'English only' sign back up to stay at diner, owner says

[The Northerner]

REEDY CREEK | When Reedy Creek Diner owner and chef Greg Simons took down a controversial “No Speak English, No Service” sign at his restaurant two months ago, he said then the sign had lost its message and that he was fearful for the safety of his staff after receiving threatening phone calls.

But after Simons says he received an influx of support letters from people across the country and suggestions from many of his regular customers to re-post the sign, Simons was persuaded. He put the sign back up just a few days after saying he didn't feel the need to bring it back — though he moved the sign from the restaurant's front door to the counter next to the cash register. This time, Simons says it's staying.

Simons said an awkward encounter with a Spanish-speaking customer prompted him to change his policy on serving non-English-speaking patrons and put the sign up. In March, after taking it down, Simons said, “The sign has become embroiled in controversy. I don't foresee the need to put it back up unless a lot of people come in speaking foreign languages. I would probably then have something a little more politically correct or a better version of that sign that clearly states we're not bilingual.”

The sign made national headlines. Simons gave interviews with conservative political commentators Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck, speaking to both on their radio shows shortly after the story first broke in March. He was criticized by several media outlets, though he still defends his sign and says it's not a racial issue. The sign's message has become affixed with the diner's reputation.

Read more: http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20110519/NEWS/305199978/1005/news?Title=-English-only-sign-back-up-to-stay-at-diner-owner-says

[mzteris]

1. ignorant *ss. n/t

[marmar]

2. 'No Speak English, No Service'

What an ignorant, racist POS.

[struggle4progress]

3. “No Speak English, No Service” -- what the fugg language is that?

[Posteritatis]

4. It's an odd dialect. The literal translation is "I Want Less Business." (nt)

[muntrv]

5. "We speak and only understand American." American is not a language, fuckhead Simons!

[HockeyMom]

13. "Sir, you are speaking MY native tongue and never forget that"

which is what my husband's former boss, British citizen, told an immigration officier when asked to say something in ENGLISH. Duh? Hello?

Never ceases to amaze me how many idiots there are in this country.

[Ikonoklast]

6. Must hate making money.

Not a very smart business move, the jerk must be wealthy enough already not to care about making any more.

[AsahinaKimi]

7. meh..

ばかやろ。これは愚かです。

what an ignorant thing to say.

[madinmaryland]

8. It sounds like his customers are just as racist as he is. Bunch of fucking racists.

[Synicus Maximus]

16. what does language have to do with race?

[Contrary1]

9. Truth in advertising demands that this sign read:

"We're assholes here who only serve bigots."

[NYC_SKP]

10. Well, OK, except that the Sign is Written in ENGLISH!

Dumb Fucks!

:P

[namahage]

14. "No Speak English" is English?

Reminds me of this...



and this...



and this...



and this...

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wCzCY93mKq0/TE5UlDW-WXI/AAAAAAAABUA/IYamuKrC8Yk/s1600/english+americas+offical+language.jpg

[LuvNewcastle]

11. I wonder how he would feel if

he was hungry and was confronted with a Spanish-only sign in southern California or French-only in south Louisiana. He probably wouldn't even be able to read the sign.

[Xithras]

17. Those do exist in California.

There are small businesses in heavily hispanic barrios with signs next to the register that read, "Sorry, but we don't speak English", or something similar. I actually eat lunch, from time to time, at a taco wagon in Modesto that has a sign like that in the window. They're not being rude, but outside of a few words "dollar", "quarter", "one, two, three", "thank you", they really dont speak any English.

It's never bothered me one bit, but hablo un poco de espanol. That makes things a bit easier.

[LuvNewcastle]

18. I probably would be okay with that, too.

They apparently serve English speakers, they're just informing their customers of their limitations. This guy here is just giving the finger to non-English speakers. He might as well put up a sign saying: "Mexicans, please remove your sombreros at the table."

[Codeine]

21. Quite a few restaurants in my area have no English-speaking employees.

Which is fine, because Mexican food isn't my thing anyway.

[Fumesucker]

12. If English was good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for him. n/t

[LuvNewcastle]

15. Amen, brother! n/t

[classysassy]

19. If it ain't anglo we don't serve it

Our pale face brothers and sisters continue the divide.Will sanity and reason return before it's too late?

[nadinbrzezinski]

20. Tempted to walk in with the RED SHARPIE

for the grammar impaired...

And after correcting his grammar, go from English... to Spanish and then Hebrew...

And of course, walk out. He is not going to get a red cent from me. But think of the children.

[Raine]

22. His food is probably slop and not fit

for human consumption anyway probably doing people a favor by not serving them. :puke: This guy should have a sign that says "Sorry we're open", there's a restuarant in my area that has that sign but they put it up with a sense of humor. In this guys case anyone that eats the food is probably sorry the place was open. :puke:

[truth2power]

23. And here I am saving my pennies to try to get Rosetta Stone (Spanish)

for a reasonable price. Just goes to show. :eyes: