Working with a racist colleague.

[Locut0s]

I usually get along with just about everyone I work with and if I don't I usually don't make much of it. Recently though we hired a guy who turned out to be fairly racist. This took me by surprise more than usual because the guy is African American. At first I didn't think much of what he said. I work in a 7-11 down town here, I'm the assistant manager, and the job is fairly stressful so I just brushed it off as his response to things he didn't like about the job. He talked a fair amount about disliking the fact that the company had been bought out by the Japanese and disliking all the jobs that are outsourced overseas. This in and of itself didn't mean anything but I started to get a bit uncomfortable after a while so I decided to talk with him about the subject a bit and see where it went. That's when he mentioned the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour, 'once you invite someone into your back yard', 'got to watch your back' etc etc... paranoid sounding stuff. I've also noticed that he belittles many of our other employees, who are largely Asian. Once I mentioned that I was 1/2 Chinese he stopped talking about that stuff with me. I'm guessing since I don't look 1/2 Asian he felt he could mention these things with me. I believe that our manager is considering firing the guy, not for these reasons but because he's a slow worker and not catching on. I'm not trying to argue that African Americans can't be racist but whenever I encounter it in someone who is non-Caucasian I'm always thrown for a loop. Anyone else have similar experiences?

[Vincardog]

1. What is the surprise? That bigots are slow and poor workers? Or that stupid people come in all races

[Richard Steele]

16. Ya read my mind. nm

[xultar]

2. I met a Black man that went off on Jews in a conversation with me in the airport

Poor fucker didn't know I was dating a Jewish man @ the time, So I explained to him how my Jewish boyfriend had a bigger penis than any black man I've ever known.

That shut his shit down.

So down he needed to climb out of the bottom of the bottom of a barrel then down pile of shit he spewed and then catch an elevator down from there.

That far down.

[spooky3]

19. LOL!

[goodgd_yall]

3. It doesn't surprise me when I come across it

Some people find satisfaction in having another group to put down and scapegoat. And in some cultures there may be a particular group with which there is tension.

[Hardrada]

5. Racism (or extreme nationalism) often springs up

as a cultural defense mechanism. It is something that is tough to deal with because it functions as a normal instinct.

[treestar]

4. Anybody can be a racist

Though one would think AAs would be especially sensitive about directing against others what they do not like directed against themselves.

I have met Asians who are very racist against blacks. Maybe he experienced that? Is your other half Caucasian? Maybe that's why he didn't mention any anti-white feelings he might have.

[aquart]

6. Dear me. You just found this out?

[angrycarpenter]

7. If being white has any burden.

It is listening to white bigots say awful things about other races as if they think you will agree with them and the hateful, suspicious look they give you when you disagree.

Of course there is black racism, it exists where misconception and ignorance exists. Where it concerns whites there are just enough truth in it to make it seem valid and justified.

I have encountered it firsthand. In the army I was the only white person in an all black commo section. I got the worst duty, I was volunteered for 3am guard duty twice as much, I was openly mocked for my race. I hold no grudge. If the situation was reversed the same thing would happen. People are people, and people are stupid.

[Fed_Up_Grammy]

8. You must be very young. Racism is alive and well,sadly.

[Locut0s]

10. Very young? 25 not sure if that counts. Of course it's alive and well I'm not....

arguing that it isn't. I'm just a little surprised whenever I see it in someone whom I would think would have enough similar experiences in their own lives of being on the receiving end to be able to turn such comments around and see them from the other side.

[sheelz]

9. you don't know dink

he knows jack

[Alexander]

11. My roommate's half-Hispanic, half-Native American girlfriend hates black people.

She drops the "n" word like it's going out of style. She offers nothing but vile, hateful racist commentary when discussing anyone who happens to be black.

All this time, I've wanted to ask her "Do you seriously think the KKK would accept you?"

This kind of crap often comes from the parents. Those of us with a functioning brain realize that we don't have to parrot our family's own racial prejudices. Unfortunately, those of us with a functioning brain are not a majority in this country.

[undeterred]

12. I have often found that people who discriminate against me

belong to a class of people likely to be discriminated against themselves. And yes, that surprises me.
I would expect just the opposite. When I was taking a class from a teacher who was severely handicapped by MS, and could have been discriminated against for his disease, I did not expect him to be sexist, but he was.

I worked for a man from India who said he hated racism- and I thought he meant ALL racism, but he only meant racism against his own children- he was TOTALLY racist against blacks and wanted to live in a neighborhood as far away from black people as he could.

Gays who are victims of discrimination can discriminate against another group- they are not free from it because they are victims of it.

And white women who are the victims of white male sexism might turn around and discriminate against white males if we're ever given half a chance, which I haven't been yet. Just wait... :evilgrin:

So the fact that people are victims of one form of discrimination apparently does not necessarily teach them anything. It might, but it does not necessarily.

[Bluzmann57]

13. Yeah. Once I was standing in line at a convenience store

here in the area. There were two Vietnamese guys trying to state that they wanted a Zippo lighter. After several tries, the African-American woman who was working the register got what they were saying and sold them the lighter. Then when I got up there, she started railing about "How those "asians" (another word in actuality) should just go back home and leave us alone, especially when they can't speak our language." I left my soda on the counter and just walked off. Later I called the manager of the store and complained about her. The response was almost as unbelieveable as the event was. She, the manager asked me, after I mentioned the behavior of the employee, "Are you the guy who left his pop on the counter without paying?" I said, "Yeah." She said I owed the store money. I said "Bullshit." I also said that I wasn't going to shop there ever again unless there was discliplinary action against the employee. The manager said that none was forthcoming because in her opinion, "THE EMPLOYEE DID NOTHING WRONG!" I haven't gone back since, it's been around eight years, and I haven't paid for the unopened pop I left on the counter either. The moral of the story is that crazy people come in all sizes, shapes, and colors.

[Warpy]

14. Oh, yeah, we all have

I'm afraid bigot is an equal opportunity perversion.

There are cultures I have trouble with and I'll be the first to admit it. However, it's completely unrelated to skin hue and I'll tolerate anybody who tries to tolerate me.

Notice I didn't say they had to be successful.

I'm afraid this guy is going to scream racism when he's terminated. I have found that a common theme among bigots of all hues when they're terminated by anyone of a different race. Just keep a paper trail of his shortcomings and be aware that it is coming.

[Orrex]

15. Tangent: Wasn't Southland bought by "the Japanese" in the 80's or early 90's?

If so, then your coworker's ire is a little late in coming, isn't it?

[Locut0s]

17. Yes I thought so too but didn't say much at the time. A little research shows...

this to be true:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7_11 Under History

However I believe the complete transfer of the company into Japanese hands did not take place until only a few years ago.

[Orrex]

23. Thanks for the clarification!

Now I hope that you can understand the clear legitimacy of his racism (:sarcasm:).


I worked at a 7-11 in Austin in late '92, and there was much talk at the time of the new management style shoveled down from on high.

[IsItJustMe]

18. I think we are racist to some degree. It comes in different shades and intensities, but it is an

insipid part of our culture and has been since the founding of this country.

[proud2BlibKansan]

20. One of the groups we started is falling apart over racial crap

It is really sad. We are on an email list together. We set the list up to plan events but it has turned into a discussion board. Someone brought up a racial topic in December and it has become progressively nastier since then. And it is mainly African Americans making racist statements against white people.

[Jed Dilligan]

21. I've heard a black homeless guy blame homelessness on

the government helping "Chineses" and "Vietnameses" instead of "Americans: Blacks, Whites, and Mexicans."

The world of bigotry is very convoluted.

[Blue-Jay]

22. How does wood-carving fit in with this story?

[Godhumor]

24. I'm white and my wife is Japanese

Yeah, I've come across this particular phenomenom, but I figured unfortunate attitudes have no racial boundary. I will say, that I hear it far more often from other Caucasians than other races, though.

[Romulox]

25. I'm white, and my wife is Chinese. Believe me, white people have NOTHING on the Chinese

when it comes to anti-Japanese sentiment.

[Matariki]

26. a lot of bad history there, as I'm sure you know. n/t