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The chronic invasions left the Sicilians feeling the government weren't helping them out and that they couldn't trust the
government no longer so the Mafia golden rule of "omerta" (can be translated as honor) was born.It became an unwritten
rule to leave the government out of private affairs. Crimes were considered to be personal and not for the government but
for vendetta.
The code of omerta, if put into words might say: "Whoever appeals to the law against his fellow man is either a fool
or a coward. Whoever cannot take care of himself without police protection is both. It is cowardly to betray an offender to
justice, even though his offenses be against yourself, as it is not to avenge an injury by violence. It is dastardly and contemptible
in a wounded man to betray the name of his assailant, because if he recovers, he must naturally expect to take vengeance himself.
A wounded man shall say to his assailant: If I live, I will kill you - If I die you are forgiven."
From THE RISE
AND FALL OF THE CLEVELAND MAFIA - Rick Porrello (1995)
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