This was one of AOL’s front page news articles. To read the full article, click here.
I’m not even sure how to feel about this.
Commissioners Roxanne E. Covington and Burt Siegel voted to dismiss the complaint, finding that the sign does not communicate that business will be “refused, withheld or denied.”
It might not say those ’exact’ words (business will not be refused or denied), but that’s what I would think if I didn’t speak English. I think he’s saying to non-English speaking persons, “I don’t want your business if you don’t speak English” (subliminally)
We all know it will deter people who don’t speak English from coming to the shop. So if he’s not trying to ’deny’ business to a certain group of people, why put the sign up?
If you went to France, and saw a sign that said, “Speak French when ordering” and your only language is English, would you feel like you’re not welcomed?
This can open doors for something like Black Codes.
I just don’t like it. If you are not going to deny services, than it sounds like a contradiction to say “Speak English when ordering.”
He knows people are not going to come in if they don’t speak English.
Oh, one more thing, don’t forget he also has another sign that says, ’Management Reserves the Right to Refuse Service.”
Hmmm…
