My daughter works in a high end plant nursery/florist/gift shop and was working the other day when she overheard one of her coworkers stating... not quietly behind a hand but right out...
"Great with Obama as president we'll be taking down the Statue of Liberty and putting up a statue of Aunt Jemima holding up a chicken bone."
She was shocked! It wasn't said in jest either. Later two of her coworkers were making disparaging remarks about black people while my daughter was waiting on two black customers. You could clearly hear what the people were saying. They were totally unconcerned that they would be overheard.
My daughter's looking for a new job. She doesn't want to work with this type of person. AND she's worried what will happen when they find out she's racially mixed.
Granted, my ex isn't black... he's Japanese. My eldest is dark skinned and looks exotic but you can't tell what the mix is. The other two don't look mixed at all although they have beautifully shaped eyes.
Mind you, when these women aren't going on about black people they are talking about religion and what good Christians they are and the work they are doing at church.
Charming.
My daughter was uncomfortable in the beginning with all the talk about religion because we aren't Christians but we are used to this and just stay quietly out of the conversation. We live in the country and being open about non-Christian religions can bring a lot of grief on your head. You learn to listen and remember and keep religion to yourself.
In this case of racial bashing, being 17 and shy, she kept quiet and didn't know what to do except look for another job. My son would have gone ballistic hearing this even at 15. I'd have never been able to keep my mouth shut! (Gee, Wolfie's opinionated... who knew!)
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read more blogs!
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i8yurdog
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Nov 10 @ 9:08AM
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More racism, My favorite topic.
I think you (and your daughter) needs to have a better sense of humor. Some of the funniest jokes are based around race. Crack a cracker joke and I'm supposed to laugh, right? I do, because most jokes about race are based in ironic truth. Unfortunately your daughter was put off by one that was based in fear and stupidity. It was a joke however dumb it was. Lighten up!
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Tiramisu4u
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Nov 10 @ 9:15AM
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This remark was NOT funny..it was ignorant, offensive, and out of line! Especially in a public place of business!
Any remark that makes another uncomfortable has no place being said!
I agree, wolfmist...racial slurs are bigotry...and it needs to stop...
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ragtopcookie
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Nov 10 @ 9:16AM
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Its a wonder employees are allowed to speak their minds now days on the job.....where i work at such talk would mean termination....says so in the hand book....must be a small family owned business......cookie
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jamie63
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Nov 10 @ 9:23AM
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It makes me angry when people make comments like that. I don't care what color your skin is, disparaging remarks are completely uncalled for. 
I applaud your daughter for standing up and looking for a new job, but I would also let the bosses know (unless they were one of the ones commenting) exactly why I was looking for a different job.
I have a feeling that we are all going to be hearing a great deal more comments like that, and it will be up to us to set people straight. Also, for the comments those women were making they are not good Christians....they are hypocrites!!!!
Just my opinion.
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jayej
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Nov 10 @ 9:25AM
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My daughters gentleman friend that lives in NY said he was texted that joke. Along with some "cracker" jokes from his black friends.
Lets hope it stays at the joke level.
Because no matter who you voted for, the attitudes that this has brought out, whether it be liberal vs conservative, black vs white is not funny anymore and propagating an under current of disention that has us backbiting each other.
Once again we take our eye off the politicians and what they are doing with our tax money, while we challenge each other.
J
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eastham
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Nov 10 @ 9:45AM
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I think you (and your daughter) needs to have a better sense of humor. Some of the funniest jokes are based around race. Crack a cracker joke and I'm supposed to laugh, right? I do, because most jokes about race are based in ironic truth. Unfortunately your daughter was put off by one that was based in fear and stupidity. It was a joke however dumb it was. Lighten up!
I guess you must have been focused on the Statue of Liberty comment/joke in poor taste, re-read Wolf's post in its entirety. This wasn't a one-off joke, this wasn't a joke at all. This one part of an on-going racist dialogue on the part of these two hypocrites -- all sweet icing on the outside (what great Christians they are) and worms on the inside.
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observed50
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Nov 10 @ 9:49AM
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I think the nation needs to steel itself for the backlash. Racism isn't dead...it is simply, for the moment, overwhelmed by numbers. But it thrives in uncertainty and fear of the future that is then packaged by voices that shape the fear into race-centered images.
Joshua had posted a blog the other day regarding the seeming increased polarity of this election. I offered a response (not posted) of how when the degree and intensity of change is increased, so is it's resistance. Polarity will be expected to be increased when the changes being undertaken meet the human proclivity to stay put, and the larger the change being imposed on those not wanting change, the worse will be their backlash, and in more forms.
And the main change in this election for everyone...is race. Sure, end of the NeoCon grip on this nation and by default, the world. But...tears weren't shed for that...tears were shed because it is the next chapter to end the 232 years of a promise unfulfilled.
Many in the world didn't erupt in relief when the election results were known because Obama was offering some highly new flavor of ice cream. They erupted because for here and the world, he represents the destruction of the last door of non-equal access in a nation that tries to sell itself as all snuggly and equal. Most know it isn't, hasn't been, and is still some distance from being so. Yet, for a significant chunk of Americans who perceive their world through race-fear glasses, Obama's election is terrifying.
And as a result...confusing, and disheartening. Where do you turn? To whom do you seek solace? The comments begin as a means of fishing...looking for others who think like oneself, and who will join in the race-baiting jokes and commentary...trying to push back against the change that is overwhelming them. In many ways, racist humor and commentary is more open today than I can remember in a long time...and it's because a whole group of people are disoriented and wondering what's next?
To silence fear is to increase its capacity to destroy, unless the silence comes as a chosen path through new perceptions by the fear-holder. Our first reaction is to want to silence such people, have them shut-up and return to some forgotten swamp. But they are our neighbors, family members, co-workers, and they represent always, the tip of an iceberg of the fear.
We can't make people change what they believe. But we can invite them to see the world we see. Some people are just at the core, afraid of their world, and grasp at all sorts of categories of things to explain their fear. There is not much one can do in such situations but issue the invitation to talk, and then back away. Others are just minimally present in the herd of fear...and don't feel comfortable there, but heard some things from the group that felt familiar, comfortable, as did the offered community. Others are solid in belief, but have a minimal grasp on why.
One never knows who is ready for an invitation, and who is lost to the human community. One can only issue the invitation and see who will show up.
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Kentuck
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Nov 10 @ 10:19AM
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As I have said Racism is a taught and learned social diease. when you hear young people speaking like this, you need to look no further than the parents.
For good social education forbids such talk and thinking. In reality, this is called TRASH (white trash, black trash, red trash etc) These people have no future in society than the ones they live in. For when you elevate to the money and power positions in life--there is no room.
_________________________________________________________________
think you (and your daughter) needs to have a better sense of humor. Some of the funniest jokes are based around race. Crack a cracker joke and I'm supposed to laugh, right? I do, because most jokes about race are based in ironic truth. Unfortunately your daughter was put off by one that was based in fear and stupidity. It was a joke however dumb it was. Lighten up!
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You see it is not about humor it is about RESPECT
It was a joke however dumb it was. Lighten up!
No you do not lighten up--you put people like this at a 10foot pole distance from you. You do not want to be friends with them, you do not want to associate socially or any way with them. stupidity is stupoidity.
So it is time that a good social education is required for the parents of such young people.
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lisa46
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Nov 10 @ 10:21AM
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You know this is really pitiful! I feel for your daughter but right now our economy is really bad. IF she has bills to pay have her work until she finds something else. Unfortunately yes racist jokes exist but in the same breath they should be said quietly and in private. There is NO reason to offend someone just because your rude and offensive. I'm guilty of the jokes also, giving and recieving but okay election is over let the man do his job and we'll probably be amazed and surprised.
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dallas1995
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Nov 10 @ 10:44AM
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I'm retired...somebody please make a joke 
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Peabianjay
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Nov 10 @ 10:57AM
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Unfortunately (?) I find it necessary to discriminate on the basis of character.
There are people that are able to laugh at racist humour....it starts and ends with the joke. It is a tragedy though, that some people intend such jokes as disparaging remarks.
Nothing wrong with humour.
There's lots wrong with racism.
Discerning whether the intent of a comment is one, the other, or both, isn't always easy.
A black guy, an irishman and an american walk into a bar and order a round of drinks. The bartender pours him a beer, "Cheers, Obama!" 
Okay, okay....in some cases, neither.
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edthepoet
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Nov 10 @ 11:07AM
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Just because our great nation did elect Obama as our president, doesn't mean the end of racism, though its another great step toward fading it out.
Don't believe for one second that African Americans don't talk crap about white people, just listen to Black comedians, which is a fair way of judging what is going on in the African American community.
In reality, the most prejudice against are over weight people, there's no race barrier there.
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CPUfan
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Nov 10 @ 11:10AM
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Jay, that one reminded me of the joke the late, great Brian Glover told in "An American Werewolf in London:"
"There was this aeroplane over the Atlantic on its way to New York, and it was full of men from the United Nations. So halfway over the ocean the engines run low on petrol, so they have to lighten the plane. So they heave out all the baggage, but it's still too heavy. So they chuck out all the seats, but it's still too heavy.
Finally, this Frog, he steps up, shouts "Vive la France", and leaps out. Then an Englishman, he steps up, shouts "God save the Queen", and he leaps out. But the plane is still too heavy. So the Yank delegate, from Texas, he steps up, shouts:
'Remember the Alamo', and chucks out the Mexican."
Well that one was pretty harmless, if there is a moral. But the times they are a-changing 
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KnittinKitten
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Nov 10 @ 11:19AM
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My first thought, OP, was that I, being offended by hearing such LACK OF RESPECT, along with non-businesslike behaviour, I might have said something aloud, to those employees, so that the customers could hear. Perhaps like an admonishment that this was improper talk in front of a customer (not mentioning color or race). Knowing me, even at a young age, it would have been difficult to remain silent, although I would have been respectful. (And, I was NEVER shy!)
And, above all, I don't think I would EVER jeopardize my ability to make a living by quitting. I hope she remains where she is until such time as she finds another job she likes! And, as others have said....I think it's important for her employer to know why...hopefully, not being one of the offenders. Joke or not it was RUDE and out of place.
I know I'm thinking of all of this as a mature adult, but, I'm also thinking that, if she is out in the business world, it's never too early to learn how cruel people can be. That doesn't mean she has to tolerate it all, but I think we must learn how to protect ourselves ...
And, may I add....OBSERVED....again you have given us elegant discourse that can be easily read and understood. I DO hope that many are reading your wise words AND understanding them....they get the point across.
Just my thoughts,
KK
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wolfmist
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Nov 10 @ 11:43AM
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She is looking for a new job while retaining her job. She's got college to pay for but I think it's the right thing to do. The hard thing is that she just left a job because of sexual harrassment. I'll post on that one next. It has made her extra sensitive to these sorts of things.
I'm all in favor of a good joke. That's not a good joke.
My dad was blind. In his office at Blindness and Visual Services he had a sign on his desk. The sign said "Hire the handicapped, they're fun to watch." The blind guys in the office, there were 5 of them, were always playing practical jokes on each other and a favorite joke theme was blind jokes and/or Helen Keller jokes.
How did Hellen Keller burn her hands?
She tried to read the waffle iron.
I'm Italian American. I love Dago jokes.
I hate The Sopranos. It portrays Italian Americans in a terrible light. Not one member of my family is in the Mafia or is a gangster of any kind. 4 of my cousins are police officers. They are all honest.
On the other hand, Everybody Loves Raymond which is about an Italian American family is hillarious.
There's a difference between funny and mean. Mean is never funny.
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travelwoman
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Nov 11 @ 8:14AM
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No, these are no jokes...
Unfortunately, there are many people like that. It is a shame !!!!!!!!!
I'm (still) working for a Christian outfit, and I don't even want to report all the trash I've heard about Obama.... 
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sweetxy
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Nov 11 @ 9:20AM
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Everywhere they might have strange people , maybe they didnot mean to let someone down...
I believe that most good christian people have great value to respect people.
To be around with strange people like that if happen once a year it won't matter, but if everyday I 'd be considered to find new too but how can you make sure if you will not find the same problem at new place..
We may see people like that everywhere but as long as we are good people I don't let the bad bother me for long term...after awhile have to let it go.
We can't change people,
In my 7 years in USA here i once experienced it ,we flew from Las Vegas in a small airplan to that Ranch of Grand Canyon the old man at that ranch who served food to us tried to have conversation with my x saying that you have unacctable!!!!!..I heard that.!!  .not bother my holiday at all, how long he has lived in that ranch !
I'm proud of being an asian working in my field of Home health aid and the most wanted girlin my agency is me ,
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