May 21, 2007 1:01 PM
Wopburger won't be whacked from Blue Parrot menu after all
The wopburger, a tradition for 88 years on the menu of the Blue Parrot restaurant, won't get a name change, reports James B. Meadow.
"We've had so many people coming in and calling us, telling us 'I can't believe you're changing the name. Please don't change the name,'" said Joan Riggins, who owns the restaurant with her father, Joseph Colacci and her brother Richard Colacci.Riggins says her family knows that "when certain words are used a certain way, they can be derogatory in context."
"But that was never meant to be that way with us," she said. "We used the word to mean 'Italian.' It was a name we used without any meaning as a term of a endearment."
Here's the background.
The Blue Parrot has had the Wopburger on its menu for nearly 90 years since it was founded by Michael and Emira Colacci, immigrants from Campobasso, Italy as, Meadow writes: "a place for coal miners - of which Michael was one - to eat, to be comfortable around fellow paisanos."
Chuck Scarpella, former head of the Louisville Society of Italian Americans, says the you-know- what burger had "been there all my life. My grandma worked in the Blue Parrot. My mom worked there, I worked there, my kids worked there. It's never been offensive."
And the Boulder Valley School District says it has no plans to discontinue using the Blue Parrot sauce for its lunch programs.
Tom Tancredo, who is of Italian descent, tells Back Roads to the White House blogger M.E. Sprengelmeyer:
"I think they should have hung in there. It's just giving in to the politically-correct crowd, that's all it is."
Did the Colacci family do the right thing?
May 14, 2007
8:31 AM
MBNW writes:
More like an offensive east-coast jerk. Seriously, as long as they keep serving the chicken cacciatore I will keep stopping by.
May 14, 2007
8:33 AM
Jeanne Turnage writes:
The people at the Blue Parrot are proud people, proud of their ancestry, heritage and of course their restaurant. They should have copyrighted their "wopburger" name. I have no idea why someone would be offended by this name after 90 years. Get a life someone!
May 14, 2007
8:47 AM
Hogar De Vuelta (العودة) writes:
Thank a Democrat, this is the sort of environment they love to create. Protect Ward Churchill, Piss Christ, OJ Simpson, but attack Larry Sumers, the Wopburger and Dick Cheney.
May 14, 2007
9:05 AM
Tree writes:
Sounds like the person complaining just wasn't hungry enough. If the complainer was depression bone thin and hadn't t eaten anything solid for a week, that would have been the best Wopburger ever. Wopburger for presidente'. Long live the Wopburger.
May 14, 2007
9:13 AM
just sayin' writes:
what happens when you have a flat with Pirelli's? Dago, Wop, Wop, wop
May 14, 2007
9:17 AM
Chill Out writes:
Thank a Democrat, this is the sort of environment they love to create. Protect Ward Churchill, Piss Christ, OJ Simpson, but attack Larry Sumers, the Wopburger and Dick Cheney.
Posted by Hogar De Vuelta (العود
This is the stupidest post I have ever seen from you. Generally you are not this "out there". What's up with that? Really bad weekend. OJ Simpson?? dick Cheney?? What does any of that have to do with this?
May 14, 2007
9:23 AM
Anonymous writes:
Political correctness is not Democrat's sole property. The right wing Christians you stole from our party by playing the abortion card are the crowd you can primarily blame for that BS. (It is surprising how they have turned to wanting to save the unborn into slobbering war mongers) It started with wanting rock labeled if you don't forget and Reagan with his wife spouting “just say no” let it walk into modern America. And with the new anti terror laws authored and passed by the GOP it will never change. You will be able to go to jail for “plotting terrorist acts” which is just code for writing down politically incorrect statements and it is law. Hogar you can point your finger all you want but there always three pointing back at the GOP.
May 14, 2007
9:29 AM
Anonymous writes:
The other thing is Hogar is that there were no laws broken, no fines imposed, just economic pressure. Why are you always knocking it when the capitalist system works? You support companies that don’t bid in Iraq and “lose” 8 billion in cash. But you have a cow over a school that threatens to buy spaghetti sauce from a different vendor and you’re chapped? You are what is wrong with the GOP and why I don’t like that party any more. GET OVER YOURSELVES AND COME BACK TO AMERICA!!!
May 14, 2007
9:30 AM
Tree writes:
Hogar-
Good Monday mornin' to you. I can see you stirred up the hornets nest. Relax bloggers! Hogar went to the middle aged republicans club meetin' on Saturday and the seminar was on the art of swift boating. See how it works, it has you all buzzing around the nest.
H- does "one man's piece of junk is another man's treasure" apply here?
May 14, 2007
9:31 AM
Imus Rules writes:
I think the Blue Parrot should contact the ACLU and have them step in and help this as a matter of free speech. Ooops - sorry - the ACLU is ONLY in the business of protecting free speech if it is the Left that is having their rights infringed upon... Political Correctness is a bastion of the Left so the ACLU won't go near it...
May 14, 2007
9:34 AM
RonT writes:
Heck, when I was growing up back east in Connecticut we called all the guineas "wops". Wasn't a big deal. Probably was the reason that thin-skinned dago moved out here - he couldn't cut in a place where political correctness isn't legislated.
RonT - a proudly liberal cracker mick
May 14, 2007
9:50 AM
Hogar De Vuelta (العودة) writes:
Thank a Republican, this is the sort of environment they love to create. Abandon the Iraqis, the Wopburger and the Border, but protect, the Saudis, cigarettes and the prisoners in Gitmo.
May 14, 2007
9:55 AM
TV Rules writes:
Hogar-
Didn't you see Boston Legal last week? The prisoner in Gitmo was innocent. Guilty by republican association. Watch more TV man.
May 14, 2007
9:58 AM
Hogar De Vuelta (العودة) writes:
I'm supposed to be serious about a Wopburger? I need something I can sink my teeth into. You can probably eat a Wopburger with your gums.
May 14, 2007
10:13 AM
Anonymous writes:
The blog is full of Wopburger but the front page story about how with the new GOP energy plan’s relaxed rules for drilling and a uranium mining company is going to take advantage of the situation and contaminate Northern Colorado’s aquifers. They are probably selling uranium to Iran too. The GOP relaxed all those groundwater rules just in time for ruining Colorado’s water so a few rich people could become richer while contaminating our home without fear of recourse. People should not wonder when the GOP goes down in flames. Maybe we could spray some contaminated water on them to put them out.
May 14, 2007
10:19 AM
Tree writes:
Guys-
Very similar situation, down on S. Broadway near Belleview in old Englewood there is a glass shop doing business under the name Headed West. The owner was tired of the grafitti on the side of his building so he had it painted with a murial. Well, the murial is offensive to some people and the city is throwing an unused signage ordinance at them and making them take it down. Back to more of the same. Grafitti. The murial would suggest to some Englewood residents that drugs are ok, fun and fantasy and that's just not ok. Did I mention this place is a smoking accessory store.
It's a glorified gas station if you get down to it. The products are safe until you use a lighter.
I'm all for the murial. Focus on your own damn family would be my bumper sticker here.
May 14, 2007
10:25 AM
jay writes:
Whatever it takes to get people out to the sticks to eat. I can't say that I'd be more inclined to drive out to the burbs to eat a sandwich using a racial slur for publicity. With Out Passport is what the "natives" morphed into a derogatory term to insult the immigrants they didn't like...jwhich is just a big cycle...and seems like we always have the same type of people doing the name calling and slurring. But hey, it's a free country...you can be as big of a jackass as you want to be.
May 14, 2007
10:43 AM
gr8fuldude writes:
This reminds me of the uproar last year over the restaurant/nightclub at 11th and Lincoln called the Donkey Den. Now is out of business, showing that gimmicks can't carry any business.
If this has been on the menu for 90 years, my guess is that the community didn't really care.
May 14, 2007
11:00 AM
history buff writes:
This is an Italian burger at an Italian restaurant owned by generations of Italians. And yet the term Wopburger is offensive to one person from New Jersey, the same place Hogar came from a year ago, so the Boulder school system caves into pressure.
First, the wopburger sounds a lot like the whopper, yet it predates the whopper. Second, most Italian Americans have a thicker hide than the New Jersey interloper. Wop never rose to the same level as other ethnic or racial slurs. Third, the wopburger could have been sung by an early rap group named Dagos With Attitude. (Please, don't take away my dago red.) What will be next? Rename the doo-wop music genre?
There is one reason to go along with the political correctness. Obviously people like Shaggy would take it as an opportunity to spew their hatred and ignorance onto every ethnic and racial group, no matter how inappropriate or hateful, and claim it is part of their free speech rights. The wopburger is rather inoffensive, but Shaggy's suggestions show complete ignorance of what is meant by a person's intent.
I write this as a citizen whose surname ends in a vowel.
May 14, 2007
11:14 AM
CS writes:
I was raised in Louisville an Italian mother, and grew up eating at the Blue Parrot. My children also have grown up on this food. None of my family members have taken offense at the wopburger, and, in fact, it's always been one of our favorites. If Mr. Gambino (wonder why he left the east coast?) is offended by our customs, he should be reminded that I-70 also runs east.
May 14, 2007
11:32 AM
shaggy writes:
HB,
I didn`t spew racial slurs.
I was responding to Dirks comment.
Have you, jay or JW ever read the entire thread before. It might help you.
I will say it again in simple writing so maybe you Librals can understand.
Beings that it is privately owned, they can name the Burger what ever they want to and they can also allow someone to have a smoke as well, because it is privately owned.
May 14, 2007
11:40 AM
Renaldo writes:
They should keep calling it the wopburger and add a new wine (whine?) to the menu, Gambino vino. It's a surly, slightly fruity wine made from extremely thin skinned grapes and foot stomped by only the cheapest jersey whores with abundant bunions and corns.
May 14, 2007
11:59 AM
shaggy writes:
That is what Dirk posted,
I was refering to his comment.
READ the whole thread godddam it.
You, Jw and jay do this shit everyday.
READ before you open your piehole shit for brains
May 14, 2007
12:06 PM
Sorry Shaggy, HB is right writes:
Yeah you did Shaggy.
You spewed your racial slurs so much the moderator took it down. So eat that with your fatburger lunch.
May 14, 2007
12:23 PM
Ben writes:
I guess crackers are off the menu.
May 14, 2007
12:24 PM
shaggy writes:
Mark Wolf,
It is O.K. for the Rocky Mountain News to print WOP but not another kind of ethnic slur??
According to the RMN it is O.K. to print ethnic slurs aimed at Itialians but not Colored people or whites.
True Liberalism at its finest.
Your freedom of Speech over rides mine.
May 14, 2007
12:25 PM
history buff writes:
I don't think Dirk's post is in the best of taste either, but at least he recognizes it is a hateful thing to say. The Italians were subject to bullying, much like the Irish, but they were never subject to segregation and Jim Crow laws. For an Italian to call himself a wop, or for an Irishman to call himself a mic, is a form of self deprecation. It's a way to belittle the use of a term that is meant to belittle someone's ethnic heritage. To use a slur regarding another race as a name for a sandwich is a totally different thing.
Semantics are important.
May 14, 2007
12:29 PM
Ben writes:
Shaggy, It is the RMN after all.
May 14, 2007
12:31 PM
shaggy writes:
ben,
You better not say that word, that one is banned under the RMN freedom speech amendment.
I said the same word and it got pulled.
May 14, 2007
12:37 PM
Ben writes:
Here's another one that will get pulled '"White Native American"
May 14, 2007
1:02 PM
The Icy Cold Hard Truth writes:
The world would be a MUCH better place if we all started disparaging ethinicities, religions and gender on a daily basis.
If racism and insults became "the norm", after a while nobody would be offended anymore.
May 14, 2007
1:03 PM
J-Rod writes:
I find it interesting that there is a continual stream of comments that Political Correctness is a problem of the left. Although it has traditionally been so, the Republicans and the right adhere to the same policies; attacking any republican who says the wrong thing as a RINO. The republicans just lie to themselves when they say that they are not PC. They just adhere to the republican brand just like some people drink Pepsi and some people drink Coke. Maybe we should appreciate this debate as an opportunity to teach our children history, and address what acceptable speech used to be and what it is now. This may be an informative and insightful debate if we didn't just sit around call eachother names and crack jokes. Maybe we should be asking ourselves why now? Why did they take away the University of Illinois mascot a couple of months ago? What is the prevailing paradigm that is impacting the use of these "traditions"?
May 14, 2007
1:03 PM
MrsBee writes:
Some folks just don't have enough to do. Worry about your own pack of troubles, quit fussing about what might be offensive. If it aint broke, don't fix it!! Ninety years of history, no one objected, so why now?
May 14, 2007
1:03 PM
history buff writes:
How about "po' white trash?"
May 14, 2007
1:06 PM
Its A Fact Folks writes:
Modern Conservatism shuns any group that is not wealthy, selfish and white.
So, to Modern Conservatives, calling an Italian a Wop is pretty damn funny.
May 14, 2007
1:09 PM
renaldo writes:
And now for "Spot the Slur".
Eat at Joe's, we serve frog legs.
No french wine but beer from kegs.
From our garden, fresh veggies made. Dug up daily with fork & spade. Sausage & 'kraut so good it screams "try me". Goes great with Sprite, so lemony & limey. Only the best ingredient to feed your head. Whole grains and wheat, never any whitebread. A backyard patio with multi-colored lights quite trippy. Closed only when weather gets cold & nippy. A clean environment, we keep it shiny as we can. The floors mopped daily with spic and span.
May 14, 2007
1:32 PM
history buff writes:
reynaldo
If you are saying that biggots can be subtle and speak in code words so that other biggots know who you are, like having a secret handshake, you have made your point.
May 14, 2007
1:59 PM
MBNW writes:
They should rename it the Gambinoburger.
May 14, 2007
2:07 PM
Carlo Gambino writes:
Political correctness is the preposterous notion that it is possible to pick up a turd from the clean end. I am not suggesting this is what my nephew has in mind.
However, I will instruct him to retract his offense to this slur immediately if Imus is reinstated and the BP adds a nappy headed hoe burger to the menu.
Carlo
May 14, 2007
2:12 PM
Mark Wolf writes:
Shaggy,
I appreciate your point. When we put this topic up we knew we'd have to be alert to racial slurs. Your post was making a serious and legit point but the "N word' just falls outside our parameters. Hypocritical in a discussion about a Wopburger? I'll concede that point to you, but it's still a word we're going to stay away from.
If we ever find ourselves at the Blue Parrot, I'll pop for whatever they're calling the sandwich at the moment..
May 14, 2007
2:28 PM
history buff writes:
Mark, I don't think all ethnic slurs are the same. They differ in magnitude. But I stand on my point of semantics. There has been much drivel spewed in the past about rap groups using the N word, so why can't whitey use it? As I tried to explain, when a person uses the term for self deprecation, he belittles the use of the slur. No hatred is intended. But if someone then sees that as permission to use offensive slurs against others, it only proves the point that someone is a bigot.
May 14, 2007
2:32 PM
renaldo writes:
reynaldo
If you are saying that biggots can be subtle and speak in code words so that other biggots know who you are, like having a secret handshake, you have made your point.
Posted by history buff on May 14, 2007 01:32 PM
Actually, I'm not that deep. Just trying to be humorous. Most bigots I've met pretty much put it out there as to what they are. It's like they test you to see if your one of them. Here is a surefire way to disarm and distance a bigot- whatever ethnic group they disparage, that'll be who you're married to. Add in a slight raise of the eyebrow as you tell them this and the look on their face is classic. If later they find you lied to them, the simple phrase "since when are bigots interested in the truth?" usually shuts their piehole.
May 14, 2007
2:35 PM
shaggy writes:
Mark Wolf,
I won`t argue with you but I will not agree with you. This is your blog site.
One racial slur is just the same as another racial slur.
Either allow them all or none at all. ( In my opinion)
You did not write the freedom of Speech Admendment and should not be the one to regulate it.
If a Black, White Or Mexican wants to call me a "Wop" it is O.K. according to your rules.
But if I want to respond to them with an ethic slur you will pull it.
Who`s being Racial here, me or you??
Do I have this right???
Sounds like I might need to give old David Lane up in Boulder for some input .
May 14, 2007
2:48 PM
Dirk Gently writes:
Shaggy, looks like my comment was pulled, too (and I was using an ethnic to demonstrate how nasty an ethnic slur can be if it's something other than "wop"!).
Imus Rules: give me a break. The ACLU defends the left-wing cases, yes--but those are the ones on which you fixate. None other than Sean Hannity himself was bailed out by the ACLU on his own radio show in his earlier years. They have even defended the KKK on occasion. They are an equal opportunity supporter of free speech and libertarian values--left, right and totally batshit.
Here's the thing about free speech, though: the reason ethnic slurs are not okay is that you basically inherit your race/ethnicity--it's an inherent part of one's identity, not an idea. That's why it's okay to protect something like "Piss Christ" as free speech, but you can't really get away with "Hang all the N******." This is really not that hard, folks.
May 14, 2007
2:55 PM
Mark Wolf writes:
Shaggy,
If that's your idea of not arguing ... :)
Of course I'm splitting hairs on this topic. I'm perfectly prepared to concede that every racial slur has potency but you can't talk about this topic without allowing more leeway than if we were arguing, say, illegal immigration. But the N-word, no matter that it was used to make a very legitimate point, is a line we're just not prepared to cross - especially when we're talking about a sandwich that raises our cholesterol just thinking about it.
And if you want the last word on this, I'll give it to you with no rebuttal.
May 14, 2007
3:01 PM
gr8fuldude writes:
Out of curiousity, has anyone on here even had this sandwich? Doesn't sound too good, but I'm not much for Italian.
May 14, 2007
3:04 PM
jay writes:
I haven't tried it, I don't dig on swine.
May 14, 2007
3:07 PM
shaggy writes:
Well all you Blacks, Whites, Mexicans ect....
Don`t you dare call Me a "wop",
Cause I `ll have to get my big guns out and call you all a bunch of "Furry Fluff Balls":)
There take that!!!
How`d that feel!!!
May 14, 2007
3:12 PM
renaldo writes:
The food critic for the rocky gave it a c+. the sausage patty was a little tough and chewy and he's not a fan of their marinara sauce.
May 14, 2007
3:27 PM
Anonymous writes:
Want to see the GOP slip deep into political correctness. Listen to them describe the quagmire of an occupation or the ethnic civil war in Iraq.
May 14, 2007
3:41 PM
spine writes:
only changing the name for money fine sense of integrity
May 14, 2007
4:01 PM
Anonymous writes:
If this is your own restaurant can't you name your food what ever you want? It's still a free country ..isnt it?
If the wop burger sells and everyones ok with it so whats the problem?
May 14, 2007
4:28 PM
shaggy writes:
04:01 PM,
Carefull what you say.
If you offend anyone here who isn`t Italian you`ll get your post pulled.
I thought the same thing as you if you owned your own restaurant you could do what you want.
It all depends on which Ethnical group you are refering to.
Italians---Yes you can discriminate.
Blacks---No. They are off limits.
Whites--- Again ,off limits.
May 14, 2007
4:42 PM
I Merely Speak the Brutal Truth writes:
Let's Be Blunt.
In the Restroom, there is no Black and White.
There is no Pole, or Italian, or Mexican.
There is no Christian, or Muslim, or Jew.
In the Restroom, there are only Human Beings, suffering uniformly under the tyranny of the Bowels.
May 14, 2007
5:09 PM
Attorney writes:
Shaggy-
As your attorney, just eliminate the n word from your vocabulary. You'll lose every arguement and you have no history. It will only get you in trouble in the future, may get you beat up and worse, may get you fired from a job and sued. Just eat it. If you are not happy about it, like you have been expressing, too bad. If you want, jump in the time machine and go live your life again as a black male and use the word everyday and rap it in songs all day long. No way you say. See, be happy your not a minority and have to deal with the crap they do everyday, 365.
May 14, 2007
5:30 PM
Anonymous writes:
"See, be happy your not a minority and have to deal with the crap they do everyday, 365. "
Oh brother, cry me a river. Get in touch with the real world.
May 14, 2007
5:42 PM
shaggy writes:
"Just eat it. If you are not happy about it, like you have been expressing, too bad."--Attorney
As a white Male, I`m used to double standards when it comes to Racism.
I wonder what would come of it if I were to open a Burger joint using my favorite ingredient "Saltines" :)?
May 14, 2007
6:43 PM
Scott writes:
O.K. now it's my turn to be "offended".
From this point forward McDonnalds MUST cease and desist the Mc[everything]. In this hyper-PC world they have no excuse for not knowing that Mc is obviously a slur on my Irish ancestory. For well over a century my ethnic background has suffered the indignity of being refered to as "Micks". It does not matter if the founders, Misters Dick and Mac McDonnald, were Irish, Polish or Lower Sbobovian! They have insulted me!
Sounds pretty stupid, doesn't it? Someone really needs to give the "offended" patron and Komrade Linda Stroll of the People's Democratic Republic of Boulder school district a lesson in common sense.
By the way, I wonder if Komrade Stroll knows what WOP actually stands for? How about kike? The original meaning was not derogatory, only descriptive.
Scott
(3/8ths Irish, 100% American)
May 14, 2007
7:10 PM
Holier Than Thou writes:
Now I don't want to offend anyone but I offered to buy dinner for what I thought was a nice girl but she said she wanted to eat Chinese. I told her that they can run quite fast when you try to bite them and many of them fight back. Could be messy. So, we went to one their restaurants instead. I noticed they had General Tso's Chicken on the menu and she said she liked that. I always felt guilty ordering General Tso's Chicken because I imagine him walking outside and looking around asking, "Where's my chicken?"
Next time we had dinner she made me eat her taco. I had brought the French bread, to which she applied plenty of butter and garlic.
I believe that everything I eat must be politically correct, especially if it comes fried.
May 14, 2007
7:28 PM
spine writes:
funny not one person notices that the blue partot which has the rght not to change the name caved in to for the wrong reason the bolder valley school money if they had any real postion here other than money it would be different getting free publicity at the cost of offending people funny way to do business especially when they dont even speak with the source of the complaint
May 14, 2007
9:14 PM
Perry writes:
Hum I thought Italian was a nationality not a race?
Heaven help us save us from the thought police.
May 15, 2007
8:22 AM
JS writes:
Stupidity reigns supreme in the US as usual.
May 15, 2007
9:41 AM
Dave II writes:
I had forgotten about the Blue Parrot and the Wopburger.
About 15 years ago I had occasion to have lunch a couple of times in Louisville. I figured I would give the Blue Parrot a try since it had such a great reputation.
It was almost the worst Italian restaurant I have been in. I was actually surprised to learn that it was owned by Italians. Oh well, I guess not all of us can cook.
As for the Wopburger. I was amazed they called it that and figured they could only get away with it someplace without a large concentration of Italians. While we Italians do have thicker skins than other ethnic groups "Wopburger" goes too far. Funny how you won't be able to find a "Wopburger" in San Francisco, Chicago or the Bronx.
May 15, 2007
9:48 AM
Chris H. writes:
So, as an American of German descent, should I be getting offended at all these places that have sauerkraut on the menu?
Words only have power if people let them have power. These days it seems there are a lot of people out there who are giving words the power of black magic - no, wait, don't want to offend anyone, make that 'dark sorcery'
May 15, 2007
9:53 AM
Dave II writes:
Chris you have the cart before the horse. In German cuisine a type of pickled cabbage is called sauerkraut. The slur "Kraut" came from the German word not the other way around. There is no Italian food called Wop.
May 15, 2007
9:54 AM
McKraut writes:
I am half Irish, half German--a true McKraut. Why is wop derogatory? If any reference to Native Americans in sports derogatory, why is 'The Fighting Irish' OK? Where are the PC police on that one?
May 15, 2007
10:00 AM
Wu Hu writes:
Let's Be Blunt.
In the Restroom, there is no Black and White.
There is no Pole, or Italian, or Mexican.
There is no Centrist, no Extremist, no Democrat, no Republican.
There is no Christian, or Muslim, or Jew.
In the Restroom, there are only Human Beings, suffering uniformly under the tyranny of the Bowels.
May 15, 2007
10:01 AM
Anonymous writes:
Wop: (North America) A racial term for anyone of Italian descent. Contrary to popular belief, it is not an acronym for "With Out Papers", but was derived from an Italian word "guappo", meaning thug.
May 15, 2007
10:04 AM
gr8fuldude writes:
In other food related news, I saw this morning that the owner of Tom's Tavern in Boulder has passed away. May he RIP, he'll be missed. Great establishment.
May 15, 2007
10:17 AM
history buff writes:
This story has hit hard. Shaggy is no longer just a white man. He now claims he is Italian. I'm not sure, but I think it shows how far Italians have progressed in this country. Ciao, Shaggy.
May 15, 2007
10:33 AM
Anonymous writes:
"Wop: (North America) A racial term for anyone of Italian descent. Contrary to popular belief, it is not an acronym for "With Out Papers", but was derived from an Italian word "guappo", meaning thug."
A couple of years ago the History Channel had a show about Ellis Island. The show claimed that WOP meant "WithOut Papers." Using Al Gore's invertion, the internet, I Googled WOP and came up with a number of sites that claim what 10:01 AM said and a number of others that claimed what the History Channel said. Who knows which is correct!
Scott
May 15, 2007
10:43 AM
Gratuitous Suckup writes:
Hey Scott - Why not pose the WOP question to that new guy Mike Rudeen, with the RMN? He is able to handle all the tough questions, and I am sure that he will come up with an accurate, informative and entertaining answer that will educate us all.
May 15, 2007
10:48 AM
Mark Wolf writes:
Gr8fuldude,
Share your sentiments about Tom Eldridge, owner of Tom's Tavern. and a well-regarded City Councilman in Boulder. Here's the obit: http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5537420,00.html
Tom's serves a great, tasty, simple burger.
May 15, 2007
11:28 AM
gr8fuldude writes:
Thanks for the info Mark. He was a class act. I hope the Tavern stays open. The article says the family plans to keep it. A nice place in the flood of mid-priced-family establishments we seem to be awash in.
May 15, 2007
12:51 PM
shaggy writes:
HB,10:17 AM
Have you ever heard of a Swedish, Norwegian and Italian person ??
I even have blonde hair.
Long hair, long blonde and shaggy.
The kind of hair that Tree could hide his stash in before we went into a concert:)
Nice attempt to stabb me but you missed as usual.
May 15, 2007
1:00 PM
history buff writes:
You need to change your online name to Shaggi if you want to express your Italian-ness.
May 15, 2007
1:25 PM
shaggy writes:
: )
May 15, 2007
1:36 PM
Laurie Sue writes:
For years I have been told stories of The Blue Parrot and its famous fare of pasta and such. You see, this family of Italians is MY family. The Colacci's are my mother’s relatives. I am PROUD to be a wop. Among us, it is a term of honor. As a child, my mother was sent by her grandmother to shop at "Joe the Wop's" for wop bread to go with the family dinner.
As for the local school district, you should've stood your ground and NOT given in to the strong armed tactics of the NIAF or some guy named Gambino who couldn't hack it on the east coast and decided to try life out west. You knew a good product when you saw it. You should not have bitten the hand that feeds you great sauce!
Now to Mr. Gambino...if you have the nerve to finish the can of worms you opened, might I suggest a nice marinara from the Blue Parrot? It makes EVERYTHING taste better!!!
May 15, 2007
1:40 PM
Anonymous writes:
now, if only those damn redskins would leave us alone.......
May 15, 2007
6:18 PM
Anonymous writes:
Guess we can't say "gosh, i'm having a blonde moment" anymore. . .dang. . .
May 16, 2007
7:36 PM
Anonymous writes:
Why is my post in error and responding too soon?
I don't carry on a long conversation.. Like some?
May 17, 2007
12:47 PM
andi writes:
Just want to answer, Dave 11. If you think the food is bad stay away from the restaurant! I have lived in Colorado all my life, my grandpa came from Italy in 1890's. I am sick of the people from the east coast and california. They come here and complain about the stinky cow smell. Well you do want milk and meat don't you. They complain about the food, they complain about the hick atmosphere and lack of style. STAY out of Colorado, and never venture west of the Hudson. Think red staters are stupid. Stay home in your liberal east and west coast utopia.
May 18, 2007
8:17 AM
Bucci writes:
This is simple. If a TV show or movie offends you, don't watch it. If a song offends you, don't listen to it. If a person offends you, distance yourself from them. If a sandwich offends you, don't eat it.
Still, is "Wop" a racist term? Some say it's an acronym for Without Papers or Without Passport. Others say that it all happened in Spain. The work "Guapo" (pronounced 'whopo') was first applied in Spain as an insult for Italian migrant grape workers in Iberian vineyards. Today Spain has more than one million "guest workers." Of course, the country has always HAD to welcome immigrant workers because of population scarcity and density fluctuations at various times in Spanish history. When the first large flood of Italian workers came to Spain at the end of the 19th century and in the early years of the 20th century, Spanish men, with their notoriously sensitive machismo, thought very little of Italian males. Spanish women disagreed; as records of intermarriage attest. Spanish men dismissed Italian men as "los guapos," 'the pretty boys.' They were too handsome. They were pretty boys who had to be watched when they were around virginal and pure Spanish women. British and American residents and visitors to Spain heard Italian men being called whopos. The Spanish also brought the term here to the U.S. This makes sense because Italian men are indeed very pretty and difficult to resist.
May 21, 2007
12:52 PM
Wu Hu II writes:
Let's Be Blunt.
In the Restroom, there is no Black and White.
There is no Pole, or Italian, or Mexican.
There is no Centrist, no Extremist, no Democrat, no Republican.
There is no Christian, or Muslim, or Jew.
In the Restroom, there are only Human Beings, suffering uniformly under the tyranny of the Bowels
May 21, 2007
1:59 PM
tony writes:
just leave it alone, i am sick and tired of all this PC crap. get over it and move on if you are offended-good,go back to your "homeland" and live there. here we can do and say what we please. so again just leave it alone.
long to customer of the Blue Parrot and always will be.
oh yeah i forgot, 4th generation Italian
May 21, 2007
2:06 PM
Jim writes:
I am pleased to learn the Blue Parrot is sticking with the Wopburger.
May 21, 2007
2:35 PM
Anonymous writes:
I wonder if this has anything to do with the two Psychologists that encouraged the Students at Boulder High to have sex and due drugs at a school seminar they were required to attend????
May 21, 2007
2:42 PM
jay writes:
Yes Mr. Christian Crazy...you hit the nail on the head. The Wopburger's sphere of influence is widespread and getting bigger by the day. You can't stop it, you can only hope to contain it.
May 21, 2007
2:58 PM
Soylent Green writes:
Forget whether the name is offensive or not - what in the wide wide world of sports is a school district doing spending 20k a year on marinara sauce!?!? Buy some freaking' Generic Tomato Sauce and spend that money on EDUCATION for these kids! This is an outrage...
May 21, 2007
3:10 PM
Hogar De Vuelta (العودة) writes:
One small step for freedom, one giant step for burgers.
May 21, 2007
4:00 PM
Anonymous writes:
Now I gotta have one!
Many Happy Returns for THE WOPBURGER!!
May 21, 2007
4:25 PM
Troll writes:
Shaggy, you better be happy. And you better go buy 5 fat ones and hand 4 of them out to hungry people walking under bridge somewhere.
May 21, 2007
5:22 PM
David (R) writes:
Yes. The Colacci family made the right call - BRAVO.
And, the Boulder County School District-shove-our-noses-in-everyone-elses-business should go piss up a rope. Better yet, fire the stupid busy-bodies that started this thing, and make them watch reruns of Judge Judy until they lose their sanity (assuming they have any now).
May 21, 2007
7:50 PM
Anonymous writes:
Congratulations~!!!
It your restraunt..you named it..
you liked it on the menu.
My large family will return in support.
All the food is good...and reasonable.
May 22, 2007
8:01 AM
Dennis Young writes:
I haven't been to the Blue Parrot in a couple of years; but my wife and I decided to go support them and have a WOPBurger this Saturday!
That Gambino guy needs to go back east! God, what a weenie!
May 22, 2007
8:03 AM
Dennis Young writes:
I haven't been to the Blue Parrot in a couple of years; but my wife and I decided to go support them and have a WOPBurger this Saturday!
That Gambino guy needs to go back east! God, what a weenie!
May 22, 2007
8:50 AM
Tony writes:
Now let's whack amnesty in any form for illegal aliens.
May 22, 2007
8:53 AM
Personal Evolution writes:
Bucci: Interesting! I had never heard that explanation before, or that bit of Iberian history.
Personally, I find any term that lowers another person's diginity offensive. But, hey, that's the kind of world we live in now. Anything goes. The nastier the better should be our national tagline. Forget about respecting other humans for whatever reason. Let's all just live in the gutter. Let's all just call each other the most defamatory words we can muster up. Yeah. That will really create a wonderful world for us and our children.
Don't like my viewpoint? What are you going to do? Call me nasty name?
May 22, 2007
9:13 AM
truthy writes:
Take that you leftwing, POS, nutjob failures. I will think of you each time I have a WOPBURGER!!!!
May 22, 2007
9:44 AM
shaggy writes:
Troll ,
I am happy, Thank You.
I`m gonna get a bunch of Toilet Paper specially made for the Blue Parrot with the word "Liberals" written on it.
May 22, 2007
9:49 AM
Hogar De Vuelta (العودة) writes:
Posted by Personal Evolution on May 22, 2007 08:53 AM
I am not a fan of personal invectives, but the WOPBURGER was clearly not aimed at hurting Italians. It was an Italian family that owned the restaraunt. The point is that this is an issue between the restaurant and its customers. Those who are offended can make their complaint and go about their business. Turning as issue like this into a news story is a travesty.
May 22, 2007
10:13 AM
Italian Stallion writes:
the most overrated restaurant in Colorado. It is TERRIBLE. I was told to check it out and was never more disappointed. Taco Bell is to Mexican Food what this place is to Italian.
May 22, 2007
10:53 AM
Personal Evolution writes:
Sorry. I don't buy the argument that just because the restaurant is owned and operated by Italian Americans that it's OK to denigrate an entire group of people. Only the simple minded and uneducated resort to facile, crass names to classify human beings.
For the ignorant, it's just easier to brush aside valid viewpoints by putting people in narrow boxes and calling them names, i.e. "liberal," "conservative," politically correct," etc.
By the way: I have eaten at the restaurant and found it to be pretty mediocre, too.
May 22, 2007
11:01 AM
Anonymous writes:
Personal Evolution sounds alot like Anderson.
Great advice T !
May 22, 2007
11:25 AM
jay writes:
I personally would be ashamed to call myself an Italian if I used racial epithets disparaging Italians to make a buck.
May 22, 2007
11:27 AM
Anonymous writes:
WOPBURGERS 4 EVER!
May 22, 2007
11:41 AM
gr8fuldude writes:
I have to wonder how much the restaurant will benefit fromm all of this free publicity...?
May 22, 2007
11:50 AM
shaggy writes:
Dude,
I know huh.
I need to think up something racist for my flooring biz :)
May 22, 2007
1:12 PM
Anonymous writes:
TONY...Good one !!!!!
May 23, 2007
11:48 PM
JugDish writes:
Why do we waste time on stuff like this when there are so many more important issues or interesting events to talk about. I say if you don't like the name of the burger, don't eat there. And if you do patronize the place. I mean if we can stomach the fact that Washington calls their football team the Redskins... how can anyone really get in a twist over the name of this burger!