Another example of a law that targeted a minority, in this instance Italians, that wound up infringing the rights of all. The anti-immigrant rhetoric of the day made it clear that the Police would deny the immigrant applications and approve those of "Real Americans".CleverNickname wrote:Not to defend Bloomberg, but the Sullivan Act was passed over 100 years ago.VoiceofReason wrote: I believe if it is a shooting attack, Bloomberg should be arrested and face criminal charges because as Mayor he disarmed everyone and prevented them from defending themselves.
The first prosecution was an Italian immigrant, Marino Rossi. Upon his conviction the New York Times opined that "this warning to the Italian community is both timely and exemplary." Statistics compiled by Myles Kelleher and published in his book "Social Problems in a Free Society: Myths, Absurdities, and Realities" showed that after the act passed, murders committed with guns in New York City rose by 18 percent.