The Penal Laws, Vice, and Morality – Then and Now!

There are other examples of course. What was considered a racket and who was called a racketeer in one era, becomes a legitimate enterprise run by legit “businessmen” in another era. It all depends on who is doing the naming, and who is in control of the given activity. “Racketeer or “Businessman”…. You decide!

Through the years, the penal laws “on the books” in jurisdictions across the United States have changed drastically. What was at one time considered a criminal violation of law in one era, and punishable by many years of imprisonment and fines became a totally accepted endeavor and behavior, and a legitimate “business” in a later era.

Illegal Alcohol

A perfect example of what I’m speaking of was the Prohibition era. The Volstead Act, enacted in 1920, made it completely illegal to either consume, possess, manufacture, store, transport, give or sell any alcoholic beverage across the entire United States. This silly law lasted for nearly 13 years.

In 1933, The Volstead Act was repealed and suddenly alcohol consumption and sale were legal again. It suddenly became “morally acceptable” to drink a glass of beer, wine, or whiskey. Where before it was called the “Devil’s Elixir,” it now became a totally aboveboard American pastime.

Bootlegging made millionaires out of many regular guys. Bootleggers were the bad guys, right? Yet, they provided a very vital service and a product that the general public craved, and it loved them for providing it. The neighborhood bootlegger was, by and large, a very popular and vital guy to his neighbors.

But all those who had ignored this ridiculous law were quickly labeled outlaws, racketeers, gangsters, or called morally depraved by the government, the “holy rollers,” and some other stiff-assed citizens. How silly! Just look at today.

Horse and Sports Gambling

The same holds true for bookmaking. Let’s think about this silly law for a moment, shall we?

Years back, if you physically went to a horse racetrack or a dog track, you could have legally placed a bet. Likewise, if you went to Las Vegas or several other legal casino destinations, you could readily place a legal bet on a horse or a sport. But if you placed a bet “off track” then you broke a law by placing that bet, and the fella who accepted your bet had broke a law by accepting it.

Then in the early 1970s, all that changed. Suddenly, OTB (off-track betting) became the rage. It was legalized by the New York state and there was soon an OTB parlor on nearly every corner in NYC.

But if your local neighborhood bookie, that same guy who you grew up with, knew well, and hung out down the block in the local coffee shop took your bet, he was a racketeer. A dangerous guy. And he was destroying the social fabric of society - or so the government would have had us believe. It was immoral to bet. Period!

Policy Numbers

It’s the same with the neighborhood numbers runner. In the 1920s through the 1960s, the government denounced playing the numbers or the “policy game.” They called it a “vicious racket” that preyed on the poor and disenfranchised. They said that it stole the money and the food out of the pockets and mouths of those who could least afford it.

Suddenly, New York City, with a lot of other states soon following, legalized LOTTO, Pick-6, the Daily Number, etc, etc. And the government started advertising LOTTO and other versions of the old basic numbers game on television, billboards across the city, in newspapers, radio, etc.

Soon men, women, children, and old ladies were playing the numbers. All nice and “legal” as they say. Why? What happened? Suddenly there was no more “moral” issue? Playing the numbers became an all-around American activity - sanctioned by the U.S. Government no less. Why? What happened?

Marijuana Consumption

Untold thousands of people have been imprisoned over many years now for either smoking, possessing, or selling marijuana. After all, it was a very, very dangerous narcotic drug, right?

Today? Marijuana is the rage (as it always was.) It has either been totally legalized or decriminalized in many states across the union. But previously to the last few years, many lives were destroyed because of interaction with pot. They faced jail, fines, were labeled as drug addicts or drug pushers. But now? It's simply no big deal! What happened? It’s ok, today? Is it no longer a moral issue?

Cards, Slot Machines, and Floating Dice Games

For many decades most NYC neighborhoods (and cities and towns across America for that matter), offered neighborhood card and dice games. On the immediate street where I grew up, even as a kid, I knew of three “games” that were operated regularly. In my entire neighborhood, there were many more games of varying size. It was common practice.

Poker, Blackjack, Ziganette, etc., were all offered at one time or another. Floating dice games were also very prevalent. You have to remember that this was before Atlantic City, Foxwoods, and other legal “casinos” were around. So people wanted to have a pastime and enjoyed the “sport” of it. Yet, these activities were not available to the average person. The so-called “racketeers” filled the void. Many were arrested for operating these type games. Hence they were dubbed “racket” guys.

Today? Lol…. It's available all over the place. The majority of major cities and states all offer their own legalized version of table games. Just go to Queens County and you’ll see that NYC has even opened up virtual “slot machine” emporiums. These mega buildings offer thousands of one-armed bandits to a willing public. Floor after floor of the building is loaded with them. And it’s advertised on TV like crazy. But they don’t call them “one-armed bandits” anymore. After all, the government is in the business now. So they had to clean up the image of it being off-color. They are no longer “racketeers,” they are now legitimate businesses and businessmen….. it's even offered on your laptop. What a reversal of morals and penal laws right? Yet many were dubbed criminals for running those games. Why?

Unlicensed Money Lending

Usury, better known as “shylocking” is an age-old practice. Shylocking is nearly as old as time and mankind itself. Authorities often refer to the practice of leading money without a license to do so, as “loan sharking.” It sounds more ominous than simple shylocking. Unlicensed money-lenders charge typically anywhere from 1% (52% a year) to 5% (260% a year) interest on money they lend you. Steep rates for sure. But the people who borrow from shylocks don’t tend to have great “credit,” don’t have any security to pledge or co-signors, so the steep rates correlate to the lenders “risk” so to speak.

But whatever rates a shylock charges are a mere pittance when compared to the absolutely unconscionable interest rates that so-called “payday” loans, and other similar “legalized” institutions charge. So why is the simple lending of money between two willing adults any business of the government anyway? If one person is willing to lend the money, and the other person is willing to accept that money under the terms they mutually agreed upon, what is the problem here?

Legal “Payday Loans” commonly charge interest rates as high 1,800 %….You heard right! “One Thousand, Eight Hundred” percent annual return. Sometimes even higher. Yet, they are completely legal in many states. They operate from storefronts, corporate offices, online, etc. And its all legal (morality is another issue). But it’s legal. Why should that be legal, but a local guy who is willing to lend his personal money for a hell of a lot less interest rate be illegal? It simply makes no sense!

If a neighborhood “shy” ever asked for that much interest on a loan, he’d be run out of the neighborhood as a nut. Lol. Shylocks don’t charge anywhere close to that kind of interest. 2% a week equals to 104% annually, not 1800%….. yet he’s illegal, and payday loans are totally legal. Go figure!

Pornography

Today all you have to do to view extreme porno is to google it. In seconds untold thousands of porn sites will pop up offering you nearly every type of sexual proclivity or preference one could possibly imagine. All for free. All available to watch right in the comfort of your own home. What years ago was termed by sitting judges and the Supreme Court as depraved degeneracy at its finest, is today a socially accepted activity. The proliferation of raw, sexual content available for all eyes to see on the internet is truly startling.

Years ago mob-tied pornography dealers were deemed among the biggest degenerates in the world. Today? Not so much. Today it is not only completely legal, but it’s largely socially acceptable in most corners of the world. The type of porn that guys were arrested for years back, is now considered almost benign by comparison to the raunchy films and extreme porn commonplace today. (with the exception of child porn, which is a degenerate, disgusting activity in any era), 99% of all other sexual activity depicted in the films and videos nowadays actually have much heavier sex content than was manufactured decades back. The best part? It's all 100% legalized today. What happened to the decaying of the “moral fabric” of our community, or the illegality of it all?

There are other examples of course. What was considered a racket and who was called a racketeer in one era, becomes a legitimate enterprise run by legit “businessmen” in another era. It all depends on who is doing the naming, and who is in control of the given activity. “Racketeer or “Businessman”…. You decide!

Violence is always violence, and is generally unacceptable in any given circumstance or era. So violence aside, these basic “vice” like activities are largely looked at as entertainment for the masses. Going out for a few drinks, betting a pony or shooting dice, betting a number, or smoking a joint. Etc. Its what the people want, and what so-called “racketeers” stepped in to supply to a willing and wanting public!

Hypocrisy at its finest! ………….. The sheep have always played “follow the leader.” But the more innovative of us. The guys who had more balls than the average made their own destiny and reality. They didn’t care that they were labeled “racketeers” or “hoodlums.” In fact for many, those labels were a mantra that they wore proudly! They made their own way. They made their own money, and took the chances they deemed acceptable to them, in order to elevate themselves and their blood families in order to make a better life.

….It all depended on what era you grew up in.

The legendary Frank Costello had a pet phrase he used to recite to people in response to hearing the word “racketeer” used in conversation. He would often say:

“A racketeer is anyone who attempts to accumulate wealth, power, and prestige, at the perceived expense of entrenched wealth, power, and prestige!”

......no truer words have ever be spoken!

.....until next time, “The Other Guy!”

The Penal Laws, Vice, and Morality – Then and Now!

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The Penal Laws, Vice, and Morality – Then and Now!

Unlock This Door to the Underworld

Take the Journey!

You May Also Enjoy

Racketeer Snapshot: Connecticut’s Frank (The Cigar) Piccolo

The Anthony Strollo Regime of NY/NJ

The Day Charlie (the Bug) Workman Saved a Horse

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