[Cyrano]

Folks on the forum have been grumbling as long as I've been here about the rise in permissiveness concerning language in America. Until about 1990 there wasn't a whole lot of question: if you're in the United States, you speak English. It was a given.

Then the illegals started infiltrating and abusing out American tradition of hospitality and tolerance to the latest wave of immigrants. Of course, in all prior waves the idea had been to become Americans and assimilate themselves and some of their foreign customs into the world-famous American melting pot (I've always seen it as a big pot of constantly simmering soup, such as they have in some European restaurants where the soup has been cooking for centuries - never the same twice). As the vermin had no intention of remaining here and did not see America as home, they've felt no need to learn English. Indeed, they have demanded, and permissive gummint policies and executive orders have encouraged, their intransigence in the matter of language.

I've long believed unity of language is critical to a polyglot country, which America definitely is. Look at the tension and in some cases fighting that goes on in Canada, Belgium and Africa because of groups lumped together as 'nations' where you have different ethnicities that loathe each other. Non-commonality of language is the first step in particularism, where people identify with their 'tribe' and not the larger nation.

This news report from Philadelphia, the cradle of American law, might be the first sign that the tide has begun to turn. Excerpts follow.

"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."

Vento had threatened to go to court if he lost. His attorney, Albert G. Weiss, said he was 'pleasantly surprised' by Wednesday's decision.

'We expected that this was not going to go our way,' Weiss said.

W. Nick Taliaferro, the commission's executive director, said he would not appeal."

[just_a_car]

Outstanding!... and good for him for putting that up way back in October of 2005.

I agree with you on the Canada issue... Quebec tried to succeed at least twice, to my knowledge, and there are large areas in that province where you are not ALLOWED to have signs English, only French (not even both on the same sign so that people can read in either) and you will be brought to court if you do. They claim to be "bilingual", but what it really means is that the English speakers have to speak French, but the French aren't required to speak English. I guess that kind of crap happens when you don't revolt against a monarchy....

[troy2000]

I'm also pleased by the verdict. But I wouldn't pound the idea too hard that before 1900 speaking English in America was a "given;" there have always been entire communities, particularly in the large cities, where people kept speaking their native tongue.

The difference now is that we cater to them...California's ballots are available in an insane number of languages, and I don't understand why. How the **** do people learn enough about America to become citizens without even knowing enough English to read a ballot?

[bigbuddy21]

Quote:       Originally Posted by troy2000

How the **** do people learn enough about America to become citizens without even knowing enough English to read a ballot?

thats just the problem TROY, the illegalls of today aren't interested in
becoming citizens.
they come over here for a few yrs. and then they go back.
we go to a really good mex. rest. it's owned by a man that has become a citizen,but almost all of the employees are illegal and they tell us that their not interested in staying. most of them have family in mex.
and are here to make money to send to them.
these are the ones that are making a drain on our social services,by not
paying taxes and then using every entitlement to come along.
it's time that we stand up as united AMERICANS, and take our country back!

[TXplt]

Quote:       Originally Posted by troy2000

I'm also pleased by the verdict. But I wouldn't pound the idea too hard that before 1900 speaking English in America was a "given;" there have always been entire communities, particularly in the large cities, where people kept speaking their native tongue. The difference now is that we cater to them...California's ballots are available in an insane number of languages, and I don't understand why. How the **** do people learn enough about America to become citizens without even knowing enough English to read a ballot?

+1

There's nothing wrong with not speaking English. There's everything wrong with a government who says we must speak or print Spanish to conduct government or official business. Even more wrong if directing this toward private firms. ALL official state business (and public schools) should be transacted solely in English. Private education and Businesses, it's up to you -- if you want to cater to a clientele who speaks Italian (or French, or Chinese, or any other language) fine. If you want to say "only Engilsh can be spoken here to transact business" that's fine as well. If I have a choice between a cab driver who can understand me and one that can't, I'll spend the extra 5 bucks to get someone who knows what he or she is doing.

My wife (from Japan) can speak better than I can sometimes. While that might not be saying much, she worked hard to learn this to be able to fit in and do things. If I was going over there, you bet I'd learn (or at least rely on my wife to translate ) This isn't too much to expect from our residents and citizens.