These people need to sit down and talk to Joey about this and stop the saber rattling.  This is getting totally out of hand.  Joey is not a racist, he is a patriot.

It is not racist to ask people to speak English, particularly when you are not actually refusing service when they cannot.  Since so far there has been no direct accusation that he is discriminating against anyone, it is not a civil rights issue.  He asserts, and no one disputes, that no one has ever been refused service for language issues.

The problem is, and what the lefties fear, is that he is resonating with the public.  He has 80% support in Philly according to a recent TV poll.  Nationally the support for English as our official language is fairly well supported.

Only the Reconquistas are pissed.  They cannot stand that one fiesty businessman refuses to make his business bilingual to assist them in their conquest.

I say wahhhh.  Deal with it. 

All the hue and cry about this is just the liberals race baiting. 

Philadelphia "English-only" eatery faces probe

A civil rights watchdog agency opened an investigation on Monday into a Philadelphia cheese steak restaurant that posted a sign saying "This is America - when ordering, speak English."

The Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations complaint effectively opens a case against Geno’s Steaks of South Philadelphia, said Rachel Lawton, acting executive director of the agency.

The Philadelphia controversy has fed a national debate over immigration in which the U.S. Senate passed a bill that would declare English the national language and politicians have raised objections to a Spanish version of the national anthem.

The sign may violate the city’s Fair Practices Ordinance, which bans businesses from discriminating on the basis of nationality or ethnicity, Lawton said.

"The complaint will say that the sign discourages patronage by non-English speakers because of their national origin and/or ancestry," Lawton, whose agency enforces the city’s anti-discrimination laws, said before the official filing.

Geno’s will be given up to two weeks to respond and, if the agency determines the sign has violated the city ordinance, will be ordered to take the sign down. If the restaurant refuses, it will be subject to a $300 fine, Lawton said.

Geno’s owner Joey Vento, the grandson of Italian immigrants, said he has no plans to remove the sign.

"I don’t see why I should have to. It’s freedom of speech," said Vento, 66, who opened the restaurant 40 years ago.

He said no one is refused service and no one is discriminated against. The sign, which has been displayed for about six months, is meant to encourage immigrants to learn English, he said.

"If you don’t speak English, the sign means nothing," he told Reuters.

The restaurant, in a historically Italian neighborhood that seen an influx of Central American immigrants, has angered Latino groups.

Roberto Santiago, executive director of the city’s Council of Spanish Speaking Organizations, said he received around 50 "hate" e-mails in response to his criticism of the sign.

One from California said groups like his should be banned for representing "filthy, illegal alien invaders", he said.

"This is dividing this nation," he said. "I’m really saddened by these individuals who are upset by having to be tolerant. I’m glad I’m living in an America where comments like Mr. Vento’s are out of order."

I don’t him teaching people how to say Cheesesteak with Wiz as being intolerant.

Grow up people.

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