Thread: 'If you do not speak English, please hang up' Telemarketers

'If you do not speak English, please hang up' Telemarketers told to believe in America or don't call

Posted: August 12, 2008
9:25 pm Eastern

© 2008 WorldNetDaily
Courtesy WNEP-TV

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5642 in Montrose, Pa., has a message for the many telemarketers that call its answering machine: speak English.

Those who call the post when no one's around to answer the telephone will be greeted by a pleasant, female voice on the answering machine saying, "Hi, you've reached the Montrose VFW, Post 5642. We are an English-speaking, American establishment. If you do not speak English or believe in America, please hang up."

The one-story, white VFW post is a popular gathering point for veterans along Pennsylvania's Route 706, according to a WNEP-TV report. According to its post commander, the VFW's phone number is also a popular target of telemarketers, many of whom speak in broken English.

"We are living in America," Post Commander John Miner told WNEP. "We should be able to speak English."

Some in the community have called that message racist and unconstitutional.

Miner, however, says the post has used the message for several months without complaint. He has no intention of changing it.

"So you're sticking to your guns?" a WNEP reporter asked him.

Miner answered, "We're veterans."

Reporters from WNEP sought community reaction to the message.

Teresa Artohofer of Montrose said the VFW post's message contradicts the Constitution's protection of free speech.

"Does it say English speech? It just says freedom of speech. No where in there does it say freedom of English speech. It just says, freedom of speech," Arthofer said.

Helen Warner told WNEP that if her grandparents had to learn English to live in America, modern immigrants should too.

"What do I think? I agree. If you're going to be in America, speak English," Warner said.

The VFW, whose website claims the group includes 2.2 million members in approximately 8,100 posts worldwide, was chartered by Congress in 1936 but remains a non-profit organization funded by individual contributions and is not a government entity.

Ten years ago the VFW passed Resolution 303, to "urge Congress to enact legislation mandating English as the official language" of the United States.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php? ... geId=72176

Some in the community have called that message racist and unconstitutional

In what way? What a bunch of meddling morons. It is none of their business what this group has on their answering machine. They have a problem with it, let them try to take it to court and attempt to sue them over it, let's see how far that goes.....

And racist? HOW? Did they mention a race in that? NO, they mentioned speaking English, which is not referring to a race, but a common uniting language of the land.

I would LIKE to know where these people get RACIST AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL from that message? Whoever says that is the most racist person. And excuse me BUT OUR CONSTITUTION says "of the UNITED STATES"

NOT TO ALL THAT COME TO HER SHORES ILLEGALLY AND DO NOT ABIDE BY HER LAWS

AND MAY I mention ........we are a country of IMMIGRANTS! I would be the first to agree on that...BUT those immigrants came here LEGALLY and through proper channels and without taking someone elses IDENTITY (and some of those identities are those that had passed on) to get jobs (and I don't care WHO U R many of those jobs were held by AMERICANS but are now being given to a person/persons that will work for less and with no benefits) and SOCIAL BENEFITS..as many of these ILLEGALS are doing

Originally Posted by uniteasone

AND MAY I mention ........we are a country of IMMIGRANTS! I would be the first to agree on that...BUT those immigrants came here LEGALLY and through proper channels and without taking someone elses IDENTITY (and some of those identities are those that had passed on) to get jobs (and I don't care WHO U R many of those jobs were held by AMERICANS but are now being given to a person/persons that will work for less and with no benefits) and SOCIAL BENEFITS..as many of these ILLEGALS are doing

We are NOT a nation of immigrants. 200 years ago, we were a nation of immigrants. Now we are a nation of mostly natural-born citizens, who welcome the immigrants of other countries with open arms (unless they crawled in through the windows). I've never lived anywhere, so I can't be an immigrant here. Same goes for most of my social circle, and a large part of society in general.

But the identity theft, you are correct, those jobs were done by an American before the illegal alien slaves took them.