Penn Prof: “Speak English” Sign Like Jim Crow Era(Geno's Steaks, Philadelphia)

philly.com ^ | Dec. 14, 2007 | Michael Matza

[kellynla]

Joey Vento, owner of Geno's Steaks, greets reporters and fans outside the eatery around noon, shortly before heading to the hearing.

[kellynla]

Backers flock to Geno’s before ‘speak English’ hearing
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20071214_Genos_owner_has_speak_Engish_hearing_today.html

[kellynla]

[kellynla]

VIDEO
“Speak English” at Geno’s
Link:
http://www.philly.com/philly/multimedia/12511101.html

[Tribune7]

I hope some Hispanic kid sues Penn and this prof for making him write his papers in English.

[metmom]

A hearing was expected to continue into the evening on whether Geno's Steaks owner Joey Vento discriminated against non-English speaking patrons by posting an "Speak English" sign at his South Philadelphia shop.

Nope, he's not discriminating, he expects everyone to order in English.

What do some people expect, that he has a translator for every dialect in the world just in case someone from somewhere should show up?

Really, if you don't want to speak English, go live where they speak the language you like. Nobody's stopping anyone from leaving.

[facedown]

When shown historical signs from the Jim Crow era in the South that read "Whites Only," Charles said Vento's "Speak English" sign had the same impact on patrons.

One is an immutable characteristic. The other is a changeable behavior. No comparison.

[Vigilanteman]

Camille Charles is a mindless twit. Geno's isn't refusing to serve anyone or sending them to the back of the bus. He's only asking that they order in the language of their host country.

Any black people who lived through the Jim Crow era would be perfectly within their rights to tar, feather and ride Charles out of town on a rail for such a stupid comparison diminishing what they endured.

[Captain Rhino]

The commission alleges that Vento's sign violates the section of the city's Fair Practices Ordinance that prohibits the owner of a public accommodation from putting up a sign aimed at "any specific group" to make its members feel discriminated against or unwelcome.

I believe this is the same ordnance being used by Philadelphia to drive the National Boy Scout Headquarters from the city.

[Hegemony Cricket]

Great point!

[mowowie]

The no refunds sign says it all I think.
The guy is probably sick and tired of making the wrong subs for these non-English speakers and then having to throw them out and having these customers demanding their money back.

[new cruelty]

Yep. We can all rest easier knowing that the city is protecting us from those treacherous Boy Scouts and evil signage.

[The Electrician]

First, the attorneys said, the allegations were brought by the Rev. James S. Allen Sr., chairperson of Commission on Human Relations, the city agency adjudicating the case.

How very Stalinist of them...

[purpleraine]

How do you say Philly cheesesteak in Spanish?

[fleagle]

Funny that the esteemed Philly Commission on Human Relations isn’t tackling issues such as the tragically and insanely high murder rate in Philadelphia, most of which is black-on-black crime. I’d say the way black males are being killed on almost a daily basis there is a “human relations” issue. And the numbers of innocent bystanders and school children being gunned down in drug shootings...in my book that’s also a “human” issue. But I guess trying to strip Joey Vento’s freedom of speech is more important.

This mock and sham-of-a-sham trial is part of the reason I don’t see myself ever returning to Philly.

[Vision]

Donate to the cause.

http://www.genosteaks.com/home1.html

[purpleraine]

I guessing that spanish speaking customers go there and order in English. The only one filing the complaint is the idiot commission. They have to justify their position.

[new cruelty]

yo quiero taco bell! : P

[BallyBill]

On the local news they had some anti-Geno saying the sign made him feel "uncomfortable".

What a friggin' maroon, do we now have a right to not feel uncomfortable? If we do, I have a list the size of a Road Atlas of crap that makes me uncomfortable and that is just for TV advertisements.

[purpleraine]

what is a chalupa anyway?