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Pa. shop owner backs English-only policy (cheesesteak shop sign was never meant to be offensive)
AP on Yahoo ^ | 12/14/07 | Bob Lenz - ap

Posted on 12/14/2007 6:38:14 PM PST by NormsRevenge

PHILADELPHIA - A small sign that asked customers to order in English at a famous cheesesteak shop was never meant to be offensive, the shop's owner testified Friday at a hearing to decide whether the policy was discriminatory.

Joe Vento, the owner of Geno's Steaks, defended his policy before the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations, which filed the discrimination complaint.

"This country is a melting pot, but what makes it work is the English language," Vento told the commission. "I'm not stupid. I would never put a sign out to hurt my business."

Vento posted two small signs in October 2005 at his shop in a diverse South Philadelphia neighborhood, telling customers, "This is AMERICA: WHEN ORDERING PLEASE 'SPEAK ENGLISH.'"

He said Friday that he posted the sign because of concerns over the debate on immigration reform and the increasing number of people from the area who could not order in English.

Camille Charles, a sociology professor at the University of Pennsylvania, testified that Vento's signs harken back to the "Whites only" postings of the Jim Crow era.

"The signs give a feeling of being unwelcome and being excluded," Charles said.

No ruling is expected for at least two months, the three-member panel said.

After extensive publicity in 2006, the commission began investigating whether Vento violated a city ordinance that prohibits discrimination in employment, public accommodation and housing on the basis of race, ethnicity or sexual orientation.

In February, the commission found probable cause against Geno's Steaks for discrimination, alleging that the policy at the shop discourages customers of certain backgrounds from eating there.

Paul M. Hummer, an attorney for the commission, testified Friday that the sign is not about political speech, but about "intimidation," and that it suggested business from certain individuals was not wanted.

The hearing was held at the Arch Street Meeting House, given to the Philadelphia Quakers by William Penn in 1693. The building is billed as a symbol of "tolerance, equality and peace."


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Politics/Elections; US: Pennsylvania; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: cheesesteak; englishonly; filthydelphia; joevento; philadelphia; policy; shopowner; vento
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To: USMA '71

Joey is from the neighborhood. He’ll never move.


41 posted on 12/14/2007 7:46:24 PM PST by Doctor Raoul (Columbia = Ayatollah U.)
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To: NormsRevenge

Mugabe needs a concubine...


42 posted on 12/14/2007 7:48:24 PM PST by Doctor Raoul (Columbia = Ayatollah U.)
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To: Hilltop

Wasn’t that the same as the Chevy Impala but with more chrome?


43 posted on 12/14/2007 7:50:40 PM PST by Doctor Raoul (Columbia = Ayatollah U.)
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To: NormsRevenge

This is a complete waste of time and money on the city’s part. Let the man have his sign and focus on solving some real human relations problems like the 370 plus murders this year a lone. If people are offended by a little sign, they don’t have to eat there. If enough people stop going it may hurt Joey’s business, so be it. But his heart is in the right place.


44 posted on 12/14/2007 7:52:00 PM PST by new cruelty
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To: FreeperinRATcage
have you picked up a copy of Murdered by Mumia? i'm getting one tomorrow.
45 posted on 12/14/2007 7:54:04 PM PST by new cruelty
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To: new cruelty

The city is going after a multiple thought criminal in their minds. The fascists won’t rest until either he capitulates or they ruin him.


46 posted on 12/14/2007 7:58:45 PM PST by Windcatcher
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To: NormsRevenge
Dear Joey,

Frank Rizzo ain't runnin' Philly no more. Business owners like you are only there to pay the bills and do what the lawyers in City Hall tell you to do. If I were you, I'd close up shop and move to Montco or Bucks where you at least have a chance of being able to run your business as you see fit.
47 posted on 12/14/2007 8:02:54 PM PST by Antoninus (Republicans who support Rudy owe Bill Clinton an apology.)
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To: Antoninus
Business owners like you are only there to pay the bills pay for city services for parasites in west Philly and do what kiss the backsides of whatever favored group the lawyers in City Hall tell you to do.

There, fixed it for ya.
48 posted on 12/14/2007 8:07:37 PM PST by Windcatcher
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To: Bernard

“The signs give a feeling of being unwelcome and being excluded,” Charles said.”
“Only if you can read the sign in English. Otherwise, it could be a speed limit sign.”

Bingo....
The stupid libs that are fighting this sign do not realize the irony in that statement. If they can’t speak English, how would they know what it said enough to feel unwelcomed?


49 posted on 12/14/2007 8:22:57 PM PST by donnab (saving liberal brains...one moron at a time.)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

“What will this gain? Will I have to order in fluent Mandarin in a Chinese-owned restaurant? Will I need to learn Yiddish to order in a Kosher Deli? ;)”

Probably not...but you will have to press one for english, two for spanish, and when you enter stores like Lowes you will have to read Entrada....
So I guess English is not ok ...but Spanish is.


50 posted on 12/14/2007 8:25:47 PM PST by donnab (saving liberal brains...one moron at a time.)
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To: new cruelty

His business is busier than ever because of it.


51 posted on 12/14/2007 8:27:46 PM PST by donnab (saving liberal brains...one moron at a time.)
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To: donnab

Sorry, but I call BS on the city’s argument. Their argument implies that Hispanics are being discriminated against. Sorry, but Philly is 49% black and there have never been THAT many Hispanics in the city. See post #28. I think this English-language issue is just an excuse to crucify someone they hate for other reasons.


52 posted on 12/14/2007 8:30:04 PM PST by Windcatcher
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To: Windcatcher

Part of it is....Joey does as he wants to do and is a patriot.
The city is being juvenile, especially when there are so many more pressing matters that should be getting the attention.
Like the safety in the streets.


53 posted on 12/14/2007 8:34:35 PM PST by donnab (saving liberal brains...one moron at a time.)
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To: donnab
"Like the safety in the streets."

Arrest the loser kids of the people who put them in office to begin with? It'll never happen. Remember MOVE in 1983? Wilson Goode did ONE THING right (well, okay, maybe it was just a touch excessive), but he was right not to play nice with losers, and he was raked over the coals for it. You'll never see the city get tough on the gangbangers because (gasp!) they're almost 100% minorities and it's not possible to go after them without the race card being played (no matter how violent they are). After MOVE and the spanking the city got then, they're totally gun-shy. Rizzo is gone and he ain't coming back.
54 posted on 12/14/2007 8:39:13 PM PST by Windcatcher
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To: FreeperinRATcage
Thanks for the post (#28).

Sounds like a great guy.

55 posted on 12/14/2007 8:39:41 PM PST by El Cid (Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house...)
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To: NormsRevenge
I worked for 30 years in Philly. Maybe Joe should leave.

The main problem here is that no one can speak English in Philly. Any one who could escape this town, has. It is not only the Spanish speaking people here that you can not understand, but the regular residents.

The school system is terrible, there are no fathers in charge of anything ( they are gone ), and everyone is in a gang. Leave Joe, move where your friends are, south Jersey. Let these idiots kill each other.

56 posted on 12/14/2007 8:46:38 PM PST by ditto h
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To: donnab

Makes you wonder why Pat’s hasn’t put up a similar sign. LOL.


57 posted on 12/14/2007 8:46:42 PM PST by new cruelty
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To: NormsRevenge
This gentleman runs a private enterprise.

He is free to request that his customers comport themselves in a fashion that is reasonable and customary.

If he is not and this 'commission' sees fit to penalize him simply to make some illegal aliens feel more at home...this is no longer America.

It is now Amerika.

58 posted on 12/14/2007 8:48:26 PM PST by Bloody Sam Roberts (Res firma mitescere nescit)
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To: new cruelty

LOL...right after this all blew up the lines at Genos were long. People would walk over to Pats if they didnt have time to wait.


59 posted on 12/14/2007 8:51:16 PM PST by donnab (saving liberal brains...one moron at a time.)
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To: donnab

It would be interesting to see what the city human fund (or whatever their name is) would do if Pat’s put up a similar sign.

While we’re on the subject, I’ve been to both a few times (mostly with friends from out of town that hear so much about Geno’s and Pat’s). The cheese steaks at both are okay (Geno’s wins over Pat’s)... but frankly, I get better cheese steaks from the street vendor outside my building at Broad and Montgomery.

Then again, I’m a transplant from Texas, so what do I know. : P


60 posted on 12/14/2007 8:57:22 PM PST by new cruelty
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