'English Only' Sign Triples Diner's Business

[Anti Federalist]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPB-7XesVrg&feature=player_embedded

[truthdivides]

Props to that dude.

[dannno]

I think it's cool, especially since he is allowing non-spanish speakers in there as long as they have someone with them who can communicate in english. Completely reasonable request.

I think it would also be really cool if they opened a spanish-speaking only Mexican restaurant across the street that was so fuckin' bomb that all the locals start learning some spanish just so they can go and order there.

[TheNcredibleEgg]

Ok, look through the fog.

His business did NOT triple due to "English only" policy.

His business tripled due to advertising.


(Oh, and people are going to use this story against Rand and Ron and the CRA opposition. Saying that someone could put up a "No blacks" sign and have their business triple too - so that's why we needed the CRA, they will say. They also will fail to realize the real reason his business tripled.)

[nobody's_hero]

I thought that was Stewart Rhodes for a minute, lol.

This character barely speaks English himself. He means to say "ethnicity" at 1:35 and instead says "ethicticity".

[cindy25]

Univision now has more viewers than NBC.

I think a Spanish only diner would do just as well.

[MelissaWV]

"No speak English. No service."


:rolleyes:


Really? Really!?!? The guy's so proud he knows cuss words, and assures us it's not about ethniticity, and he seems surprised that bilingual people in a group would order for those who cannot speak the language the menu is in. That's the norm.

The reason people want the sign is because it's hilarious in the same way that any other misspelled or silly sign is, at least in part.

The business tripled, as another poster said, most likely due to the publicity he's now getting. Why would people think business would drop off? Did people think that monolingual, non-English-speaking sorts would be offended by the sign they can't read, and grab their torches and pitchforks and storm the place?

cindy25, btw, there are "Spanish only" diners (by tradition, not by sign) all over the country. Mom & Pop stores selling coffee, pastries, sandwiches, and traditional cooking are the norm in certain areas, and you can still order in English but the food names are in Spanish. Any special requests are limited, since you are unlikely to be entirely understood if you're rattling off a list of demands or obscure questions (is this gluten-free? Is there HFCS in this? How many calories in your media noche?). Those places do very well, and I've seen very few people get so angry they storm off.

[cindy25]

the guy made a smart business move and ended up with a ton of free advertising; but not every business could do this, as the free advertising is only for the first in an area to announce it. very similar to stores which offer only Made in America products. they open a store, the local media shows up, and they live off the free advertising for while. if it was still allowed a whites or blacks only restaurant probably would also do well.

[S.Shorland]

The sign they show says the same in Spanish above? highlighted.It's the advertising and that people find it funny.Hence 1700 signs taken/sold.Why would you expect to be served in a foreign country without a phrase book or a menu in picture form that you could point to?

[MelissaWV]

The sign they show says the same in Spanish above? highlighted.It's the advertising and that people find it funny.Hence 1700 signs taken/sold.Why would you expect to be served in a foreign country without a phrase book or a menu in picture form that you could point to?

The Spanish highlighted above the English does not say the same thing as the English. It's jibberish. I can't read the other languages well enough from the video to find out. The Spanish says "Not to speak Spanish. Without service." He did spell "bilingual" wrong, as a bonus, adding a hyphen where it doesn't belong. It also has some blurb about supporting the troops, which is a real tickle since my dad served repeatedly in that hellish mire called Vietnam without ever having to speak English. God Bless Our Troops, right? :rolleyes:

[sratiug]

I think it is fucking stupid to put up a sign in a foreign language to not speak that language. Lead by example, asshole. What if they speak Swahili? How they gonna read your stupid sign?

[MelissaWV]

Their FB page only shows the English & Spanish, too, but he's not directing this at any group in particular :D

The profile pics at the bottom of the page (of people who "like" them) might say it all: a pile of poo, and an American flag.

[NewRightLibertarian]

the guy made a smart business move and ended up with a ton of free advertising; but not every business could do this, as the free advertising is only for the first in an area to announce it. very similar to stores which offer only Made in America products. they open a store, the local media shows up, and they live off the free advertising for while. if it was still allowed a whites or blacks only restaurant probably would also do well.

I disagree. If a racist diner opened up, there would be all kinds of boycots and outrage over it (and rightfully so) and they'd go out of business. I usually don't support boycotts, but in the case of an openly racist establishment opening up I could see why they'd do it even though I think it's OK for private establishments to discriminate if they choose.

[ronpaulitician]

"So, I had this one incident with a guy, and it made me change the entire makeup of my business."

Rude customers are rude customers. I highly doubt that the people who couldn't speak English and supposedly cussed at him (I'm sure he was a perfect gentlemen) would be kept out by a sign like that. Reserve the right to refuse service. But if someone comes in and points at a picture of food, pulls out some paper money (might as well be monopoly money the way our inflation is going, but let's assume it's US dollars), I would serve him the food he pointed to, and gladly take his money, even if he was mute.

[DamianTV]

...

I think it would also be really cool if they opened a spanish-speaking only Mexican restaurant across the street that was so fuckin' bomb that all the locals start learning some spanish just so they can go and order there.

Already been done. The name of said restaurant is McDonalds.

[nobody's_hero]

Already been done. The name of said restaurant is McDonalds.

The language in our McDonalds around here is Jive.

[TheDriver]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPB-7XesVrg&feature=player_embedded

This makes me wonder if what Ron Paul believes about the Civil Rights Act is wrong. Why does the market reward this person for discriminating against a language? It leads me to believe discriminating against race could improve business in some areas of America.

[fisharmor]

This makes me wonder if what Ron Paul believes about the Civil Rights Act is wrong. Why does the market reward this person for discriminating against a language? It leads me to believe discriminating against race could improve business in some areas of America.

The CRA is wrong because it destroys the rule of law.
If we need to tolerate some racism in order to preserve rule of law, I'm ok with that.
If we are going to destroy rule of law and replace it with the rule of men in a futile attempt to stamp out racism, then I end up where I am, where I denounce the whole idea of the state.
It breaks my heart to think that people don't understand the link between the CRA and the pigs' current SOP of shooting dogs.

This jackass is getting his fifteen minutes. That's all that's going on here.

[sirgonzo420]

The CRA is wrong because it destroys the rule of law.
If we need to tolerate some racism in order to preserve rule of law, I'm ok with that.
If we are going to destroy rule of law and replace it with the rule of men in a futile attempt to stamp out racism, then I end up where I am, where I denounce the whole idea of the state.
It breaks my heart to think that people don't understand the link between the CRA and the pigs' current SOP of shooting dogs.

This jackass is getting his fifteen minutes. That's all that's going on here.


Hear, hear.

[TheDriver]

The CRA is wrong because it destroys the rule of law.


But that's not the argument Ron or Rand make, they defer to the market sorting out bad people, which this case shows doesn't always work.

[Anti Federalist]

But that's not the argument Ron or Rand make, they defer to the market sorting out bad people, which this case shows doesn't always work.

No, it doesn't.

I had mixed thoughts about posting this, it makes a point and invalidates a point, for me.

One point it makes is the the market is nothing, but democratic. There is no sense of "morality", "justice" or "rights" within it. It plays to the lowest common denominator for the purpose of making money, period. You are sadly mistaken if you think a "whites only" restaurant or hotel would not have it's clientele. Which is why I have said that the tyranny of the corporate can be as bad as the tyranny of the government, when the mob makes the decisions.

Then, of course, is the more simple, "it's his property, he can do what he wants with it".

Then the latent nativism that I suspect every person has to some degree, "damn right, this is 'Merica, speak English, dammit."

[sirgonzo420]

In a free country, I'd be able to serve who I wanted to serve in my restaurant.

Race be damned (or not... because it should be up to me as owner).



If you have a problem with that, you have a problem with Liberty.

[VBRonPaulFan]

But that's not the argument Ron or Rand make, they defer to the market sorting out bad people, which this case shows doesn't always work.

Meh, as someone already pointed out - his business is booming due to the free advertisement associated with him being the only restaurant in the area doing this. If all the restaurants around him did this i'm sure his business would drop right off. You can't use a completely isolated example in a market that isn't truly free to try to invalidate the overall point that Ron/Rand are making. Discriminatory practices limit the scope of business you'll receive because you refuse service to a segment of the population, and turn off another segment on moral grounds against your practices. It's a self-destructive business model and it wouldn't be sustainable in a free market (or it may be sustainable, but never nearly as profitable as it could be).

[VIDEODROME]

I like the comment above about reversing it. Suppose a Mexican place opened that only served Spanish speaker? Or if places in Chinatown only served Chinese speakers?

Well it could be tried but I wonder if it would have the reverse effect of losing customers rather then gaining them as most of the people here speak English. Exceptions to that might be if you're close to the border with a more concentrated population of Mexicans. But still you may be missing tourist dollars.

[mello]

If this was the standard when I was on vacation in Tokyo, I would have starved to death.

[sirgonzo420]

If this was the standard when I was on vacation in Tokyo, I would have starved to death.


Your english seems ok to me...

[ChaosControl]

What the heck is the point of such a sign? Well if it is a publicity stunt, I guess it worked. But it'll die off.

[RonPaulCult]

I wouldn't eat at this restaurant though I strongly support his right to do this.

[dannno]

Already been done. The name of said restaurant is McDonalds.

McDonalds is not "bomb", nor is it Mexican..

I'm talkin something like this:

http://a2.urbns.pn/w/s/cV/DAwi1EsOEAfXeB.jpg

[TheDriver]

No, it doesn't.

I had mixed thoughts about posting this, it makes a point and invalidates a point, for me.



And in the South, many preferred "whites only."

My point is: the market doesn't always work out this sort of thing in reality.

[dannno]

I wouldn't eat at this restaurant though I strongly support his right to do this.

I'm mixed on whether I'd eat there (obviously I support his right to do it). He never even said Mexicans who only speak spanish can't go there, he really did make it about the language barrier, but then again the way he did it is a bit offensive as MelissaWV pointed out (I thought it was pretty obvious). He also seems to be a big supporter of the war on terror.

[dannno]

And in the South, many preferred "whites only."

My point is: the market doesn't always work out this sort of thing in reality.

The government can only make it worse.

Now think about your argument for me *very carefully* before regurgitating.

[pcosmar]

And in the South, many preferred "whites only."

My point is: the market doesn't always work out this sort of thing in reality.

In the "south" there were laws enforced by the government that mandated "white only" signs. It was the law, not a choice.

I will also point out that "in the south" was the largest population of free blacks during the civil war. Check the history of Key West.
I have been in establishments "in the south" (Miami) that do not speak English.
One bar I spent a couple fun nights in comes to mind. The beer was expensive and the girls were friendly. Very little English was spoken and I do not speak Spanish. I expect some here would have found that uncomfortable.
I had a good time.
;)

[AlexanderY]

I would not be offended by this.

However, I did find this video to be really funny.

The beauty of an action like this is that it will piss off any multi-cult liberal and drive him up a wall, but at the same time it will display the idiocy of the "Amerika fur Amerikanz" crowd too.

Also, as someone on YouTube commented


Ohhh, what ballsy guy.

Declaring an English-only policy in some hick town where the overwhelming majority of the resident speak only English anyways.

What a courageous decision.

Do that in certain parts of Texas, you'll go out of business, not because the residents do not know English, but just due to his brazen dickery.

I understand his sentiment, many do, but he is just doing this to be a jerk, which he is entitled to do.

He also appears to be in need of English lessons too.

In conclusion, It's really Lulzy.

[ravedown]

kudos to this guy. i wish more small business owners would honestly advertise their bigotry openly. let me decide who i want to support or not.

[AlexanderY]

kudos to this guy. i wish more small business owners would honestly advertise their bigotry openly. let me decide who i want to support or not.

The beauty of capitalism, choice.

[oyarde]

Meh , your place , do what you wish . I do not have to agree or go there . Lucky for me I rarely eat out and do not have to contemplate these decisions....

[Acala]

And in the South, many preferred "whites only."

My point is: the market doesn't always work out this sort of thing in reality.

Your point is correct only if you assume that YOUR values should prevail and that it is a market failure when not everyone selects YOUR values. Racism is unfortunate. But it is nothing MORE than unfortunate until force is invoked - by government or criminals. So it doesn't matter if a free market fails to eradicate ALL racism. Why should anyone care if there is a racist market somewhere in town? They would only care if they feel that THEIR values should be mandated by force.

[Brian4Liberty]

In my neighborhood, it's the opposite at some places. All signs (menus, other written material) are in another language, usually Korean or Chinese. You would have to walk or look in to figure out what the business does. Yes, many also have English and attempt to do business with everyone, but when the demographics no longer demand catering to English speakers, like the fellow in the OP, English speakers are not particularly welcome.

[Acala]

I wonder what the result would be of a sign that says "No Bankers Allowed!"

[oyarde]

I wonder what the result would be of a sign that says "No Bankers Allowed!"

Cool , I will make one for the front door .....

[AlexanderY]

In my neighborhood, it's the opposite at some places. All signs (menus, other written material) are in another language, usually Korean or Chinese. You would have to walk or look in to figure out what the business does. Yes, many also have English and attempt to do business with everyone, but when the demographics no longer demand catering to English speakers, like the fellow in the OP, English speakers are not particularly welcome.

Even though I personally don't agree with the way he went about it, I do laud him for doing as he pleases with HIS property.

Everyone gets all PC when someone does something like this, but the beauty of liberty is that is that you have a CHOICE to go to another restaurant.

If there is no other choice, and there is an under served market, then I think you have just found a potential business opportunity.

I always have mixed feeling about incidents like these, but I ALWAYS side with the property owner.

He has a right to do as he pleases with his property.

[dannno]

I wonder what the result would be of a sign that says "No Bankers Allowed!"

How about "No Bankers Allowed!! (except tellers)"

[Acala]

How about "No Bankers Allowed!! (except tellers)"

I would go for that.

[nayjevin]

The Trouble With the '64 Civil Rights Act
by Ron Paul

http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul188.html


Mr. Speaker, I rise to explain my objection to H.Res. 676. I certainly join my colleagues in urging Americans to celebrate the progress this country has made in race relations. However, contrary to the claims of the supporters of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the sponsors of H.Res. 676, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 did not improve race relations or enhance freedom. Instead, the forced integration dictated by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 increased racial tensions while diminishing individual liberty.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 gave the federal government unprecedented power over the hiring, employee relations, and customer service practices of every business in the country. The result was a massive violation of the rights of private property and contract, which are the bedrocks of free society. The federal government has no legitimate authority to infringe on the rights of private property owners to use their property as they please and to form (or not form) contracts with terms mutually agreeable to all parties. The rights of all private property owners, even those whose actions decent people find abhorrent, must be respected if we are to maintain a free society.

This expansion of federal power was based on an erroneous interpretation of the congressional power to regulate interstate commerce. The framers of the Constitution intended the interstate commerce clause to create a free trade zone among the states, not to give the federal government regulatory power over every business that has any connection with interstate commerce.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 not only violated the Constitution and reduced individual liberty; it also failed to achieve its stated goals of promoting racial harmony and a color-blind society. Federal bureaucrats and judges cannot read minds to see if actions are motivated by racism. Therefore, the only way the federal government could ensure an employer was not violating the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was to ensure that the racial composition of a business's workforce matched the racial composition of a bureaucrat or judge's defined body of potential employees. Thus, bureaucrats began forcing employers to hire by racial quota. Racial quotas have not contributed to racial harmony or advanced the goal of a color-blind society. Instead, these quotas encouraged racial balkanization, and fostered racial strife.

Of course, America has made great strides in race relations over the past forty years. However, this progress is due to changes in public attitudes and private efforts. Relations between the races have improved despite, not because of, the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, while I join the sponsors of H.Res. 676 in promoting racial harmony and individual liberty, the fact is the Civil Rights Act of 1964 did not accomplish these goals. Instead, this law unconstitutionally expanded federal power, thus reducing liberty. Furthermore, by prompting raced-based quotas, this law undermined efforts to achieve a color-blind society and increased racial strife. Therefore, I must oppose H.Res. 676.

[TheDriver]

In the "south" there were laws enforced by the government that mandated "white only" signs. It was the law, not a choice.


LOL! Who do you think made the laws?--the People! It is a choice, it's their--the majority passing the laws--choice.

[Austrian Econ Disciple]

I thought that was Stewart Rhodes for a minute, lol.

This character barely speaks English himself. He means to say "ethnicity" at 1:35 and instead says "ethicticity".

Must be a by-product of our fabulous Government-Schools.

[ChaosControl]

I wonder what the result would be of a sign that says "No Bankers Allowed!"

There was a cafe in my state that had a No TSA allowed. It really makes me want to visit there. Same idea with a No Bankers Allowed. :)

[Bodhi]

Hey, good for him, he got a major amount of free advertising. In the short term, he is going to do well, maybe even in the long term if he lives in an ethnocentric community as many do. I for one would never visit his place, but if it works for him, keep going. It is his place and he should be allowed to do with it as he pleases.

I can take one look at his sign and realize I want nothing to do with him or his place of business, but that is my choice and I appreciate the fact he made it so obvious, so that I would never put money in his pocket. He has all the power as the property owner to exercise his rights and as a consumer I of course can exercise mine and not give him my business.

[dannno]

LOL! Who do you think made the laws?--the People! It is a choice, it's their--the majority passing the laws--choice.

Those weren't Constitutional choices to make. Hence why Ron and Rand agree with the CRA, except the part that limits private property.

Also I'm not sure how many votes were held on that. I wonder if they ever held votes on slave ownership.

If you think "the people" are the ones who creates most of the laws in this country, you aren't paying attention.

[EndDaFed]

I thought that was Stewart Rhodes for a minute, lol.

This character barely speaks Gitmo Nation East himself. He means to say "ethnicity" at 1:35 and instead says "ethicticity".

He should ban himself from his own business. :D

[pcosmar]

LOL! Who do you think made the laws?--the People! It is a choice, it's their--the majority passing the laws--choice.

Was it? Or was it a few (minority) that forced their will on the non-voting majority? There was opposition to the Jim Crow laws. And in reality the CRA should have just eliminated those and nothing more.
Protecting civil rights is a proper role of the Federal Government. These laws should have been stricken as unconstitutional.
That would have allowed people to chose who to do business with, and the rest of the CRA would have been unnecessary.

[TheDriver]

If you think "the people" are the ones who creates most of the laws in this country, you aren't paying attention.

The laws are passed in the name of the People, as slavery under Constitution was as well.

Ron or Rand shouldn't make the market argument, unless they are willing to admit it could go the opposite way, imo.

[Chieppa1]

The laws are passed in the name of the People, as slavery under Constitution was as well.

Ron or Rand shouldn't make the market argument, unless they are willing to admit it could go the opposite way, imo.

This is why I like what Ron talks about how we need a change within our society. Along with giving people back their rights, he wishes those people grow morally in their own lives. These 2 things are why I love the man. His personal feeling towards people. He's a GOOD man, along with being an honest statesman.

[lester1/2jr]

doesn't mean it's right just because he's making more money.

[pcosmar]

The laws are passed in the name of the People, as slavery under Constitution was as well.

Ron or Rand shouldn't make the market argument, unless they are willing to admit it could go the opposite way, imo.
Slavery was in existence long before the constitution was written or even conceived. And opposition to slavery was considered at the time of it's writing, but it was institutionalized and widely accepted.
By the time of the civil war it was already on it's way out and would have ended soon becoming unprofitable and a burden in the wake of the industrial revolution and mechanization.
Slavery would have ended without the civil war.

[pcosmar]

doesn't mean it's right just because he's making more money.

And doesn't make him wrong just because it is not Politically Correct.

[MelissaWV]

Just to clarify, I would love a world where this guy can do this and no one would really care. In fact, I doubt sincerely it's that big a problem for him.

I wouldn't eat there because A) the "sign" is a piece of paper that looks neither clean nor well-planned (hence the errors), B) the "restaurant" kind of looks like it might be a total dive in the worst sense of the word, and C) I have doubts about the quality of food put out by someone who is this unerringly ignorant.

* * *

The Jim Crow laws, btw, were broken by some folks. "Whites" weren't all "anti-black," but you wouldn't know that now, especially since those owners were forced to comply with the idiotic regulations that purported to make things more equal.

[Humanae Libertas]

This calls for:

http://0.tqn.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/f/f/get_a_brain_morans.jpg

[Live_Free_Or_Die]

I wonder what the result would be of a sign that says "No Bankers Allowed!"

Mine states:

No known central bankers or bar members will be served!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSRwzP23ifI

We don't serve their kind here! :)

[eduardo89]

This guy is probably going to get fined under the Civil Rights Act..

[LibForestPaul]

If this was the standard when I was on vacation in Tokyo, I would have starved to death.

Exactly, why, $$$ catering to American speakers.

[LibForestPaul]

Even though I personally don't agree with the way he went about it, I do laud him for doing as he pleases with HIS property.

Everyone gets all PC when someone does something like this, but the beauty of liberty is that is that you have a CHOICE to go to another restaurant.

If there is no other choice, and there is an under served market, then I think you have just found a potential business opportunity.

I always have mixed feeling about incidents like these, but I ALWAYS side with the property owner.

He has a right to do as he pleases with his property.

Correct! Except revisionist history points to rednecks vs and civil rights. Instead of the truth, state mandated racism vs property owners.

[AuH20]

Hey, good for him, he got a major amount of free advertising. In the short term, he is going to do well, maybe even in the long term if he lives in an ethnocentric community as many do. I for one would never visit his place, but if it works for him, keep going. It is his place and he should be allowed to do with it as he pleases.

I can take one look at his sign and realize I want nothing to do with him or his place of business, but that is my choice and I appreciate the fact he made it so obvious, so that I would never put money in his pocket. He has all the power as the property owner to exercise his rights and as a consumer I of course can exercise mine and not give him my business.

You're this sensitive? Jesus Christ. :D A harmless 'English Only' Sign leads to a boycott? It's not like he posted a sign stating "Non-whites keep out!" As if he is harboring white supremacist motivations beneath his plea for greater communication? ROFL

[MelissaWV]

You're this sensitive? Jesus Christ. :D A harmless 'English Only' Sign leads to a boycott? It's not like he posted a sign stating "Non-whites keep out!" As if he is harboring white supremacist motivations beneath his plea for greater communication? ROFL

Did you look at the "sign"? :p It's a grubby piece of crumpled copy paper with obvious errors (and that's the "good" copy they trotted out for the news). Yuck!

The sign is hilarious, though, and I kind of want a copy as well. I will just look for a clear image and type it up in Word... like the owner did.

[oyarde]

This calls for:

http://0.tqn.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/f/f/get_a_brain_morans.jpg

LOL , I have seen that before , I wonder if it is real ???