Summary

Part 3: Chapter 11: "I Pity the Poor Immigrant"

The entire chapter is an essay, "I Pity the Poor Immigrant," by David Bellen. Bellen begins with a list of books he will discuss, all about Jewish Mafia members and activities. The first excerpt is from "The Rise and Fall of the Jewish Gangster in America" by Albert Fried. It discusses how the gangster sees the world as wolves and lambs – the predator and the prey. He asserts that only a few people see this distinction, and the gangster is one of them and is the only one who is honest with himself about it. Therefore, they see themselves as virtuous.

Bellen’s essay recounts a story from the book. Meyer Lansky inserted himself into an argument between Benjamin Siegel and Salvatore Luciana (later Charlie “Lucky” Luciano) over a girl. Lansky hits Luciano with a crowbar. The...