Downey Residents Don't Want a Bar Called 'Bastards'

The latest not-in-our-town restaurant debacle comes not from pho-king Boringville Mission Viejo but from OC-close Downey. 

Residents are petitioning against a new sports bar called Bastards. LAist reports that one woman wrote a letter to The Downey Patriot saying the name is “not only offensive, it is not appropriate for this family-friendly city that places high value on character.” (Wait, Downey?)

But owner Nicholas Velez said there's a deeper meaning behind the name. He told Downey Beat that it comes from “Magnificent Bastards,” a nickname for the 2nd battalion 4th Marines infantry unit. This establishment will be operated by service members and veterans, and the name is a badge of honor.  

“I wake up every day proud to be a bastard, so we did not name our restaurant 'Bastards' to offend anyone,” Velez told the newspaper. 

City officials state that due to free speech laws, there's not much they can do to stop the bastard. They say that while bastard “is not a word usually used in polite conversation,” they hope that “the military story behind the name will help make residents more comfortable with it.” The beer and BBQ joint plans to open soon.