Thoughts 30 Jun 2007 11:20 pm
English only
Something I ran across on the BBC:
The collapse of President Bush’s recent immigration reform was partly fueled by fears that the English language was under threat from Spanish. But as one food stall owner in Philadelphia illustrates, English has some unlikely champions.
Joey Vento, the owner of Geno’s - a Philadelphia cheese steak stall, had been reported to the authorities for having a sticker on the sliding door of his stall, which featured a picture of an eagle and the phrase: “This is America. Please speak English when ordering.”
For some, he had struck a chord, struck a blow for ordinary Americans. For others, this was brazen discrimination.
English is a language that Joey’s Sicilian grandfather never mastered when he came to the United States in the 1920s. “But he tried,” Joey told me, “and he knew that was what it meant to come here.”
Some people, most notably the traditional “bleeding heart liberal” think that this sort of thing should be banned, while those on the far right say that English should be made our national language.
For my part I think that it’s covered by freedom of speech and basic business. He has the right to say it and if his business stays open then more power to him.
I work in an area that I describe as Little Mexico, most of the people are from Mexico, most of them speak little if any English, and a large number are here illegally.
There are businesses in the area that I can’t do business with because my spanish is too poor and I sound like a gringo.
If I go into the shops that come to mind, I know I will be ignored, made fun of and insulted by people who think that I don’t understand enough to know what was said.
Their choriso may be better than what I can find at Food for Less, but my not buying it will not bring the world to an end.
Therefore I don’t do business where I’m not welcome.
My point is simple, if a place like Geno’s puts up a sign or simply refuses to do business with someone who doesn’t speak English they will be accused of discrimination.
But, if a place like Mariana’s refuses me service because I don’t speak spanish, it seems to be their God given right.
This hypocrisy, this feeling that somebody else has more rights than you do, is one of the many reasons that the Latin immigrants are resented so greatly.