[Loud Mime]

The first flower of common sense after a long drought.

[Constitution Day]

EXCELLENT NEWS!

[JerseyHighlander]

This one victory by a “defendant” accused by the Philadelphia Human Rights Commission or whatever they call themselves is one more victory by a defendant than has been seen in the entire history of the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

While this is a good victory, we must be forever vigilant against these fascist Commissions and the supporters of these inquisition panels.

[Poetgal26]

This is awesome news, I would luv to go up the owner and shake his hand...

[Chode]

Gibberish is NOT spoken here... so if you want to eat here SPEAK ENGLISH!!!

[Old Sarge]

A message to the multiculturals:

[Digital Sniper]

Vento has said he never refused service to anyone because they couldn't speak English. But critics argued that the signs discourage customers of certain backgrounds from eating at the shop.

Have these jackwits heard of the reserved right of every business to refuse service to anyone? Sheesh!

[Biblebelter]

In a 2-1 vote, a Commission on Human Relations panel found that two signs at Geno's Steaks telling customers, "This is America: WHEN ORDERING 'PLEASE SPEAK ENGLISH,'" do not violate the city's Fair Practices Ordinance.

Appointed political hack bureaucrats making legal findings. Sounds like the former USSR or the NWO EU.

[pnh102]

This is great news but I still think Tony Luke's, at Front and Oregon, offers a far superior cheesesteak.

[unixfox]

It’s pathetic we are even debating this kind of thing. Just PATHETIC!

[Desron13]

"We expected that this was not going to go our way," Weiss said.

The little brown shirts on this panel didn't want this particular outrage coming under any more public attention lest some of their other Fascistic, stiff armed saluting ordnances get exposed to the light of day. At least that would be my guess. :-)

[lightman]

In a 2-1 vote, a Commission on Human Relations panel...

Frightening to realize that freedom of speech hinges on a single vote!

[hsalaw]

But critics argued that the signs discourage customers of certain backgrounds from eating at the shop.

"Certain backgrounds"? It's not about their "backgrounds."

[kiriath_jearim]

Speaking of Philly food, I was informed (I believe erroneously) that Benjamin Franklin invented Philadelphia cream cheese.

[mass55th]

"But critics argued that the signs discourage customers of certain backgrounds from eating at the shop."

Now that's a pathetic argument as Geno's would be the one losing the business, not the critics. Besides, there's another steak place just across the street who I am sure would welcome those poor, discouraged customers.

[buccaneer81]

In a dissenting opinion, Commissioner Joseph J. Centeno said he thought the signs did discourage some customers. "The sign appeared immediately above another sign that had the following words: 'Management Reserves the Right to Refuse Service,'" Centeno wrote.

The usual stretch by a loser Lib. Betcha the other sign was the standard "No Shoes, No Shirt, No Service" that every food business posts.

Centeno can go pound sand.

[Tribune7]

God Bless you Joey Venuto.

I went there around Christmas time. The line there was much bigger than at Pat's.

Taking the stand was good for business.

[baa39]

Human Rights Commissioners or Human Relations Panels and such have shown up in quite a few threads here lately, in various cities. Is this a new trend? I never heard of a CITY needing a Human Rights Commissioner? Is this person elected or appointed, does he get a salary and benefits and an expense account, and a PERS-style retirement plan? This seems about the most stupid thing I’ve ever heard of. If someone has problems with the restaurant, let them challenge it through the usual court systems. This truly is totalitarian.

[VeniVidiVici]

Whew! Glad that’s over! Now the Philly government can turn its full attention from cheesesteaks to kicking the Boy Scouts out of town.

[AFreeBird]

In a dissenting opinion, Commissioner Joseph J. Centeno said he thought the signs did discourage some customers.

If the owner of a business wishes to discourage customers, and thinks his business can survive doing so; then it's his own damn business.