By Marla Eggar

The word “RAT” is thrown around so easily these days it’s hard to decipher whether someone truly deserves the title or not? General consensus say that a rat is a person who is deceitful, disloyal or someone who snitches. Being on certain mob forums, I’ve seen the post with certain mobsters and seen the logic behind their definition of a rat. Well, let’s test those theories, shall we? If someone is lied upon and they have to defend themselves, is that considered being a rat? What if being loyal to someone backfires and they “rat you out” to save their own ass, trading your freedom for theirs is this considered being a rat?

If you’re that somebody who says they have zero tolerance for “rats” but you directly or indirectly associate with known snitches would you consider this to be a double standard? I’m baffled by the contradictory. On one mob forum that I belong to, I saw a post to administrators from a member justifying their reason for leaving the group. It was because of a new member who was considered a “Notorious” mob rat joined. In all honesty, I agreed with both sides. To hold yourself accountable to standards you’ve placed on yourself is commendable. On the flipside, to not be consumed by the opinions of others and give that person a chance to explain their actions is the grace you hear about on Sunday mornings! Well, for those actually get up and attend church on Sundays (NOT the Bedside Baptist but I digress).

Anyone who has watched the show “Mob Wives” has heard Karen Gravano on more than one occasion insinuate that her father felt betrayed by John Gotti. For me, after hearing her father’s justification for turning, in HIS own words, that solidified he and was a traitor. However, I don’t believe people should judge Karen for her father’s decision. When someone has been held accountable for their actions, how then is it justifiable to extend that punishment on those who had no bearing on the events that transpired?

Now don’t get it twisted. If someone I associate with has a close family member who has a propensity to snitch trust and believe I’m not saying/doing anything I don’t want to get out around them. It’s also worth noting (to be fair) whenever you become involved with the mob, it’s no secret what they’re all about. If you’re going to take those chances, you also have to learn to accept the consequences as well. But what about those who are loyal down to a T and still get screwed… Where’s their vindication? For example, Francis T. Featherstone a.k.a. Mickey Featherstone was loyal to James Coonan and the Westies. He carried out every order by Coonan except one. This order came after the alliance with the Gambino’s. (Which some weren’t happy about?) Nevertheless, after all the dirt Coonan and Featherstone committed together the one murder Featherstone didn’t commit he was convicted of. Now his crew knew he didn’t commit the murder of Michael Holly. They knew the murder was carried out by Billy Bokun, another member of the Westies. Loyalty is a two-way street. They were willing to allow Featherstone to sit in prison for 25 years rather than to make Billy confess. To top it off, his crew wasn’t providing for his family when he went away. So not only is he supposed to sit in jail for a crime he didn’t commit for 25 years but now he’s supposed to ignore his family’s daily needs! He has to wonder how they are going to make it without him, “Bullshit”! Let’s face it, a person’s loyalty will only go so far! Any organization/gang is only as good as its member’s worth. Why not keep this in mind the next time you hear someone being called “A Rat”. Sometimes the things we hate in others are the very things we can’t stand in ourselves. And sometimes people are just a grimy motherfucker and need to be called exactly what they are!

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