I am reading your passionate defense of Sicily and its people with a certain emotion being directly concerned.Thank you wholeheartedly. Like a multitude of persons travelling to Sicily and/or living in it we are well aware on how matters stand and we give proof of this every day. Nevertheless I consider Praefectus Praetorius' account
just a fantasy that may well have occurred at the times of italian-american policeman Petrosino struggling with the Mano Nera (Black Hand)in 1902 at the
time Mafia elements from Sicily cast the grounds of their power in America. In our days this is not over : methods and appearances are more sophisticated and keep up to the new times. This is valid for Sicily as well as for any other Country in the world. I am of the advice to take Praefectus Praetorius' tale thoughtlessly and if ,we like,
to figure out the events as out of our context. Mario Puzo's book "The Godfather" and the series of Francis Ford Coppola movies based on the book, notwithstanding they saw Mafia with a rather lenient eye, Sicilian characters and deeds were crudely depicted giving a picture of Sicily far from encouraging.
Many people travelled to Sicily on the wave of the "Godfather's" success in due course: they had the opportunity to touch then the reality
as well as we are able today. Thanks for attention.