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Congratulations to James Gambino, whose tender sensibilities were bruised by three letters of the alphabet used to name a hamburger (“Burger’s name stirs a beef,” May 12). The owners of the Blue Parrot Restaurant, having long used the name wopburger, should really have named it the owpburger or pwoburger, then Gambino would be fine. Right now his soul is bruised.
This is not New Jersey, Mr. Gambino. You’ve just brought a little bit of it here with you. Thank you very much ... not! You’re now in league with the Indian community that wants to get rid of Columbus Day, which also hurts tender feelings that mean more than others’.
When will people learn to live and let live? You didn’t help. Can I sue you for a lack of the Italian joy of living?

Lisa Arata, Greeley

READER COMMENTS

looks like we'll have to start calling it a meat sandwich to be politically correct and un offensive, after all there's german roots to the word hamburger...sounds like we should revamp what we call many things so we can be sure no one gets offended. Lets change Italian food to "noodles and sauce", or how about changing Gyros sandwich to "pressed lamb roll" or how about changing French Roast to "dark coffee", while we're at it, ban polish sausages and change it to "spicy meat stick" ...give me a break...if you don't like the name..don't go there it's that simple..I'm sick of the lil offended minorities expecting societiy to change it's rules so they don'g get offended. Life is life and at some point, you need to integrate into society..a good point for gays to consider too.

Gays have been trying to "integrate into society" for generations. Straight people keep pushing them away. When gays ask for the same civil rights straight people have, it's called "demanding special rights."

Hans,
It is special rights when it is designed to protect you from physical harm, allow you to marry someone of the same sex, provide special hiring/firing rules for you just because of who you have a sexual preference for. How is that not special rights? You need to grow a skin as well and move on with life, if you're gay then great!, don't force your views on everyone else. What next, hamburger will be banned because someone feels it false advertising because it not made from Ham. We are WAY too politically correct in this country anymore and it will lead to our ultimate demise.

Isn't it amusing the way people equate CIVIL RIGHTS and something as trivial as "political correctness", when they want to denegrate, criticize, or dismiss an idea, or a cause, THEY don't want to consider?

On the other hand, when a group, or even an individual, proposes a measure actually dealing with RIGHTS - seeking that status of equality under the law that is basic to our American Constitutional system - these same people are the very ones who scream and bellow the loudest about how THEIR RIGHTS are going, somehow, to be violated, or taken away, by recognizing that others have RIGHTS as well.

Perhaps one of them might want to tell us what the difference is for them between "political correctness" on the one hand and hypocricy on the other?

I thought the topic for discussion was ethnically named hamburgers. How did the subject of gays find its way here in only the second post?

But back on topic... Mr Gambino is offended by the wopburger? Well I'm offended (or perhaps disgusted is the better term) by thin skinned crybabies who take offense at the most trivial of things. Why can't we act like adults and take it in the good natured manner it was intended?

"I thought the topic for discussion was ethnically named hamburgers. How did the subject of gays find its way here in only the second post?"

Wait a few posts down the line, Will. Someone is bound to bring abortion into the discussion.

As for forcing views on everybody else, BB, that's what white heterosexual Christians have been doing for centuries.

Will,

Perhaps we fail to "act like adults, etc., " here, simply because it is impossible for some to understand that their feelings of being "offended" ARE those of "thin skinned crybabies"; and, who, having no sense of either proportion or priority of expression, veer off topic to include all their prejudices, pre-conceptions, and fears in response to anything, and everything, that disturbs them.

Which, in turn, calls forth attempts to at least point out distinctions and differences in importance. Such efforts themselves being really counter-productive, since "thin skinned crybabies" merely yell all the louder when not coddled.

My posting pseudonym espresses my own feelings here.

What people call PC, is just good old fashioned maners. Since the older generation who knew good maners when they saw them are dying off, someone needs to tell the kiddys that ethnic slurs, no matter where they occure, are wrong.

Making fun of people and calling their opinions "bruised feelings" is kindergarden behavior. Another example of poor maners.

It is uncomfortable to be bopping along in life and have someone bring you up short and say "your maners need attention." Getting angry feels so much better then feeling guilty or ashamed.

Getting angry and being smarmy really feels good.

Pretending that using a country name such as German or French will offend someone is trying to make good maners look silly. But guess what ?, only people who use that example look silly.

No one is asking "society to change its rules" but individuals are being asked to show some maners.

t,

You would have to go one step further as "sandwich" as to no offend the English, from whom the 4th Earl of Sandwich, is the name sake, or Jews, where it is argued that the sandwich was invented by Hillel the Elder, who first lamb and bitter herbs between two pieces of matzo bread during passover.

I do wonder at times what happened to that nice little rhyme, "sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me"? Have we gotten so soft that to hurt someone's feelings is worse than a punch in the face?

Aw, c'mon Dan2 - words have *always* had the risk of instigating violence. For example a hundred years ago if you even suggested that somebody's daughter or sister had premarital sex there was a good chance of some punchin' going on, at the least.

That said...Wop? I'm over 40 and I don't think I've ever heard that used as a slight - not in person, not in any movie produced in the last 40 years, not on the news, never. I'd kind of equate it with Mick - maybe it was ugly once, but it seems pretty harmless now.

Tim,

There is a difference between slander and insult.

Words are only as ugly as you make them. If you don't let that word bother you, and realize, no matter the history or the intent, it is JUST A WORD, then it can't hurt at all.

If a word is used with the intent to damage or inflict pain, all one really needs to do is realize the ignorance and simplicity of the person using it, and choose not to be offended. It really is that simple.

Reject your sense of injury, and the injury itself disappears.

I see the name, Lisa Arata , and am reminded of her letter on the Road Rage killer, Jason Reynolds. I know her letter is going to be a good read. Peter Boyles had the Blue Parrot Restauant owner on as a guest; Gambino would not make an appearance. Perhaps he is doing as Al Pacino did in the Godfather and is hiding in a hamlet in Italy. What? I didn't badmouth religion?

My God what has this country come to when a name of a burger will start up people to hurl insults back and forth? People, get a life, get over it, move on to something more important than a name of a burger, GEEEZZZZ, ITS A BURGER!!!!!!!!

Good point, 11:54.

Let's talk about white rice now...

John II,

Gee, I was hoping for a full blown out discussion on brown rice, but ok white rice it is, of course you realize that someone will be offended by the name calling, and white rice will forever have be renamed and called caucasion rice, is that the politcal correct term?

Some less than enlightened folks like yourself see white rice and brown rice. Can't we look past these superficial labels and just call it rice?

John II,

LOL

How about a ShantyBurger giving some recognition to what my ancestors were called in Ireland: ShantyIrish, and when they came to America, it took a while to kick the hyphenation. I have perfected an Irish burrito that my kids love.

John II pigment challanged rice.

But that leaves wild rice. hmm.....maybe less civilized rice.

Actually, John II's 12:01 was a great punch line. Too bad the posts couldn't have ended there.

For all those who think this particular discussion is getting silly, I offer the following childhood memory. Some of you must remember the "Integrated Swimming Pool" trick. Fill a bowl with water: that's the public swimming pool. Sprinkle in some salt: those are the white kids. Sprinkle in some pepper: those are the black kids. Sprinkle in some paprika: those are the Latino kids. Pour in a drop of dishwashing liquid: those are the "fill in the blank" (a Polish neighbor kid first showed me this gag, if that matters) kids. The powder immediately zooms to the edge of the bowl. Not politically correct, but good for a laugh if you happen to be 10 years old.

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