This is more of a rant. I'm sitting her angry and can't say anything to anyone yet.
I'm a contractor on a project. Everyone on this project is a contractor - including the secretaries--they came from temporary agencies. I'm low-management and I'm the newest person here. The procurement manager, who has one of the worst attitudes and work demeanors that I've ever seen, just went on a screaming fit because the secretary asked the manager for approval to order something that the procurement manager wanted. He was screaming throughout the whole office and slamming things down and yelled that he would not tolerate an "inferior" person questioning him. Then he went on the defensive and said 'fine, I don't want it now since I have to justify everything, blah blah blah." He was really in a rage. I was getting angry at him even though I realized that he has some serious self-confidence issues -- which do not justify or excuse his behavior. He was called into an office and emerged somewhat settled down, but both secretaries are really pissed and I don't blame them. He treats everyone as though he is so much better than them, and he gets away with it!
What got to me was the blatent racism. We have people from several differnt ethnic backgrounds. He attempted to explain (loudly) to one indonesian man why all black people are so horrid and why they should be wiped off the face of the earth and how he hates them all, and hispanics (note - he did not call either race by the names I have used here) are the same way. He then went on to say that he is NOT a prejudicial person - it's simply the truth because it was a black man who killed his 24 y/o son some 12 years ago, and the black man was with a hispanic man.
Okay, I know that the loss of a child is horrendous and something that will change a person forever. I hope to never have to know what it feels like. But his attitude is beyond bitterness and is still no excuse for his behavior in a business environment.
There is nothing that we can do as contractors - if anyone complains THEY are the ones to get replaced -- this was told to me by one of the mid-managers. Whatever hold this guy has, it is here to stay. Unless someone wants to file a law-suit against him. As a contractor he does not speak for the company and if the company sees anyone making waves - they are booted out. Its a lovely little legal loophole that would cost more to fight it then its worth.
Don't you just LOOOOOOVE it when morons like that are allowed to foist their terrible behaviour on others where someone like you would lose your job for just speaking up?
Sometimes life really, truly, stinks. Often worklife really, truly stinks. I feel for you.
__________________
I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness that I can show to my fellow creatures, let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.
Sometimes in life, moimeme, you just have to go for the simplicity of Roberto's approach. Yeah, f_ck him. Drop him with a right cross. If I were a Latino or Black man, and I were listening to that little outburst, that's probably what I'd do, too.
First of all, how any company allows a guy with such poor self-control to manage a company is beyond me, but unfortunately, there are countless numbers of idiots like this guy at the helm of companies big and small. As for his racial blasts, he's really setting the company up for some major lawsuits, and someone above him needs to be informed of this. There's more than one witness, and the Indonesian guy counts as a minority. He could file a claim with the EEOC that he's been subjected to a racially hostile (or insensitive) work environment and win big damages against the company if he can prove that it affected his employment status at some point down the line. If this guy has a boss, he should be advised of the situation immediately. They need to fire this guy right away.
Yes, it's bad that his son was killed (did he say how?), but that doesn't get someone the right to hate every member of an ethnic group.
I don't believe anybody suggested he had a right to be an idiot. The poster wrestles with the dilemma that, despite hating this behaviour, can only speak up at peril of his job. I wouldn't warn them at all. I'd wait for someone to launch the lawsuit and cheer from the wings when it happens, personally. I might find a way to anonymously slip information on how to do it to the person who suffered the insult.
Location: the easter bunny has eggs! breathe in; breathe out. there is still wonder in the world :)
Posts: 2,735
do you have his email address? if nothing else than a release from frustration, you could sign him up for mails from dozens and dozens of anti-racism sites; just make sure you're firewall protected, etc.
we did this to this moron at our workplace, and the poor 'snasty' biddy complained for weeks about the copious sexual rights mails she got. we each signed up 35 sites to divide the risk and work; twas very pleasing. also, it's almost risk free; we checked, and forwarding information of this ad-free, porn-free, sort is perfectly legit.
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Last edited by jenny; 13th January 2004 at 9:41 PM..
Errol,
You are such a nice guy...I wouldn't expect anything but this kind of post from you. THANKS for caring about people....individuals.....in various shades of skin!!
There is nothing finer than a man who sees the truth in a sea of lies. You wonder how the lies continue and how people face themselves in the mirror. In the end though.....YOU are the wise one. You may not make the big bucks or have your name on some door.....but YOU are the HERO! The man among men.....who go beyond the trivial.
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