HCM= Hazzard County Mafia

[DaneyDuke]

? Anyone want to explain this to their Hnet family.

[DaisyMaeDuke]

HCM is a small group of friends who share the Dukes hobby. They've been dubbed HCM because of their loyalty to one another and to the Dukes in general. They are the group who is commissioned by Miz Alma (Ben's wife) to assist at the BBQ at Cooter's Place (my Steve is the head chef). She also asked that they help with the Sperryville event this year. I am proud to say I am one of them.

[Meadowmufn]

Wow. Not the most family friendly name or in keeping with the spirit of the show. After all, the Dukes FOUGHT the mafia...

[DaisyMaeDuke]

Yeah, some have mentioned that...I didnt pick the name mind you....I think Ben Jones' wife did...but a name is just that... a name. .if you knew of the many kind acts done by the folks in this group I think you'd agree it is in full keeping with what the Dukes stand for....if it wasn't, I would not associate myself with them.

[BoJamesDuke]

Woooooaaahhhh hostility alert?!

Come on meadow, its not like these guys go round beating people up, fleecing them for money and taking people out like hitmen nor do they claim to do any of that in the name of Duke! Daisymae was just answering a question and lets face it, we all harp on about how family friendly Dukes is, but seriously...look at first season especially, how risque was the show really? How many inappropriate inuendos were there? They ran from the law - even if it was as corrupt - they're on probation, the boys are the biggest skirt chasers around, they fling themselves off of cars.

Nowadays as I see it, if you call yourself a mafia, it doesn't neccisarily mean what it used to. Its more of a joking way to describe a good bunch of buddyroes, a closeknit family of friends. I've heard many people go around describing themselves as the so and so mafia and they're the nicest people....although they also call themselves the so and so 'massives' as well which is kinda dorky LOL

Maybe its not the best name, maybe people will take it the wrong way, but those people have a reason for calling it that. Who are we to judge them for what they call their group? If they went around causing trouble, yeah I could understand the outrage, but....'What's in a name, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet' Yeah that's right, just a little shakespeare off the top of my head there xD

Now lets all chill and listen to some music....John Schneider anyone?

[Meadowmufn]

If you name yourself something with a negative connotation, you shouldn't be surprised if people react negatively. There's no hostility here, just commenting on an extremely poor and inappropriate choice of names. Does the name convey the good the group does? No. Will people judge the group based on the name? Of course. The group's acts may be keeping with the spirit of the Dukes, but the name isn't and that was my point. So, why set yourself up to deal with all that flak by picking a negative name? Why give people the wrong impression of yourself before they get to know you? They won't WANT to get to know you. And that would be a shame.

As for "mafia" not meaning what it used to, tell that to the thousands of people who are killed by them every year and the loved ones who have to deal with the aftermath or the people whose lives are ruined by drugs supplied by the mafia or the small businesses who are extorted by them. My father was a Federal law enforcement officer that fought for years to keep out drugs the "mafia" was trying to bring into this country. He had to deal with all the destruction and death that came with it. So, it might be a harmless little name to you, but not to those who've experienced first hand just how the mafia destroys lives.

The Mexican Mafia in California had a "Hazard" gang that was responsible for a lot of killings in Orange County in the 90's. I doubt you'd want to be mistaken for them or bring that kind of notoriety to the fandom. Thus, my suggestion for a name change.

[Brian Coltrane]

I have to agree that "Hazzard County Mafia" is an unfortunate choice. Especially for anything Ben and Alma are running, which is always centered around family fun. It kinda flies in the face of Ben's own arguments against the 2005 movie.

Bo and Luke wouldn't join a Hazzard County mafia. They might join a Hazzard County Hospitality Club, or a Hazzard County Cousins Crew, or heck, they even joined (temporarily) the Hazzard County Sheriff's Department!

They would volunteer for a good cause, sure. But a good cause deserves a good name. Jeeze, I hope they didn't print all the shirts for this yet.

I've performed volunteer service for Ben and Alma at prior Dukesfests and car shows. Sorry to say that health issues prevent me from doing so this year. So, I have no disrespect for anybody involved, just throwing in my two cents on the handle.

[DaisyMaeDuke]

everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I know one thing: I am sorry I tried to answer Daney's question. Next time I answer a public question I am gonna answer privately...sure saves the hurt feelings.

[Meadowmufn]

everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I know one thing: I am sorry I tried to answer Daney's question. Next time I answer a public question I am gonna answer privately...sure saves the hurt feelings.

Yes, everyone's entitled to their own opinion, just as that group is entitled to name itself what it wants to. But with a name like that, don't expect people not to express their opinion on such an unfortunate choice of names.

I think something like Hazzard County Posse would be much more appropriate. It embodies the same type of "family" closeness, but with a more positive spin. Posses work to enforce the law, not break it.

[RogerDuke]

Hmmm, I'm just wondering if Cooter's wife is a Big and Rich fan.

Words in the English language (and probably any language) change in time and often that can lead to things getting stirred up like they have here.

Nobody's to blame. It's just one of those things that happen when language evolves. It makes me wonder what the word mafia will mean 100 years from now. If we're all still logging into the HazzardNet in 2111 we'll all get a chuckle about this. Hopefully my long white beard won't get in the way of the keyboard.

[BoJamesDuke]

Hazzard County Posse? Isn't that just as bad as mafia huh? Groups who go round shooting other people in gang wars and doing drugs and all that are called posse's, at least they are over here. We also, by your standards, can't call them a Gang, Crew or Homies because they will mean bad things to different people. Not everything in Hazzard was named in fuzzly family friendly words. POint is, Bo and Luke arn't in the Hazzard County Mafia because they are fictional characters, and Muffin is the only one who i've encountered whove had such a violent and hostile reaction to the name. Other people can take it in the humor with which it was intended.

By the way, just to prove a point, the word mafia in the english dictionary has a few definitions, one of them being

4. often mafia Informal: A tightly knit group of trusted associates, as of a political leader.

[Brian Coltrane]

Hazzard County Posse? Isn't that just as bad as mafia huh? Groups who go round shooting other people in gang wars and doing drugs and all that are called posse's, at least they are over here. We also, by your standards, can't call them a Gang, Crew or Homies because they will mean bad things to different people. Not everything in Hazzard was named in fuzzly family friendly words. POint is, Bo and Luke arn't in the Hazzard County Mafia because they are fictional characters, and Muffin is the only one who i've encountered whove had such a violent and hostile reaction to the name. Other people can take it in the humor with which it was intended.

By the way, just to prove a point, the word mafia in the english dictionary has a few definitions, one of them being

4. often mafia Informal: A tightly knit group of trusted associates, as of a political leader.

I don't think I'd call Mufn's response violent. Has she threatened anybody? She simply posted her views, which are comprised of her personal knowledge and experience of real-life crime and crime victims. That should be respected.

And to illustrate the difference between prime usage and street slang, let's take a look "posse" and "Mafia" in more detail.

pos·se

  –noun

1.

posse comitatus.

2.

a body or force armed with legal authority.

World English Dictionary

posse (ˈpɒsɪ)

1.

( US ) Also called: posse comitatus the able-bodied men of a district assembled together and forming a group upon whom the sheriff may call for assistance in maintaining law and order

2.

law possibility (esp in the phrase in posse )

3.

slang a Jamaican street gang in the US

4.

informal a group of friends or associates

[C16: from Medieval Latin (n): power, strength, from Latin (vb): to be able, have power]

Ma·fi·a

–noun

1.

a hierarchically structured secret organization allegedly engaged in smuggling, racketeering, trafficking in narcotics, and other criminal activities in the U.S., Italy, and elsewhere.

2.

(in Sicily)

a.

( lowercase) a popular spirit of hostility to legal restraint and to the law, often manifesting itself in criminal acts.

b.

a 19th-century secret society, similar to the Camorra in Naples, that acted in this spirit.

3.

( often lowercase ) any small powerful or influential group in an organization or field; clique.

World English Dictionary

Mafia or Maffia (ˈmæfɪə)

— n

1.

the Mafia an international secret organization founded in Sicily, probably in opposition to tyranny. It developed into a criminal organization and in the late 19th century was carried to the US by Italian immigrants

2.

Black Hand Camorra See also Cosa Nostra any group considered to resemble the Mafia

[C19: from Sicilian dialect of Italian, literally hostility to the law, boldness, perhaps from Arabic mahyah bragging]

I guess it explains a lot about crime in our country today when "Mafia" is something good and "posse" is something bad, by your own explanation, BoJames.

Any word can be bastardized to mean something else in slang, but any group, naming themselves something that will be held in the public eye, after taking a big stand for family entertainment and values and blah blah blah, should really, and I mean seriously, think about what they're calling themselves. You can be the Hazzard County Happy Hookers for all I care, just don't expect everybody to think you're a fishing club.

I love Ben and Alma dearly but I don't agree with them on this one.

[Meadowmufn]

If I were being hostile and violent, I'm pretty sure I would've used some four letter words or slung some personal insults. I haven't. I've just posted my views that this name choice is inappropriate and unfortunate and backed it up with some examples of why. Unless, of course, since in your world mafia = good, hostile and violent may really mean thoughtful and insightful.

[Brian Coltrane]

If I were being hostile and violent, I'm pretty sure I would've used some four letter words or slung some personal insults. I haven't. I've just posted my views that this name choice is inappropriate and unfortunate and backed it up with some examples of why. Unless, of course, since in your world mafia = good, hostile and violent may really mean thoughtful and insightful.

I think anybody who's devoted 12 years to a website isn't likely to be a hostile or violent person. You are, howevah, certifiably nuts to give 12 years of your life to a Dukes of Hazzard website.

But I mean "nuts" in a good way.

[Meadowmufn]

I think anybody who's devoted 12 years to a website isn't likely to be a hostile or violent person. You are, howevah, certifiably nuts to give 12 years of your life to a Dukes of Hazzard website.

But I mean "nuts" in a good way.

It takes a LOT of diplomacy, I tell ya, because I've had to deal with some truly hostile and violent people and troublemakers of all stripes, many of which, thankfully aren't here anymore. (Though, some of 'em still are. LOL.)

I freely admit I'm "nuts"... in a good way. That doesn't mean my opinions are nuts though. Khee!

[Brian Coltrane]

It takes a LOT of diplomacy, I tell ya, because I've had to deal with some truly hostile and violent people and troublemakers of all stripes, many of which, thankfully aren't here anymore. (Though, some of 'em still are. LOL.)

And some of them, you recruited as administrative staff. Though I shouldn't bring up MaryAnne's past like that.

[Meadowmufn]

And some of them, you recruited as administrative staff. Though I shouldn't bring up MaryAnne's past like that.

She's just lucky she's got mad webpage skillz, otherwise she'd be out on the street.

[Brian Coltrane]

She's just lucky she's got mad webpage skillz, otherwise she'd be out on the street.

True. What keeps me here?

[Meadowmufn]

True. What keeps me here?

Comic relief and an example of how NOT to act when you're on HazzardNet.

[Brian Coltrane]

Comic relief and an example of how NOT to act when you're on HazzardNet.

I can live with that.

And in that spirit, let me offer, with apologies to Waylon Jennings, my gangsta/mafia rendition of "The Good Ol' Boyz".

Just the good home boyz

Never meanin’ no harm, yo’

Beats all – you didn’t see nothin’! – never saw, been in trouble with the law, since the day they was born!

Pimpin’ the girlz –

Countin’ the bills –

Someday the mafia might get ‘em but the law never will!

Makin’ their gangsta way –

The only way they know how!

That’s just a little bit more than rival gangs will allow!

I’m a good ol’ boy

So here’s an offer you can’t refuse –

Join the mafia today, or you’ll be swimmin’ someday, in them heavy cement shoes!

[BoJamesDuke]

Big LOL's, your song makes me laugh Brian

And you took the violent bit the wrong way, I thought everyone knew that if you take a violent exception to something it means to be really really really really against it, or to make an obviously big stand against it, maybe that's just me or my country I don't know.

I just really dont see why this whole name has caused such big outrage, why people are feeling like they've had their feelings hurt and also why everyone keeps harping on about the show being 'all about' family values. It wasn't all about that at all, even John's admitted its had its risque moments and some people who have watched the show have had the same violent reaction to it Muffin did because they don't agree the show should be advertising running from the law, shooting at people with bow's and arrows, knowingly breaking terms of probation and painting a confederate flag on the top of their car - promoting slavery which I have heard before and don't completly agree with. Yeah the show has family elements to it, and it is a large part of it, but none of it was completly good wholesome family fun to everybody.

Ben was a part of the show, he and Alma have their reasons for calling the group what they did and the people in it have their reasons for sticking with it. It's been raised, as Daisymae said, as to the suitability of the name with them but its not been changed for a reason and none of us as far as I know understand those reasons completly. I think in the end, we might all have to agree to disagree on this one, mainly because its 7am here and I'm in a more peaceful mood than the tired, angry one I was yesterday night after a 13 hour day at work lol. I'm sorry if any of the post I put yesterday offended anyone, especially Muffin, I just didn't want Daisymae to be upset over something that isn't her fault when she's just trying to answer a question which she is.

By the way......I am in no way affiliated with the Hazzard County Mafia, any and all opinions and commentary i've passed on the group are completly my own and in no way express the thought and opinions of the Hazzard Count Mafia themselves

xD

[Meadowmufn]

Big LOL's, your song makes me laugh Brian

And you took the violent bit the wrong way, I thought everyone knew that if you take a violent exception to something it means to be really really really really against it, or to make an obviously big stand against it, maybe that's just me or my country I don't know.

Well, you might have a different definition of "violent", but when coupled with "hostile", I don't think it fits the definition you gave above. I have been neither violent nor hostile.

I never blamed DaisyMae for the name nor tried to hurt her feelings. I've stuck specifically to my objections to the name and haven't attacked anyone associated with it, as I don't know them.

You know, this thing wouldn't have blown up the way it did if you hadn't called my first comment "hostility"...

Wow. Not the most family friendly name or in keeping with the spirit of the show. After all, the Dukes FOUGHT the mafia...

It was simply my observation and I was going to leave it at that, until you ascribed something more to it than was there. You put me in the position of explaining my objections because you thought I was "hostile" when I was not. I had perfectly good reasons for my opinion and I stated them. You escalated all this by continuing to ascribe not only hostility, but *gasp* violence, to my objections. I can be a very patient and diplomatic person, but I cannot abide having statements made about me that aren't true... especially on my own website.

The show may have started off a little risque, but it certainly toned it down after the first seasons and became more family friendly. We certainly aren't prudes, but we ARE protective of the show being associated with anything that might be considered negative. THUS, our objections to the use of the word "mafia". We have enough to do in fighting against most peoples' low opinions of "hicks and rednecks". Giving those who would criticize the show more "ammo" by using the word "mafia" in a fan group name just isn't smart. That's my opinion... and the opinion of HazzardNet, cuz I own it. LOL.

[Brian Coltrane]

as to the suitability of the name with them but its not been changed for a reason and none of us as far as I know understand those reasons completly.

It's because they've already printed up the t-shirts.

What Mufn or I think of the name, doesn't really matter, as we're not a part of the volunteers this year - er, Mafia - so we don't have to wear the shirts. I've been part of 'em previously for a long time, and I'll tell ya. The opinions of the locals in Sperryville, the conduct of any Dukes fan in public wearing such a shirt, and the amusement, or lack of it, by local law enforcement, are thoughts that shoulda been considered.

And is "Hazzard County Mafia" what Ben wants in the local newspaper, when a reporter snaps a photo at the event? Is this really something he wants synonymous with "Cooter's Place?" Seriously?

Mufn and I have both been volunteers at DukesFest and other cast appearances and car shows, aside from merrily squandering 12 years of our lives on a Dukes o' Hazzard website. I'd say we're decent fans. Not more fan than thou, but devoted or demented enough to spend a lot of time and money on it. And if we have a strong reaction to the name Hazzard County Mafia, it's because we care about the Dukes of Hazzard, the fandom, and how the heck it's represented.

But there's nothing personal in this against any of the volunteers. We know how much work goes into these events and we sal-ute the participants.

[Meadowmufn]

Couldn't have said it better, cousin.

[RogerDuke]

I guess I'm a little old fashioned because I'd never wear a shirt with the word mafia on it. I suppose this whole thing does have a bit of a generation gap to it. Older folks like me think of mafia as being a bad thing and younger folks don't look at it like that because the word's evolving.

It reminds me of the cowboy/Indians thing from the 60s. When I was young and heard the word Indians, my normal reaction was to think "bad" because they always looked like savages in the movies of that era. Now we know better. They were just folks who were defending their land and (like all cultures) there were bad people amongst the good ones. Later, movies like "Dances with Wolves" changed the way we looked at good and bad. Now the word Indian isn't bad anymore.

For some reason the word mafia is turning into a good thing. I have no problem with words evolving and changing from bad to good or vise-versa as long as we don't rewrite history and make it sound like the murderers in the mafia were some kind of heros. Unlike cultures that have good people and bad people in them I've never heard of good mobster. Language might evolve but a mafia hit man will always be a murderer no matter what happens to the word mafia.