Patrick Walters, AP, March 19, 2008
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.
{snip}
Vento had threatened to go to court if he lost. His attorney, Albert G. Weiss, said he was “pleasantly surprised” by Wednesday’s decision.
{snip}
Original article
(Posted on March 20, 2008)
Comments
Thank God for people like Joe. Now, who pays his legal fees?
Posted by Frank at 6:14 PM on March 20
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.
If they do not wish to learn the language, then they shouldn’t remain in the country.
Posted by Obscuratus at 6:38 PM on March 20
I see they have a website:
www.genosteaks.com/
Keep ‘em in mind if you’re in South Philly!
Posted by F. Roger Devlin at 6:42 PM on March 20
The Bill of Rights beat the Reds, this time. We’d all be dead by now without the First and Second Amendments.
Posted by Schoolteacher at 7:00 PM on March 20
Joe Vento — the last white man in Philadelphia. I suppose this “Commission on Human Relations” (a human rights tribunal) didn’t consider Vento’s human rights to run his business the way he wanted.
Posted by Question Diversity at 7:21 PM on March 20
A business owner should be able to post any damn sign he wants.
I would actually prefer that. If I saw a sign that said “screw white folks” or “screw Christians,” I would know to leave immediately, w/o wasting my money. As it is, I’m obliged to guess whether they despise me or not as soon as I walk in the door. Isn’t it better to know that before you get out your wallet..?
Posted by WaitNow at 7:36 PM on March 20
“I suppose this “Commission on Human Relations” (a human rights tribunal) didn’t consider Vento’s human rights to run his business the way he wanted.”
Businesses are the trappings of white folks and the citizens need alerted as to their evil.
Posted by at 12:11 PM on March 21
I see they have a website:
www.genosteaks.com/
Keep ‘em in mind if you’re in South Philly!
Race/immigration/politics aside, Geno’s cheesesteaks are the best. Anywhere. Definitely one of the nicer perks of driving to Philly every now and again.
As for Vento, the man is definitely one of a few courageous voices in the City-of-Bruthas-&-Drugs. I’ve been watching this case since it started, which was really well before those signs went up. He’s a very outspoken conservative and proud American. He strongly supports, both vocally and monetarily, the Philadelphia police, which seem to be the target of increasing violence from every year.
With most of Philly’s ruling class being very left-leaning, it’s not hard to see why he’s had no shortage of enemies among it for a long time. The whole fiasco over the signs was nothing more than a weak “gotcha” attempt by those who are frustrated that they’ve been unable to shut him down or shut him up.
Posted by BW Sam at 12:45 PM on March 21
Notice that Philadelphia has a human rights tribunal. Look at how well it’s working to convince Philadelphians to respect each other’s human rights — the murder count is at a record high in the city. And the city government is beside itself trying to figure out what to do, going so far as have parades where people stand on their hands. Of course, they do know that those guns are to blame. Of course, the obvious retort is to ask this: What is it about cities that make guns behave so badly?
Posted by Question Diversity at 3:06 PM on March 21
I’m failing to understand why people can’t order simple food items in English, anyway. I mean, Geno’s doesn’t have “poached grouper with blood orange and lemon infused chiffonade bedded with portabello creamed spinach St. Andre and heirloom tomato saffron rice” or anything like that.
It’s pretty much steak sandwich, Philly steak, hoagie, or pork, then the number, now pay them.
I can order simple food items in foreign countries where I don’t speak the language, say thank you, and count out the money. It’s not a problem. How hard is something like “steak hache et frites, deux, sil vous plait” and these are euros, I have this many and I can see the numbers on them- how hard can this be? “Ein wiener, bitte” is NOT rocket science!
Ordering a cheese steak seems pretty darn basic for anybody. Japanese tourists don’t seem to have a problem with this, and they’re language is very disconnected from English.
They are obviously just trying to be contrarian jerks and make life hard for a long time local and icon.
Posted by Boudreaux at 4:58 PM on March 21
The Kommisars were quite lenient in this case. Guess they must have been all shook up over Obama’s recent troubles, and let this anti-diversity heresy slip through the cracks.
Posted by ZKR at 9:00 PM on March 21
Goofy! How can this even be considered discrimination? Doesn’t a restaurant reserve the right to refuse service to anyone. Just because he puts a sign up there that says speak english, that doesn’t in any way shape or form, discriminate and cause others to avoid his business. And even if it did, who the hell cares? Its his right as a business owner to run his business the way he wants. Hell, we have all these english speaking channels on TV with SAP but go to a spanish channel and try to get english subtitles and it doesn’t happen. I’ve been to 5 other countries in my life and every time I went, I LEARNED THEIR LANGUAGE! I didn’t make them cater to me. But there is some good in all this, the guy just got free advertising because of these crybaby idiots. I will definitely visit if I’m ever there! Thanks for the tip!
Posted by at 11:51 PM on March 21
I wonder what the reaction would have been had Vento posted a sign announcing “Ebonics Spoken Here.”
The really would have been a dilemma for the city officials.
Posted by john at 10:11 AM on March 22
Why did this case even come under review at all? It should have been laughed out of existence. Mr. Vento “won,” it’s true, but not after incurring needless legal expenses and stress. The City of Philadelphia owes him big time.
Next time I’m come to the South Side of Philly, I’m gonna look this guy up and order a cheese steak, add mushrooms and onions. What’s next, a suit against Pearl’s Oyster Bar downtown because it doesn’t have enough blacks working there?
Posted by Seeker at 10:22 PM on March 22
That this case ever made it to court is an absolute disgrace.
I am quite illiterate in Kanji, but I can read Japanese in Romanji (Roman) letters, and had no difficulty ordering in restaurants there. When in doubt, I simply asked for an appetizer sample plate. My wife studied English at her own expense before coming to the US.
Since the city lost this case - harrassment thinly disguised as a concern over “civil rights”, one can only hope that Mr. Vento will be reimbursed for his legal expenses.
Posted by Michael C. Scott at 1:02 PM on March 24
