Posted on 10/07/2005 11:00:24 AM PDT by flutters
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio Civil Rights Commission has ruled a sign in the window of a southwest Ohio tavern declaring, "For Service, Speak English," is discriminatory.
The panel said Thursday the Pleasure Inn on U.S. 42 in Mason, northeast of Cincinnati, violated the state civil rights law.
Commission spokeswoman Christia Alou White said the tavern could be ordered to remove the sign, to pay for advertisements about nondiscrimination, and its staff could be ordered to undergo diversity training or cultural sensitivity training.
The business has 10 days to ask the commission to reconsider. The tavern owner's lawyer declined to comment.
Ohio law says it is unlawful for any proprietor of a place of public accommodation to deny the full enjoyment of the accommodations based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age or ancestry.
The commission said the English-only rule serves no purpose other than to discriminate against non-English speaking individuals.
Housing Opportunities Made Equal, a Mount Auburn-based agency that handles fair-housing issues for eight counties, including Warren, where the tavern is located, filed a complaint with the commission in July after callers complained.
"I really think it's an affront to Hispanic families in the area, and I'm glad that the commission agreed that it's illegal discrimination," said Elizabeth Brown, HOME's executive director.
If someone can't speak English, it's a safe bet that they can't read it either, so how is it discriminatory?
I have to agree.
The whole idea of "civil rights commissions" made up of unelected bureaucrats, issuing decrees against citizens, is uncomfortably Soviet.
The Ohio Civil Rights Commission decided to throw in "language" just for grins and giggles.
ARGGGG!!!! THESE PEOPLE MAKE ME CRAZY!!!
Do we all get to vote on the founding members of the shirtlessapiens race? ;-P
I have this same sign in my office.
Bless your heart. Good for you.
As we bend over once again...
My office is in my home.
Do you have a sign posted directing yourself to speak English?
How the hell can a commission order employees to undergo re-education (to use the Communist term, which seems highly appropriate).
If the Government wants my butt somewhere they better get a warrent, arrest me and give me my due process rights to a trial by jury.
Fascist leftists are at it again.
It is private, but private property rights mean nothing to leftists.
Actually, all the tavern has to do when someone tries to order in a non-english language is stare at the person, shrug their shoulders and keep saying "I don't understand". Maybe the patron might make some effort to learn minimal English before returning. Just a thought.
LOL!
What kind of food did you bring out? You see, when I meant their order would be wrong every time, I had in mind something along the lines of teaching a lesson such as:
"Oh! you did not want scrambled eggs with green peas, Limburger and chopped abalone over rye toast with clam sauce? Thats what it sounded like to me!! Then, if they re-order..come up with something else "special".
Nobody could PROVE the order was not misunderstood...them speaking a foreign language and all..
"If it were my tavern, I'd let them speak spanish allright..but their order would be wrong..every time."
Kinda like when I go to fast food places!
I hope Americans aren't treated like that in other countries.
Interesting extrapolation since a sign that reads, "For Service, Speak English" does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age or ancestry.
By this same reasoning, I can file a discrimination suit against any company that uses voicemail menus that begin with the phrase, "For English, press 1".
Not a bad idea..if it were a local tavern, someone I knew, I might suggest it, but some business owners are too scared to follow up with it, and if he did, and served something truly vile..I could wind up in a lawsuit..
Interesting extrapolation since a sign that reads, "For Service, Speak English" does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age or ancestry.
By this same reasoning, I can file a discrimination suit against any company that uses voicemail menus that begin with the phrase, "For English, press 1".
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