Thread: English-only cheesesteak protest fizzles

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/my ... 951598.htm

Posted on Sun, Jul. 02, 2006

PENNSYLVANIA

English-only cheesesteak protest fizzles


The Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA - An attempt to put the spotlight on a South Philadelphia cheesesteak stand's policies by having a group wearing matching T-shirts order in Spanish yielded a welcome in Spanish from a disc jockey, followed by service in English from the man taking orders.

The group appeared on Saturday afternoon wearing shirts reading "Pan, bisteck y queso, por favor" and got in line at Geno's, a South Philadelphia landmark that got national attention for small signs telling customers, "This is America: When Ordering 'Please Speak English.'"

The business owner has said his staff have never turned away a customer because of a language barrier, but he wanted people to order in English because he thinks immigrants should assimilate, as his family did.

A disc jockey broadcasting a live oldies and doo-wop show noticed the group and welcomed them in fluent Spanish, saying Geno's serves everybody.

When the first customer tried to order in Spanish, he was served.

Other customers ended up speaking English. One who ordered with the Spanish words on her shirt (literally "bread, steak and cheese, please") was asked if she wanted onions. She repeated her order in Spanish and the man said, "I know all that. You want onions?"

"Yes, I want onions," she said in accented English.

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Search "geno's" to see the string that raged on this for 25 pages.

I am proud of Geno! I sent him a comment of encouragement (early in the matter) at his website, genosteaks.com.

Here's the real issue. It's the xenophobic Mexican/Latinos who want the rest of the world to cater to them because they speak Spanish.

What I would like, very much, is for a group of Germans, or Icelanders, or French to walk up and try to order in their language. With that group of Spanish speakers watching. I then want the French to berate the Spanish speakers for getting preferential treatment at Geno's.

Now THAT would make the point to the Pro-Illegals that we have to speak one language and we ain't in Mexico, so get over it.