Posted on 10/07/2005 11:00:24 AM PDT by flutters
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio Civil Rights Commission has ruled a sign in the window of a southwest Ohio tavern declaring, "For Service, Speak English," is discriminatory.
The panel said Thursday the Pleasure Inn on U.S. 42 in Mason, northeast of Cincinnati, violated the state civil rights law.
Commission spokeswoman Christia Alou White said the tavern could be ordered to remove the sign, to pay for advertisements about nondiscrimination, and its staff could be ordered to undergo diversity training or cultural sensitivity training.
The business has 10 days to ask the commission to reconsider. The tavern owner's lawyer declined to comment.
Ohio law says it is unlawful for any proprietor of a place of public accommodation to deny the full enjoyment of the accommodations based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age or ancestry.
The commission said the English-only rule serves no purpose other than to discriminate against non-English speaking individuals.
Housing Opportunities Made Equal, a Mount Auburn-based agency that handles fair-housing issues for eight counties, including Warren, where the tavern is located, filed a complaint with the commission in July after callers complained.
"I really think it's an affront to Hispanic families in the area, and I'm glad that the commission agreed that it's illegal discrimination," said Elizabeth Brown, HOME's executive director.
Does that mean the Tavern has to hire translators?
Is the tavern a private business or a government entity?
Oh good lord.
Perhaps if he said it in Spanish, he'd be OK. And the Spanish speakers would understand it.
Hables Angles Only!
Unless you specify in your state's constitution that English is the official language of your state, then you can't get away with doing this. Of course, I still think that a person should be able to refuse service for whatever reason, but the Feds took care of that for us back in the 1960s.
A sign saying "No Spitting" is also discriminatory.
"I really think it's an affront to Hispanic families in the area, and I'm glad that the commission agreed that it's illegal discrimination,"
I think what's really an affront to Hispanic families is Ms. Brown's assertion that because they're not white, they're too stupid to learn English.
Owl_Eagle(If what I just wrote makes you sad or angry,
Irrelevant. See Smokers.
It makes me so angry to read this that my chest hurts.
Pinche cultural sensitivity placemarker.
Ok, this is insane.
"ordered to undergo diversity training or cultural sensitivity training."
Clearly not intended to actually educate, but to punish. Is there any document that declares English the official language of Ohio, or the US?
I'm in Ohio, but at the other end of the state, aside from contacting my state reps, what can I do? This is one of my pet peeves. English should be the language that binds us. A commonality. If we have nothing in common, what would it be that distiguishes an American?
I am certain the owner was referring merely to using English rather than cussing!
I am certain the owner was referring merely to using English rather than cussing!
#2 The folks complianing most likely broke Federal law by being here.
It's a wash, All involved in this dispute can sit down and shut up.
"The commission said the English-only rule serves no purpose other than to discriminate against non-English speaking individuals."
Ya' think?
And when did the word "discriminate" come to have only negative connotations...?
What gives this commission the authority to order anyone to do anything?
TO THOSE IT OFFENDED "TOO FNG BAD IF YOU CAN'T SPEAK ENGLISH WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE
How would an illiterate spanish or english speaking person...never mind.....
Letters and words and particularly sentences discriminate against illiterates.
I can see a movement to have talking signs everywhere, for the illiterates, of course.
Whats wrong with being able to understand what your customers are ordering?
If it were my tavern, I'd let them speak spanish allright..but their order would be wrong..every time.
What conceivable legal authority could the "Commission" have to "order" the tavern to advertise anything or to submit its staff for indoctrination? I suspect what they meant to say that the "Commission" could extort such behavior as part of a consent decree. But otherwise couldn't the tavern owner just tell the "Commission" to go screw?
Now if indeed the sign is upheld to be illegal in a civil or criminal court (I suspect the former), then that's a whole different story. But either I'm missing something or the "Commission" has an awful big opinion of its collective self.
Obligatory disclaimer: I'm obviously not a lawyer, but I DID stay at a Holiday Inn last night...
I'd like to think that if I found myself in the same position, I would re-post the same sign, only a bi-lingual version.
I question whether the Ohio Civil Rights Commission would like a group of men, say, speaking Mandarin, to establish a plan of robbery/murder right in their presence since there's likely little chance of their planning being understood.
"White said the tavern could be ordered to remove the sign, to pay for advertisements about nondiscrimination, and its staff could be ordered to undergo diversity training or cultural sensitivity training. "
And what part of that is going to help the employees better understand Spanish, Portugese or Korean language speakers? The sign does not say "If you look Mexican buzz off." It is simply alerting potential clients that none of it's employees speak a foreign language. Without a reasonable expectation of being understood, how are employees supposed to serve cutomers?
>>>The commission said the English-only rule serves no purpose other than to discriminate against non-English speaking individuals. >>>
No, it means they want to understand the words coming out of their mouth. Jeez. Why do we have a language????
That is too funny. You should call the tavern owner and suggest this. Hahahaha!
He should replace the sign with the equal but more accurate "I CAN'T HELP YOU IF I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE LANGUAGE YOU ARE SPEAKING"
I live about 10 miles from the Pleasure Inn and have been known to frequent the establishment on the way home. Great place, been there for years in downtown Mason. I'm surprised anybody but the locals even know the place is there.
A whole lot of new folks have moved into the area in the last 15 years and clearly there are some of them with WAY to much time on their hands. I doubt that any of the new arrivals, Hispanic or otherwise, ever go into the place.
ROTFLOL!! Priceless!
is it time to take the country back yet? wake me when you're ready.....
Now that's funny!
I see nothing about language in there.
I don't know about that, the law is:
"Ohio law says it is unlawful for any proprietor of a place of public accommodation to deny the full enjoyment of the accommodations based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age or ancestry."
The owner is denying them enjoyment based on spoken language which is not accounted for in that code.
However, the only thing they could get him on is 'denial of enjoyment' based on disabilities - technically sign language isn't English so his sign could be misconstrued to be denying the deaf service.
"Hables Angles Only!"
Oh, my! Spanish speakers won't understand that either. It's not Spanish. Nice try, though.
...ordered to undergo diversity training or cultural sensitivity training.
Call it what it is: ...ordered to undergo thought control.
George Orwell would be hailed as a prophet had he titled his book, "1994."
The Ohio Civil Rights Commission should be eliminated if this is the kind of "discrimination" they're going to tackle. They obviously don't have important matters to tend to.
"What gives this commission the authority to order anyone to do anything?"
Ohio state law. Read the article.
How about smokers being banned due to local or state laws? If I owned the tavern and lost this issue, I'd just say "what you talkin' 'bout Pedro?"
If it were my tavern, I'd let them speak spanish allright..but their order would be wrong..every time.
been there, done that. the family thought it was funny when i brought them out their food.
what i didn't understand was, why the HECK would a mexican family want to eat at chi-chis?!?
"For Service, Speak English."
Methinks you are "overdetermining" this, even if you are right on the big points.
The sign doesn't refuse service to non-English-speakers. It asks them to use it. If someone were struggling with a drink order because the barkeep couldn't understand him, and he pointed to the Speak English sign--the patron couldn't understand it anyway! Probably, they'd work it out--how hard is it to say "Bud"? Barring that, the undocumented incipient drunk could point to a tap and hold up one finger, then pay for it with wages earned in a job that Americans don't want to do.
I'm getting too clever, of course. But the big issue is, this troublemaking HOME agency is precisely the lib-run kind of organization that exists pretty much to make trouble. Oh, you were affronted (even if such effrontery needs explained to the affrontee)? Let us see how we can construe some law to make this bar pay. If things really work out, we can put it out of business.
In Singapore, you get caned for spitting.
Ok, how does this outlaw discrimination based upon language? Seeing as they felt the need to enumerate what cannot used to discriminate and they left out language I say to Ohio STFU.
Oh, by the way Ohio, if a tavern does not discriminate based upon age you'll yank their liquor license won't you! Freepers, this is what is coming if we don't take a stand NOW.
Our government protects a huge group of people that want to kill or convert us just because they hide in a building with an ice cream cone for a roof. They protect cesspool sperm that illegally cross our borders.
The very next logical step, if this ruling stands, is to demand every business employ someone who speaks cesspool.
Congressman Billybob
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