Store sign sparks free-speech debate
Two years ago, the owner of one of
Philadelphia’s favorite cheesesteak joints, Geno’s Steaks, ended up at the center of the national immigration debate when it’s owner Joseph Vento put up this sign in his store:
“This is America: When Ordering Please Speak English.”
As you can imagine his sign
got him in hot water including a two-year investigation by the Philadelphia Human Relations Commission that looked into whether the small business owner discriminated against any patrons and violated the city’s fair practices ordinance.
Well, the commission found recently he did not discriminate against anyone and now this entrepreneur wants payback.
He wants an apology from the city’s Mayor, who Vento says, “came out against me,” and he’s considering suing the city.
Vento believes his right to free speech were violated; and he wants the city ordinance changed so no other small business owner has to go through what he did.
“I was fortunate to have the resources to fight,” he says, where other small firms would have just been forced to take the sign down.
Even though he was vindicated, he feels the commission did not hand down a clear enough verdict proclaiming his innocence.
His attorney, Al Weiss, says the wording of the commission's finding was not a ringing vindication. It said the panel found “insufficient evidence," and that leaves too much room for interpretation.
Weiss says his client wants the wording changed on the decision, and he also wants the ordinance changed. “He doesn’t think the next guy, a small pizza shop or Chinese food guy, should have to fight for their freedom of speech. We think the city should get a panel together and rework this ordinance,” he says.
The way Vento and Weiss see it, anyone can find a sign, or a flag, or any store display offensive and try to force a small firm to remove it.
While opponents have claimed Vento was discriminating by displaying a sign that asked for his patron to order in English, he stresses he never refused to serve anyone. His point, he explains, was customers should try to order in English if they can, and that immigrants should do their best to learn the language in order to assimilate.
“It’s my right to make a political statement. That’s my right,” he proclaims.
If Vento doesn’t get what he wants out of the city he is considering suing on principle.
“It’s not about the money,” he says, maintaining he’ll give back what ever he wins from a suit to the city.
The way he sees it, he’s standing up for the little guy and gal.
“Just because something is not politically correct doesn’t mean they can come in and bully us small business owners,” he says.
