English-only Cheesesteak Fight Continues (Geno's)

Centre Daily ^ | 2/9/2007 | Patrick Walters

[Pyro7480]

English-only cheesesteak fight continues

By PATRICK WALTERS
Associated Pres

The battle over an English-only ordering policy at one of Philadelphia's signature cheesesteak joints is apparently far from over.

The city's human relations commission found evidence that the owner of Geno's Steaks may have discriminated against immigrants by posting a sign telling customers, "This is AMERICA: WHEN ORDERING 'PLEASE SPEAK ENGLISH,' " according to a letter sent to owner Joe Vento last week.

Vento's attorneys had hoped the matter would be dropped, but the commission said in the Jan. 31 letter that it found probable cause that discrimination occurred and was moving forward with the case. The commission also suggested that the matter could be resolved through mediation.

Vento's legal team would not rule out some sort of mediation, but they said Vento, the fiery grandson of Italian immigrants, would not take the sign down.

"Any effort to save the resources of taxpayer-funded government is a good idea, but not at the cost of free speech," said Todd Young, policy director for Atlanta-based Southeastern Legal Foundation, a public interest law firm that has joined the case.

After extensive publicity over the sign in June, the commission began investigating whether Vento was violating the city's Fair Practices Ordinance. That law prohibits discrimination in employment, public accommodation and housing on the basis of race, ethnicity or sexual orientation.

Vento and his attorneys maintain that no one has ever been turned away at the South Philadelphia shop. Geno's, along with bitter cross-street rival Pat's King of Steaks, forms the epicenter of an area often described as ground zero for cheesesteaks.

"They could have found out in one day that nobody has ever been refused service," Vento said Wednesday.

Albert Weiss, Vento's Philadelphia attorney, said he was shocked that the city was not dropping the case because he hadn't heard from anyone in weeks.

"I felt they were just letting it die a quiet death," Weiss said.

A message left with the human relations commission was not immediately returned Wednesday.

[OCCASparky]

The commission also suggested that the matter could be resolved through mediation.

Translation: "How much money you got?"

Only in Philly.

[Cyclopean Squid]

You have caught me. My master plan of trolling has been exposed. Alas, back to the drawing board. Now I must report to my leftists cohorts that I have failed.

[brityank]

Contact Us:

	W. Nick Taliaferro, Executive Director Email: Nick.Taliaferro@phila.gov Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations 34 S. 11th Street, 6th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 Main Telephone: (215) 686-4670 TTY: (215) 686-3239 Fax: (215) 686-4684 North Philadelphia Field Office 601 W. Lehigh Avenues Philadelphia, PA 19133 Main Telephone (215) 685-9761 Fax: (215) 685-9768.

Let them know: 'Diversity' means to divide!

[TXBubba]

Maybe that's why they work at McDonald's.

Really? I must have missed the McDonald's commerical asking me to eat there because "If you order in English we will be sure to serve you the wrong food." Or was it the one that said, "we hire people who cannot understand our language just to make things more exciting?".

[craig_eddy]

He could focus on tourists and non-English speakers.

And in the time it takes to get a non-English speaker's order correct, how many people will leave the line at Pat's to walk across the street for the nice efficiency of Geno's?

[Rte66]

bookmark

[SAJ]

Per favore, un piatto del linguini con vongole, aglio e olio, e una bottiglia del Soave bianco.

Nothing so difficult about that, eh?

;^)

[dangus]

No kidding. Multnomah County, Oregon advised its hospitals they were required to offer services in Klingon. The bad news is that the Multiculturalist Jihadist here is President Bush.

[dangus]

>> In MA, a Dentist is required (sit down for this) to PAY for an interpreter for a patient.<<

That's in every state. Look up Executive Order 13166, signed by President Clinton, and then enthusiastically championned by President Bush. Then call your congressman and demand he sponsor HR 768 (to revoke EO 13166) and HR 768 (to make English the official language and establish that there exists no right to demand foreign language service.)

[dangus]

I mean HR 768 and 769

[dangus]

"Executive Order 13166 says that any entity which receives federal funds must provide whatever services it offers in any foreign language spoken by anyone likely to receive those services. It says failure to do so is likely to constitute "discrimination on the basis of national origin" as prohibited by Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights law. Signed by President Clinton on August 11, 2000, the order directs all federal agencies to draft plans to "improve access to federally conducted or federally assisted programs for persons who, as a result of national origin, are limited in their English proficiency."

This executive order gives the United States hundreds of all-but-official languages. Urge President Bush to overturn this order, and rescind the Justice Department guidelines which accompanied it.

Entities affected by this order include any doctor or medical provider who participates in Medicare or Medicaid, and any public schools, libraries, homeless shelters or other government-assisted organizations.

[magslinger]

No kidding. Multnomah County, Oregon advised its hospitals they were required to offer services in Klingon.

?
!
?

That was a joke!
I was joking!

Humor was intended, not any relation to reality! THE FREAKIN' NUTS ARE RUNNING THE FREAKIN' NUTHOUSE! I do not like where this country is going at break neck pace and this is the worst hand basket I have ever seen!

/rant

The bad news is that the Multiculturalist Jihadist here is President Bush.

Maybe we should try running a conservative. It worked in '80, maybe it'll work again.

[reagan_fanatic]

These bunch of idiots need to hear from each and every one of us. They certainly are going to hear from me >:(

[-YYZ-]

Believe me, most of that stuff that only listed in Chinese on the menu, you wouldn't want to eat even if you are an adventurous eater. Heck, even some of the stuff listed in English is pretty repulsive. Chicken's feet? 1,000 year-old egg? Jellied duck's tongue?

[Tribune7]

ping

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Urge President Bush to overturn this order, and rescind the Justice Department guidelines which accompanied it.

[philman_36]

I fail to see how non-english speakers could possibly be offended by a sign written in english that they cannot read!
Ta-DA!

[Jack Black]

Did you see the battle O'Reilly had last night with two black women over the use of "articulate" as an insult to blacks? It's getting nuts.No, did it feature ebonics sutbtitles? I almost need those with Sharpton and others. So while Biden was a jerk for saying it, it still was basically the truth.

[dennisw]

Hispanic imperialists can FOAD. This is an English speaking nation with an Anglo oriented culture. Stay home if you don't like it.

[Leatherneck_MT]

"We need to redeploy all government agencies outside the combat zone!"

and then nuke it from orbit