SCRUBDASHRUB (1000+ posts) Thu Feb-28-08 10:22 AM
Original message
A VP who I work with (major fundie)
Edited on Thu Feb-28-08 10:23 AM by SCRUBDASHRUB
just used the "f" word to describe homosexual men, which I find very offensive.
He was looking at a travel website and there was an ad for a gay cruise. He said, "I'm never going to this website again. I don't want to see those ________." I wasn't the only one in his office (there was another lady; she acted like nothing had happened.).
I looked at him like was from Mars. I said, "________, that word is very offensive to me." and walked out. I was so pissed. After about 10 minutes, I went back to his office and said, "Look, I was serious. My sister's brother in law is gay (DU: even if this weren't the case, I'd be offended), and I thought it was extremely inappropriate of you to use that word." He acted like, "Whatever."
Did I do the right thing? I think so, but some people are worried he might get rid of me (I don't actually report to him; he and I report to a Sr. VP) for standing up for what I think is right.
Your thoughts DU'ers?
PS. Btw, he also thinks John Lennon was satanic. I'm a big Beatles freak. I said, "Yeah, he sang about peace and love. That's really evil stuff."
and immediately the litigious DUmmy chimes in:
pacoyogi (1000+ posts) Thu Feb-28-08 10:25 AM
Response to Original message
1. Document the incident---with Human Resources
And keep hard copies of everything in your home. That way, if he does try to get rid of you, you have the makings of a lawsuit...also, you might just get rid of a bigot.
Oh that won't work. Rove ensured the VRWC full access to anyone's home before he left office.
But....but....
SCRUBDASHRUB (1000+ posts) Thu Feb-28-08 10:30 AM
Response to Reply #1
2. Unfortunately, I live in an at-will state.
Edited on Thu Feb-28-08 10:32 AM by SCRUBDASHRUB
They can get rid of you for any reason. Not that this is related, but my boss took me to lunch a while ago and said the president had been trying to get rid of the bigot for not performing to standards. This could be a nail in that coffin.
D'oh! Every day I THANK GOD I live in an at-will state, you idiot.
By the time the campfire startes to fade, Shrub is hard at work accidently on purpose getting rid of the fundie-VP.
SCRUBDASHRUB (1000+ posts) Thu Feb-28-08 05:19 PM
Response to Reply #22
23. Update: oy vey...
After lunch, I had calmed down and thought perhaps I had over-reacted. I hoped we could talk about what happened, but didn’t want to inflame anything. I had to talk to _____ about another subject and called him to ask a question. I was on speaker phone. Once that had been resolved, he said he wanted to talk to me about what happened and picked up the phone. He brought up the subject, and I immediately apologized (guys, I don't know why?! I wasn't sorry!), and told him I may have over-reacted, BUT I found the word as offensive as “the n-word†and that it just makes my skin crawl.
He said that he was surprised at my reaction and said he didn’t mean it as a personal offense. I said I knew that it was specifically directed at me; however, it was inappropriate for the office environment. I said I was not perfect, and he said none of us are. I told him I was concerned that perhaps he might be in a contract negotiations process and he might let something slip, hence ruining a business prospect/relationship. While I said that was probably not likely, I wanted to make him aware of it.
He told me that there is a personal history which might explain why he said what he did. He intimated that while he was in the hospital for an injury, a male (nurse?) tried to come on to him. He said something like, “You don’t understand. They are like leaches, always trying to come on to you.†I thought that was a strange thing to say. I tried to diffuse the conversation with some humor and said, “Oh ____. They probably wouldn’t find you attractive anyway.â€
We both laughed and it seemed like the air had been cleared.
Not so fast.
About 4:30, he got called into the president's office. The door was closed. After a while, he came out and said he'd just had his ass chewed out. I said, "Was it something I did?" He said the president told him he didn't care what he said to me and that he was being sent to "sensitivity training." He said HR was probably going to talk to me, but it might help if I write a statement and email it to them. I felt sick to my stomach (I didn't do anything wrong...he was the asshat who said the offensive word, right?).
I went back to my desk and started to write an email, but decided not to do that yet. After I got home, I wrote the account of what happened and when/if I'm asked, I'll have it ready. I'm not gonna jump the gun here.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=7518185
