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Of course, HE's the assclown and not you. It couldn't possibly be your remark was out of place. (not that that excuses his response)
Have you ever asked the guy who told him what your said, WHY he told him? If so, what's he say.
THAT's the guy I wouldn't trust anymore. It seems as if he didn't have your back at all.
You are 100% right.
I haven't had a chance to talk to him yet... He's part of the night shift I will see at 1pm tomorrow afternoon.
I'm tempted to ask him "So tell me why you felt the need to go tell him what I said please.... And feel free to let me know what other statement(s) you may have thrown in to provoke him. Oh.... Please pull this knife out of my back too!"
I so wanna do that... But at the same time I think I should probably just let it go and add this guy to the avoid list. He's another welder that needs my parts to do his job... And I need nothing from him to do mine.
It's nice being the backbone of the fab shop. If I don't cut parts the welders go nowhere fast.
I don't think my remark was out of place... But what the guy told him probably was.
Lol. You describe an identical situation. But say that if the person was Caucasian, you'd react one way. If the person was Asian or Hispanic, you'd react a different way.
That, my dear, is the definition of racism.
you have serious problems. I mean that in a nice way, look into this and why you cannot understand the difference between deductive reasoning (logic) and racism.
It is clear by my response that I (and the OP) would actually have been more judgmental to a Caucasian person if we were just flatly ignored by them.
Industrial environment...was he wearing ear plugs? You need to make amends, offer to buy him a donut next time the roach coach comes around or whatever. Tread lightly and don't assume with people, whether it's language or certain peoples friendships, income, etc.
people here are being ridiculous.
1. It does NOT MATTER if the man was offended. He behaved like a 5 year old and should be fired for those types of outbursts and insubordination (not performing his duties or working with his team). In the world of GROWN UPS -- it does not matter if you are hurt or offended (um, by someone talking to you?) the way you react (with a temper tantrum and cussing) is considered bullying and a lack of emotional control.
2. People are justifying the mans child-like response in a working environment and giving the OP ways to appease a bully. That is nonsense. If the man had not acted like a bully in the 3rd grade, then maybe an apology could be necessary -- but it is now far from that. To appease a bully is the worst thing that can be done.
People need to think. It doesn't matter if someone was offended, if you conduct yourself like that as an adult you will quickly lose your job (he appears to be lucky to be on the nigh shift at this point)
If everyone around him just worked to appease this bully he'd end up the president of the company because everyone is scared of him.
Thank God most work place environments do not develop this way (high school). Adults do not tend to tolerate this and will simply avoid people who are so reactive. Which is a good plan until they are removed from the workplace.
I haven't had a chance to talk to him yet... He's part of the night shift I will see at 1pm tomorrow afternoon.
I'm tempted to ask him "So tell me why you felt the need to go tell him what I said please.... And feel free to let me know what other statement(s) you may have thrown in to provoke him. Oh.... Please pull this knife out of my back too!"
I so wanna do that... But at the same time I think I should probably just let it go and add this guy to the avoid list. He's another welder that needs my parts to do his job... And I need nothing from him to do mine.
It's nice being the backbone of the fab shop. If I don't cut parts the welders go nowhere fast.
I don't think my remark was out of place... But what the guy told him probably was.
As you said, it's time to leave it alone. Your boss said he would handle it - let him.
Not it's not 'what you get for assuming he wasn't a prick' It's what you get when you assume someone doesn't speak English because of how they look.
Is it the WORST thing one can do at work? No. But it DOES perhaps give insight as to your thought process.
But the point is -- it seems you presumed he didn't speak English likely because of how he looked. And if he had been white (or black for that matter) you likely would NOT have asked does he speak English?" You likely would have said, "What's up with him" or "what's his problem? I asked him a question and he didn't even answer," or "I spoke to him and he had some kind of attitude?" ....all opened-end generic questions with no language or racial overtones at all.
Yes is does. You just don't see it. I don't care how many Hispanics there are around you. To presume one of them doesn't speak English because they're Hispanic -- EVEN IF 90 PERCENT OF THEM DON'T speak English -- is racially/ethnically biased.
We have Hispanic cleaning people at my job through a contractor company at night. NOT A ONE that I've run into speaks much English. AND YES -- IF if I see one of them, I PRESUME that person won't speak English well -- BUT I HAVE NO ILLUSIONS that it's NOT because they're Hispanic...meaning I OWN that it IS because they're Hispanic. If there was a white or black cleaning person there's no way I'd make the same assumption -- presuming they don't speak English.
Again -- your comment/question wasn't a crime. Just own WHY you asked it.
Exactly.
I GET the backlash against political correctness. I'm not politically correct in MANY situations. But I OWN that that's what it is.
Did the Asian co-worker respond in a professional way? No. But HIS reaction has nothing to do with whether YOUR comment had racial overtones.
he said that he asked if the person spoke English, and noted that they were Asian and there are a lot of Asians in the part of the country where he lives he don't, actually speak English.
Isn't that owning his thought process? It makes perfect logical, thoughtful sense to me.
It's not racist, it is logical.
What the heck is wrong with people!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?
Asking "what the heck is wrong with that guy" now THAT is fighting words!!
I've worked in enough shops to know... They all have their special little nut cases. Very often, these are burnouts or psych cases that work for practically nothing, making them untouchable so long as they are productive. I would just avoid him in the future. It's not like you are working side by side with the guy by the sounds of it.
yep, according to stories I've heard by my dad (tool and die maker) there is a much higher tolerance for bad behavior in shops like this than there would be in say, a corporate office.
That said, its still not tolerated by the masses (or encouraged) as far as I know. I think acquiescing to a bully will only make things worse and give him way more power in this scenario than he should ever have.
Rightfully, it sounds like all on the day shift already know this and agree.
Avoid, and reported to boss. Be non-emotional and polite in any further necessary interactions.
BUT the deciding factor in the decision to ask if he spoke English was that he was Asian -- NOT that he didn't respond. You've already said that if he'd been white and not answered you wouldn't have asked about him speaking English... what don't you get about that?
No it's not the same, but whatever. A lot of Americans speak foreign languages, too, why not ask in all situations if someone speaks English.
Perhaps you mean in Quebec Canada...because just saying Canada makes no sense whatsoever. Asking that question in Vancouver or Alberta or Nova Scotia...would make no sense at all and people would think you were ignorant.
you're right -- if an American ignored me like this I might have just punched them in the face for being such a jerk for no apparent reason. Is that somehow better to you?
I haven't had a chance to talk to him yet... He's part of the night shift I will see at 1pm tomorrow afternoon.
I'm tempted to ask him "So tell me why you felt the need to go tell him what I said please.... And feel free to let me know what other statement(s) you may have thrown in to provoke him. Oh.... Please pull this knife out of my back too!"
I so wanna do that... But at the same time I think I should probably just let it go and add this guy to the avoid list. He's another welder that needs my parts to do his job... And I need nothing from him to do mine.
It's nice being the backbone of the fab shop. If I don't cut parts the welders go nowhere fast.
I don't think my remark was out of place... But what the guy told him probably was.
yeah, I might pull that guy aside if we are ever in a quiet spot without people around (assuming he might run off and tell other people if they are around something you say, with a twist)
If I really wanted to get to the bottom of it and I thought he was a somewhat reasonable person I might even give them a call and try to find out (but that doesn't sound like it)
How did guy #2 (the middle man) react when guy #3 was flipping out? Was he smiling? Did he do anything to calm him down?
It was stupid of guy #2 to say anything. He might actually enjoy setting him off, knowing his reactive personality and find it "fun"
I might ask around more on the day-shift about this guy to get a better idea of his motivations.
My advice, informed by 35 years as a field construction boilermaker at every level from apprentice to union steward and senior general foreman, is to Hell with the guy, let it go. Moderator cut: snip
Last edited by 7G9C4J2; 03-30-2014 at 04:03 PM..
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