Pleasure Inn Settles ‘For Service Speak Engish’ Sign Dispute
NixGuy’s alert mechanisms are a few hours ahead of mine. The Cincinnati Enquirer has the story:
A state discrimination complaint over a Mason businessman’s “For Service, Speak English” sign has been dropped after Pleasure Inn owner Tom Ullum agreed to remove the sign.
The action ends a yearlong stalemate between Ullum and the state Civil Rights Commission, which declared the sign discriminatory in October 2005, three months after Housing Opportunities Made Equal of St. Bernard filed a complaint about the sign.
The commission’s declaration of discrimination launched a heated public debate over free speech rights and non-English-speakers’ rights in Greater Cincinnati. HOME agreed to withdraw the charge in exchange for the removal of the sign.
Other terms of the settlement are not being disclosed…..
Mr. Ullum clearly had the unlimited powers of the State, which was desperate to make some kind of point at any cost, lined up against his obviously limited resources. It’s sad that an Ohio Civil Rights Commission that can’t even keep its own fair-treatment house in order will probably cite this outcome in future discussions with merchants and other who (gasp!) insist on being communicated with in the language they understand.
I have a suggestion for Mr. Ullum — If it appears that the terms of your settlement allow it, consider putting up this picture of your spiritual comrade:
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UPDATE: How coincidental — Hot Air has a John Gibson-Michelle Malkin interview earler today about illegal immigration, immigrant assimilation, and English-only initiatives. Voters favor English-only every time it gets on the ballot; the politically-correct bureaucrats can’t stand it.
UPDATE 2: Geno’s Steaks owner Joey Vento hasn’t exactly gone into hiding. It also appears, based on the fact that adverse action against him isn’t mentioned in the linked article about his financial support of Hazelton, PA’s ant-illegal immigrant laws, that Vento, unlike Ullum, survived the onslaughts of Philadelphia’s and Pennsylvania’s “civil rights” nannies during the summer.
UPDATE 3: The anti-freedom viewpoints and totally invented sense of outrage expressed by some people interviewed in this WKRC-TV coverage of the story (video is at link) are, to say the least, disappointing.
UPDATE 4: Here’s an interesting addendum that will drive the PC Police wild:
(Ullum’s) attorney and ProEnglish Executive Director K.C. McAlpin said HOME blew the issue out of proportion. ProEnglish is Virginia-based group who wants English as the official language.
McAlpin said Ullum was merely expressing support for proposed legislation for English as the nation’s officials language, but his message was misconstrued.
“He rejects that his actions were discriminatory,” said McAlpin of Arlington, Va. “But he didn’t want to go into a long, drawn out legal process to fight that. He’s at an age when he wants to go on and do other things.”
McAlpin said Ullum, who is in his 60s, does have the freedom to put up signs that read, “This is America Speak English” or “English is the Language of Our Country.”
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Related Previous Posts:
- Oct. 26 — Ohio Civil Rights Commission Found Guilty of Bias
– Sept. 25 — The Pleasure Inn Is As Feisty As Ever
– June 19 — Geno’s Update: The Mayor, The Profile, and The Letter
- June 12 — Welcome to the Club, Joey Vento — Philly Human Relations Commission Has Filed a “Discrimination†Complaint
- June 10 — As in Greater Cincy, “For Service Speak English†Place in Philly Is Catching Flak
- May 31 — The Pleasure Inn Has “For Service Speak English†Company
- May 13, 2006 — Why Won’t the Ohio Civil Rights Commission Get Off Tom Ullum’s Back?
- Dec. 19, 2005 — Update: Thought Police 1, Bar Owner 0; Bar Owners Showing Solidarity–1
- Dec. 16 — Thought Police 1, Bar Owner 0
- Oct. 9 — Questions for the Thought Police at the Ohio Civil Rights Commission and The Cincinnati Enquirer
I give a ^(high)5 to Mr Ullum! No matter if he was being discrimintory or, not. This country has gone to hell in a hen basket and, it is due to the liberal politics. If someone can’t get their way in this country, all they have to do is yell discrimination. We are supposed to have freedom of speach in this country and, as naturally born citizens of this country that, should give us more of a reign to do so!
I agree with Mr Ullmun’s initial sign “For service speak english”. If you cannot understand what someone is saying then, they may not get what they pay for! And, beings this is America, in which, English is our national language then, I suggest that those of foreign descent, learn our language and, speak it fluently before they attempt to live in our country!
Furthermore, I also suggest they learn to read and, comprehend our language before they attempt to work in America! As recently as monday, I received a christmas card, addressed to someone in the state of Florida with a return address FROM Florida and, I live in Maryland! I will bet you dollars to donuts that the error was made in the Florida Postal service by a foreign immigrant! (Probably an illegal immigrant at that!)
If I sound discriminatory to you well, that is too bad! I am really just sick and tired of hearing all this bull about these people from other countries supposedly fleeing to America for a “better life” when, the naturalized citizens of this country, who are striving for the same thing, can’t seem to accomplish this feat due to the diversity of the liberal politics of thier own home land!
OK, I have had my say now. let them try to SUE me!!
Bonnie Wilson
Comment by Bonnie Wilson — December 7, 2006 @ 5:03 am
#1, most of the previous year’s posts were about the absurdity of how Mr. Ullum was being treated, and of the false outrage the sign inspired.
Comment by TBlumer — December 7, 2006 @ 8:17 am
The replacement sign should read “Order in any language you want we only understand English”
Comment by Larry McGill — December 7, 2006 @ 2:02 pm
#3, Clever.
Comment by TBlumer — December 7, 2006 @ 2:07 pm