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Are Mobsters Monsters?

Don Carlo Gambino Mugshot

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Don Carlo Gambino - "The Godfather"
Don Carlo Gambino was better known as "The Godfather" and " was said to be a great family man." Gambino was born in Sicily and moved to New York to work as a teenager. In effort to "disarm detractors" and gain trust, Gambino always wore a friendly smile and with time, one of the five New York crime families embraced him and the family fell to his name. Of course, the family did not come to Gambino peacefully, but, as a mobster "Gambino himself orchestrated [underboss Albert] Anastasia’s murder and assumed command of the crime family for the next 19 years." Therefore, Gambino illustrates how a mobster can be dangerous to society because they can be so determined to hold power that they have no issue killing respected leaders ahead of them to receive it.

Gambino was breed to be a mobster "overseas [in Sicily] before coming to the United States." And Gambino is remembered "for his quiet, understated demeanor and razor-sharp criminal savvy." These characteristics are reflective of Gambino's traditional mobster values. For instance, rather than trading narcotics, "he preferred instead to stick to traditional Mob rackets such as bookmaking, loansharking, hijacking and extortion, as well as maintaining as much a presence as possible in the labor unions." Each of these illicit acts may not be violent, but they are still harmful because they foster a corrupt society. Also, these acts earned great wealth and power for the Gambino family and this fueled Gambino to continue the mafia's work. Therefore, Gambino perpetuated wrongdoing to society.

Nevertheless, Gambino still was a true mobster and had frequently arranged immoral assassinations. For instance, when Gambino's nephew was killed, "Gambino called on John Gotti, then an up-and-comer in the ranks of his crime family and the protégé of his underboss Neil Dellacroce. Gotti, his best friend Angelo “Fat Angie” Ruggiero and another wiseguy named Ralph “Ralphie Wigs” Galione gunned down McBratney" the man responsible for the nephew's death. Gambino was willing to kill whomever he needed to maintain his power and had a strong understanding of how to manipulate others to do this work for him. This influence that Gambino had on society and the control he held over the men beneath him was dangerous because he could never "curb his enthusiasm for money and power" hence, Gambino was willing to stop his illicit actions for nobody and nothing.

Overall, Gambino was a greedy, manipulative man that came to power and utilized his power to employ men into repeatedly harming others and society as a whole.