Speak English

[213th]

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (AP) -- A Philadelphia agency has ruled that English-only signs at a famous cheese steak shop are not discriminatory.
The Commission on Human Relations says in its Wednesday ruling that the signs at Geno's Steaks do not violate the city's Fair Practices Ordinance.
Joe Vento posted the signs at his shop in October 2005. They read "This is AMERICA: WHEN ORDERING 'PLEASE SPEAK ENGLISH.' " Watch a 2006 report on the issue »





Critics allege the policy discourages customers of certain backgrounds from eating there. They say the signs discourage non-English speakers from going to the shop.
Vento says he has never refused service to anyone because they couldn't speak English

[Ender]

ENGLISH MOTHER*******!!! DO YOU SPEAK IT??!??!?

[Xiphos]

I don't see what's wrong in indicating to people what language to order in. Do your employees have to be fluent in the hundreds of local immigrant languages in case one of them wants to order in their native tongue? I'm glad this ruling came down on the side of common sense for once. I fully expected them to tell him to take it down.

[gozling]

niiiice

[The Lostralian]

I wish more places have the balls to do that.

[kjlaw]

Well Duh if you are in America then Speak American.

Score one for common sense.

[CTR man]

On the other side of the coin, should we be expected to order our food at any ethnic (Mexican, Italian, etc.) restaurant that we choose to patronize, in their language? Not as long as said restaurant is built on American soil, in my opinion. If in another country that would be different, but not here.

[cajunguy]

This is America. Speak ENGLISH, dammit!!


.

[jmur5074]

Well Duh if you are in America then Speak American.

Or English...whatever.

[Ender]

On the other side of the coin, should we be expected to order our food at any ethnic (Mexican, Italian, etc.) restaurant that we choose to patronize, in their language? Not as long as said restaurant is built on American soil, in my opinion. If in another country that would be different, but not here.

Aaaah...that is where Capitalism shines here. They have every right to expect that we order in 'their' language...but in the long run, they'd lose business because of it. Simple give and take.

Most every truly ethnic place I've been to will certainly abide by you ordering in English, no problem. But you typically have the opportunity to order in the native tongue if you please.

If they require you to order in whatever language, and you can't...(and the average American can't), they ain't gonna last long unless they are in a very ethnic area.

[BigDawg]

Last I knew any private place could refuse service to anyone they wanted. If he wants to limit his clientel to English speaking customers thats his choice. Dont like it go else where, pretty simple to me.

[Bob Loblaw]

The absolute best mexican food places I have ever eaten at here in the USA I had to get my espanol on to place an order. That being said, if the owner of the biz says "English Only," then that's his right, just as i think an owner can say "Spanish Only." Or, I guess more appropriately, "Solo Espanol." I guess if he wanted people to order in Spanish, the sign would have to be written in Spanish. Just sayin'....

[armsmaster270]

I'm glad someone has the balls to do that maybe it will start a trend.. I believe at one time you had to know american history and english to become a citizen what happened. and if you are not a citizen GTFO.

[Jenna]

Well Duh if you are in America then Speak American.

Trojan 42 will not be spending his hard-earned pounds at your establishment, then!

[The Lostralian]

Que? Mi no comprende

[ryan36002]

Do other countries bow to the language of their immigrants, many of whom are illegal? I shouldn't have to speak spanish to order a F****** Big Mac in Oregon. Our ancestors have faught wars and died so we can all speak English. Don't disrespect them by compromising their accomplishments.

Just my personal Pacific NW redneck opinion.

[Xiphos]

Do other countries bow to the language of their immigrants, many of whom are illegal? I shouldn't have to speak spanish to order a F****** Big Mac in Oregon. Our ancestors have faught wars and died so we can all speak English. Don't disrespect them by compromising their accomplishments.

Just my personal Pacific NW redneck opinion.

You don't know how much that rings true! I used to live in a heavily Hispanic population. You could not go through a drive through anywhere without the place being worked by Spanish speakers. If you didn't order by number off the menu your order got butchered because the drive through worker taking orders didn't speak any English!

I've since moved to an area that happens to have only a small population of Spanish speakers. All the drive throughs are run by Americans and I remember the astonishment when I first ordered with someone who understood me! Of course my order is still jacked up because they fuck you in the drive through!

[Bob Loblaw]

Our ancestors have faught wars and died so we can all speak English.

I'm fairly certain that had nothing to do with why our ancestors (yes, mine included..a lot of them, in fact) fought and died in wars for America.

[Jenna]

I'm fairly certain that had nothing to do with why our ancestors (yes, mine included..a lot of them, in fact) fought and died in wars for America.

Didn't the very first US citizens fight for the right to speak American instead of English?

[Xiphos]

Didn't the very first US citizens fight for the right to speak American instead of English?

I thought that had more to do with taxation without representation.

I think what Ryan means is that we would likely be speaking German right now had we not won WWII. They were fighting for a lot more than "speaking English" but we probably wouldn't be speaking English had it not been for their determination.