nicki – do you really think that "racism" is a "worn-out" phrase? are you really that stupid? and why do you think it is so easy to cross the border here? are you for immediately sending out all 12M mexican immigrants? how about another 100M or so whose historic route into the US was likely an illegal one? [edited]

ipp – do you think it's just that poorer nations (canada included) accept the USD? maybe there should be a more universal currency. but fuck, i'm for local scripts [edited].

The assimilation of cultures today isn't happening like it did back in the 50's and on. It is quite easy to live in a country for years and survive while making no attempt at joining the existing culture. The ghettos that are created are less like the cultural centers of yesteryear, and more akin to a gated community that spurns all outsiders.

The 'speak english or no cheesesteak' schtick is just a base reaction to this sad trend. And when I visit Europe this winter, I'll do my best to order in the language of my host country.

Quesadilla, taco, burrito, enchilada, queso, nacho, jalapeno…those are all English words – aren't they?

Whether it's a couple obnoxious fans booing Michael Irvin or Santa Claus, or Vento making tourists feel like crap by insulting them as they struggle to figure out whether they want their steak "wid" or "wid out" or the owner of Mama Palma's in Fitler Square acting openly hostile to non-whites who are trying to get a table, these – as you put it – fuckwads bring this great city down.

Instead of all the sisyphean protests grassroots progressives seem to be inclined to engage in, why don't some people arrange a rally outside of Geno's to protest his racists policies? Then the following weekend, you can head over to Mama Palma's and do the same.

But again, I feel like it never took off because [1] finding the time and energy of becoming bilingual on one's own time while balancing job & family seems like it'd be hard enough for middle class people, much less people struggling with mulitple jobs.

I also think something like that might be maximally effective if we could accept that we'd need 1 generation to get the kinks out and to concurrently start the training at grade school (age when easiest to learn language concepts)

One of my beliefs is that language differences (and this is across the world, not just here in the USA) cause us humans to consider others different more than skin tone and other psysical differences. My belief is that if we all (worldwide) speak the same language, we would all feel more similar to each other and work for peace and prosperity and unity more than we would otherwise.

In America, in a smaller sense I think this is the same argument. When I lived in New York, the neighborhood I was in was predominantly Latino and English was truely the second language there. Not one of those reisdents, nor their children were making any effort to learn english or, more importantly, trying to prosper outside of that neighborhood. I don't think for them, that's a very good thing.

It said in the article :

"He and other experts say that current immigrants are taking no longer to assimilate than Vento's grandfather did. Now, as then, English takes hold among the children of immigrants, and native languages disappear by the third generation."

… and I say, it doesn't have to be that way now. In todays world, we have so many more ways to teach people english (through tv, movies, media, schools, etc.) than we did in the early 1900's.

When I visit countires in europe I try my best not to speak english. I struggle and try to speak their language. It's not only courteous and repectful, but (until we enact a worldwide language) it's the best way to actually get customer service. That effort would be only amplified had I moved to another country.

Sure Joe Vento is being abrasive with his signs, etc. But I can't help but think that he feels the same as I do on this issue. I will say, however, that he is expressing it in a way that I never would. But we live in America and he's totally entitled to. Like Frank said above, you can totally boycot Geno's.