I would if it were closer. 
From FoxNews.com:
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.
I’m sorry, this is a private business. Last I checked, people like Joe Vento, founder of Geno’s Cheese Steaks, have rights too. Why should he be forced to hire bilingual employees? I just think it’s stupid, if the sign says speak English, and you don’t, then eat somewhere else or bring an interpretor.
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.
But he said he also wanted to keep the line moving at his busy store.
Of course, libtards relate everything to Jim Crow laws in the south:
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.
I speak fairly decent English, though I admit to using the word freaking way too much. However, I’ve been to numerous private businesses where I feel unwelcome and excluded. Private businesses will not experience success if this is the norm, and if they are successful, it won’t be my money making them that way. However, I’m just glad I speak English so the next time I’m in Philly and hankering for a cheese steak, I won’t slow the line down.
UPDATE: Great minds blog alike.
For those “we are a melting pot! make non-native English speakers feel welcome!” I have but one question:
How can you get ahead in this country if you do not know English?
Our university courses are conducted in English. Businesses use English. Wall Street uses English.
Can you name a single, high-level person in the United States who does not speak English?
If discrimination takes so long to eradicate because of the generational shifts through the work force, how you do expect non-English speakers to get ahead when every single person in any position of power speaks English and expects you to do so as well? Sure, they might speak Spanish, French, Greek, Russian, or Japanese, but they will expect you to work in English.
Unless you do manual labour, you will be expected to interact in English, to write in English, to use English-based computers, to hold meetings in English, and, certainly, to have your resume in English.
I can only conclude that liberals don’t actually want them to assimilate and prosper (as the Asians and Jews have done so well); they want them to remain perpetual outcasts in a land where English is a mandate for not being poor.
Hi Bridget,
Yes, it seems like they are wanting the two Americas that John Edwards dreams of.
The breck girl actually needs both Americas to line his pockets. The downtrodden, to represent in frivolous lawsuits, and the rich, to rob money from.
Ok, personally I believe it is Joe’s store and he can refuse service to anyone he pleases for any reason. The commies in Philadelphia just need to get their nose out of his business…
On the other hand… All these cheese steaks in the news lately has been murder on a person who grew up in the area… You absolutely can not get a decent cheese steak outside of PA. I’m Jones-ing here!
If Joe wants to make a boatload of money, he just needs to figure out how to ship those cheese steaks to me (and other geographically impared cheese steak connoisseurs) where ever I happen to be…
Tammi ~ I caught this on the news and had a good feeling that you would write an excellent post about it.
I am waiting for my boss to get caught up in a law suit. He will not promote any of our electricians who do not learn English.
They are really good electricians and we are comfortable asking to them to do any job. However we are forced to send an English speaking electrician out on service calls with the the Spanish (only) speaking guys, in case they are asked questions by the general contractor or business owner.
Hi G-Man,
I certainly agree! I think private business should be able to refuse service to anyone for any reason.
I was in Philly a few years ago with my daughter and we didn’t have a cheese steak. This is something we regret to this day.
Thanks for stopping in here and have yourself a Merry Christmas!
Hi CavMom,
I’m curious, how do the Spanish speaking only electricians become electricians? Are they actually journeymen who took the test in Spanish?
I ask because that was the line of work my husband did prior to having a serious work accident last year. He was just finishing up his 4th year of curriculum and preparing to take the journeyman test. Of course, he would have taken the test in English.
Tammi ~ I am so sorry to hear that your hubby was injured.
They start out as apprentice electricians, learning from the ground up. Pulling wire, demo work, basic goofer work. After 4 years of hands on work with a Journeyman or Master teaching them the ins and outs, they can take the test.
In ‘05 Texas went from city lisences to a state license. Many electricians became Jounrmen based on years in the field. (A messed up system)
All of our Master and Journeymen electricians have passed both the Houston test and the SBCCI (Southern Building Code Congress International) test.
I have a Journeyman license because I was able to pass the test and had enough years in the electrical field. However, I would not feel comfortable strapping on a tool belt and wiring a building. I took the test on a dare.
Goes to show that the system has flaws. In my case, book smarts does not an electrician make.
Your boss may be sued, but he has a good defence. Simply put, he is forced to either:
1) charge his clients more for the extra electrician (which makes it more difficult for him to compete on price); or
2) lose money from the extra electrician.
Either way, the electricians are not of equal value to him. Not to totally butt into your business, but your boss should communicate to these electricians that their inability to speak English is costing him money, and that they would be more valuable employees if they could communicate in English.
To put it another way: one of the ways to avoid employment discrimination lawsuits is to give consistently negative reviews to the employee. (Likewise, if you are an employee and worried about discrimination, you have to track your reviews, assignments, pay, etc. to build up a case of discrimination.)
If your boss is worried about a suit, he needs to keep track of the extra expense and time associated with non-English speaking electricians, note that their performance includes not just actually connecting wires together, but interacting with customers, contractors, and being able to independently do their job.
Finally, there is the issue of being part of a protected class. If you discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, religion, or sex, you need a really, really good reason (and the courts will get cranky anyway). On the other hand, not being an English speaker is not a protected class, any more than being a mohawk-wearer is not a protected class. He should keep records of the English-speaking immigrants who are promoted, hired, and otherwise treated equitably within the company so that, if he gets sued, he can point out that it’s all about speaking English, not about race or ancestry or citizenship.
Tammi - how is the hubby? Last I heard, he was done with surgery.
hey hun!..yup this guy is spot on!:)
Hi CavMom and Bridget –
Ted is doing quite well now. It is amazing the difference a year makes. Here is a link from a post I did over the summer, and he is even better now. Of course, life will never be the same, but we are thankful that Ted still has his arms!