Dan Cirucci: The Powerful Story Behind 'Potentially Dangerous'! . . .

Sunday, October 1, 2023

The Powerful Story Behind 'Potentially Dangerous'! . . .

A special message from the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations:

Potentially Dangerous, an award-winning documentary, was screened on Capitol Hill by members of the Italian American Congressional Caucus (IACC) this week.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, fearful of an uprising among immigrants within the U.S. during WWII, signed a presidential proclamation in 1941, deeming 600,000 Italians as “enemy aliens.”

The documentary was shown to members of the U.S. Congress by the Italian American Congressional Caucus on Thursday, September 28th. Basil M. Russo, President of COPOMIAO and the Italian Sons & Daughters of America, attended the event to address the Congressional audience. Also in attendance was Zach Baliva, the creator and director of the film.

“The tragic irony of this situation is that while hundreds of thousands of Italian immigrants were being subjected to curfews, property confiscation, loss of their homes and jobs, and confinement in internment camps in the U.S., 1.2 million of their sons were fighting and dying overseas in World War II,” said Russo.

Russo will lead a national effort to obtain a formal apology from our government for the abusive treatment 600,000 Italians were subjected to by our government during WWII.

Potentially Dangerous was funded by the Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum, which was created in 2017 by the Russo family. To date, 48 filmmakers have received grants totaling approximately $400,000 to create films that depict the Italian American experience in a positive way.

Several of these films have appeared in prominent film festivals in both the U.S. and Italy. Potentially Dangerous was the winning film in the 2021 Russo Brothers Film Forum competition.

“Enemy aliens” were forced to carry ID cards.

The Italian Sons and Daughters of America and AGBO (the Russo Brothers’ film studio), are the sponsors of the film forum.

The screening of the film coincides with the annual launch of Italian American Heritage Month. Established in 1989 by President George H. W. Bush, the executive order celebrates and honors Italian American leaders, saints, celebrities, and everyday folks who helped form a storied culture that has elevated our nation’s history.

Potentially Dangerous is currently airing on PBS. Check your local listings, and learn more at https://www.potentiallydangerousfilm.com

Watch the trailer here:

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About Dan Cirucci

He's been cited by the late Rush Limbaugh, quoted in the New York Times, featured at Real Clear Politics and Lucianne.com and interviewed across all media.

He's Dan Cirucci, the founder and editor-in chief of the Dan Cirucci Blog, a Save Jersey blog columnist, frequent guest on the Matt Rooney radio show and one of the most widely honored public relations professionals in his field. He's also been a public relations consultant to numerous organizations and individuals and hosted The Advocates on RVN-TV.

Inducted into the Philadelphia Public Relations Hall of Fame, for many years he served as a Lecturer in Corporate Communication at Penn State University. A former President of the Philadelphia Public Relations Association (PPRA) he has lectured at Rowan University, Temple University, The College of New Jersey and Arcadia University. He has conducted workshops on public relations for thousands of participants throughout the nation and has taught countless others the art of public speaking. He has also advised numerous lawyers, judges, public officials and political candidates.

Cirucci is a prolific writer and his op-ed pieces have appeared in the Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer, Courier-Post, Broad and Liberty and other print and online platforms.

A native of Camden NJ, Cirucci is a former President of the Philadelphia chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators. Cirucci served as Associate Executive Director of the Philadelphia Bar Association for nearly 30 years. He served as Chair of Penn State University's Professional Advisory Board for the Corporate Communication major at Penn State Abington and on the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Judicial Selection Commission.

He received his MA degree from Rowan University and his BA from Villanova University. He has been named a Distinguished Alumnus of Rowan's public relations program and received the E. A. "Wally" Richter Leadership Award, the highest honor from the National Association of Bar Executives' Communications Section. He has also been honored by numerous other local, state and national groups.

In his hometown of Camden, Cirucci taught fifth grade at the Ulysses Wiggins Elementary School named for the founder of the Camden NAACP. There he was one of the first teachers in the country to teach African-American history to inner city students. He later served as editor of a local weekly newspaper, as Assistant to the Township Manager of Cherry Hill Township and as Associate Director of Communications at the New Jersey State Bar Association.

Cirucci's passions include all things Italian, politics, the popular culture, books and authors, art, communication, music, theatre, movies, dining and travel.

He and his wife Carole have two grown children and seven grandchildren.

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