Social Skills of a Peanut.

I never thought I would meet a true Racist.
Of course there are days where your friends make some slight about another colour which sort of puts you on edge, but you know they're joking because they're your friends. Sometimes we just say shit without thinking - It happens to the best of us.

But lately the comments that have fallen out of my co-worker's mouth have just been over the top. I think it started when he said, 'All black people smell funny."
I wasn't sure at first if I actually heard it correctly, or if I missed a part of a really bad joke, or if he was just being a distasteful 20 something year old, so I let it slide. When he started to say things about Asian people, and then Indians it was fairly obvious that this dude had very little tolerance for anyone but himself.

But what could I do about it? Tell my employer that he's being a douche bag, hope that he gets fired and go on with my life? Its not always that easy. I'm surprised by how many people at my work place sympathise with him... I'm surprised by how many people think that the shit that comes out of his mouth is funny and I'm mortified that I've actually been ridiculed for thinking differently.

Is this small town mentality or are these just small people? Needless to say, I am disturbed.

Being a young, white girl living in Canada you don't see too much of this crap. I can't say that I really know what it feels like to be discriminated against (except for the one time when I couldn't have a friend because my boobs were to big), and I suppose I am blessed for that reason.
But the other day this guy said something so overtly distasteful the look of shock that usually covers my face while he's yammering away, I'm sure, turned to absolute loathing.

He said, "I hate women with large appetites, they gross me out. All women should eat low fat wheat thins because eating is for men."

I didn't say anything at the time, but over the next few days my loathing turned into a blaze of absolute hate and I'd like to think that it was justified.

I'm not surprised that this came out of his mouth, I am surprised that a comment like that didn't register as something inexcusable or possibly damaging to any females, let alone ones with extra weight. I was floored and when he followed this comment with another explanation of his feelings about working for a gay man, I literally wanted nothing more than to staple his lips shut with an industrialized gun.

It eventually bothered me so much that I spoke to my employer about it.
The following day there was a rude message waiting for me from this individual that was fairly embarrassing. I don't know what will happen now, he may get fired. I can't say that I'm happy about this, I can't say that I'm sad about it.

The only thing that I am, is completely blown away that such ignorance could exist in a twenty year old in 2008.