Philadelphia "English-only" eatery faces probe

Reuters ^ | 6/12/06 | Jon Hurdle

[GeorgiaDawg32]

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - A civil rights watchdog agency opened an investigation on Monday into a Philadelphia cheese steak restaurant that posted a sign saying "This is America - when ordering, speak English."

The Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations complaint effectively opens a case against Geno's Steaks of South Philadelphia, said Rachel Lawton, acting executive director of the agency.

The Philadelphia controversy has fed a national debate over immigration in which the U.S. Senate passed a bill that would declare English the national language and politicians have raised objections to a Spanish version of the national anthem.

[Gondring]

Thanks for the contact info. An excerpt from my e-mail note to Rachel Lawton:

"If a judgement is made against Geno's, may I file a complaint with the City in Choctaw, or does the Commission discriminate against Native Americans? Oh, and please tell vendors in Chinatown that I'll be stopping by to order
in German, so they'd better be ready."

:-)

[Dallas59]

Language?

[Question Liberal Authority]

What about places that have signs saying, "no shoes, no shirt, no service"? Isn't that discrimination ?

I think you may be right. To make those signs less hostile and more inclusive, they should read: "no shoes, no shirt, BUSH'S FAULT!!!"

After all, it's only hate speech if a Republican agrees with it.

[Just A Nobody]

I don't have time to read all the posts so I apologize if this has been mentioned.....

English is the INTERNATIONAL Business language. How can they go after one small PRIVATE business in an American city?

[Question Liberal Authority]

English is the INTERNATIONAL Business language. How can they go after one small PRIVATE business in an American city?

Beats me. It's not like lefties to overplay their hand.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Will they uncover the shocking fact that the restaurant uses cheese made in Wisconsin, not in Philadelphia or even in Pennsylvania? Don't touch that dial, folks!

[Myrddin]

He orders butter peanut and jelly sandwiches from his man slave who follows sKerry around like a little puppy.

I'm not surprised. Kerry is so self absorbed. A legend in his own mind.

[NavVet]

That would be enough incentive for me to learn English.

[elli1]

LOL! If Geno was series, he woulda' written the sign in 87 different languages.

[E Rocc]

The Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations are wasting the taxpayers money

That's like saying dogs pee on fire hydrants. It's no shock, it's what they do.

Then again, dogs do other things...

Seriously, its an easily justifiable business decision. They've probably had people order in some foreign language, be misunderstood by the employees, get the wrong order, and refuse to pay.

-Eric

[Bella_Bru]

When the customer cannot be understood, what should the owners do? Hire bi-lingual speakers to accomodate them?

[all4one]

PHILADELPHIA - June 12, 2006 - The controversy continues to sizzle at Geno's Steaks. But the sign demanding that customers speak English is also apparently good for business.

Joey Vento: "Sometimes we must make the choice between what is right and what is easy. Easy is taking the sign down, being right isn't so easy."..

Joey Vento: "I just don't understand they should back off because the public is in support of me." Vento says that support has come in the form of hundreds of email, faxes, and phone calls - some from as far away as soldiers stationed in Kuwait. Of course there is support here too, in the form of loyal customers. "Everybody else came from other countries and they all learned English didn't they." Gene Adams/Boyton Beach, FL: "I live in a very Hispanic area and I'm for English only."

In fact business was so good Monday. Geno's ran out of rolls. One man is a loyal Geno's customer but Monday found himself forced to go across the street to Pat's... a competitor that has condemned the sign. "It was too crowded over at Geno's because that's where I usually go. The sign doesn't mean anything to me." Vento says he's never refused to serve anyone and never will, but says he shouldn't be refused to say how he feels.

Vento: "How is speaking English racist? How am I discriminating if you don't speak English? The sign means nothing to you because you don' speak the language." Vento says if he gets slapped with a lawsuit he's ready to fight, and tells Action News he's got a team waiting. Although some of the players are considered controversial. Vento says the Minute Men, the group Pro-English and Border Patrol have all offered to provide and pay for his defense. The Commission on human relations never returned our calls.

Link to Article

[highlander_UW]

So what law is he violating? Is there some law that all restaurants must take orders in any and all languages?! This is simply another pogrom by the Left.

[Dane]

Both entities(Geno's and the nebby nose civil rights group) are getting what they want most, oodles of free publicity.

[rahbert]

No /sarc?

Aren't we free to not want to eat the darned things and
still support the guy?

Kinda narrow minded don't you think?

[jaime1959]

> Posts like yours are a reminder that some FReepers are nothing more than closet liberals. <

Liking cheesesteaks is a litmus test for conservatism? LMAO!

[Vigilanteman]

[Nickname]

How sweet!

The little commie, Rachel Lawton, sides with CAIR on limiting speech re: the Danish cartoons, too!

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=19359

“People have every right to give an opinion on something,” Rachel Lawton, executive director of the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations, said. “You cross the line when you threaten, intimidate or harass, and that is when free speech is limited.”

IMO, this "commission" is far more threatening, intimidating and harassing than a stupid cartoon or Geno's bigbadscary English sign.

But in the minds of leftists, that's a good thing. Gotta keep us in line ya know.

[RandallFlagg]

I've never liked anything with onions on it. But the more they go after this business, the more I want to drive (according to the map site) the 1,772 mi (about 1 day 5 hours) for some chow.

[Blue Turtle]

Roberto Santiago, executive director of the city's Council of Spanish Speaking Organizations, said he received around 50 "hate" e-mails in response to his criticism of the sign.

So Roberto is the victim in all of this??