Goumada

[Bapopik at AOL.COM]

   From the VILLAGE VOICE, letters, 6 June 2000, pg. 6, col. 1:

_"FAMILY" VALUES_
You don't have to watch _The Sopranos_ to know that the word _goumada_ carries weighty ethnic-pejorative baggage.  And yet there it was, twice in Wayne Barrett's article "Rudy Unzipped" [May 23], and in a caption that ran with the article.
   I can only conclude that to Barrett, not all ethnic or religious groups are deserving of stylistic sensitivity.  If the story revolves around an Italian American, or worse, a Republican, or worse yet, an Italian American Republican, any culturally relevant slur will do.
_Glenn Zorpette_
Italian American Republican
Sea Cliff, Long Island

Wayne Barrett replies:  Rudy G. invoked _The Godfather_ when he asked reporters to stay away from Judi Nathan--quoting movie mobsters to describe her as a "civilian."  He is constantly trading off these mob images, mimicking them as recently as Sunday for Tim Russert.  _Goumada_ is merely my addition to his shtick.