experienced more racism here in 1 year than 20 years in CA (Seattle: houses, neighborhoods)

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by RVD90277

I know that this isn't going to help the situation but giving the RB the benefit of doubt, she was probably more ignorant than racist.

My friend and I started a company back in the 2000s so I dealt with a lot of company stuff outside of my regular job description. We ran into financial problems towards the end of the company (closed down in 2009) so we had to shut down our New York office. There were only around 10 employees there but we had to tell them that the office was shutting down and they were all out of a job, etc. We were on a conference call with our corporate attorney (a guy who we used for all of our legal paperwork, fundraising documents, and any other general legal assistance needed) and it was amusing because he was being racist (and maybe sexist?) simply out of ignorance. Conversation went something like:

Me: So when we notify the employees on Friday, is there anything else that we need to prepare for going forward in the form of potential lawsuits or legal issues?
Lawyer: Well the only thing I can think of is that you have 2 women working there in executive positions. In addition, one of the women is an oriental woman so she has an even stronger case if they decide to try to sue for discrimination.

And as we discussed this he kept referring to her in various ways saying "well, because she's an oriental...", etc.

I grew up in the 80s and being called oriental wasn't necessarily a bad thing back in the day but in the late 80s and 90s when PC kicked it, it clearly became a term used to reference objects and not people (e.g. oriental rugs is ok but oriental man is not).

I don't think he was being racist (after all, he was saying this to me...an "oriental" guy) but I think it was out of ignorance. I probably should have corrected him but I had more pressing issues on my mind (such as not getting sued by the aforementioned women).

Your lawyer is an idiot. If you're firing the entire staff due to the company needing to close a branch office, there's no way anyone could sue for discrimination. It sounds like he was just a contracts specialist. He waded in over his head with the other stuff. What an embarrassment to the profession.

[Bellevueman240]

Seattle may not be the south (Thank God) but I can understand how the OP may have been taken back by that question. Seattle is promoted as some type of political correct"liberal" heaven which some of the transplants attempts to ignore Seattle culture but they usually lose that battle in the end and move. I've never personally had a problem with racism in Seattle but I'm also from the south. I'm used to the "good old boys" not dancing around the subject and speaking their little racist minds. Now I am aware of the west coast "polite bigotry" where bigots ask minorities stupid questions on purpose in order to feed their false superiority ideologies. That does happen and do not let anybody tell you anything different. Now your co-worker the "RB" sounded like she was more ignorant than a stonecold "racist" but she displayed bad manners as well. Being ignorant is one thing but showing bad manners is another. No excuse for that. She could very well a "bigot" but I wouldn't make that my problem if I were you. It's best to ignore people like that and trust me living in Seattle she is going to end up asking that question to the wrong person on the wrong day. lol You can't be Political incorrect in a place like Seattle and function in the business world. I'm sorry you're having to deal with the idiots in this city because Seattle really has a lot of good people living here. I wished we could put a fence around the city and only allow people with good manners access to the city. lol

[elkotronics]

Like that's going to happen, Bellevueman240.

[Tia 914]

Originally Posted by daily_mist

I don't think that counts as racism, sorry. It is just plain, gold old American ignorance.

True- but racism is ignorance.

[Bellevueman240]

Originally Posted by elkotronics

Like that's going to happen, Bellevueman240.

I can dream can't I ? lol

[elkotronics]

Of course!

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Bellevueman240

I can dream can't I ? lol

Dreams are the stuff of which positive social change is made.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Dreams are the stuff of which positive social change is made.

I wished we could put a fence around the city and only allow people with good manners access to the city.

Start the fence and make the new rules!

(that oughta' take care of it!)

Luv the PNW diverse attitude! (and action / legislation in the2-3 county controlled PNW)

Always thinking of the other 35+ counties and employers that have to live with it!

[elkotronics]

Stealth I grew up near Seattle and I appreciate the diversity taught me in that area. It's what you take and learn as you move through your life that really counts. I will just add that my faith has taught me to appreciate diversity. We're not all the same inside of us.

For example, one Seahawk fan might like Pete Carroll's fateful play call on the 1 yard line at the very end of the biggest football game of the year. Another fan would like his head on a silver platter plus $10,000 of Pete's own money as payment for him making that call.

Pete's the coach, he made that call, and it's done. What would be stupid is if he took his team off the field and refused to even try. Pete's a competitor, he does make the big bucks, and he is paid to make the big decisions. That skinny but strong NE Patriot defender defended that play like Kam Chancellor. Strong and stealthy.

New England is a good football team. Really, really good.

[SFit]

Just out of curiosity, do you have an accent from another part of the country that someone might confuse with being a foreign accent? It could have been an honest mistake out of ignorance. Personally, I would blow it off and forget it as much as possible and give the person an honest chance. As time goes on, you may find it was just ignorance and the person is very reasonable. Or you might find out you are right. I wouldn't judge from that incident unless you have already had other problems with that person.