It's a Philadelphia institution, at 9th St & Passyunk Avenue, at the south end of the Italian Market (which is also known simply as "9th Street").
Posted on 12/15/2007 6:28:56 AM PST by kellynla
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. The Rev. James Allen, the chairperson of Commision on Human Relations, was the first witness to testify late this afternoon, followed by University of Pennsylvania professor Camille Charles.
Charles, a professor of sociology, said the number of foreign-born residents living in the South Philadelphia neighborhood near Geno's grew more than 200 percent between 1980 and 2000.
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.
More witnesses were expected to be called before the commision today and Rev. Allen, the chairman, vowed the hearing will not end until everyone has been heard.
Today's hearing is the result complaints in June 2006 about a sign Vento put in his steak-shop window saying, "This is America, when ordering, please 'speak English.' "
The notice soon generated national media attention, prompting a recent visit by Rudy Giuliani.
Before the testimony began today Vento's attorneys argued about the fairness of the hearing itself.
The attorneys for Vento charged that the proceedings were unfair for two reasons and asked that the case be thrown out. 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.
Second, the defense first learned of several commission witnesses, set to testify today, less than an hour before the hearing began at about 1:30 p.m. at the Quaker meeting house near Third and Arch Streets.
Defense attorneys, however, were required to submit their pretrial briefs and witness lists well in advance.
After Vento's attorneys asked for the case to be dismissed "without prejudice," the panel of commissioners recessed to consider their next step and then returned to continue the hearing.
More than 100 people attended, watching the proceedings in the unadorned 1804 structure, with its wooden floors and wooden pews.
Statements by either side were met with muttering or grumbling by the spectators.
Outside, one man held a "Hail Geno" sign bearing an American flag. A group wore black T-shirts with a message that Pennsylvania loves immigrants, the word loves symbolized by a heart.
Making most of the arguments for Vento's team was Shannon Goessling of the Southeastern Legal Foundation, based in Atlanta.
Leading the prosecution was commission counsel Paul M. Hummer, a partner in the law firm Saul Ewing.
The Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations decided to charge that Vento discriminated against non-English speakers.
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.
Below the Geno's sign was another that stated, "Management reserves the right to refuse service."
I think college professors are the hawg-stupidest people in the world.
Can anyone explain how a person who doesn’t speak (and read) English could possibly be offended (excluded, discriminated, etc.) by a sign IN ENGLISH?
Judge, Jury and Executioner!
I was watching a program on Jim Jones of the Jonestown cult and I found it very interesting that he was appointed to San Francisco’s Housing Authority Commission by the liberal city administration.
I suspect these so called commissions is as fair as a Stalin show trial.
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.
Can we locate an Asian Indian -- and sue all of the Philly Steak Houses for serving God on a platter ?!!?!!?!!
To the moron professor - race is immutable, one’s spoken language is not. Remove your head from your better side.
Where is our free speech to have the sign “Speak English”.
Of course liberals have the right to make war on anyone who threatens their comfort level. Liberals reserve the right to determine speech and behavior. Liberals have now bestowed the right of anyone to demand service in a private business using their chosen language. Conservatives deserve scorn, ridicule, loss of property rights, and banishment from public discourse for interfering with liberal bestowed rights.
“what is a chalupa anyway?”
I had occasion once to be looking thru a dictionary of Spanish slang and came upon at least one thing on the Taco Bell menu. I’m not sure which item it was, but it translated into “little p*nis.”
Imagine asking for that in a restaurante in Mexico City...
It's kind of a stupid controversy, a way of piggybacking pro-immigration attitudes onto the civil rights movement of the 1960s. But say they win. Does that mean that signs in Spanish will be regarded as unwelcoming, hostile, and unfairly intimidating to non-Hispanics?
It's also stupid in that I doubt these lawyers and academics spend much time in the sub shop. Probably they don't know how things actually are in the neighborhood. For all we know, most of Geno's customers may be Hispanics by now.
I resemble that! I be one of them!
It's a Philadelphia institution, at 9th St & Passyunk Avenue, at the south end of the Italian Market (which is also known simply as "9th Street").
It means you want Cheez Whiz instead of American cheese or provolone on your steak sandwich — with ("wit") onions.
No way, Jose. It's in an Italian-American working class community. There are others, but the core is either Italian-American, or it's people who appreciate Philadelphia's Italian Market culture that has been operating in that location for over a century.
“what is a chalupa anyway?”
It’s not that thing they serve at TB.
There are always exceptions, of course :-).
Just remember...invasion is a civil right, and it would be racist to resist.
..your right, I've seen Geno in many interviews...that and the fact that Geno's is a very very busy place, usually three deep at the counter around lunch time
How do you say Philly cheesesteak in Spanish?...wit’ Whiz.
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