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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.

Then let the shopowner deal with the loss of business if there is one.... Private establishments should have every right to require use of the national language when conducting business.


http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/19/englishon...ref=mpstoryview

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again I get 'xyz'

private open to public? Yet discriminates on language. I can see them making a statement that services only provided in english, which may amount to the same, however at what level of comprehension is allowed?


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If it's a private business, I see no reason why he can't put up a sign requesting customers to speak in English. The language on the sign is a little inflammatory though.

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But yet they're not allowed to put a sign that says "Merry Christmas" unless it says "Christmas" what bullshit is this?

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Red Squirrel wrote: But yet they're not allowed to put a sign that says "Merry Christmas" unless it says "Christmas"  what bullshit is this?

you still have the christmas word filter on, don't you Red.

I don't think there is any law anywhere saying you can't put up a sign that says "Merry Christmas", but larger chain stores may have a policy against it, and that's a decision made by the company, not the government.

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I agree, the language on the sign is needlessly inflammatory. He can get the same message across without acting in a manner that seems xenophobic or stupidly flag-waving nationalistic.

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scherzo wrote: again I get 'xyz'

private open to public? Yet discriminates on language. I can see them making a statement that services only provided in english, which may amount to the same, however at what level of comprehension is allowed?

What's wrong with discriminating based on language? I think you have an overly negative notion of what it is to discriminate. Discrimination goes on all the time. The question is not whether or not it is inherently wrong, because it isn't. The question is whether or not the discrimination is irrational or may lead to some form of harm (and I don't mean someone's pathetic little psyche being "harmed" because they don't staff someone who can speak every single language of every single person that might come in).

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for those that can't read the story:

Agency OKs cheese steak shop's English-only signs

* Story Highlights
* Commission on Human Relations: Signs don't violate city Fair Practices Ordinance
* Joe Vento posted the signs at his Geno's Steaks shop in October 2005
* Critics say policy discourages customers of certain backgrounds from eating there
* Vento says he's never refused service to anyone over inability to speak English

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.' " VideoWatch 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.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.

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Stasi wrote:

scherzo wrote: again I get 'xyz'

private open to public? Yet discriminates on language. I can see them making a statement that services only provided in english, which may amount to the same, however at what level of comprehension is allowed?

What's wrong with discriminating based on language? I think you have an overly negative notion of what it is to discriminate. Discrimination goes on all the time. The question is not whether or not it is inherently wrong, because it isn't. The question is whether or not the discrimination is irrational or may lead to some form of harm (and I don't mean someone's pathetic little psyche being "harmed" because they don't staff someone who can speak every single language of every single person that might come in).

My discrimination comment was connected to my comment of open to the 'public' - of course discrimination happens, They discriminate to use $dollars in exchange for their service. However it is the 'open to the public' that I had issue.

Furthermore what can they do? I didn't couldn't read the sign that was posted, however it wouldn't clarify what level of comprehension is allowed, after which, Racial discrimination can come into play very easily.



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Being "open to the public" hasn't got anything to do with it. Do you really consider the act of requiring the national language when conducting business to be some kind of horrible discrimination?

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