The trainer started by writing the words "Black," "White," "Asian," "Hispanic," "Middle Eastern," and "European" on large white flip charts. She then instructed us to write, with black markers, the first negative thing that pops into our head when we think of that ethnicity. Yea...awkward.
The first guy I saw got straight up and wrote the word "LAZY" under the "black" column. He was about sixty years old; old enough to remember segregation, but apparently not old enough to understand slavery. He proceeded to scribe "right" under the white column, "the enemy" under the Asian column, "terrorist" under middle eastern (this was a common theme), "cowards" under Europeans, and to cap it off he had a twofer for the Hispanics with "illegal" and the old standby, "LAZY."
Can't blame the guy for following instructions.
The general outcome of this exercise was that older people have some pretty strong feelings about other races, and that younger people couldn't find a way to write anything negative, which explains why the word "disadvantaged" was written a multitude of times.
I guess I don't see the point of this exercise. So you've established that everyone is a racist and a bigot; Congratulations...can we go home?
What came next was a series of absolutely precious diversity films. I can't really explain how awesome they were but they basically consisted of skits involving two white guys and one person who is "different." The two white guys proceed to make casual, but hilarious "racist" or "intensive" comments. My favorite involved a Jewish guy (apparently all Jews are Hasidic, have locks, long beards and wear yarmulkes), who is sitting at his desk working on a report. The token aloof white guys are looking at some sort of communique and mutter "these numbers are all wrong...just look at that expense...that's not kosher..." The Hasidic Jew just shakes his head.
But Penske really does need Diversity Training. I just wish it was more about the struggles some people face day in and day out rather than a bunch of absurd drills and movies. I really think the main target audience for this training should be our customers. Good lord have I heard racist comments in my years here. Here is a smattering of the choice bits:
1. I was on the counter one day and a customer came in for a truck. I proceeded to do the paperwork and have him sign all the documents but before we went outside he said, "now, I don't want a truck made by no damn Japs!" He was about 35 years old so I think the sting of Pearl Harbor had worn off, so I assumed his objection came from the insane, but common aphorism that if you are a true patriot, you will "buy American," especially automobiles. Toyotas and Hondas, safe, fuel efficient, aesthetically pleasing and moderately priced cars that are built in plants the the American South East, those just won't do.
2. I have been called a "dirty Jew" on three occasions. Once on the phone with an Italian customer who I was refusing service to due to him stiffing us on a bill. He asked my last name. I told him. He said, "you dirty Jews are all alike." The second time was with a similarly surly customer that again I was refusing service to. He asked my last name, I told him and he said "Ahh, I see whats going on with Israel." I was baffled so I asked "What is going on with Israel?" He said, "You dirty Jews don't want to help anyone but yourselves!" The third time was from the first customer I mentioned to a co-worker of mine. He said "last time that dirty Jew you have working for you wouldn't rent me a truck!"
3. In trying to collect money from a deadbeat (this is my primary job), I ran into a company that will be called for this blog, Warren Cartage. He owed us $44,000 dollars and didn't seem to see the severity of the situation. I met him for lunch to discuss how we were going to attack the debt. During the lunch, he made comments about his black drivers that would make Archie Bunker blush. He capped it off by saying "and now were about to elect an eggplant to the presidency." That was the end of the lunch. I've never wanted to spit in any one's face more than at that moment. He also said that African Americans smell bad and are lazy...I went to a training with someone who would get along with him famously
4. In my capacity as a manager, one of my roles is to hire people. I have been told by my bosses on many an occasion to hire "diverse" candidates. I've had many candidates that my boss has steered me away from because they don't fit a certain mold. Qualified and eager candidates don't get a call back from my boss because of the color of their skin. Either way you slice it, that's bogus.
109 days to go...
JK
No comments:
Post a Comment