Want A Cheesesteak? 'Speak English'

I live maybe 20 minutes from Genos, and go there fairly often. Man they make a fantastic steak. It's always busy, no matter what time you go. I can't tell you how many times I've been there with my friends after the bars close. Since all of this "publicity" has happened - it's ALOT more busy. The amount of support he is getting is very underpublicized. The sign has had a galvanizing effect on a heck of alot more people than anyone knows.
The sign says absolutely nothing about race, religion, creed, sex - nothing. It simply says speak english. I for one have no problem with the message.

There is a little confusion between issues on this thread. Let's eliminate the subject of illegal immigration and go with the right of Geno's to post their "Speak English Only" sign.

First I support Geno's 100%. Now let me explain why.

The issue here isn't about race, sex, national origin or disability. It is about citizenship.

In the last 200 some odd years we have forgotten a basic point of the Constitution. It only applies to US Citizens. We have over the years allowed the privledges and protections of the Constitution to apply to others and I have no problem with that, but that isn't the issue here.

The main purpose of legal permenant immigration to the US is to obtain US Citizenship. This has been the intent of the majority of the immigration laws. Now one of the requirements for US Citizenship is the ability to read, write and speak in ENGLISH!

During the late 1970's and the 1980's the immigration quotas were changed to allow a greater number of people of Hispanic origin to enter the US. The influx of these people was so great that there was a severe shortage of translators availible. The descision was then made to provide forms and documents in both English and Spanish to alleviate the translator shortage. The main intent of this was to be a stop gap measure to buy time for these people to become fluent in English.

If Geno's doesn't want the business of non-English speaking tourists that is up to them. If people who have permently emigrated the US choose not to learn English that is their problem. If they are not here with the intentions of obtaining citizenship then they are here undr false pretenses and maybe they should leave.

Your post isnt entirely true Jim.. When I immigrated here.. To take the Citizenship test I was asked if I would be taking it in English or Spanish.. and I looked at myself.. and looked back at the lady behind the desk like she grew another head.. her reply was "I have to ask"... It is possible to take the test in Spanish and not require a translator..

I saw the owner on tv last night, frankly, i like him. His orders get all mixed up, they (the customers are not pleased, because they are not getting what they wanted) and he made a great point. How can the sign be insulting in the first place to foreigners if they cannot speak English or read English to read the sign in the first place????
He's just trying to run a smooth business and has gotten tons of promotion as a result! Smart man!!! He came from Italy and his whole family has had to learn English without any priviledges. Why not the rest of the immigrants? Specifically Hispanics.
I agree with him 100%

Originally posted by Ox
Your post isnt entirely true Jim.. When I immigrated here.. To take the Citizenship test I was asked if I would be taking it in English or Spanish.. and I looked at myself.. and looked back at the lady behind the desk like she grew another head.. her reply was "I have to ask"... It is possible to take the test in Spanish and not require a translator..

Yes it is. The requirement hasn't changed. Whether or not it is being enforced is the question. This seems to be the case with alot of these laws.

Naturalization page of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services website

I double checked before I posted Ox

Then it's my mistake.. But... I'm just going off of my experience.. I should have stated that.. I'm sorry..
I appreciate the correction and the link..

Originally posted by Ox
Then it's my mistake.. But... I'm just going off of my experience.. I should have stated that.. I'm sorry..
I appreciate the correction and the link..

I don't believe you made a mistake Ox. They did. I'll take any and all bets that your information is accurate. This is how we got into the illegal immigrant problem in the first place. My boss at my last job was applying for citizenship and I helped him prepare for the tests. I noticed that they don't offer the information in Turkish or the test either.

Like I said.. I was going off of my own personal experience.. I didnt do any research on it.. At one point I'm sure they did offer the test in spanish... Now it seems they dont.. I couldnt believe when the woman asked me..

I think this country is going mad for real. I mean we are trying to out-PC ourselves and noe xpense is spared.

Originally posted by BullGates
It is illegal to bar someone from using the facility on the basis of race, religion, familial status, or you guessed it country of national origin. It's not about whether someone should learn to speak English it's just flat out against the law to post a sign like that.

You know, that really does depend on interpretation of the law, and I disagree with the one you are offering. What if the sign read: "All nations welcome! Sorry we don't understand any language other than English, so we won't be able to serve you unless you speak it". Would it be more reasonable? I think yes it would. Of course the irony is that to read such a sign would require a modicum of English language skills

The bar owner in the Ohio case stated he never refused service to anyone but actually that is irrelevant, the effect of the sign is that it makes someone who can't say "beer" feel unwelcome. It's really a legal issue and the only solution would be to change the laws of public accomodation. Can someone in East Chicago post a sign that says, "For Service, Speak Spanish" because it's their store? Nope.

If I try and follow your logic, that's irrelevant. I already feel unwelcome in many places because I'm not understood by Spanish or Chinese speaking personnel. For some reason you don't have a problem with that. It really is a reverse discrimination which many seem to applaud.

FYI The case was settled out of court, he took down the sign.

And like I said, the country has gone nuts.

Here in Warren County, NJ there is a gas station with a sandwich-board sign out by the road which says 'English Spoken Here'.

I chuckle every time I drive by it.................

It's a well informative gas station.. It doesnt demand that it's customers speak english though

Originally posted by Ox
It's a well informative gas station.. It doesnt demand that it's customers speak english though

I propose to make it even more informative and say "English only is spoken here"

That's could be misconstrued I would imagine.. as being.. well. A little.. intolerant..

Do you like how I seem to make my posts longer by putting all the ... 's in between what I type?

Originally posted by optimus fett

I find the typical illegal Mexican immigrants refusal to assimilate, incredible lazy, blatantly arrogant and disgusting.

youre generalizing, based on what is probably minimal experience, did you ever learn to answer the phone to that guys wife in spanish?..would have been a nice friendly touch eh?

if you had you may have found that youd be having a really nice polite little convo with her most days?

you may even have formed a nice little relationship with her husband and been invited round for dinner?



I hardly call living and working in a CA town that's over 90% Mexican immigrant as "minimal" experience. For your information, I do have a nice relationship with this man and all the Mexicans I work with. And yes I'm even invited to their homes for Birthdays etc. Even more amazing, I've even picked up some Spanish from them without even trying!

It's quite obvious that people who can't speak English are people too. That's not the point. The point is that in the US, it is perfectly legitimate to expect people to speak English, especially people who live here. And it is entirely reasonable to back that expectation up with certain types of consequences, such as the inconveniences of not being able to use some stores and restaurants. It is disingenuous to say that we are somehow dehumanizing people for expecting them to learn the language and having consequences for those who don't. If enough businesses follow the example of Geno's, it will greatly improve the incentives for our immigrants to learn English, without criminalizing anything.

Of course, most Americans who intend to learn a second language would benefit most from learning Spanish. That's a simple fact. Being able to do business in another language is an asset. That doesn't mean that it should be standard, though, because it is ultimately bad for business to make it possible for people to get by without speaking English at all. The nation will split apart if people continue to insist that such a thing is acceptable.

Sometimes the intolorance in America re-amazes me. USA does not have an official language , and yet so many people refuse to acknowledge anyone who does not speak english as an american citizen, why?
So many countries have more than one national language , India an amazing 22, South Africa, a somewhat more modest 10, Switzerland only has four , but one of those is retro romanish wich only about 4% of the population speaks. If a country WITH official languages is able to make allowences for such a small population, then why is it that a country without even ONE official language cannot make allowences for such a large part of their population?

Link for Official Language Info:
LINK

Originally posted by Alex left college

Baaahhh....

Both place are tourist traps. No real Philly native bothers with those two
places any way. Same goes for Jims on South St and the like.

Sorry brother, but you are quite wrong.

Philly native, born and raised my friend.

We love our King of Steaks (Pat's). You like the pound spot on Kensington Ave more? sorry I don't like hookers asking me if i want a heemie with my steak

And we hate Geno's cause it gives you less meat, and their store front looks like an amusement park.

You are correct about Jims though, we hate that place.

Don't question my authority, i live on 12th and Tasker, thats 3 blocks away from Pat's my friend.

I'm seeing a business opportunity here. A cheesesteak place that doesn't care how you order as long as your money's green.

Want a "le steaque frommage" or "el steak-o con queso"? No prob. Lay down the appropriate coinage and chow up, Hoss. We just want da bidness.

Originally posted by kastinyque
Sometimes the intolorance in America re-amazes me. USA does not have an official language , and yet so many people refuse to acknowledge anyone who does not speak english as an american citizen, why?

If your talking about bringing Native American languages like cherokee, cheyenne, hawaian, native alaskan etc I would say people wouldnt mind so much. But to expect American to learn spanish because some Mexicanos were able to slip past the boarder is just rediculous. Maybe Texas can have some spanish but other than that it would be ludicris to ask people to consider spanish.

If your going to make spanish then I would think that Gaelic, welsh, german, polish, russian, latin, Indian languages, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Swahili etc should also be accepted as "national languages" . The reason these people dont ask for such ridulous measures is not because they arent as proud of their language and culture or smarter than our latino friends but because they have made an EFFORT TO BLEND IN to society and have accepted english as the mode of communication. As a citizen of the USA it is imperative that they learn english and speak english as that is the sole mode of communication in this country. This is not an issue about linguistic tolerance but about a sense of identity.
Those who cant speak English should learn english and those who dont want to, well thats their problem.