Very EXCELLENT NEWS!
Posted on 03/19/2008 8:30:48 PM PDT by kiriath_jearim
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The owner of a famous cheesesteak shop did not discriminate when he posted signs asking customers to speak English, a city panel ruled Wednesday.
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.
Shop owner Joe Vento has said he posted the signs in October 2005 because of concerns over immigration reform and an increasing number of people in the area who could not order in English.
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.
Commissioners Roxanne E. Covington and Burt Siegel voted to dismiss the complaint, finding that the sign does not communicate that business will be "refused, withheld or denied."
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.
Geno's and its chief rival across the street, Pat's King of Steaks, are two of the city's best known cheesesteak venues. A growing number of Asian and Latin American immigrants have moved into the traditionally Italian neighborhood in recent years.
Vento had threatened to go to court if he lost. His attorney, Albert G. Weiss, said he was "pleasantly surprised" by Wednesday's decision.
"We expected that this was not going to go our way," Weiss said.
In February 2007, the commission found probable cause against Geno's for discrimination, alleging that the policy discourages customers of certain backgrounds from eating there.
The case went to a public hearing, where an attorney for the commission argued that the sign was about intimidation, not political speech. The matter then went to the three-member panel for a ruling.
W. Nick Taliaferro, the commission's executive director, said he would not appeal.
That’s good to know, thanks.
Philly bump.
They did a McCain-Feingold on it? Great...just great.
I missed you but there's always next time.
My girlfriend tells me that she had many a hot dog off that guys sweaty arm. He used to line up five or so on his left arm and slather mustard and relish with his right. You've got me curious. I'm going to see if it's still there.
Good!
Very EXCELLENT NEWS!
The only area where LOTE are protected by the government is in the voting rights act, which mandates that voting materials be provided in a language other than English if a large percentage of the folks in that locality don't speak or read English.
Sounds like one heck of a guy.
Yeah. My kind of a guy and it's just too bad that his famous cheese steak isn't sold nationally.
Ping to other cheese steak experts in that area.
Please let me know if you find out.
Yep! We always got the ones with “the works”
I haven’t had one in at least 6 years, maybe more. It’s not exactly on 15th and Snyder. Some little side street I can’t recall at the moment, between 15th and 16th or Broad and 15th.
The owner of this business was just on Lou Dobbs. What an interview! What an American! He ended the interview with God Bless America. If you did not see it, try to catch it on reruns.
And you know what else is funny? I can remember savoring a hoagie occasionally at Danny's, THE hoagie shop in our southwest Philly neighborhood, but I don't recall eating cheesesteaks!
Cheesesteaks became a once-a-month or so treat since I left Philly 96 years ago. Well, maybe not quite that long ago!
Eagle Pizza on Haverford Rd. in Ardmore makes my favorite cheesesteak. Maybe another freeper will recommend where to go in Philly for a superb sandwich. I offer the following link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheesesteak
Tip: Let them know you're from out of town, never had a cheesesteak, heard they're great.
The citizens who welcome these votes, in ANY language, do so in order to implement their own agenda, IMO. Sure, there are some bleeding-heart liberals with altruistic motives, but they are also wrong.
Not sure I agree with you. Philly's well-known for its cheese steaks, hoagies, scrapple and Tastykakes. Why take away these "sources of pride"? The city has already lost its claim as "The City of Brotherly Love".
I agree. In recent years that has become rather apparent it would seem.
LOL.
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