Santorum: Come on, it's cheesesteaks, it's not that hard to speak English

[Human Torch]

In plain English, Rick backs Vento
By CHRISTINE OLLEY
[e-mail] 215-854-5184

Posted on Tue, Jun. 20, 2006



INJECTING HIMSELF in the middle of a South Philly controversy as burning- hot as a stainless-steel grill, U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum (left) made an unscheduled stop at Geno's Steaks last night to wolf down a cheesesteak and stand behind its owner.

He voiced support - albeit in an odd, indirect way - for owner Joe Vento's much debated "Speak English" sign.

"It makes all the sense in the world to have a sign like this," he told a Daily News reporter after the paper was tipped off to his late-night visit. "There's not really an extensive menu here. I mean, come on, it's cheesesteaks, onions, et cetera. It's not that hard."

Santorum took a quick turn flipping shaved beef on Geno's grill and was cheered on by about 20 T-shirt-wearing supporters, mostly 26th Ward Republicans from South Philly, who'd been told the embattled GOP senator was coming.

http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/14858258.htm

[Redstone]

1. Does he have ANY idea how many people in South Philly speak

Italian at home? I guess not.

Redstone

[tanyev]

2. Most merchants would happily sell anything to anyone who had

the money and could make their wishes known by pointing, if need be.

[bumblebee1]

5. Pointing speaks a lot of languages.

It worked in French as a friend and I stopped at a roadside fruit stand. I spoke French to the operator until I got to the fruit part. Then, I pointed to the fruits as I did not know the French words for them.

[LynneSin]

8. Vento also jumped on the "Freedom Fries" bangwagon years ago

this was not unexpected

[Xipe Totec]

3. I need help learning English

In English, how do you say:

pizza
linguine
cannelloni
chianti
romano
lasagna

champagne
crepes
camembert
brie

feta
gyro
dolma


vodka
pirogi

flan
taco
tostada
chalupa
tortilla
fajita
guacamole

[badgerpup]

6. "English" isn't really a single language...

...it's a pirated bastard mish-mash incorporating words and phrases from all over the globe.
Other languages are actully much more 'pure'.

[Xipe Totec]

12. That's why I love it

I love English more than that "Speak Ahmurican" crowd.

It is a pragmatic language, a patois, a common ground for understanding.

I think learning English is a great idea.

Forcing it down people's throats, so to speak, is a very bad and counterproductive approach.

:hi:

[mainer]

10. reminds me of a funny story...

I was at a highway rest stop, and the food concessionaire sold Mexican food. A freeper-type customer came in, looked at the menu, and got really pissed. "This is America," he complained. "Why do you people have to sell foreign food? Why can't you sell American food, like pizza?"

[Xipe Totec]

11. If one really stops to think about these things...

Spaghetti, for instance, which are Chinese noodles brought back to Italy by Marco Polo, and tomato sauce, which did not exist in the old world until tomatoes were brought back from the new world more than 500 years ago.

This means that spaghetti in tomato sauce is the first Chinese American dish, and fusion cuisine to boot!

Listening to the xenophobic rants of the freepers would be funnier, if they weren't so dangerous.

Oh well... :shrug:

:hi:

[David__77]

4. Bullshit.

This is so clearly racist. He has no problem with ordering in Italian, the language of his native country, but Spanish--forget about it.

[Sugarcoated]

7. God he's a jackass

He hasn't got a prayer in Philly against Casey in Novemeber. I want his representation gone from my state - it's an embaressment.

[Eric J in MN]

9. What will Casey do if elected?

NT

[Sugarcoated]

13. He'll be a Democrat if elected

and he won't be Santorum.

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: