Pittsburgh bus slogan removed because it's a racial slur when read backwards

theGrio REPORT - The Port Authority of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, has decided to change a longtime slogan on its buses after commuters complained that it spells out a racial slur when read backwards.

Blue Telusma

Jun 7, 2015

The Port Authority of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, has decided to change a longtime slogan on its buses after commuters complained that it spells out a racial slur when read backwards.

Since 2003, the slogan, “Ziggin Zaggin,” has been wrapped around nine buses.

No one took issue with it until a few days ago when a driver noticed the slogan in her rearview mirror and complained to officials, CBS Pittsburgh reports.

It’s hard to believe that it took so long for someone to notice that, when read backward, “Ziggin Zaggin” looks like “Ni**az Ni**iz.”

Read that way, it could be perceived as racially insensitive, and more than half of bus riders are African-American countywide, according to the Pittsburgh Courier.

After the driver, Tracey Jennings, posted a grievance to the Port Authority on Facebook, agency spokesman Jim Ritchie announced the slogans would be removed from the buses immediately.

“… due to recent complaints about how this message appears when read backward, we have decided to remove the message from our vehicles,” he said. “This will take us several days to properly remove. We apologize to anyone who may have been offended.”

Some say the stickers need to be taken off immediately, while others say they don’t see a problem with it. “It may be an overreaction, but I can see where some people would be offended,” Cynthia Sharkey, of Moon Township, said.

“Who really thinks about looking at it backwards? It’s ‘Ziggin’ and Zaggin’.’ A vehicle zigs and zags through the city to pick somebody up. It’s a bus,” Antwon Manson of the Hill District said.

The slogan was part of a marketing campaign that comprised of six different slogans like “Rockin’ Rollin’” and “Movin’ Groovin’.”

“In terms of the message being offensive it’s not a surprise at all. It’s a very serious and hurtful and offensive message,” Ritchie added. “We felt the best thing to do was simply take it off.”