Speak English Please At Geno's
Sure he's the grandson of Italian immigrants. Sure he has realized the American dream. Sure his family business is successful. Would assimilation have anything to do with the success of Geno's Steaks in Philly? Most likely.
Now dig this. Geno's has a sign posted -
This is America - when ordering, speak English.
Of course a civil rights watchdog agency has opened an investigation. Read about the situation and potential charges here.
Ol' BC knows where he'll be eating when he goes to Philly. I hope you all will do the same. This freedom of speech thing tends to have streets named after it.........ONE WAY.
Just an observation.
posted by Ol' BC @ 10:10 PM
9 comments
9 Comments:
I will be in attendance at Geno's sometime within the next week or so to pick up a cheesesteak or two.
As a quasi-Philadelphian (I'm a Philly suburbanite), I can tell you from experience that the problem they're dealing with isn't so much that these people can't speak English; it's that they WON'T.
When I traveled to Germany, I learned the language (actually got to be quite fluent in it). When I traveled to France, Italy, Holland, and those places linguistically similar to them, I learned the things I needed to know to communicate in those languages with regard to the things I needed, such as ordering at restaurants and paying for stuff. That's part of your responsibility as a traveler.
Just like here in America, the people were much more tolerant of and/or friendly to me just because I was trying. Ironically, the city in which I experienced the most difficulty communicating with people in their own language was London. Go figure.
RWR
www.rightwingrocker.com
P.S. - Ol' BC, If you're going to be in Philly, make sure you get a cheesesteak at Geno's, but don't you DARE leave the area until I've personally bought you a beer.
Actually, if you really don't speak English, the sign means nothing. If you've been here a good long while, there's no reason not to have learned "with or without" by now.
Beef, glad you're continuing to broaden your horizons with OL' BC.
Yes, there is a problem with Geno's, immigration and racism. The problem is that his business is HIS business and he can do wherever he likes. If some immigrant can't order his/her lunch in the way that is prescribed, I guess he/she doesn’t eat at Geno's. I know there are other places in Philadelphia to eat. Some of the bleeding heart liberals just don't get it. Kudos to Geno’s. He has a great deal of support out here. I have a post at my blog about this and other issues
Please feel free to stop by and read my perspective on this and other issues.
http://texastruth.blogspot.com
So it is your responsibility as a traveler to learn the language everywhere you go?
It's certainly your responsibility to give it a try. There are certainly negative consequences for not trying to communicate with people in their own language when you're in their country. I gave it a try, and was better for it.
Once again, the problem isn't that these people can't speak English. They are largely fluent in it. Even those who can't aren't expected to do any more than try. It's a way of earning respect by giving it, a concept you will learn well in your teaching career, Beef.
I know there are other places in Philadelphia to eat.
Ironically, Pat's has a similar menu and is right across the street from Geno's. One of Philly's favorite debates is over which of the two makes the better cheesesteak.
I echo Texas's kudos for Geno's. I live in and around Philly and I know that the people in question are people who are fully capable of ordering in English but openly refuse to do so. Given today's climate, I would have to agree that this battle is one of ever-increasing substance. My fedore is off to Geno's.
RWR
www.rightwingrocker.com
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Ol BC Please delete my last comment ... The link is bad ...
Here is the excellent article.
RWR
RWR, I'm not nearly savvy enough to delete shit.
This country is built upon change, the influx of values, the influences of many diverse forces. To demand that everyone suddenly live according to the Book of America is self-righteous and distasteful.
This statement proves your ignorance, Beef. This country is not built upon change. It's built upon the solid base of Judeo-Christian values set forth in the founding documents. It's high time we began to demand that our people and out government went back to that set of documents and lived according to it.
America was a much better place when we did. And will again be when we do.
RWR
www.rightwingrocker.com
Oh, and Ol BC ti delete just click the trash can in the lower corner ... you must be logged on to to do it. Of course I forgot that I can delete my own comments, so I did it.
So for practice ... you can delete this one ;)
RWR
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