country with limited exposure to ethnically diverse groups. Hell on that point New Jersey looks bad! At least in the Sopranos you had some balance with the therapists’ family. We don’t need any help making this country more discriminatory. For every negative, we need to show the positive.

By: R3MY_574

R3MY_574 — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 19:01:33 +0000

The bitch is dumb…real dumb she just plain retarded…thats all there is to say about it..i hope she thinks next time before speaking out of her ass

By: Emerson Diaz

Emerson Diaz — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:15:48 +0000

Yeah, sounds like how many Black people feel about “Nigger”.

By: Juan

Juan — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:48:05 +0000

Very, very interesting Tara.

By: Juan

Juan — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:43:14 +0000

I think you bring up another important point though…these kids using the word “Nigga” loosely feel that the word carries the same connotation that you’re identifying with Nigga, sort of thugged out and macho.

By: Juan

Juan — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:39:54 +0000

Thanks for looking that up. Interesting so it really is only demeaning to Italian Americans with money. Basically saying they’re poor. If you’re already poor and being called a Guido you’d probably say “Thanks for stating the obvious)

By: jungle

jungle — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:25:37 +0000

Exactly, well put Juan. When I think of the word “nigga” it conjures up images of violence and aggression towards African Americans, a time of systemic racism.

To be honest, when I think of the word “Guido”, I think of someones name, in Canada it’s not a commonly used term to define someone of Italian decent. Auchamp22 mentions “… it has come to also encompass Italians who conduct themselves as thugs with an overtly macho attitude.” Keep in mind that I have probably only seen about 30 seconds of Jersey Shore, but it was enough for me to make the correlation between the definition “Guido” and the way they act on the show. The problem with this show is that they paint everybody with the same brush.

Shows like “Frankie and Neffe”, “Jersey Shore” help to reinforce negative sterotypes.

By: Malcolm

Malcolm — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:04:54 +0000

I don’t know Tara.
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That sounds too much like the “one drop” rule for me.

By: Tara

Tara — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 05:10:45 +0000

I am Italian American and I do get offended when non-Italians say Guido. Guido is an Italian American youth style, usually of the working class. Of course, not all Italian Americans are Guidos, but all Guidos are Italian American. The word should not be coming out of other mouths, because it has been made into a derogatory word. If an Italian wants to say it, fine.

Guido comes from the verb guidare, to guide or drive. It is also a first name for males. There is really no one sure answer as to how it got its start as a term for style or as a derogatory word.

Lastly, whether someone is 10% or 100% Italian, they are still Italian. Italians have pride in their heritage, so Ronnie being 50 % Italian does not make him un-Italian. Snooki was raised by Italians, and therefore in an Italian American culture, so she is no less Italian.

JWOWW is the only one that shouldn’t let that word come out her mouth.

By: Malcolm

Malcolm — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 22:43:58 +0000

It was pretty funny, and the cop couldn’t stop laughing the whole time.

By: auchamp22

auchamp22 — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 21:51:27 +0000

“Guido is a slang term for a working class or lower class urban Italian American. The guido stereotype is multi-faceted. Primarily, it is used as a demeaning term for Italian Americans, as the word guido is derived from either the Italian proper name Guido or a conjugation of the Italian verb guidare (“to drive”). [1] More recently, it has come to also encompass Italians who conduct themselves as thugs with an overtly macho attitude.[2] The time period in which it obtained the latter meaning is not clear, but some sources date it to the 1970s or 1980s.”

That is from Wiki

By: Juan

Juan — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 21:18:27 +0000

don’t forget your fist pump BRO!

By: Juan

Juan — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 21:16:52 +0000

Jungle. Explain the connection between Nigga and the hangings though. Would not we still have been strung up in the trees if the word “Nigga” didn’t exist.
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I’m assuming your point is that Guido doesn’t harken back to a time in which the prejudice of Italians caused their premature demise like it did for African Americans.

By: Juan

Juan — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 21:13:33 +0000

So the word nigga is more powerful than Guido why? Does anyone in the Nation know the true origin or use of the word…curious.

By: Juan

Juan — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 21:12:40 +0000

Don’t lie that was you dumping Fat Finger Paulie in the river.

By: Emerson Diaz

Emerson Diaz — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:53:27 +0000

LMAO! a wife beater, Malcolm!

By: Malcolm

Malcolm — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:21:59 +0000

I agree on all counts. There is no comparison to the two. Although having your own month does kind of make up for that small matter of the 400 years in slavery.
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And yes… TV always bottom feeds. If the people were normal, they wouldn’t get a show.
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Now if you will excuse me, I have to go put on a sleeveless t-shirt, eat some spaghetti, and say a lot of “aaaayyyy”’s and “ooooohhhh”’s

By: auchamp22

auchamp22 — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:49:16 +0000

Agreed. That is because we got BILLS…

By: Emerson Diaz

Emerson Diaz — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:23:01 +0000

Agreed. Same reason why I won’t watch any of the other “reality” shows, as well: they just try to appeal to our lower desires by presenting these people “acting” like A*holes! Decent people don’t do the kind of crap that goes on “Ray J” and “Housewives” and “Bachelor” and “I love NY.” So, if I’m trying to be a decent person, why would I watch that? I’m trying to rise up, not sink down to that level!

By: jungle

jungle — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:46:10 +0000

I totally agree with you Malcolm, it would be arrogant of me to think that discrimination in the US would have been exclusive to Blacks alone. My point is that there is no comparison between the too. However, Italians should be insulted and embarrassed to have these individuals represent Italians as a whole. If anyone is to blame it’s MTV who diliberatly fuels this negative and sometimes exaggerated view of Italians which helps feed into the stereotype.