"When I sell liquor, it's called bootlegging; when my patrons serve it on Lake Shore Drive, it's called hospitality"
- Al Capone
About this Quote
The quote by Al Capone draws a poignant difference between 2 point of views on the sale and intake of alcohol, highlighting the variations in societal perceptions based on context, legality, and class.
Capone, a well-known gangster during the Prohibition age in the United States, was heavily involved in the illegal trade of alcohol. His recommendation to "bootlegging" mentions the illicit production and circulation of alcohol, which was widespread during the 1920s when the manufacture, sale, and transport of alcohols were banned under the 18th Amendment. Bootlegging ended up being synonymous with organized crime, and figures like Capone were criminalized for their participation.
The 2nd part of the quote, "when my customers serve it on Lake Shore Drive, it's called hospitality," moves the focus to the consumption of alcohol by the upscale. Lake Shore Drive, a prominent location in Chicago, typifies wealth and social status. Here, Capone suggests that the very same alcohol he is condemned for offering handles an entirely various connotation when consumed by rich people. It ends up being a symbol of hospitality and social grace, rather than criminality.
This contrast stresses the role of social class in shaping moral and legal judgments. Capone indicates a review of the societal double requirements where an action is vilified when performed by certain individuals however is accepted, even commemorated, when undertaken by others. The legal and moral judgments are not solely about the act itself-- selling or consuming alcohol-- however about who is carrying out the act and in what context.
In essence, the quote shows Capone's awareness of the hypocrisy and class bias intrinsic in societal mindsets towards Prohibition. It highlights how legality and morality can shift based on economic status and power, questioning the fairness of a system that can label the same activity as criminal for one group and reputable for another.
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