We went through all this fuckin trouble and somebodies skimming us?

La cosa nostra also known as the Mafia was once a very powerful force in America. I'm reading this book right now called The five familes by Selwyn Raab chronicling the history of the American Mafia in America. It spans the history of the American Mafia from its origins in Sicily in the middle ages to the present day. It began in Sicily arising in part from a seris of invasions and ouccupations by various foreign powers throughout the years. As a result of this there developed a culture of mistrust for authority which continued throughout the years. At first these bands were developed as a means of resistance against a forgeign power but as the time wore on developed into a criminal enterprise extracting protection money from landowners. As the flood of immigrants from Southern Italy and Sicily into American increased during the late nineteenth century and early Twenteenth centuries so did some who imported these same traditions. During prohibition these Italian gangs developed more and more power and ended up surviving afterwards because they were more brutal and vicious then their Irish and Jewish counterparts. After prohibtion the Italian gangs ended up assassinating or otherwise persuadeing the remaining ethnics gangs in New york to surrender thus enabling them free reign over their respective rackets. As the years progressed and their power increased they also gained control over policiticians and labor unions. They also had interests in Cuba and had substantial interests there. It amazing to me reading about it the extent of their influence and power. That a small group of peasant immigrants could form such a powerful criminal empire it indeed noteworthy no matter what your position on the merits of it.