Posts: 3033
Threads: 176
Joined: April 29, 2012
Reputation:
24
Dealing with racists
January 9, 2018 at 6:47 pm
I was recently working at a major airport, working "airside" on an IT job, so lots of security to go through, I needed to be escorted around. Part way through the day we stopped for a coffee at a major caffeine shop, while we were queueing, my guide said "let's move to the other queue, I don't want to be served by a black person" What should I have done? If I made a fuss, it would make my job very difficult as I needed him to take me around, if I kept quiet I would seem to be sharing his views.
In the end I chickened out and kept quiet but still feel bad about it
The meek shall inherit the Earth, the rest of us will fly to the stars.
Never underestimate the power of very stupid people in large groups
Arguing with an engineer is like wrestling with a pig in mud ..... after a while you realise that the pig likes it!
Posts: 34733
Threads: 200
Joined: August 13, 2012
Reputation:
145
RE: Dealing with racists
January 9, 2018 at 7:04 pm
I would have brought it up with his supervisor. Possibly asking if there was someone else available to escort you since his racism makes you uncomfortable.
Dying to live, living to die.
Posts: 14932
Threads: 684
Joined: August 25, 2008
Reputation:
143
RE: Dealing with racists
January 9, 2018 at 7:11 pm
(This post was last modified: January 9, 2018 at 9:56 pm by Tiberius.)
Yeah, report this shit to his supervisor.
I might have been passive aggressive too and tipped the black server as well.
Posts: 30673
Threads: 2117
Joined: May 24, 2012
Reputation:
71
RE: Dealing with racists
January 9, 2018 at 7:14 pm
I had a cashier once refuse to sell beer to my now former black co workers, they hadn't had a drop, I ironically had before we went in, she was willing to sell to me but not them. I was pissed. I started to lay into her, but for whatever reason they got me to back off. I am betting they simply didn't want any trouble and it is the south. You'd think in 2009 we wouldn't still have to deal with that kind of shit but, nope, we still do.
Posts: 30592
Threads: 204
Joined: July 19, 2011
Reputation:
141
RE: Dealing with racists
January 9, 2018 at 7:17 pm
Definitely report it. That kind of bullshit has no place in the workplace. That is, assuming you are in a locale that frowns upon open racism in the workplace.
I wouldn't have made a scene but I would probably have said something like "you go right ahead" and declined to switch lines.
Posts: 1715
Threads: 9
Joined: September 20, 2015
Reputation:
18
RE: Dealing with racists
January 9, 2018 at 7:17 pm
I would probably have told him that I am a black person.
If The Flintstones have taught us anything, it's that pelicans can be used to mix cement.
-Homer Simpson
Posts: 44028
Threads: 529
Joined: July 24, 2013
Reputation:
109
RE: Dealing with racists
January 9, 2018 at 7:53 pm
It's just me, but I would've stayed in the queue, gotten my coffee and then shouted to the guide, 'Oi! Your loss, mate - the coffee made by that black person you didn't want serving you is terrific!'
Then I would have reported him, and requested another guide.
Boru
‘But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods or no gods. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.’ - Thomas Jefferson
Posts: 5813
Threads: 86
Joined: November 19, 2017
Reputation:
59
RE: Dealing with racists
January 9, 2018 at 7:56 pm
Fuck that guy. Go ahead and report the incident.
Posts: 27240
Threads: 519
Joined: June 16, 2015
Reputation:
90
RE: Dealing with racists
January 9, 2018 at 10:40 pm
You got this in the UK? Holy sheep shit.
Shout very loud, "what do you mean you don't want to be served by a black person". Let the croud know, then report him. My guess is that you wouldn't be the only one filing a report.
I don't have an anger problem, I have an idiot problem.
Posts: 21821
Threads: 24
Joined: February 2, 2010
Reputation:
106
RE: Dealing with racists
January 10, 2018 at 12:47 am
If I were the guy's supervisor, I'd want to know this predilection of his, especially if workplace regs had language in place regarding this sort of thing.
