Archived Did I do the right thing?

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StateofTarget said:
It is a descriptive feature. If you don't know someones name, you must use a descriptive feature in order to refer to them. When the cops get on the radio and say "we are looking for a black, white, asian, etc guy" is that racist? It is a freaking description. We don't know what the scene was at this Target store. For all we know, every other cashier was white and only major difference between any of them was race. Maybe she sould have said "the guy in the target shirt". I'm sure that would have be very specific....

So what should the GSA have said instead? "The fat guy over there" "The guy with the ugly scar on his face" "The guy that has the mean facial expression"

You never know *what* is going to cause someone to complain, even if you clearly didn't mean offense. (which I am 99% sure this GSA had no intention of doing) Hell, you could probably say "the guy with the brown hair" and get a complaint from some people.

This thread is a perfect example of what is wrong with this country. I am not saying it should be OK to run around and insult people, but playing the racism/sexism/whatever card everytime you think you can for no point other than to do it is just freaking nuts. Now, watch this guest sue Target for $10 million and win. Gotta love america.

I actually think the ones who pull the racism card for rediculous crap like this every chance they get (when there is a huge probability the GSA was not trying to be offensive) are actually the racist ones. Exactly the way the biggest anti-gay homophobes usually turn out to be gay themselves.... or how boyfriends/girlfriends who always accuse their partner of cheating are usually the ones cheating. Funny how that works.....

And as far as the people making the "boy" comment..... It sounds extremely probable to me that this GSA is probably old. Old people often refer to teenagers and even people in their 20's as "boy and girls" or "kids". Jesus, do none of you people have a grandma?
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"Black man" or "African American man" would have been fine. But colored boy? Yes, I have a grandmother, and even she knows that those two terms, especially together, are offensive.

Or, being the GSA, he/she could have looked at the breakout and referred to the cashier by name. Of course I'm assuming it's a small enough store that the GSA can usually figure out a name of a new cashier within short order.
 
StateofTarget said:
And as far as the people making the "boy" comment..... It sounds extremely probable to me that this GSA is probably old. Old people often refer to teenagers and even people in their 20's as "boy and girls" or "kids". Jesus, do none of you people have a grandma?
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Go up to some black kids & call one "boy" while explaining why they shouldn't take offense.
Tell me how many teeth you'll have left afterwards.
 
redeye58 said:
Go up to some black kids & call one "boy" while explaining why they shouldn't take offense.
Tell me how many teeth you'll have left afterwards.
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We really shouldn't even have to run this experiment. It's 2012 for crying out loud, how can people really still think comments like this are acceptable in a civilized society?

Here's a rule of thumb: If you sound like Archie ****ing Bunker, you're probably saying something that an educated, civilized person wouldn't.
 
Well personally, I don't see a problem with using "that colored boy" as opposed to the redneck terminology. While I can understand why you would say something to your HR person, I don't see the problem. Of course she/he could've said African American guest or our darker guests, but it wasn't racially offensive.
 
OP said they were referring to a TM, not a guest. Guests overheard, tho.
 
mxrbook said:
I'm from the South, I'm over 50, and I find it offensive to call anyone a little colored boy in any context. What would your reaction be if they called you a little yellow boy? What once may have been acceptable is no longer, in polite circles anyway.
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This is 2012. We know that no black man wants to be called a "Little Colored Boy". Ignorance is no excuse.
 
redeye58 said:
Go up to some black kids & call one "boy" while explaining why they shouldn't take offense.
Tell me how many teeth you'll have left afterwards.
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Get real. You are intentionally trying to make this worse than it was.

This wasn't some hick farmer going up to someone saying "hey boy. Get me my shoes boy."

This is probably an older GSA referring to a TEENAGER cashier as a boy. Totally common for older people to do. I bet she probably says "the boy with the blonde hair" too. Get real. It obviously was not intended to be hateful in any way.

We used to have an ETL-GE who constantly would tell 20 something year old TMs "Good job kid!". This is just the way some older people talk. They will refer to young people as kid, boy, girl. It doesn't mean they are KKK members.

The fact that guests heard this and didn't immediately complain also tells me that if we knew the TOTALITY OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES (the age of the GSA, region of the country, how this GSA normally talks, etc) this event was probably totally innocent. If it had been said as something that was intended to be hateful, then 1. The GSA probably would have said it to the side to one person, not in earshot of everyone including guests. and 2. if it was hateful, I would be simply dumbfounded if guests didn't immediately complain on the spot. That tells me, that to people who were there and heard it, it probably was not perceived to be anything other than innocent.

I suspect the OP is probably one of those TMs who has an issue with a GSA having "authority" and is looking for any way possible to get them in trouble. The fact the OP was really the only one who complained (if guests were going to complain, it would have been right there on the spot) means the OP was probably the only one looking to "get something" on the GSA.
 
Well everyone should have a nametag, we have African Americans but we call them by their name. If we have a white and black person if the same name, we use last names
 
StateofTarget said:
Get real. You are intentionally trying to make this worse than it was.

This wasn't some hick farmer going up to someone saying "hey boy. Get me my shoes boy."

This is probably an older GSA referring to a TEENAGER cashier as a boy. Totally common for older people to do. I bet she probably says "the boy with the blonde hair" too. Get real. It obviously was not intended to be hateful in any way.

We used to have an ETL-GE who constantly would tell 20 something year old TMs "Good job kid!". This is just the way some older people talk. They will refer to young people as kid, boy, girl. It doesn't mean they are KKK members.

The fact that guests heard this and didn't immediately complain also tells me that if we knew the TOTALITY OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES (the age of the GSA, region of the country, how this GSA normally talks, etc) this event was probably totally innocent. If it had been said as something that was intended to be hateful, then 1. The GSA probably would have said it to the side to one person, not in earshot of everyone including guests. and 2. if it was hateful, I would be simply dumbfounded if guests didn't immediately complain on the spot. That tells me, that to people who were there and heard it, it probably was not perceived to be anything other than innocent.

I suspect the OP is probably one of those TMs who has an issue with a GSA having "authority" and is looking for any way possible to get them in trouble. The fact the OP was really the only one who complained (if guests were going to complain, it would have been right there on the spot) means the OP was probably the only one looking to "get something" on the GSA.
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Just stop SOT, it is not okay to talk like this any more. In the work place, an GSA should know her team members names and call them by that. Its called respect.
 
TargetOldTimer said:
Just stop SOT, it is not okay to talk like this any more. In the work place, an GSA should know her team members names and call them by that. Its called respect.
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Bull sh**.

We don't know the situation, and I believe in innocent until proven guilty. You want me to shut up so you can call this GSA a racist, and I am not buying it.

Ever hear of Occam's razor? It says that when you are faced with a variety of possible explanations for something, you should pick the one with the fewest assumptions.

You are making a boat load of assumptions about this person you want to label a racist. Yea, a GSA *should* know the name of a TM. But guess what? Maybe it was this TMs first day, the GSA just walked in the door, and was asked a question and without even thinking said this in order to identify the TM she never has seen before. We just don't know.

The problem is, you want to accuse, convict, and basically execute this GSA without even knowing her as a person or what she is like, what she intended, or what the exact situation was when this happened. Guess what? Only a tiny slim fraction of the population is racist and would make a racist slur in public. Therefore, I am not going to accept that she falls in to the slim catagory of people based on something as questionable as this. Chances are, she is not a racist.

You need to realize that this TM going to the ETL-HR and basically accusing her of being a racist is an incredibly serious charge to make. Possibly one of the most serious accusations someone could make at work.

You know what, OP? You asked if you did the right thing. The answer is no, you did not. The fact you had to ask that question to begin with leads me to believe you (who know this GSA personally, none of us do) probably know that she is not some racist trying to insult anyone. You know what the right thing would have been?

Going off to the side with her and saying "Hey, I wanted to let you know that some people may think that what you said is offensive."

Then one of two things would have happened.

1. She would have said "OMG, I didn't even think about that. I have been running the lanes all day!! It is 4th quarter, I have had guests jump me all day, and I said that without even thinking. I will definitely be more careful in the future"

OR

2. She would have said "Yea, screw you. I'm actually a KKK member, and I was just itching at the chance to offend some black dude!!!"

If option 2 would have happened, THEN you would be right to go to HR.

So you tell me, TargetOldTime, with a straight face, which one do YOU think is more likely would have happened?

To the OP - very classy move dude. You basically accused this GSA of being a racist to HR, and I certainly hope that she actually was trying to make a racial slur.... because if she wasn't, you basically just caused the GSA to be labeled a racist at your store for something that probably wasn't intended to be hurtful at all. But then again, I am sure you knew that. Otherwise you wouldn't have had to ask if you "did the right thing". If you really truly believed this was a racial thing, then there should be no doubt in your mind you did the right thing. The fact you have to ask, tells me you know it's bull sh** and you were just looking to get this GSA in trouble any way you could.
 
OP you did the right thing. If the GSA didn't know the persons name there were several other acceptable ways to describe the person ranging from the person on checklane 8 to the new guy over there. Ignore the ignorance coming from SOT, he's going to the extreme and just trying to justify his trashy attitude and ignorant upbringing.
 
stupid rules said:
OP you did the right thing. If the GSA didn't know the persons name there were several other acceptable ways to describe the person ranging from the person on checklane 8 to the new guy over there. Ignore the ignorance coming from SOT, he's going to the extreme and just trying to justify his trashy attitude and ignorant upbringing.
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You know what? Screw you. I didn't spend 4 years in the air force to listen to some punk tell me to shut up while he convicts someone without a fair chance to explain themselves. Maybe if you wore your countries uniform you'd have more respect about our fundamental rights before you spit on them. I've earned a right to stand up for someone being unfairly treated. Maybe if you had the balls to serve you would too.

The fact is, none of you know what was in this person's heart. You don't know her, and you weren't there.

It absolutely disgusts me to see people who never served their country a day willing to disregard something so fundamental. But hey, go ahead. I guess I wasted 4 years so scum could sit around and try and convict someone based on one phrase. That is your right after all.
 
When I was a youngster I was having a conversation with my older brother...in the conversation I used the word "colored". My brother asked me one question that has kept me thinking about this ever since.

He asked.....If they are "colored" what does that make you?"


Another statement to make a person think.......I am no more "white" in color than a brown skinned person is "black."
 
What in the heck?

I've wondered before, but now this new rant has sealed it.

SOT, you are a troll, and I will not trust anything you post again.
 
I think colored isn't the best term to use.... Its better to just say "that black guy", or something like that.

I agree that its not exactly a derogatory term, but it has definitely fallen out of favor. Black/African american are the most politically correct terms now.
 
Bringing the fire extinguisher AGAIN!!

I think once everyone reads everything SOT has posted over time, they'll be able to reach their own conclusions as I have reached mine a while back.
OP, doing the right thing isn't always going to be comfortable but it's necessary.
Doing it discretely as you did allows the ETL-HR to have a confidential talk w/o making a big stink but heading off future incidents.
 
Perhaps SOT (if he actually believed any of the inane nonsense he's been spouting, which seems unlikely) has simply failed to recognize that something can be RACIST without being MALICIOUS. That doesn't make it okay.
 
Darn, looks like I missed the flame war.
Just when I needed the heat.

My two cents for a late comment but no matter where the person was from the term was out of line.
Even if it wasn't meant in a racist fashion she needs to have someone talk to her about the use of the phrase.
A guest who doesn't know her is going to overhear and it will look very bad for her and the company.
So it doesn't matter if she meant it to be derogatory or not, she's got to stop doing it.
 
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