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Officials Call 'Speak English' Sign Discriminatory
nbc4i.com ^ | October 7, 2005 | AP

Posted on 10/12/2005 6:33:36 AM PDT by Millicent_Hornswaggle

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.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; US: Ohio
KEYWORDS: discrimination; english; ohio
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This is disgusting.
1 posted on 10/12/2005 6:34:05 AM PDT by Millicent_Hornswaggle
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To: Millicent_Hornswaggle
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.

Ms White needs to "order" a beer and chill out. In English.

2 posted on 10/12/2005 6:39:06 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer (The democRATS are near the tipping point.)
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To: Millicent_Hornswaggle
Maybe they should have written the sign in Spanish....chances are those libs may not understand it. I suppose now they will mandate everyone has at least one Spanish speaking employee on for every shift.
3 posted on 10/12/2005 6:39:34 AM PDT by Kimmers
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To: Millicent_Hornswaggle

Hmmmm ... how about a sign that says "I don't speak Spanish, I speak English!"

Let the official idiotarians find some way to twist that declarative statement into a civil rights issue.

I dare them.


4 posted on 10/12/2005 6:41:39 AM PDT by cooldog (Islam is a criminal conspiracy to commit mass murder ... deal with it!)
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To: Kimmers

Change the sign to read "For Service please Speak English correctly, I am hard of hearing,"

That said with a medical disability they cannot go after him.


5 posted on 10/12/2005 6:41:43 AM PDT by edcoil (Reality doesn't say much - doesn't need too)
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To: Millicent_Hornswaggle

Un sandwich de jamon y una cerveza por favor?


6 posted on 10/12/2005 6:41:56 AM PDT by Semper Paratus
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To: Millicent_Hornswaggle
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.

I don't see how the sign breaks the law. "Language" isn't mentioned anywhere in there. If I show up and start speaking Finnish, I don't suddenly become part of a protected class -- do I?

7 posted on 10/12/2005 6:43:43 AM PDT by The Old Hoosier (Right makes might.)
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To: Millicent_Hornswaggle

What about free speech?
What about Choice?
What about equality? (Everyone speak english equally)
What about freedom of association?
What about the right to refuse service to whoever you wish?

How about telling them to STFU!


8 posted on 10/12/2005 6:44:06 AM PDT by Khepera (Do not remove by penalty of law!)
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To: Millicent_Hornswaggle

I will no longer go to my local subway sandwich shop. They have been invaded by mexican economic terrosists who do not know what "Six Inch Roast Beef Sub on White, Just Pickles, Please." means.


9 posted on 10/12/2005 6:45:15 AM PDT by Fierce Allegiance (Want to be on my Civil Engineers ping list? Say the word!)
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To: Alia

This is what we end up with!


10 posted on 10/12/2005 6:47:24 AM PDT by CSM (When laws are written, they apply to ALL...Not just the yucky people you don't like. - HairOfTheDog)
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To: Millicent_Hornswaggle

How about a sign that says "I would like to help you out, which way did you come in?" in spanish.


11 posted on 10/12/2005 7:00:54 AM PDT by Sterco
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To: Millicent_Hornswaggle

I've visited Mexico several times, and have no problems with ordering a beer or food in spanish. It's not hard to learn a few words to get by when visiting a foreign land.

Asking customers to speak english to get served is not racist. There's no reason that businesses need to train their employees to speak other languages. Language is not race.

If the bar is discriminating on the basis of race, then there is a problem, but this sign does not prove that.

"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."

Requiring them to pay for advertisments about nondiscrimination violates their freedom of speech.

Ordering people to go to diversity or sensitivity training is a waste of time and money. Prohibiting illegal acts is appropriate. Fines may also be appropriate.

If Ms. White thinks the comission can order the tavern to pay for advertisments she obviously doesn't understand the meaning of civil rights and should be fired.


12 posted on 10/12/2005 7:01:36 AM PDT by untrained skeptic
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Obvious solution:

Bilingual sign?

"We Speak English Here / Nos Hablamos Ingles"


13 posted on 10/12/2005 7:03:44 AM PDT by Cringing Negativism Network
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Ms Brown should relocate to a spanish speaking country and DEMAND the locals speak english.


14 posted on 10/12/2005 7:07:13 AM PDT by RexFamilia
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To: Millicent_Hornswaggle
....and its staff could be ordered to undergo diversity training or cultural sensitivity training.

And how pray tell are they going to enforce this order? Reeducation at the point of a gun for American citizens?

15 posted on 10/12/2005 7:08:02 AM PDT by OSHA (I've got a hole in my head too, but that's beside the point.)
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To: Cringing Negativism Network

Did the local newspapers report this story in "Spanish"? If not they too are "racist".


16 posted on 10/12/2005 7:11:23 AM PDT by Bandmo33
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To: Millicent_Hornswaggle

Miz White, read my lips, "if someone comes in and orders in a language I don't understand, how do I serve them? hmmmmm" It's rally not complicated at all is it, Miz White?


17 posted on 10/12/2005 7:13:27 AM PDT by ladtx ("It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it." -- -- General Douglas MacArthur)
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To: OSHA

They will order the business owner to have his personnel trained. If he refuses they will fine him or order his business closed. If he refuses to comply, yes, they will come with guns.


18 posted on 10/12/2005 7:18:21 AM PDT by sumocide
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To: CSM

Exactly.


19 posted on 10/12/2005 7:19:21 AM PDT by Alia
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To: Millicent_Hornswaggle

The Commission did not identify one individual who was discriminated against.


20 posted on 10/12/2005 7:21:02 AM PDT by Loyal Buckeye
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