Is a "Speak English" sign in a business discriminatory?

[nutshell]

and then the judge says: nice try.

believe it or not, juries don't just get to run willy nilly all over handing out money even if that is what you see on tv.

no injury = no damages.

It's also interesting to note that the recent trend actually shows judges handing out higher awards for damages than juries.

 

[nutshell]

This is not true in all states, which is why some states are notorious for awarding massive damages, and why there is a whole business based on seeking such damages in these particular states.

Also, often it is the jury that decides that an "injury" has occurred. And once that has been decided, they will have a set range within which they can choose to award damages. As long as the jury stick to this range, the judge cannot over-rule them.

And I'm not necessarily saying that they're wrong. Depending on specific circumstances, there could be ligitimate harm done by a store owner prejudicially refusing service. Imagine that a pharmacist refuses to fill a prescription because the patron is (whatever ... fill in the blank) and the patron collapses on the long walk to the next nearest pharmacy. Or imagine that the store owner humiliates a man in front of his children as he refuses him service, simply because he's (whatever ... fill in the blank). There are all sorts of ways in which ligitimate injury could be done by a store owner refusing service due to personal prejudice. And they could then be found liable for that damage.

I'm not disagreeing with you, but I'd love to see a specific example to see what made you feel this way.

 

[Radio Frequency X]

we arent the only country like that, travel outside the border and you will see that many many countries activley promote multilingualism.

But we don't promote multlingualism. We simply try to deal with it. If all Americans were taught Chinese, Spanish, and English, we'd all be better off. But that isn't what is going on. We are creating the same problem experienced in Canada between French and English speaking peoples. The risk is to create opposing cultures within our society. That isn't working out very well for the French or Germans who have serious issues with immigrants failing to be integrating into the society.

 

[Tigress]

We are creating the same problem experienced in Canada between French and English speaking peoples. The risk is to create opposing cultures within our society.

It is a problem, but only because our government has been too much of a pushover to tell Québec 'no,' and insist that they follow suit with the rest of Canada. That aside, I have no problems with Canada being bilingual, and rather like it.

 

[Mathematician]

I think this is perfectly acceptable for the private sector.

 

[Comprehend]

1. You made a conclusion based on a single example. Your mind seemed pretty made up.

Nah, I didn't come to any conclusion at all. I don't know anything at all about it, which is why I had to say "judging by the post above..."

2. I already stated I used to manage one of these companies.

3. The post "above mine" (the one you referred to) mentioned family members interpret.

didn't read too carefully... my mistake

 

[Comprehend]

It's also interesting to note that the recent trend actually shows judges handing out higher awards for damages than juries.

Wasn't aware of that. Do you have a reference?

 

[nutshell]

Wasn't aware of that. Do you have a reference?

I heard it recently from a law school professor, but I don't have a direct source myself.

A quick google came up with these articles (I just read the abstracts so I don't know whether the article will ultimately support what I posted or not).

http://eprints.law.duke.edu/archive/00001568/

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4023/is_200510/ai_n15958127

http://www.fed-soc.org/Publications/practicegroupnewsletters/PG%20Links/juries.htm

After skimming the articles it looks like the conclusion is that the rate and size of punitive damages are the same whether awarded by a jury or a judge.

 

[Comprehend]

I heard it recently from a law school professor, but I don't have a direct source myself.

A quick google came up with these articles (I just read the abstracts so I don't know whether the article will ultimately support what I posted or not).

http://eprints.law.duke.edu/archive/00001568/

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4023/is_200510/ai_n15958127

http://www.fed-soc.org/Publications/practicegroupnewsletters/PG%20Links/juries.htm

After skimming the articles it looks like the conclusion is that the rate and size of punitive damages are the same whether awarded by a jury or a judge.

can't trust that federalist society

Hey, is everyone at BYU a member of the J. Reuben Clark society? I just thought of that. It would be kind of funny to have a group that everyone is a member of.

 

[nutshell]

can't trust that federalist society

Hey, is everyone at BYU a member of the J. Reuben Clark society? I just thought of that. It would be kind of funny to have a group that everyone is a member of.

I'm a member. Are you?

 

[Westy]

Again it seems our 'PC' world is going mad again!

He hasnt denied anyone anything. it seems more of a suggestion, as other people have said, alot of shops in the UK wont serve you if you are wearing a hat or have a hood up. Is this discriminatory towards hat wearers?

 

[nutshell]

Again it seems our 'PC' world is going mad again!

He hasnt denied anyone anything. it seems more of a suggestion, as other people have said, alot of shops in the UK wont serve you if you are wearing a hat or have a hood up. Is this discriminatory towards hat wearers?

While I agree with you, don't you recognize the difference between discriminating on the basis of hats and the basis of race, nationality, or religion?

 

[Westy]

While I agree with you, don't you recognize the difference between discriminating on the basis of hats and the basis of race, nationality, or religion?

Yes i do, but i dont feel that this is discrination, there has been no refusal of service, he hasnt asked anyone to leave if they didnt speak english, he suggested this, im assuming as this was the only language that was spoken!

I was on holiday France and i went into a little shop, i asked the store owner something, but she couldnt understand me. She said in broken English, you speak French. When i shook my head she basically made a gesture saying she couldnt help me, and i left without the thing i wanted! Now is this discriminating against me because i dont speak French?? I dont think so!

If the gentleman can only speak one language it is probably a sign to speed things along and stop any potental embarresment or confusion!

 

[Comprehend]

While I agree with you, don't you recognize the difference between discriminating on the basis of hats and the basis of race, nationality, or religion?

Nobody discriminated on the basis of race, nationality, or religion... they haven't even refused service to anyone at all but if they did, it would be on the basis of language skills.

 

[nutshell]

Nobody discriminated on the basis of race, nationality, or religion... they haven't even refused service to anyone at all but if they did, it would be on the basis of language skills.

I was asking another poster if they recognized the difference between different types of discrimination. I wasn't being specific about the particular incident described in the thread.

Also, it may be argued that discrimination on the basis of language skills is an extension of discrimination on the basis of race or nationality. But that's not what I was doing.

 

[PureX]

Has anyone mentioned, yet, that the sign was written in english? So in effect, it renders itself irrelevant unless the reader is bilingual and is deliberately choosing not to speak english.

 

[Djamila]

I don't think it's discriminatory, it's just stupid.

 

[anders]

From a continent where you might find ads for shop assistants, requiring them to be "perfectly trilingual" (often seen in Brussels), I just find the sign insular.

You are welcome to visit Sweden. Not only can you use English in most any shop/restaurant/whatever, but in a healthy number of cases, there will be a person around who manages German (unless you go for somewhere where the patrons mainly are younger than 30, in which case there might be more persons knowledgeable of French or Spanish).

Regarding telephone interpreting for hospitals and for example municipal authorities, my impression is that it works very well. (That's a completely different trade from mine, translating, so I have no biases from being connected to it.)

 

[Scuba Pete]

Is it discriminatory?

Certainly. I don't know that it is illegal, but it is certainly unethical.

Is it free speech?

Unfortunately, yes. But so is avoiding places who post such crap.

 

[Comprehend]

Certainly. I don't know that it is illegal, but it is certainly unethical.Unfortunately, yes. But so is avoiding places who post such crap.

NetDoc,

I am not defending the sign (or saying it is wrong either) but would you also consider a group that only allows a specific race to be a member to be "crap"? For example, the congressional black caucus...