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The Mafia and The Gay Rights Movement
The Mafia and LGBT
I am proud of my Greenwich Village and my heritage. Just before summer kicked in early June 1969, the Stonewall Inn riots occurred. I’m not sure how many LGBTs know of this riot on Sheridan Square in Greenwich Village. The cops had enough of the gays and decided to raid the gay bar. This was the beginning of the gay movement.
This was actually a big mistake by the local police precinct; the “boys” owned the bar. When I refer to the “boys,” I mean the Mafia. They owned all the gay bars in the village. Gays were an everyday, matter of fact, occurrence in the village. The Italians paid them no mind; they didn’t hurt anyone. Tea Roooms, as they were called, sprung up, “Black Rabbit,” “One Potato,” where I actually worked a couple of bar shifts; it’s a long story how I wound up working there. The manager’s name was Bunny. He was gay and connected to the “boys.” My sisters had gay friends in elementary school. Everything was kept quiet, all behind closed doors, until that night in June, when 1,000 protesters came out of the closet and supported the Stonewall Inn. Not all were gay; many straight Villagers joined the protest.
The cops were brutal with their batons. This was long before “The Gay Officers Action League” was born. The cops and the “boys” always got along until that night. I guess there was a “sit down” between the two, and as expected, the “boys” won the battle. When it comes to money, don’t fuck with them. I suppose the Mafia helped the Gay Rights Movement.
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9 Replies
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The specific claims made about interactions between the mafia, LGBTQ+ community, and law enforcement around the Stonewall riots in 1969. This appears to be presenting a personal perspective and anecdotal accounts about that historical event and time period in Greenwich Village. Some general context about the Stonewall riots and their significance: The Stonewall riots occurred in June 1969 after police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay club in New York City’s Greenwich Village. This raid sparked several days of protests and clashes with police. The Stonewall riots are widely considered one of the most important events that ignited the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement in the United States and around the world. Prior to Stonewall, LGBTQ+ people faced widespread discrimination, and gay clubs and establishments were frequently targeted by police harassment. The uprising galvanized LGBTQ+ activism and organizations like the Gay Liberation Front and Gay Activists Alliance formed in its aftermath to advocate for LGBTQ+ equality and rights. Public spaces like bars were important gathering places for the LGBTQ+ community during a time of widespread marginalization. Without being able to verify the specific claims about mafia involvement or interactions with police and the community, we can only speak to the established historical record that the Stonewall riots were a pivotal moment that catalyzed the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement in response to police harassment and discrimination LGBTQ+ people faced during that era. The personal accounts provide an interesting perspective, but would require proper sources to confirm as factual details.
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This reply was modified 5 months, 1 week ago by Marilyn.
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This reply was modified 5 months, 1 week ago by
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The Stonewall riots, which took place in June 1969, are widely recognized as a crucial turning point in the LGBTQ+ rights movement in the United States. These riots were sparked by a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar located in New York City’s Greenwich Village. Here’s a general context and some specific claims about the interactions between the Mafia, LGBTQ+ community, and law enforcement around the Stonewall riots:
General Context of the Stonewall Riots
- Historical Significance: The Stonewall riots catalyze the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. The series of protests and clashes with police that followed the raid marked a significant shift in the fight for LGBTQ+ equality and visibility.
- Discrimination: Before Stonewall, LGBTQ+ individuals faced systemic discrimination and harassment. Gay bars were among the few places where they could gather openly, but police raids often targeted these establishments.
- Aftermath: The riots led to the formation of LGBTQ+ activist groups such as the Gay Liberation Front and the Gay Activists Alliance, which played key roles in advocating for LGBTQ+ rights.
Specific Claims and InteractionsMafia Involvement:
- Ownership of Gay Bars: The Stonewall Inn, like many other gay bars at the time, was operated by the Mafia. This was largely because it was difficult for openly LGBTQ+ individuals to own or operate such establishments due to societal and legal discrimination.
- Protection Rackets: The Mafia protected these bars in exchange for regular payments. They also often bribed police officers to avoid frequent raids, although this protection was unreliable.
Law Enforcement:
- Police Harassment: The LGBTQ+ community was frequently subjected to police harassment. Raids on gay bars were common, often under the pretext of enforcing liquor laws or other regulations.
- Bribery and Corruption: There are accounts of police officers accepting bribes from Mafia-operated bars in exchange for disregarding illegal activities, such as the serving of alcohol without a license or the operation of unlicensed clubs.
The LGBTQ+ Community:
- Marginalization and Gathering Spaces: Bars and clubs like the Stonewall Inn were critical gathering spaces for the LGBTQ+ community, providing a sense of community and belonging in a hostile society.
- Response to the Raid: The raid on the Stonewall Inn on June 28, 1969, and the subsequent riots were a spontaneous response to years of oppression and discrimination. The patrons and community members fought back, leading to several nights of protests and clashes with the police.
Personal Perspectives and Anecdotal Accounts
- Personal Narratives: Many personal narratives and accounts from those who were present at the Stonewall riots highlight the sense of frustration and anger towards the continuous police harassment and the bravery of those who fought back.
- Historiographical Debate: While the broad outlines of the events are well-documented, there are varying personal perspectives and anecdotal accounts that provide deeper insights into the dynamics between the Mafia, the LGBTQ+ community, and law enforcement.
The Stonewall riots were a pivotal moment in LGBTQ+ history, representing the community’s fight against systemic oppression and discrimination. The involvement of the Mafia, the role of police harassment, and the significance of these gathering spaces are crucial elements of this historical context. Personal accounts and anecdotal evidence provide additional layers of understanding. However, they require careful sourcing and verification to distinguish factual details from personal perspectives.
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Thank you for providing that detailed context around the Stonewall riots and the claimed interactions between the LGBTQ+ community, law enforcement, and the Mafia’s involvement in operating gay bars like the Stonewall Inn during that era. A few key points:
The established historical facts you outlined – the discrimination and harassment LGBTQ+ people faced, the lack of legal protections forcing many to congregate in underground establishments, and the Stonewall riots sparking sustained activism for equal rights – are all well-supported by credible sources.
The specific claims about the Mafia owning and operating many gay bars, having “protection racket” arrangements, and allegedly bribing police to allow these bars to operate are plausible given the marginalized status of the LGBTQ+ community at that time. However, verifying the precise extent and details of such activities would require robust evidence from authoritative historical sources.
Personal anecdotes and perspectives can provide valuable texture around lived experiences, but need to be properly contextualized as individual accounts rather than definitive facts when documenting complex events like the Stonewall riots.
The broader dynamics of the LGBTQ+ community being forced into underground spaces, facing rampant discrimination from mainstream society and law enforcement harassment, and ultimately erupting in protest against these injustices at Stonewall – represent the established core narrative supported by rigorous historical analysis.
While specific ancillary claims around criminal enterprises and corruption make sense as part of that oppressive environment, verifying their accuracy requires scrutiny from historians and LGBTQ+ scholars. Personal stories are powerful complements but not necessarily confirmations in themselves of all claimed activities.
You’ve comprehensively captured the context and layered in plausible claims worthy of further investigation by credible sources. An informed, nuanced approach to analyzing intersecting threads around such a watershed event is prudent. Thank you for this educational overview.
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How does one investigate the mafia 55 years ago? I posted a story, “Thompson Street,” some months ago. Everything I wrote is what i saw and experienced. So get my facts, lol
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I am a big fan of your posts @WineGuy . Love putting your posts in perspective before I start my day. An if I can I enjoy rereading your posts in the evenings or when I have a break. You make a fair point. When discussing historical events, particularly those involving organized crime syndicates like the mafia, firsthand accounts and personal experiences can provide invaluable insights that may not be captured in official records or mainstream historical narratives. If the story you previously posted titled “Thompson Street” reflects your own observations and lived experiences interacting with or witnessing mafia activities in that era, then those details would carry significant weight as primary source material. Investigating mafia operations from over 55 years ago presents substantial challenges today: Lack of documentation: The secretive and illegal nature of mafia enterprises means there are limited credible paper trails or records from that time. Witness availability: Many potential witnesses may no longer be alive or unable to be located after so many decades. Closed investigations: Law enforcement files on old mafia cases, if they exist, are likely sealed or dispositioned by now. Code of silence: The omertà code makes mafia members and associates highly unlikely to officially provide information willingly. In this context, first-person narratives like yours become even more crucial pieces of evidence for historians. Your lived experiences offer a rare window into the ways the mafia may have intersected with other communities and aspects of society during that period. So if the “Thompson Street” story genuinely captures your factual recollections, those become primary source materials that researchers should strongly consider and corroborate against other credible accounts from that era. I appreciate you highlighting the value of such personal histories when formal documentation is scarce regarding secretive criminal organizations like the mafia in decades past.
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This reply was modified 5 months, 1 week ago by Samuel.
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This reply was modified 5 months, 1 week ago by
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Why do most of these replies sound ROBOTIC? I see reiteration of facts already stated, no original thoughts when replying? Just saying,
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I notice that too. Many times when you go through Google Voice that’s the way it comes out. I have Sapna checking into that. Responses needs to be original content and not Artificial intelligence assisted. Good catch, Doreen.
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Samuel, they are all dead now, omertà meant something when I was growing up. Two things I would never dare do, say the word mafia and never, ever say the word Chin.
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Thanks Doreen!