http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33479833...city?GT1=43001

New hotel owner hounded by racism charges
Hispanic employees protest after being told to change their first names

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

The tough-talking former Marine immediately laid down some new rules. Among them, he forbade the Hispanic workers at the run-down, Southwestern adobe-style hotel from speaking Spanish in his presence (he thought they'd be talking about him), and ordered some to Anglicize their names.

No more Martin (Mahr-TEEN). It was plain-old Martin. No more Marcos. Now it would be Mark..........

Racist

If they are legal citizens, then this is beyond racist. Wouldn't it be illegal? I'm not sure about the language thing, but I'm pretty sure that you can't make someone change their name.

Neither.

Originally Posted by Spider

Language: English should be spoken except when a customer speaks another language. Then it is appropriate for hotel personnel to use the language preferred by the customer if the employee speaks it. It is impolite to speak in a language not understood by those around you.

Name change: Inappropriate. A person's name is his or her identity. If it is unusually long or complicated, it can be shortened to an acceptable (to the employee) nickname or abbreviation. There is nothing wrong or offensive with an ethnic sounding name.

What he said.

Originally Posted by quinn14

If they are legal citizens, then this is beyond racist. Wouldn't it be illegal? I'm not sure about the language thing, but I'm pretty sure that you can't make someone change their name.

What does it matter if they or legal citizens or not?
Is it OK to act racists to illegal aliens?
What about legal aliens?

I said it was BEYOND racist if they are legal, meaning that not only IS it racist, it is also illegal. I wasn't suggesting that it was okay to do to anyone. I just thought it would also be illegal, as well as racist, if done to a legal citizen.