'Wetback Wednesday': Oakland Bar Sign Causes ControversyPOSTED: 4:31 pm EST March 6,
2008 PITTSBURGH -- Some University of Pittsburgh students in Oakland are boycotting a popular campus bar.The Garage Door Saloon on Atwood Street is catching some flak for a sign advertising its midweek special: "Wetback Wednesday."The special nets you five Coronitas for $7 and 75-cent tacos.Some passers-by found the ad hanging in the window of the Garage Door offensive."It's a racial slur to Hispanics," said Art Digiacomo. "You wouldn't put the 'N' word up there."The sign has prompted a group of students to boycott the establishment.About 260 students, so far, are spreading their message on the social networking site Facebook.But other students said they might be overreacting."I don't find it offensive," one student said. "Just advertising Coronas.""I've seen 'White Trash Wednesdays' and 'Trailer Park Tuesdays,' and they haven't received any kind of hype," said the bar's owner, who said his name was Mark.Mark said there are more important issues to worry about."There's a lot more things going on in the streets of Oakland, like robberies and stuff like that, opposed to a bar running a drink special and 75-cent tacos," he said.Garage Door employees have since put a new sign up on the building, which reads, "For the easily offended. Now offering Mexican American Wednesdays."Employees said it doesn’t look like they'll be changing their Wednesday special any time soon, especially since business has picked up since the controversial sign has made headlines. Related Links: More County NewsGet RSS | E-Mail Alerts Copyright 2008 by ThePittsburghChannel. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
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