Insensitive

By okaythen - 02/03/2016 23:50 - United States - Arcata

Today, I got written up by HR after my new coworker told them I had an ignorant, offensive caricature of Native American people decorating my desk. It was a framed photograph of an actual Native American tribe that belonged to my history buff grandfather. FML
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You deserved it 1 553
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Same thing different taste

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Top comments

grajax 24

Could you go to a higher up and show them the picture? This seems like an easy fix.

331 5
queerdragon 20

WHAT THE **** ARE YOU SAYING ABOUT CALIFORNIANS!!!?

60 8

Comments

IrkenInvaderIris 2

Or maybe just... Oh I dunno... Go talk to HR to prove what the picture is? Not exactly hard.

12 1
no_playa_hater 14

Could someone explain the meaning of the word "ignorant" to me? I thought being ignorant meant something like having a lack of knowledge about a certain topic. However, this definition rarely fits when I see the word being used in sentences.

8 1
zeffra13 31

That's the definition used here. The coworker implied OP is ignorant about political correctness.

12 7
Saraishi 24

You're ignorant about the word ignorant...

9 4
Brandi_Faith 33

The definition of ignorant is someone that lacks knowledge or is uneducated about a certain topic. Sometimes an ignorant person will assume they have knowledge in the topic when in reality they don't. Unfortunately, the majority of people use this term wrong and apply it to someone who is rude or disrespectful and usually doing it on purpose (similar to a troll). They use the word as a derogatory term. In reality, if someone was ignorant, people should look to educate them on the topic and help them understand the seriousness of the situation and why it's important to have proper facts. However most people respond to them as being rude and disrespectful on purpose and feel they should be yelled at or shamed into the other person's point of view (which never works or helps).

8 4
no_playa_hater 14

@19: But, while they might be aware of what political correctness means, they could simply reject political correctness. That wouldn't make them ignorant, would it? @30: Yes, that's the impression I also had. Whenever I read or heard the word "ignorant", it appeared not to match the proper definition.

3 2
laden_swallow09 34

No, if they were to reject political correctness, then that would mean that they know what political correctness is, therefore, not ignorant.

2 1
Shrike 23

To add on to #30's comment, it seems to be used like that mainly in the US, so it's understandable to be confused about it if you're not from there.

5 3
Dat_Class_Tho 26

Actually, willful ignorance is a real and sadly common thing. Suppose person A is ignorant and person B tries to educate them. Then person A says, "**** you and your facts" and completely rejects the knowledge/proof offered to them. They have chosen to remain ignorant. It's pretty much a form of denial. They have the information, they just won't accept it. Also, this coworker in the story sounds like the kind of person who will still insist that the photo is racist even after OP proves that it is a real photo of real Native Americans. That would be a good real world example of willful ignorance.

6 0
NickACD 27

Well, now everyone gets offended by something. A picture of a person with multicolored limbs and people saying it was great, then some guy asked "why her face gotta be white". Nothing is ever enough for these people.

10 6
Zebediabolical 39

How did your grandfather manage to own a tribe of Native Americans in the first place? :D

14 6
Fmlreadermostly 20

Can't you file a complaint to HR about your new coworker being ignorant and racially biased towards your personal belongings?

7 4
chisty87 16

I don't know who's more ignorant your new coworker or your HR...

6 0
trellz17 19

That's so unprofessional to be written up without a proper investigation.

8 2
OptikalWinter 4

sounds like youve got a progressive working with ya

1 4
Frid_Kun 7

Well, those old picture are indeed tend to be incredibly offensive. Don't bring this kind of stuff to work.

2 22
Sparx1_1 16

Those old photos are historically accurate. Many people choose to display these kind of thing because it represents their personal history. If OP were clearly and visibly native the co-worker would not have made a complaint because that would be racist.

8 1