racism at work?
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Hi, I'm not usually in the presence of this but lately at work the security people have been getting really bad. I’m spanic, and I work in Boston Ma, we have badges to get in and out of the building and we are also supposed to walk around with them. The problem is that whenever I walk around without mine they always stop me and ask me to show them mine, which is fine I don't mind and is their job. However, what is pissing me off, is that even when I walk around with other people (white people) they only stop me! What the f**k is this? The other problem, and the one that specially pisses me off is that to some times I bring to work other people with me (share the car), and when we go into the building one opens the door for all to enter (you know). But they only stop me and ask me for my badge (not always but enough times to notice), even when there are more people (white people) than only me going in without one. I’m really pissed off today, since I didn't have my badge to get in the building, and they only stopped me for one (after the guy I drove to work open the door for me). Since I didn't have one and I had to sign in, they said that "all maintenance people (cleaners) should always have their badge". I didn't know that the fact that I’m spanic automatically makes me "maintenance". I work 70+ hours every week, I write client server apps and save the company a lot of money with my work. I don't think I or anyone should ever be treated that way, any ideas as to how to address my situation? Rodrigo
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That's sucks! How did you get in anyway? However, I cannot even say "they" are evil. They just employ the old evolutionary proved survival tactics: if it walks quacks,swims like a duck.... it probably contains 4-6 tasty servings. People are different, and the first thing that tells us about a person is the look. Due to your origin and the structure of the US society, you look like an "maintenance worker". Yes, that's dumb. That's no fun, and if I could help it I would. Men will always discriminate and classify (in the sense of: consider differences and base your actions on it), the pity is the step to racism is just too easy to go. This isn't a specific attribute of the pale people, only they were more often than not in a "better" position than the colorful. It's the job of the guards to open the door for "business" employees and customers like, keep strangers off, and show various levels of contempt to everything inbetween. The bug fix is to sling a tie around your neck, and the architectural solution is make the guards treat maintenance personel as they treat business partners. I was thinking of a good prank, but I have no idea that's fun and practial. Only some ziviler Ungehorsam: Come without your badge. Every day. if they don't let you in, go home. Or at least, phone your boss and ask if you may. Peter
To get in you have to tell them your name, show ID, tell them your phone extension and your department. Then they take that information and look it up on the computer to see if is true, this usually takes seconds for regular people (I designed the directory, so I know), but these morons take 5 minutes (they use their 2 fingers to use the keyboard..) Finally you have to fill more paper work to get a temporary badge (and plastic badge for the doors and a sticker on your shirt that reads temp)which is good for one day, and you also have to fill more paper work before you leave. And is not like I work in a very restricted business (or secretive), I mean I work in an insurence company!. Rodrigo.
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What is happening to you realy sucks ! Aren't you in America, can't you sue and teach your idiot management and security goons a lesson. Go see a lawyer, man and teach them not to get mixed up with a CPian ! Regardz Colin J Davies
Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin
I live in Bob's HungOut now
A long time ago I decided that I was going to work for my money. The whole suing thing is not for me. Neither is the whole affirmative action thing. If you work hard, and you are good at what you do, then you deserve to be paid accordingly. And at the very least, to be treated like a peer (so long you are not an ass). I was searchin on the net for some kind of memo I could use to send to HR, maybe that will send them a message that they need to do something about this (im not the only one by the way). I can get a lot of people to back me up. Rodrigo.
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If you are dressing like a gang-banger, expect to be treated as such. Love is an obsessive delusion that is cured by mariage. Dr. Karl Bowman
I don't see how kackis, a golf shirt and shoes (and a good hair cut) would make me look like a gang-banger. Im not 18 and I don't wear buggy pants or long shirts. Last I checked most programers didn't even wear pants (other than jeans) and tee shirts. Should I get my self a security guard uniform and see if that stops them from bugging me...Or make noise and have them fired and hire other people. Rc.
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A long time ago I decided that I was going to work for my money. The whole suing thing is not for me. Neither is the whole affirmative action thing. If you work hard, and you are good at what you do, then you deserve to be paid accordingly. And at the very least, to be treated like a peer (so long you are not an ass). I was searchin on the net for some kind of memo I could use to send to HR, maybe that will send them a message that they need to do something about this (im not the only one by the way). I can get a lot of people to back me up. Rodrigo.
You don't necessarily have to sue, but it's good to know what your options are. Talk to a lawyer and see if anything can be done. Explore your possibilities. This situation may come to a point where you're pissed off enough to go ahead and file suit. Right now you feel like you can live with it, but you may not feel that way later. Regards, Alvaro
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How about just following the freakin rules and wear your freakin badge. As far as looking like you're a maintenance worker, try upgrading your wardrobe a notch. Your alternatives are: 1) Grow some juevos and cop a nasty attitude with these morons. Call them names in spanish or better yet, tell them "I climbed a mountain yesterday" in Spanish, but make it sound like you're describing your next sexual encounter with their mother (sneer a lot and end the statement by dry-spitting at the ground in front of them). 2) Find another job and stop whining about being persecuted. We're all in the same damn boat any more. "...the staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - Jason Jystad, 10/26/2001
Nope, you shouldn't confront them that way. That's just asking to get fired. I would defend myself but at the same time talk to a lawyer to see exactly how I should approach the situation. If a lawsuit is feasible and he feels pissed off enough about it, then go for it. Hit them where it really hurts! By the way, it's "huevos", with an H not with a J, and the H is silent in Spanish so it sounds more like "webose". Regards, Alvaro
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I don't see how kackis, a golf shirt and shoes (and a good hair cut) would make me look like a gang-banger. Im not 18 and I don't wear buggy pants or long shirts. Last I checked most programers didn't even wear pants (other than jeans) and tee shirts. Should I get my self a security guard uniform and see if that stops them from bugging me...Or make noise and have them fired and hire other people. Rc.
I don't see how kackis, a golf shirt and shoes (and a good hair cut) would make me look like a gang-banger No - that makes you look like a programmer - they are much worse! ;P ________________ David Wulff http://www.davidwulff.co.uk "I loathe people who keep dogs. They are cowards who haven't got the guts to bite people themselves" - August Strindberg
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What is happening to you realy sucks ! Aren't you in America, can't you sue and teach your idiot management and security goons a lesson. Go see a lawyer, man and teach them not to get mixed up with a CPian ! Regardz Colin J Davies
Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin
I live in Bob's HungOut now
Colin Davies wrote: teach them not to get mixed up with a CPian Exactly No f##kin any-colored bastard is gonna mess with CPians :-)) Sonork ID 100.9786 voidmain www.busterboy.org If you don't find me on CP, I'll be at Bob's HungOut
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I don't see how kackis, a golf shirt and shoes (and a good hair cut) would make me look like a gang-banger. Im not 18 and I don't wear buggy pants or long shirts. Last I checked most programers didn't even wear pants (other than jeans) and tee shirts. Should I get my self a security guard uniform and see if that stops them from bugging me...Or make noise and have them fired and hire other people. Rc.
The whole point is that you are spanish, yet you are workin in some other country. They wouldn't throw racism at you in spain, would they. If you go to other places, racism is what you get. Its a bit like going and living in the andromeda galaxy and then sayin that the aliens are behaving in an offending manner :-) anyway, partly joking bud :-) here in india we have multi-level-racism throughout the country and so everyone is used to it Nish Sonork ID 100.9786 voidmain www.busterboy.org If you don't find me on CP, I'll be at Bob's HungOut
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>> If he would wear his badge, the security morons wouldn't even notice him. Which is an odd but surprisingly succesful concept of "security". I guess tie & suit would already do the job - depending on local policies.
here in Trivandrum the behaviour of star hotel doormen sucks. If a trivandrumite walks in wearing shabby clothes they wont let you in. But if some white tourist walks in wearin bermudas and no shirt with his semi-nude wife, they'll do a triple salute and let them in. its funny sometimes... after 54 years of independence in the hearts of some indians the westerner-dominance and fear/awe still exists so sad specially considering when its time we started treating oursleves as earth-citizens instead of as americans , aussies, indians, brits Nish Sonork ID 100.9786 voidmain www.busterboy.org If you don't find me on CP, I'll be at Bob's HungOut
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Colin Davies wrote: teach them not to get mixed up with a CPian Exactly No f##kin any-colored bastard is gonna mess with CPians :-)) Sonork ID 100.9786 voidmain www.busterboy.org If you don't find me on CP, I'll be at Bob's HungOut
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The whole point is that you are spanish, yet you are workin in some other country. They wouldn't throw racism at you in spain, would they. If you go to other places, racism is what you get. Its a bit like going and living in the andromeda galaxy and then sayin that the aliens are behaving in an offending manner :-) anyway, partly joking bud :-) here in india we have multi-level-racism throughout the country and so everyone is used to it Nish Sonork ID 100.9786 voidmain www.busterboy.org If you don't find me on CP, I'll be at Bob's HungOut
Oh believe you me. Back in my country we don't only have racism, we also have classism (if that is a word). If you have brown skin (95% of all bolivians do) its like if you were a servent. And if your family deoesn't have money (95% of all Bolivians don't) its even worst. Public shools are not good, so I was lucky enough to go to a private school, and it was hell for 10 years. At least here in the usa, everybody is the same, and you are valued for your work and by the way you are. Until you find a biggot or a rich kid that is(the ones that don't know the value of money). My motto is to "reason" with one person at the time (I don't like labels). It migh not make a big difference. But a little difference is better that no difference at all.
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Maybe I can get a birth certificate showing that Im a CPian, instead of a bolivian they would stop bugging me?
LOL Tell em you have friends in Bob's HungOut. That'll be really good for ya... Nish Sonork ID 100.9786 voidmain www.busterboy.org If you don't find me on CP, I'll be at Bob's HungOut
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Oh believe you me. Back in my country we don't only have racism, we also have classism (if that is a word). If you have brown skin (95% of all bolivians do) its like if you were a servent. And if your family deoesn't have money (95% of all Bolivians don't) its even worst. Public shools are not good, so I was lucky enough to go to a private school, and it was hell for 10 years. At least here in the usa, everybody is the same, and you are valued for your work and by the way you are. Until you find a biggot or a rich kid that is(the ones that don't know the value of money). My motto is to "reason" with one person at the time (I don't like labels). It migh not make a big difference. But a little difference is better that no difference at all.
Funny! 5% of the country is screwin the other 95% :-( Sucks! Nish Sonork ID 100.9786 voidmain www.busterboy.org If you don't find me on CP, I'll be at Bob's HungOut
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Hi, I'm not usually in the presence of this but lately at work the security people have been getting really bad. I’m spanic, and I work in Boston Ma, we have badges to get in and out of the building and we are also supposed to walk around with them. The problem is that whenever I walk around without mine they always stop me and ask me to show them mine, which is fine I don't mind and is their job. However, what is pissing me off, is that even when I walk around with other people (white people) they only stop me! What the f**k is this? The other problem, and the one that specially pisses me off is that to some times I bring to work other people with me (share the car), and when we go into the building one opens the door for all to enter (you know). But they only stop me and ask me for my badge (not always but enough times to notice), even when there are more people (white people) than only me going in without one. I’m really pissed off today, since I didn't have my badge to get in the building, and they only stopped me for one (after the guy I drove to work open the door for me). Since I didn't have one and I had to sign in, they said that "all maintenance people (cleaners) should always have their badge". I didn't know that the fact that I’m spanic automatically makes me "maintenance". I work 70+ hours every week, I write client server apps and save the company a lot of money with my work. I don't think I or anyone should ever be treated that way, any ideas as to how to address my situation? Rodrigo
Well, try working here in Brazil. You won't make money, but at least, no one will stop you here. Crivo Automated Credit Assessment
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Hi, I'm not usually in the presence of this but lately at work the security people have been getting really bad. I’m spanic, and I work in Boston Ma, we have badges to get in and out of the building and we are also supposed to walk around with them. The problem is that whenever I walk around without mine they always stop me and ask me to show them mine, which is fine I don't mind and is their job. However, what is pissing me off, is that even when I walk around with other people (white people) they only stop me! What the f**k is this? The other problem, and the one that specially pisses me off is that to some times I bring to work other people with me (share the car), and when we go into the building one opens the door for all to enter (you know). But they only stop me and ask me for my badge (not always but enough times to notice), even when there are more people (white people) than only me going in without one. I’m really pissed off today, since I didn't have my badge to get in the building, and they only stopped me for one (after the guy I drove to work open the door for me). Since I didn't have one and I had to sign in, they said that "all maintenance people (cleaners) should always have their badge". I didn't know that the fact that I’m spanic automatically makes me "maintenance". I work 70+ hours every week, I write client server apps and save the company a lot of money with my work. I don't think I or anyone should ever be treated that way, any ideas as to how to address my situation? Rodrigo
Rodrigo, Do you perchance have a slight middle-eastern look? I know quite a few people from Spain that fit the middle eastern/arabic "profile". Certainly after several centuries of Moorish domination there's bound to be some of that in the Spanish gene pool =) I doubt you're being stopped because you look hispanic per se, otherwise police in Texas, Arizona and California would be having a field day stopping every Mexican they saw under the pretext of national security. There are a lot of Mexicans in Boston - is every single one of them treated this way that you know of? Now, I'm not saying there's no discrimination against hispanics in the US, far from it. I see it every day here in Arizona. But I'm also a bit detached from that because even though I was born in Mexico I just don't look (or sound) the part. My brother (who lives in Barcelona, BTW) was telling me the other day how he saw a lot of this going on in Germany as well. But he looks even more German than me so he doesn't have that problem -- his main concern is his deficient control of the language :) On the other hand, it is my very personal opinion that most Hispanics in the US and abroad *deserve* to be discriminated against, but that's another story. And no, I don't think anyone should be treated that way. But to be brutally honest, I prefer my "authorities" a bit less PC and a lot more careful. In a way, we're slightly lucky that we're in a war with Islamic terrorists and not with the Norwegian Lutheran Jihad or something. That would make it a lot more difficult. Why don't you just take it up with them? The worst you can do is just sit and simmer in your anger. Confront the problem, don't bemoan the fact that you have it in the first place. Just my $0.02. These topics are always a bit tricky. Buena suerte! ___________ Klaus [www.vbbox.com]
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Oh believe you me. Back in my country we don't only have racism, we also have classism (if that is a word). If you have brown skin (95% of all bolivians do) its like if you were a servent. And if your family deoesn't have money (95% of all Bolivians don't) its even worst. Public shools are not good, so I was lucky enough to go to a private school, and it was hell for 10 years. At least here in the usa, everybody is the same, and you are valued for your work and by the way you are. Until you find a biggot or a rich kid that is(the ones that don't know the value of money). My motto is to "reason" with one person at the time (I don't like labels). It migh not make a big difference. But a little difference is better that no difference at all.
Hello Rodrigo, I suggest that you speak to the others at your building who are facing the same problem, and send out an email to the HR, and CCing the others as well. See what can be done. If many of you are feeling the same way, something will definitely be changed. Obviously, this is creating a very upsetting environment for you, something that your workplace should fix. Melissa
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Hello Rodrigo, I suggest that you speak to the others at your building who are facing the same problem, and send out an email to the HR, and CCing the others as well. See what can be done. If many of you are feeling the same way, something will definitely be changed. Obviously, this is creating a very upsetting environment for you, something that your workplace should fix. Melissa
Very good advice Melissa, I suggest you to do the same. This should help! I am sure most of the CPians would agree to file a petition with you to get this solve. Good luck! - God bless the World
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Rodrigo, Do you perchance have a slight middle-eastern look? I know quite a few people from Spain that fit the middle eastern/arabic "profile". Certainly after several centuries of Moorish domination there's bound to be some of that in the Spanish gene pool =) I doubt you're being stopped because you look hispanic per se, otherwise police in Texas, Arizona and California would be having a field day stopping every Mexican they saw under the pretext of national security. There are a lot of Mexicans in Boston - is every single one of them treated this way that you know of? Now, I'm not saying there's no discrimination against hispanics in the US, far from it. I see it every day here in Arizona. But I'm also a bit detached from that because even though I was born in Mexico I just don't look (or sound) the part. My brother (who lives in Barcelona, BTW) was telling me the other day how he saw a lot of this going on in Germany as well. But he looks even more German than me so he doesn't have that problem -- his main concern is his deficient control of the language :) On the other hand, it is my very personal opinion that most Hispanics in the US and abroad *deserve* to be discriminated against, but that's another story. And no, I don't think anyone should be treated that way. But to be brutally honest, I prefer my "authorities" a bit less PC and a lot more careful. In a way, we're slightly lucky that we're in a war with Islamic terrorists and not with the Norwegian Lutheran Jihad or something. That would make it a lot more difficult. Why don't you just take it up with them? The worst you can do is just sit and simmer in your anger. Confront the problem, don't bemoan the fact that you have it in the first place. Just my $0.02. These topics are always a bit tricky. Buena suerte! ___________ Klaus [www.vbbox.com]
Hey, I just send a carfully worded memo to the HR director and to the Compliance Officer, ccing everybody on the Diversity traning department (I didn't even know we had a compliance officer and a diversity training department). Now its time to duck, and let the bombs fall. I think i'll be telecommuting for the next few days. Who knows where all of this is going to end up. Luckily, I just found out that the security company's contract is ending 1/1, maybe this would give us a better hand (foot I should say) at kicking their ass.
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Hey, I just send a carfully worded memo to the HR director and to the Compliance Officer, ccing everybody on the Diversity traning department (I didn't even know we had a compliance officer and a diversity training department). Now its time to duck, and let the bombs fall. I think i'll be telecommuting for the next few days. Who knows where all of this is going to end up. Luckily, I just found out that the security company's contract is ending 1/1, maybe this would give us a better hand (foot I should say) at kicking their ass.
rcVu wrote: Now its time to duck, and let the bombs fall. I think i'll be telecommuting for the next few days. Who knows where all of this is going to end up. Don't worry too much about it, Rodrigo, just stand your ground. You can't be constantly mistreated. And besides, by sending this memo out, you will be diminishing the security company's chances of renewing their contract. Good luck! Keep us posted.... Melissa
