Eatery's English-only sign raises ire

SevenOfNine · #1 (**permalink**) 06-10-2006, 01:52 AM

Quote:

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - A sign in a landmark Philadelphia restaurant asking customers to order in English is sparking controversy in the metropolis known as the "City of Brotherly Love."

The owner of Geno's Steaks said on Thursday that the sign, "This is America -- when ordering speak English," is intended to encourage immigrants to learn the language and assimilate into U.S. society, but one Latino activist said it's racist.

more on this here

jimmy g · #2 (**permalink**) 06-10-2006, 02:16 AM

The immagration laws USED to say that you had to know English PRIOR to coming here; have a sponsor of a job for at least one year PRIOR to coming here; have a sponsor for living quarters, and healthcare PRIOR to coming here; and a background check as well as a health checkup PRIOR to coming into this nation. I'm not even sure it still isn't the law-- but it certainly isn't enforced!

Quote from Teddy Roosevelt, in 1919:

"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin.

"But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

2631 · #3 (**permalink**) 06-10-2006, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmy g

The immagration laws USED to say that you had to know English PRIOR to coming here; have a sponsor of a job for at least one year PRIOR to coming here; have a sponsor for living quarters, and healthcare PRIOR to coming here; and a background check as well as a health checkup PRIOR to coming into this nation. I'm not even sure it still isn't the law-- but it certainly isn't enforced!

Quote from Teddy Roosevelt, in 1919:

"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin.

"But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

That is a great quote !! I had never read it before. To assimilate and have no divided allegiance, that should be a main focus of the U.S. immigration policy