'Wear Your Heritage With Pride'

Stan Pecora was the master of ceremonies during Thursday night's opening ceremony for the annual Festa Italiana. Below, are the remarks he delivered about being Italian, and Italian-Americans.

"In the past, I've spoken about our parents, our grandparents, our great-grandparents and their forbearers. I've talked about their courage to come here to this country – their hard work, their perseverance – to secure for us a much better life than they had.

I think we can all agree that things are good for us because of their hard work and their effort and their courage.

But while we have been well assimilated into American society – we must remember that we are Italian Americans. We are the beneficiaries of a great culture. We are gathered here in the greatest country on earth. Thank goodness that our forbearers chose to come to the United States -- the best choice they could have made.

In the Italian immigration that took place between 1880 and 1920 over 11 million left Italy -- approximately 25 percent of the entire population of a country. Five to 6 million came to the United States. The rest went to South America and other countries.

Fortunately for us, our forebearers came here. And what better place is there on earth than this country?

At times we all grouse about it, we complain about many things – taxes, etc. – but is there some other country we'd rather live in? When somebody tells me that, I have an answer. I ask you – do not forget your heritage. Please, study it, learn more about it, help your children and grandchildren to appreciate it. Pass on the stories that you've heard since your childhood and are still passed around. Don't let them disappear. The only way we can continue this is in that manner. We, ourselves, have to continue to live it. Do not let what your forbearers brought to America be lost in time, because that can happen.

This festival does a lot in that regard. The food, the various things that are brought here to this festival, remind us, and help us to better appreciate what we have and what was given to us.

Continue to honor your heritage. You owe to that your forbearers. You owe it to those immigrants who came here and suffered through what they suffered through. They earned our respect. They deserve to be honored forever into the future. Do not ever forget them. Wear your heritage with pride. Be loyal Americans and proud Italian-Americans."