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Ok I was out with my friend today at the little Italy days down at Bloomfield in the Pittsburgh area and I used therm mafia not loud so people could hear but my friends dad heard me and he said don't use that word around here ok? It's not a good word for Italian people. Then I said it to my friend for a second time and he told me don't use that word ever again around this area because people I was walking pass by had Italian blue shirts and and green shirts with the Italian flag on it. I didn't say mafia obviously on purpose I just didn't know it was insulting to Italians. And I'm embarrassed because I'm 24 and I should know what all ethnic slurs are for different countries.
But like I said I didn't know that using the term mafia around an italian community was offensive. I didn't mean any harm again it was an accident..I don't want you guys blaming it on me. But I'm 24 and i didn't know...so I feel embarrassed. I mean everybody knows the term mafia is disrespectful. Lol I must be the only person my age that didn't know that was a racial Italian slur.
I suppose it would be similar to going up to a middle-eastern man and saying Taliban or Al-Qaeda... It can be seen as prejudicial so don't say it, it's quite dumb, accidental or not. =]
It shows a great deal of stereotyping. I would not use it when talking to strangers of Italian heritage. It might make them think that you're a racist.
Am I making sense? I'm a nice guy but it was an accident what I said....
