A former Camp Pendleton Marine fulfilled his dream of opening a bar after leaving the service - but he didn't anticipate running into trouble over the name.
"Bastards" had its grand opening last night in the city of Downey, to coincide with Memorial Day. Owner and former Marine Cpl. Nick Velez didn't name the bar after the slang word for an illegitimate child, according to the Marine Corps Times:
It’s a nod to the “Magnificent Bastards,” the official nickname of 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, his former infantry battalion at Camp Pendleton.
Several opponents of bar's name spoke recently before the Downey City Council. One woman asked City Councilman Mario Guerra what she should tell her son the word "bastard" means. Guerra is the father of a former Marine:
Guerra said to tell her son the story of 2/4 and the Bastard Marines who have fought, died and served in combat for their country.
CBS Los Angeles visited the bar last night at its grand opening. Take a look:
