The money is in the eyes

Welcome to TMO

Home
Talk
Rants
Life
Music
Web
Media
Society
Sex
Announce
Games

How do I get a tag ?

Read the FAQ !



email us
TMO Talk Post New Topic  Post A Reply
my profile login | search | faq | forum home

  next oldest topic   next newest topic
» TMO Talk » Life » Is my new office mate a racist?

   
Author Topic: Is my new office mate a racist?
Thorn Davis

 - posted      Profile for Thorn Davis           Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
So the last person I shared an office with used to make this joke, "What would the Flinstones be called if they were black?" "The niggers." Lol, etc. All well and good and whatever your view of that joke, it's easy to process it as a sort of "teacher's back is turned - I'm going to say something naughty" thing, rather than an actual expression of racism.

But anyway. There's a new guy here now, and we were talking about going to the cinema and I'm faily sure he said "I always treat myself to the premier seats, so I don't get annoyed by blacks sitting next to me." Which sort of threw me a bit. Maybe he didn't say that, but it was difficult to question it "Did you say... you don't like sitting next to blacks?". Either the answer is "No! How could you think something like that" or "Yes. Yes I did." in which case I'd feel obliged to either a) confront him, which is socially awkward, or b) agree with him which would make him think I was... you know... Agreeing with him.

So. Any ideas as to how I can cleverly, subtly work out whether he's some kind of racist? I thought maybe I could introduce him to a black friend of mine and guage his reactions, but I don't have any black friends, for obvious reasons. What do you reckon TMO?

Posts: 13758  |  IP: Logged
Cherry In Hove
Channel 39
 - posted      Profile for Cherry In Hove           Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
It is annoying though as they never offer you any of their chicken even though they've got a full bucket.
Posts: 4934  |  IP: Logged
Black Mask

 - posted      Profile for Black Mask           Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
Bring a watermelon into work and leave it in the fridge. See what he says.

--------------------
sweet

Posts: 13919  |  IP: Logged
Darryn.R
TMO Admin
 - posted      Profile for Darryn.R           Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
Maybe he's just paying up to that stereotype of black people shouting at the cinema screen which seems to be so popular in America.

To check if he's a racist simply erect a small wooden cross on his desk next to a Tom Stone doll.

Time will tell.

--------------------

my own brother a god dam shit sucking vampire!!! you wait till mum finds out buddy!


Posts: 6961  |  IP: Logged
Black Mask

 - posted      Profile for Black Mask           Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by Darryn.R:
that stereotype of black people shouting at the cinema screen which seems to be so popular in America.

Dude, you need to pay a visit to the Peckham Multiplex.

--------------------
sweet

Posts: 13919  |  IP: Logged
dang65
it's all the rage
 - posted      Profile for dang65           Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by Thorn Davis:
I'm fairly sure he said, "I always treat myself to the premier seats, so I don't get annoyed by blacks sitting next to me."

Could it just be that he's got a sense of humour?

I mean, I can't really come up with a convincingly innocent word which he might have said instead of "blacks" in that sentence, so we'll have to assume he did use those words.

Are there any signs of dry wit in other things he says?

Posts: 8467  |  IP: Logged
Thorn Davis

 - posted      Profile for Thorn Davis           Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
None whatsoever. He doesn't really seem to register any kind of humour whatsoever. Normally I'd be pretty good at spotting that kind of thing, because obviously I do it myself quite a bit, but there's nothing else he's said that suggests he was cracking a joke. I wondered whether maybe he said 'brats' instead, but eh.

Maybe when I come in on monday and he says "how was your weekend", I can reply "Fucking great - I chased this fucking paki down an alleyway, whipped my pne knife out and opened him up like a tinned curry", and see how he responds to that.

Posts: 13758  |  IP: Logged
New Way Of Decay

 - posted      Profile for New Way Of Decay           Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
I write a bit about confronting people who might say that but it got erased when I shut down my browser accidentally. I'll rewrite it in a bit.

[ 03.07.2009, 06:43: Message edited by: New Way Of Decay ]

--------------------
BUY A TICKET AND WATCH SOME METAL

Posts: 11617  |  IP: Logged
New Way Of Decay

 - posted      Profile for New Way Of Decay           Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
FOUNDITT!!!

quote:
It's usually best to confront these things. Nothing that needs to be a big song and dance. Just ask like it's normal. So if you do get a 'Yes. Yes I did' answer then it gives you carte blanche to say 'oh that's a shame. I didn't know you were racist'

You see, people think it's OK to say these things as long as they keep their head above water. Someone told me they vote BNP the other day and when I said 'oh right, I can understand that. Are'nt you worried about the racism?' and they were all like 'nah, that's not what they're about. They'll take anyone they will'

I just frowned and said 'not really, that's what they say to build numbers of voters. All politicians do that, except not to fulfil racist ambitions. The last people who did that were the nazis' and it just sort of ended there. With him not being able to shrug off the racism and me being put in a really hideous social situation as he got me a cold beer. [Frown]

But anyway, it was worth it, not confrontational, but not just not letting it slip without commentary.



[ 03.07.2009, 06:42: Message edited by: New Way Of Decay ]

--------------------
BUY A TICKET AND WATCH SOME METAL

Posts: 11617  |  IP: Logged
squeegy
'small african childe'
 - posted      Profile for squeegy           Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by Thorn Davis:
Maybe when I come in on monday and he says "how was your weekend", I can reply "Fucking great - I chased this fucking paki down an alleyway, whipped my pne knife out and opened him up like a tinned curry", and see how he responds to that.

I would remove the word "fucking" as it will make you come across as vulgar and brash. Not ideal for the workplace.

--------------------
supa scrub

Posts: 2057  |  IP: Logged
Black Mask

 - posted      Profile for Black Mask           Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by New Way Of Decay:
FOUNDITT!!!

quote:
It's usually best to confront these things. Nothing that needs to be a big song and dance. Just ask like it's normal. So if you do get a 'Yes. Yes I did' answer then it gives you carte blanche to say 'oh that's a shame. I didn't know you were racist'

You see, people think it's OK to say these things as long as they keep their head above water. Someone told me they vote BNP the other day and when I said 'oh right, I can understand that. Are'nt you worried about the racism?' and they were all like 'nah, that's not what they're about. They'll take anyone they will'

I just frowned and said 'not really, that's what they say to build numbers of voters. All politicians do that, except not to fulfil racist ambitions. The last people who did that were the nazis' and it just sort of ended there. With him not being able to shrug off the racism and me being put in a really hideous social situation as he got me a cold beer. [Frown]

But anyway, it was worth it, not confrontational, but not just not letting it slip without commentary.


NWoD's right. He shames us all.

--------------------
sweet

Posts: 13919  |  IP: Logged
Thorn Davis

 - posted      Profile for Thorn Davis           Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
I'm pretty sure I should be able to counter someone else's opinion without belittling them, being sarcastic or coming off as needlessly aggressive. That kind of diplomacy is what I'm good at.
Posts: 13758  |  IP: Logged
New Way Of Decay

 - posted      Profile for New Way Of Decay           Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by Black Mask:
NWoD's right. He shames us all.

I hope you're being sarcastic because basically I was too scared to tell a six foot skinhead what a racist he is.

--------------------
BUY A TICKET AND WATCH SOME METAL

Posts: 11617  |  IP: Logged
New Way Of Decay

 - posted      Profile for New Way Of Decay           Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
I'm sure you handled the situation fine in the flesh Thorn, I'm just getting a Mark from Peep Show vibe about it all right now.

--------------------
BUY A TICKET AND WATCH SOME METAL

Posts: 11617  |  IP: Logged
New Way Of Decay

 - posted      Profile for New Way Of Decay           Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
Yeah? Yeah?! mental. Alright well I'm glad we've got that all out of the way. LOL. What am I up to this weekend yeah? Fuckall. No, no really fuck all. Nothing at all.

--------------------
BUY A TICKET AND WATCH SOME METAL

Posts: 11617  |  IP: Logged
Black Mask

 - posted      Profile for Black Mask           Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by New Way Of Decay:
quote:
Originally posted by Black Mask:
NWoD's right. He shames us all.

I hope you're being sarcastic
No. Actually, I think that's a great way to handle it. "Oh, really? I didn't know you were racist."

--------------------
sweet

Posts: 13919  |  IP: Logged
New Way Of Decay

 - posted      Profile for New Way Of Decay           Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
I think it takes people by surprise because they're not expecting people to challenge it. It's not black humour (lol) dry wit, a cutting remark at racist stereotypes, it's just 'I'm scared of foreign people...are you too?' and by just laughing it off and simultaneously calling it exactly what it is, it makes people realise that, fuck man, your comments are pretty deplorable and you should really have a think about it. Although in the case above, it's social rather than a work environment so I feel like an uncomfrotable put up/shut up situation where I just try to ignore it and not encourage it. You know if it was my boss, knowing how business works, I'd probably lap that shit up externally and wish actual death in my mind.

--------------------
BUY A TICKET AND WATCH SOME METAL

Posts: 11617  |  IP: Logged
Thorn Davis

 - posted      Profile for Thorn Davis           Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
Anyway. So I tried to goad him into saying something racist when the black delivery guy came round. I said "Ah! It's our little piccanninny", and my workmate went all tense, presumably because I was exposing him as a racist and he didn't like it. So I followed up with "Hot weather isn't it? But you probably like it. Reminds you of home." The delivery guy said "what? Cowley?" and my workmate kept looking at the floor, unable to look anyone else in the room in the eye, so ashamed of having his racist views laid bare.

I laughed at the delivery guy's joke. Like, really laughed loud to show that I was being friendly, and then said "That's brilliant. That's brilliant mate. Well done. You're just like us really, aren't you? Deep down." My office mate was so horrified by the idea a black man might be equal to us, he said "I can't take this - this is fucking disgusting" and stormed out.

So. I think I won there, in shovng his horrible racism back into his face.

Posts: 13758  |  IP: Logged
Darryn.R
TMO Admin
 - posted      Profile for Darryn.R           Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
bravo !

--------------------

my own brother a god dam shit sucking vampire!!! you wait till mum finds out buddy!


Posts: 6961  |  IP: Logged
Octavia
I hate Valentine's Day.
Stupid commercialised crap
 - posted      Profile for Octavia           Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
Presumably one problem with pointing out to someone that they're racist is that - essentially - they don't mind that they're racist. I mean, isn't that the point? So there's a good chance that they'll cheerfully chat about how awful all these brown people are and why don't they all just go 'home' etc etc and not mind in the least that you think they're a horrendous example of humanity. Because they think you're a stupid bleeding-heart liberal who refuses to acknowledge the obvious truth that the country's sinking under the weight of all the darkness.
Posts: 3340  |  IP: Logged
New Way Of Decay

 - posted      Profile for New Way Of Decay           Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by Octavia:
Presumably one problem with pointing out to someone that they're racist is that - essentially - they don't mind that they're racist.

N...not really. Unless of course you think everyone is like Samuel Norton and proudly goes about with a cheerful delightful demenaour that they don't like anyone who isn't aryan, which is doesn't need pointing out is rich from the blackest looking jew you ever saw. Unless you're referring to extremists, people show their racism in different ways, but no I don't think it's something people come out with, unless of course you're unwittingly surrounded by it. I can think of two people off of the top of my head that, are not extremists, but prejudiced and try to justify it. If challenged they would back down. They have and they do.

There are prefixes of 'I'm not being racist' followed by racist comments, or 'don't get me wrong, some of my best friends are black'

--------------------
BUY A TICKET AND WATCH SOME METAL

Posts: 11617  |  IP: Logged
New Way Of Decay

 - posted      Profile for New Way Of Decay           Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
If my best mate Vbat looked at my women I'd chop his black cock off.

--------------------
BUY A TICKET AND WATCH SOME METAL

Posts: 11617  |  IP: Logged
New Way Of Decay

 - posted      Profile for New Way Of Decay           Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
^ Now if someone said 'stop making out like black cocks are just the object of your humour' I'd feel a tiny pang of guilt there.

[ 06.07.2009, 13:21: Message edited by: New Way Of Decay ]

--------------------
BUY A TICKET AND WATCH SOME METAL

Posts: 11617  |  IP: Logged
McDirts
TMO Member
 - posted      Profile for McDirts           Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
was he actually racist then? I mean actually racist? Or was he just a bloody good bloke?
Posts: 979  |  IP: Logged
Thorn Davis

 - posted      Profile for Thorn Davis           Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
well, I challenged him about his beliefs, and he didn't get angry or anything. We talked for quite a while, and he started quoting a lot of statistics about crime, aspirations, historical precendents that kind of thing. It wasn't really anything I'd considered before, but he made a lot of good points that I couldn't really counter. He's going to introduce me to a few of his friends this weekend who are holding a kind of seminar for people who want to find out more about this kind of thing. It's been a real eye-opener, to be honest.
Posts: 13758  |  IP: Logged
McDirts
TMO Member
 - posted      Profile for McDirts           Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
Well, some things you just can't ignore - Skull size and shape for example. All the members of the liberal left start floundering when evidence like that is presented.

Have you got his number?

Posts: 979  |  IP: Logged
dang65
it's all the rage
 - posted      Profile for dang65           Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
There was a comedy show on the radio the other day where they pretended to be confused about being referred to as "mixed race" as we are all "the human race". I sort of nodded my head at the time, but after spending a couple of seconds thinking about it I don't think that makes any sense. It's the term "the human race" which is skewed. Actually, it's the word "race":

quote:
1. A local geographic or global human population distinguished as a more or less distinct group by genetically transmitted physical characteristics.
2. A group of people united or classified together on the basis of common history, nationality, or geographic distribution: the German race.
3. A genealogical line; a lineage.
4. Humans considered as a group.
5. Biology
a. An interbreeding, usually geographically isolated population of organisms differing from other populations of the same species in the frequency of hereditary traits. A race that has been given formal taxonomic recognition is known as a subspecies.
b. A breed or strain, as of domestic animals.

So, "race" means "group" basically. You could probably have "the Etonian race" as a group of people having a common characteristic of being raised in an elite educational establishment. Or, certainly, "the Liverpudlian race", I expect.

We've come to a unique point in human history now I think, where all the diverse "races" who wandered across the planet over thousands of years and lived pretty much in isolation for centuries and evolved different physical characteristics according to their environment, have now started to occupy the same living space and it's like oil and water in the same glass.

We're in the same place, but we really don't mix, except for occasional exceptions where individuals go native. Over long periods of time we start connecting in a slightly closer way, marrying and so on, but we generally remain separate as communities.

What is unfortunate is that people see this as sinister and unacceptable when, really, we should just see it as a perfectly natural human characteristic and live with it. When English people go to live is Spain they mix together, open English supermarkets and pubs and chip shops. It doesn't mean they hate Spain and the Spanish people. It's just an instinct to do that.

The thing is that it's never happened before on anything like this scale, even in good old "multicultural" England, this situation of everybody occupying the same living space all together. In the past there would be relatively small influxes of, say, West Indians or the Asians from Uganda etc and they would mostly settle in a few small areas around the country. Now though, everyone is everywhere. If you have even a small inclination towards paranoia then I imagine you must feel like there are aliens living down every street.

It's all very well going on holiday for a week to voluntarily stare at a Mexican in a poncho and a big hat, or a Moroccan with a camel and a towel round his head... but when you come home you just want that sort of thing to be limited to a couple of restaurants in the middle of town, not in every supermarket and post office queue and workplace.

This current blending is interesting to watch, really. A lot of previously cool people seem to be discovering xenophobia all of a sudden. Personally, I think we should completely abandon all this bollocks about integration into British society and all that crap. We've never integrated into any other society, and god knows we've occupied plenty of them. Fuck it, we're different. It's great. Let's be different. We like it on holiday, so let's all act like we're tourists all the time wherever we are. Except that some people really can't handle that, or can't grasp it, or fear it. What if the wrong people start to dominate and tell us what to do? That's where it all gets a bit awkward for us liberal lefties I suppose. Interesting times.

Posts: 8467  |  IP: Logged


   
Post New Topic  Post A Reply Close Topic   Feature Topic   Move Topic   Delete Topic next oldest topic   next newest topic
 - Printer-friendly view of this topic
Hop To:


Contact Us | The Moon Online

copyright TMO y2k+

Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classic™ 6.6.1