Al ordenar, hable por favor español

The future of America is at (cheese) steak!

Joe Vento runs a Pennsylvania steak joint called Geno's.

Demand for his famous 'Philly Cheese Steak' keeps the lines long outside of Vento's door - but the ever-shifting demographic in Philadelphia isn't doing anything to help that line move any faster.

Joe Vento and his staff keep running into problems because visitors to his store - specifically Hispanic immigrants - aren't ordering in English.

This led Vento to put up a controversial sign: "This is America. When ordering, please speak English."

This immediately incurred the wrath of various groups who claim his sign violates a city ordinance prohibiting discrimination in employment, public accommodation and housing on the basis of race, ethnicity or sexual orientation.

Their argument? That putting up that sign discourages customers of a 'certain background' from eating there.

But there's a hole in their argument. It's utter bunkum.

Bunkum

Professor Camilla Charles, of the University of Pennsylvania, claims that Vento's sign harks back to the 'Whites Only' signs of the segregated 1950s. But that's apologetic rubbish.

First off, Vento's not banning anybody from coming into his store or enjoying his cheesesteak. He's just asking that they speak English when they order it. Secondly, a request to speak English isn't discriminatory against Hispanic people. It equally targets tourists and immigrants from non-English speaking countries across the world.

The real issue is that Joe Vento and his staff do not speak Spanish - or Serbo-Croat, Swedish, Swahili or French. Therefore it's totally unreasonable to demand that they do business in a language they do not understand.

Like it or not - and despite the enormous numbers of Spanish speaking immigrants - America continues to be an English-speaking country.

Hypocrisy

What annoys me about this situation is how hypocritical it is.

In today's 'politically correct' world, a reversal of the situation - a Mexican diner that had a sign saying; "Ésta es América latina. Al ordenar, hable por favor español," would never be subjected to the same level of scrutiny because the left-wing 'thought police' dismiss any criticism of Hispanic culture as 'racist.'

But the very core issue here is not racism on Vento's part - but a refusal to integrate on the part of the disgruntled Spanish speaking customers of Geno's Steaks.

And that isn't an issue restricted to Hispanic immigrants to America.

For any responsible traveller, there is a clear duty to speak the language of the country you're visiting. Nobody goes on holiday to the Costa Del Sol, Mexico, France or Germany without at least attempting to learn a few words of the local language. [I believe British holidaymakers regularly do just that - Editorial Bear] And immigrants especially can't expect to live or do business in a foreign country without some grasp of the lingo.

When I lived and worked in France, I discovered pretty quickly that speaking French was the only way to get things done and be taken seriously. Surely the same rules apply to Spanish-speaking immigrants to America?

Not according to the 'politically correct.'

Neatly ignoring how far they'd get in Tijuana without a bit of Spanish to back them up (not far) apologists in America seem determined to grant Hispanic immigrants (especially the illegal ones) all the benefits of living in America without them meeting us halfway and making some conciliatory gestures (like learning the language and obeying our immigration rules.)

What's worse than that, they're willing to string up innocent, well-intentioned Americans like Joe Vento just for the crime of standing up to them.

America is a nation of immigrants - but a true 'American' immigrant embraces the culture, history and language of the country he intends to call his home.

If an immigrant refuses to learn even the most basic tenants of English (ordering a cheese steak isn't exactly difficult) then one has to accept that the issue isn't whether or not they're welcome in Joe Vento's steakhouse - but whether they belong in the United States at all.

Recent immigrants Militant Ginger and Editorial Bear still live under the misapprehension that American immigration regulations are mandatory.