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Pitt Bar Catches Flak Over Racially Insensitive Drink and Food Special

March 3, 2008 RSS Feed Print

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A bar on the University of Pittsburgh campus has come under fire after referring to one of its midweek specials as "WetBack Wednesdays," the Pitt News reports. The advertisement, which features cheap tacos and Mexican beer, has prompted a small group of students to boycott the establishment until the sign comes down. "It's the equivalent of saying the n-word night with fried chicken," one of the most vocal critics told the News.

The bar manager pooh-poohed the complaints, comparing the nickname to an Irish or Polish joke, also pointing out how great business was on Wednesdays. "It's an ad meant to be eye-catching, and obviously it is," he said. "If you're offended by it, you probably shouldn't come in because you'll be offended by a lot more."

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FYI - the bar is NOT on campus or affiliated in any way with the University of Pittsburgh. It is off campus, within walking distance of several educational institutions in the area. Please correct this error in your article immediately.

get facts straight of PA 3:46PM April 02, 2008

Dan of PA, I would recommend that you actually read the US Constitution, because there is no right against being offended, and your attempt at sliding around that fact by arhguing against slander is nothiing more than silly. Slander is when you knowing make false statements against a specific individual resulting in defamation of character or other personal harms. Secondly, slander is a civil concept, not a constitutional one. It's time for everyone to get a grip and stop being so weak-kneed about every little thing. Yes, the sign "Wetback Wednesdays" is stupid, and probably shows that the owner(s) of the establishment is a bigot. But it's not like he's preaching to round up all Mexicans and toss them in an oven or something like that. Let's put it all in perspective and stop tossing around the word "rights" with such wreckless disregard for what a "right" actually is

Scott A. Shapiro of 1:33PM March 19, 2008

In a sense we do have a right to not be offended by the speech of others; it's called slander. We have the right to not be slandered by the speech of others and have the right to seek redress. This instance though, is, obviously, not particular to any one person, but rather to an entire ethnicity. You can play coy and pretend as if you are unaware of the intended meaning of the term, "wetback," but it is disingenuous to do so. If you employ such terms, stand by them. When the majority of the population uses such terms, it has the tendency to anger offended minorities with good reason: review the histories of European civilizations, and, later, American hegemony, and its treatment of minority peoples everywhere and you may begin to understand how offended or why people are offended by terms such, "wetback." Of course, you could stay out of the filthy, frat boy atmosphere that is the Garage, and then you won't be offended, but wouldn't it make more sense for the management of the Garage not to use offensive, racially-charged terms?

dan of PA 3:41PM March 09, 2008

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Pitt Bar Catches Flak Over Racially Insensitive Drink and Food Special

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