Hotel owner tells Hispanic workers to change names (9:01 a.m.)

Larry Whitten marched into this northern New Mexico town in late July on a mission: resurrect a failing hotel.

[Red Apple]

Wow, what a Richard. Can someone kinda just "knock him out"? Like, permanently? How insulting to the cultures that have lived in that area for eons before he appeared.

[American and proud of it]

This is America and I believe that English should be spoken in public. As for changing the names, that was wrong. this is the 21st century and I get so tired of hearing this was Mexico first-no it was Indian-do we speak the Indian language-NO-grow up and try to be an American citizen-change happens all the time.

[American and proud of it]

This is America-the Indians were here first-not the Mexicans - we have never spole Indian-this is the 21st Century-grow up and accept change

[Javi]

So, what is the end and the point of the story? What happened, did this fool ammend his errors or is he still an old ignorant gringo trying to push people around?

[Venturahighway]

Sounds like Sgt. Carter needs a little sensitivity training. I know the BW or I mean the Days Inn seems to specialize in that kind of thing.

[Golf Pal]

I am siding with Mr. Whitten, this is HIS business and he can make all the rules he wants. Such rules include the hours of business, each worker should be ready to work and quit at certain times. Another rule would be dress code, whether it's construction that calls for steel-toed work boots, or hotel attire that bears the logo and colors. All the way to wages paid. These are all rules a business owner can make, even the language to be spoken or not to be spoken.

I am tired of all the changes being made to accomodate non-English speaking people, from the use of ATM's, automated telephone operators (press 1 for English...), at various businesses and, government entities.

Like a previous post, this is America and we are all AMERICANS where the language is English.

And honestly, for the most part, people do speak their own language to talk about others while in their presencc. I'm sure some of you reading this are guilty of, myself included.

As for my native language, it is alive and well in my home. Emphasizing on "in my home," because it is important to keep the language and traditions alive.

[Thomas F Schraad]

Freedom. Just what is it.

Free to purchase a business, yes.
Free to use your own money, yes.
Free to risk your own money, yes.
Free to make a fool of yourself, yes.
Free to make dumb business decisions, yes.
Free to run this business, no.

He has been a successful busniness man doing what he is doing for a lot of years. He now step into a "culture" that is not going to be "forced" to change.

He failed to set up his rules before he took over ownership. His customers come from all over the world and he felt that the people on the front desk that deal with customers should speak clearly and distincly. This is know as customer service.

I have a problem with changing names and the various ways the names are pronounced. I have asked a few times when speaking on the phone to have the person spell their names so that I knew who I was talking with. Having the front desk use a clearly identified name while on duty is not asking the employee to change their name. That would be good business sense.

Saying this, the owner has to remember that his employees are necessary to run a viable enterprise. Happy emplyees are good for your business.

Employees always have the best choice. They can quit at their convience whenever they want. They have no financial interest in the busines.

The owner can lose his 2 million dollars, the employees can only lose their job.

[Armando]

Don't fret. The free market will have its way with Larry, call me "Lorenzo", Whitten.

[Hispanicandproud]

Whitten may have the know-how to turn around an ailing hotel, but having the employees change their names is idiotic. He is ignorant, by and large, and he must learn to adapt to his environment.

[Whitten ignorant racist]

The Paragon Inn? We'll avoid it like the plague the next time were in Taos. What a puke this White doorknob is.

[Mills]

Well, I personally don't like his name...sounds too generic. If I were visiting Taos, and I have & LOVE it, I wouldn't choose his hotel just based on his boring, too easy to pronounce, generic, and ultimately uninteresting name. What a moron....I hope he fails.

[truth]

If your going to work in this country you should speak english and speak it well.If he wants his employees to speak english whileat work that is his decision and I support it.I also prefer the workers at whatever hotel I stay at to speak english. Canging the names is a bit of a strech.

[Tyler]

"He told me he didn't care what I thought because this was his business," Gutierrez says.

And that sums it up

[Al Reine]

If the employees do not like the employer, the rules for the job; Then Quit and find a different job ! When uoi own your own business, then you can have your own set of rules, and working conditions ! I would warn the owner of this hotel; Watch out for Acorn Workers, and Obama ACLU ! Good Luck with your new Hotel and Business !

[Toby Kinte]

Golf Pal wrote:

I am siding with Mr. Whitten, this is HIS business and he can make all the rules he wants. Such rules include the hours of business, each worker should be ready to work and quit at certain times. Another rule would be dress code, whether it's construction that calls for steel-toed work boots, or hotel attire that bears the logo and colors. All the way to wages paid. These are all rules a business owner can make, even the language to be spoken or not to be spoken.
I am tired of all the changes being made to accomodate non-English speaking people, from the use of ATM's, automated telephone operators (press 1 for English...), at various businesses and, government entities.
Like a previous post, this is America and we are all AMERICANS where the language is English.
And honestly, for the most part, people do speak their own language to talk about others while in their presencc. I'm sure some of you reading this are guilty of, myself included.
As for my native language, it is alive and well in my home. Emphasizing on "in my home," because it is important to keep the language and traditions alive.

So you think it's okay for him to make his employees change their names to make them more "white"? Yassir massa, you da bossman.

[Mexican Marine Combat Vet]

Semper Fi...

[Proud Female Veteran]

Golf Pal wrote:

I am siding with Mr. Whitten, this is HIS business and he can make all the rules he wants. Such rules include the hours of business, each worker should be ready to work and quit at certain times. Another rule would be dress code, whether it's construction that calls for steel-toed work boots, or hotel attire that bears the logo and colors. All the way to wages paid. These are all rules a business owner can make, even the language to be spoken or not to be spoken.
I am tired of all the changes being made to accomodate non-English speaking people, from the use of ATM's, automated telephone operators (press 1 for English...), at various businesses and, government entities.
Like a previous post, this is America and we are all AMERICANS where the language is English.
And honestly, for the most part, people do speak their own language to talk about others while in their presencc. I'm sure some of you reading this are guilty of, myself included.
As for my native language, it is alive and well in my home. Emphasizing on "in my home," because it is important to keep the language and traditions alive.

Nobody was arguing that it was his business but he did go over the line asking the the employee change their name, that borders on being just ignorant. As long as people can do their job and do it well what difference does it make if he wants and accent on his name or not?

There was no issue on whether the employee spoke English or not they all spoke English -as is common with most of us that are bilingual we tend to speak to each other in Spanish at the work place.

If I am talking to one of my co-workers I don't think it is anybodies place to tell me to speak in English - as long as it is just between she and I, if there are other people in the conversation that do not speak Spanish, then out of common courtesy I speak English.

So what if they were talking about him? Does he think making them speak English only is going to stop them from talking about him, I think it would make the situation even worse. But you know the old saying - Just because you are paranoid does not mean they are not out to get you.

[vixy]

I for one will only do business with chain hotels from now on. Holiday Inn Express, Howard Johnsons, etc.

[Mills]

Al Reine wrote:

If the employees do not like the employer, the rules for the job; Then Quit and find a different job ! When uoi own your own business, then you can have your own set of rules, and working conditions ! I would warn the owner of this hotel; Watch out for Acorn Workers, and Obama ACLU ! Good Luck with your new Hotel and Business !

Oh, please....many employees don't like their employers or the rules, but genuinely like their jobs & customers. To quit is absurd, unless the employee simply wants to. This business owner doesn't need to watch out for Acorn, Obama, etc....he should watch out for ignorant policy making that borders on unlawful & immoral, and that good patrons would simply boycott to. I'm no liberal, but I would NEVER line the pockets of such a moron.

[Deacon Blues]

Al Reine wrote:

If the employees do not like the employer, the rules for the job; Then Quit and find a different job ! When uoi own your own business, then you can have your own set of rules, and working conditions ! I would warn the owner of this hotel; Watch out for Acorn Workers, and Obama ACLU ! Good Luck with your new Hotel and Business !

Employees have rights too, otherwise this country would still have sweatshops...like China and India.