can you say uncomfortable?
Awhile back I saw an episode of one of those weekly nighttime news shows where they were gauging the public's reaction to various situations. They showed instances of couples (actors) arguing and it getting physical. They showed actors who were falling-down drunk and trying to get behind the wheel. They varied things like race and gender to see if the public reacted differently.
After the program, you were left thinking that it was a shame that more people didn't step up for whatever reason. Maybe they didn't take an interest in the person/situation. Maybe they felt it wasn't safe to interfere. Maybe they thought it was none of their business. You also were left wondering how you would react in the same situation.
Another interesting scenario involved a cab driver (an actor again) who was blatantly racist. He talked negatively about just about every group of people. The passengers reacted in many different ways. Some ignored it, some joked, some agreed, some took a stand against it. I thought it was an especially difficult situation because the passengers lives were in the hands of the cabbie. I know I wouldn't want to send my cab driver into an angry fit.
Today was my first day at my new work site. I'll be here six days each month (six times as often as any other site). This is not a one-time-cabbie situation. One of the staff members offered to drive me to lunch. I picked a quaint, old, hole-in-the-wall with homemade pie that has been mentioned in Southern Living. I was expecting some pleasant home-cookin' and polite conversation. Instead, I found out that this employee is incredibly racist. I mean, to the point of using the N word. She did mention that she thinks some African Americans are ok people and that some Caucasians are "white trash." Sweet...thanks for that.
So, knowing that you will be forced to have a working relationship with this person, at a site you have been forewarned is difficult, what do you do? I'll tell you what I did later.
After the program, you were left thinking that it was a shame that more people didn't step up for whatever reason. Maybe they didn't take an interest in the person/situation. Maybe they felt it wasn't safe to interfere. Maybe they thought it was none of their business. You also were left wondering how you would react in the same situation.
Another interesting scenario involved a cab driver (an actor again) who was blatantly racist. He talked negatively about just about every group of people. The passengers reacted in many different ways. Some ignored it, some joked, some agreed, some took a stand against it. I thought it was an especially difficult situation because the passengers lives were in the hands of the cabbie. I know I wouldn't want to send my cab driver into an angry fit.
Today was my first day at my new work site. I'll be here six days each month (six times as often as any other site). This is not a one-time-cabbie situation. One of the staff members offered to drive me to lunch. I picked a quaint, old, hole-in-the-wall with homemade pie that has been mentioned in Southern Living. I was expecting some pleasant home-cookin' and polite conversation. Instead, I found out that this employee is incredibly racist. I mean, to the point of using the N word. She did mention that she thinks some African Americans are ok people and that some Caucasians are "white trash." Sweet...thanks for that.
So, knowing that you will be forced to have a working relationship with this person, at a site you have been forewarned is difficult, what do you do? I'll tell you what I did later.
Comments
Matt
I just ignore people when they say things like that. Or you could have fun and tell her your brother is a Native African Hispanic American that is currently living in China.
But yeah, because it's a work thing that's a sticky situation.
Love,
BF Skinner
I just feel like a putz for not saying anything about it directly. I guess it felt like if I wasn't doing something to stop the problem, I was contributing to it. Then again, she's in her 50s so probably isn't changing anytime soon. It also made me feel bad to think that someone would look at me and think I'd be ok with conversation like that. What about me says that? Is it just because I'm white?
And it was northern Louisiana.
I'm sorry you are put in that situation, that's poopy. But you're right, you won't be able to change it.