Worst place I ever worked in was in an office where everyone gossiped and talked about you behind your back, and very little work got done.  No minorities worked in that office and I hated it. I got out as soon as I could, when I got another job.

I worked for a federal government office in Washington DC and was the only white person in an office of black people. They worked hard and didn't goof off, aside from playing gin rummy during lunch hour which wasn't goofing off in my book.

I happen to think the way people work in any environment is determined by what management allows and expects of its workers, not the enthic backgrounds of the workers.

Kat

-----Original Message-----
From: Trisha Cummings <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Nov 24, 2003 7:42 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: I dont think this is a Black White thing...

        Could be - it was the same thing at Blue Cross Blue Shield when I worked there.


> -----Original Message-----
> From: kat [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Monday, November 24, 2003 8:05 AM
> To:   [log in to unmask]
> Subject:           Re: I dont think this is a Black White thing...
>
> The black people in my office building don't do that sort of thing.  They work
> just as hard and long as everyone else, no excessive talking, etc.  I think
> it's the workplace attitude more than a race thing.
>
> My niece who is white, has dated black guys and Hispanic guys.  She's been
> doing that ever since high school and she's 26 now.  It's no big deal.
> *shrugs*
>
> Kat
>
> On Monday 24 November 2003 07:04 am, you wrote:
> > Well, Deri,
> >
> >            I must tell you - what seems to be missed here - is the stereo
> > type about white people.  I live in DC. I love the way - the black people
> > here stereo type us - just becasue we are white and our lives are so easy -
> > we don't have problems  - its best to realize the knife cuts both ways - I
> > am with Ken on the black people I know are better off than I am. Bigger
> > houses, nicer neighborhoods, better lives ( no 11 hour  work days for them)
> > better education, sororities and frats, gold watchs, Movodo's, cruises and
> > fancy vacations - its freaking shame the true issues never get addressed
> > that the poor no matter what color get shafted - it so easy to pick a
> > scapegoat, and never look at the real cause. Maybe becasue I live in a
> > major metro area things are different -  the company I work for is really
> > equitably racially and foreignly represented - of the 61 people in the
> > office - 16 are black, 16 are foreign, that's little more than half. but of
> > the 61 - only 28 are female.  Our team of eleven is pretty equitably - 6
> > women - 5 guys - 5 black, 5 white and 1 foreign. And I must tell you the
> > black ladies I work with have lovely lives and kinda fit the stereo type
> > work wise, come in at 10, leave at 4, have at least an hour lunch, have
> > great yak sessions, lots of phone time, and have a TV running soaps all
> > day.
> >
> >
> >                                                             Trisha
> >
> > > On Friday 21 Nov 2003 10:03 pm, you wrote:
> > > > So I wont add to the list...I will say that I have a
> > > > daughter...NDA...23 yo college student.  Who happens to drive a Mustang
> > > > GT Convertible.  Shes stopped all the time...so I have to disagree Its
> > > > not a black/white thing. She drove a Hyuandi for 7 years and was never
> > > > stopped.  Had the Mustang for 3 months and has been stopped 3
> > > > times...from illegal lights..which she didnt have...to running a
> > > > policeman off the road 2 hours earlier...which she didnt do...to just
> > > > stopping her for the Hell of it.  My NDA 17 year old son drives an Neon
> > > > R/T...hes pulled over even more than she is...for no apparent reason...
> > >
> > > You are right Betty, its not just a black/white thing, however what you
> > > are describing above is the police reacting to perceived stereo types. A
> > > 17yr old male driving a Neon R/T = up to no good.
> > >
> > > Stereo types exist because they are a form of 'lazy thinking', its a form
> > > of short hand, you don't have to think too hard if you compartmentalize
> > > everyone into nice neat pigeon holes. But, if you happen to belong to a
> > > group which has a widespread negative stereo type it means odds of
> > > success are stacked against you. We all rail against the negative stereo
> > > type of being disabled when searching for employment, but it seems we
> > > employ the same 'short hand thinking' to other groups in society.
> > >
> > > Stereo typing people also has a self fulfilling element, "Disabled people
> > > are not as good employees as the TABs (if they were there would be a lot
> > > more disabled people in employment)".>
> > >
> > > > If you or I were faced the charges that Michael Jackson faces...DYFS
> > > > would have been to our homes and taken our children away.  He spent
> > > > what an hour at the police station?  My brother in law got stopped last
> > > > week in NYC for making an improper turn...and actually spent the night
> > > > in jail...handcuffed and shackled...with people charged with murder.
> > > > Jackson is back in LV.
> > > >
> > > > I believe in the Innocent until found Guilty thing as well.  OJ got
> > > > off? Did that make him innocent?
> > >
> > > Afraid it did. I may not like the guy, I may wish the justice system was
> > > nearer perfection, but it would not be fair to treat him as guilty after
> > > his acquittal.
> > >
> > > > Something to think about for sure...
> > > >
> > > > Have a great weekend...
> > > > Betty
> > >
> > > Cheers
> > >
> > > Deri