Business Owner EVICTED for not speaking Spanish - Should English be our official language to stop this?

Question

If English were our Official Language could this still happen AS EASILY?

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2007/aug/05/no-headline-05sgfcol/

Tom McKenna is a longtime Stuart businessman who speaks only English.

He says that's why he's being kicked out of the storefront on South Dixie Highway where he has run Seacoast Water Care for seven years.

On July 5 — the day after Independence Day — McKenna received a letter from landlord Ivan Munroe telling him to consider another location.

Munroe said in his letter he wants to have "quality tenants serving the Spanish need in the area."

Answer 1

time to get a lawyer and sue his butt off.
especially since he has that letter.

Answer 2

As far as I know English is the national language, and that's the way it has always been throughout the course of history. Things change and people evolve along with the transition of time. What you're kids are learning, apart from speaking spanish, is tolerance, and having that quality is very important. It helps us become better people, the kind of people who are not limited to see only one side but all the sides any situation could have. The show "Dora the Explorer" does not only teach kids Spanish, it inspires kids to learn English in Spanish speaking countries too. Why? Because knowing how to speak English gives them better opportunities, and the same could be said here in the US. As for the spanish speaking people who come here. I'm pretty sure most learn to speak the language to at least a basic level of understandment. If they don't learn it soon, then they do eventually, but it is always more comfortable for them to speak in their mother language. Specially when crucial things are at stake (e.g. money). Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but look at it this way: Speaking spanish means lots of extra "$$$" ☺.

Answer 3

Ivan Munroe is a racist who should be sued and put out of business.
Can you imagine what would happen if the tables were turned and an English speaking person requested a Spanish speaking person work somewhere else because they weren't serving the English needs in the area?
La Raza would have a field day with that one and so would the ACLU.
We need to make English the United States of America's Official Language.
I don't care what language people use when communicating with friends and family members but when communicating in Public they need to be able to speak the same language as everybody else.
To refuse to do so out of ignorance is Racist towards the American Culture and it promotes confusion and lack of communication when in public.
Munroe really should be put out of business for even suggesting such a thing and if I were Tom McKenna I would do everything in my power to see that he was.
People who come to America should only do so because they want to become American and not because they want America to become like the Country they just left.

Answer 4

Unfortunate (but good in that we have freedoms) that a landlord does have the right to evict a tenant if and when he decides to create a theme or target a specific demographic customer base. A lease would probably have protected the tenant, depending on the wording and legality. I question the possibility that English as the official language of the United States of America, would have prevented this situation but it surely would have given the tenant a stronger argument to fight the eviction proceedings.
You ALL know where I stand on this GREAT COUNTRY. I am and ALWAYS will be vocal about my beliefs.

RANGERS LEAD THE WAY !!!!!!

Answer 5

Let's put the shoe on the other foot-

A tenant at a building you own speaks only Spanish in a primarily English-speaking area is occasionally late with the rent, leaves trash outside the building creating an eyesore and possible safety concerns, and regularly insults other tenants. Would you feel comfortable allowing him to continue to stay on given his poor performance in the past?

If you read more on this story, you'll find that the author left out the fact that the landlord offered him nearby space AND McKenna's been trying to sell his business anyway

Answer 6

Perhaps Mr. Munroe is of the opinion that spanish speaking people have no use for water care? - seriously though, if Mr. McKenna has a letter from Munroe saying this, he has a very good court case against his land lord. Would it be as easy if english were the official language? No, it would not be. But, I highly doubt you could get the cowards in congress to agree on such a controversial issue as defnining an official language for the country. Doing so might lose them the latin vote after all.

Answer 7

Yes.

It sounds like tenant's lease is not being renewed; he's not being evicted.

As the article states the landlord "is a private business owner, and he can do anything he wants with his property" The tenant has had trouble paying the rent, and the landlord may be able to get more per square foot from a Hispanic lessee who is likely to have a more profitable business in this neighborhood.

As a Republican, you should support the concepts of private property, free enterprise, capitalism, hard work and supply and demand. Those are the only principles involved here.

Answer 8

Being evicted for not speaking Spanish doesn't sound like a valid reason to evict. The article does mention other reasons that are valid. The landlord needs to be clear about why he is evicting and be sure it is a legal reason. Making english the "official " language doesn't change anything really. People will always speak other languages in this country. I think it's a good thing. Maybe a few signs in a Spanish community might help serve their needs better.

Answer 9

I was a certified MG science teacher in Florida and to get a position was required to explain science in Spanish because the pupils at a school weren't able as yet to understand the English terminology, which I hope they did get around to learning. As in this case, there might have been an exception because we were dealing with children; however, I am of the opinion that English should be the Official Language of the U.S. when dealing with adults, which is to say, those over 18 years of age.

Answer 10

There will always be ridiculous situations, but no, English will NEVER be our "official" language.

Over in Europe, most people speak 2 languages and many speak from 3-5.

Get used to it. We're multi-cultural. It's not going to change any time soon.

Answer 11

To answer your second question: "If english were our official language could this happen as easily?" Answer: Yes. Everyone needs to understand that the U.S. government cannot mandate the language that is used in private businesses. The landlord here is obviously overstepping his bounds and this eviction would probably not hold up in court: however, if he wants to run his business in the way he wants, we cannot stop him. All that an "official language" would do would to stop publishing certain government forms in other languages. THAT'S IT!

You would still have to push #1 for english, because the businesses want to serve their customers. It would not affect any private actions.