# Was I really offensive? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 18, 2010, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-i-really-offensive/536560 "2010-04-18T21:12:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-i-really-offensive/536560/21 "2010-04-19T17:47:58Z")
> [@ivan\_astikov](#): > > And binding them with tagliatelle, and pelting them with pasta shells. “Tonight, you sleep with the pici.” ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-i-really-offensive/536560/22 "2010-04-19T19:42:32Z")
Whenever a race or nationality is mentioned, someone will take offense somehow. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-i-really-offensive/536560/23 "2010-04-19T21:39:43Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > “Tonight, you sleep with the pici.” I see what you did there. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-i-really-offensive/536560/24 "2010-04-20T02:10:37Z")
Damn, I wrote out a whole answer to this that was going to make me unpopular (even more so). Not sure about the backgrounds and living situations of the people involved, but I do think there’s a disconnect between a generation of Americans that sees discrimination against Hispanics and black people and basically laughs out loud at any Irish or Italian stereotypes because it’s borderline unfathomable that they ever faced discrimination. That being said, I don’t think the example in the OP is a huge deal and most Italians I know are plenty good at perpetuating the mafia myth (myth?). Still, it’s not 100% groundless. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-i-really-offensive/536560/25 "2010-04-20T06:50:08Z")
Speaking as an Italian kid, a lot of us play into the mafia jokes by mentioning our “Uncle Vito” or “Cousin Guido” (and their skill at breaking kneecaps) when no such person exists. Of course, there’s also the fact that most Italian-Americans do have somebody in their family tree that’s connected to the mob. As time goes on this person often takes the shape of a “cousin’s uncle’s brother-in-law who’s twice removed and remarried, etc, etc”, but these relations are out there. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-i-really-offensive/536560/26 "2010-04-20T16:31:50Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > Hey! You think the pasta mafia does things **randomly**? I assure you that the don of the pasta mafia does nothing randomly: his associates target only undesirables, **like people who twirl their spaghetti using a spoon** , and break into their houses to break their linguini to express the don’s dissatisfaction. And what terrible faith awaits those that cut their spaghetti with the knife? ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-i-really-offensive/536560/27 "2010-04-20T17:51:36Z")
> [@Mighty\_Girl](#): > > And what terrible faith awaits those that cut their spaghetti with the knife? Handcuffed to raditore and pelted with gnocci ---
**Author:** ![arseNal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@arseNal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/arseNal)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-i-really-offensive/536560/28 "2010-04-20T18:10:46Z")
Of all the ethnic stereotypes there are out there, this one has always made me scratch my head the most as to why people would be offended by it. It seems like most of the Italian-Americans I’ve known loved to play up their imaginary or real connection to the mob, let alone be offended by the suggestion. The mafia is often romanticized in the media. Who are all these people who take issue with it? I mean, I would take that any day over the stereotypes for Asian guys … small-dicked, nerdy bad drivers who can’t speak English … ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-i-really-offensive/536560/29 "2010-04-26T13:41:34Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > Nah, I think the OP should comb the internet for articles about pasta related crimes and e-mail the links to the woman as proof that there is so a pasta mafia. Here’s a good story: [Rude Man Beaten, Pelted with Pasta](http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/23264052/detail.html). Has a nice Mafia flavor to it as well - two women assaulted this guy because he didn’t hold the elevator door open for them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-i-really-offensive/536560.md?page=1)