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I seem to have deeply insulted my supervisor(long, somewhat drama-y)

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  • I seem to have deeply insulted my supervisor(long, somewhat drama-y)

    I'm a security guard that works a 12-hour graveyard shift three nights a week. I work out of my car at different sites as needed. A couple of nights a week my supervisors come to check up on me. They do this whenever they have time, which isn't often. Each night one or both of them is covering the entire city, including checking up on dozens of guards at as many sites as well as answering alarm calls. Weeks have gone by when I don't see either of my supervisors.

    Two weeks ago my supervisor G showed up to chat and chill. G is a great guy; someone I consider a friend, not just a coworker. We have different political/social/economic views(him being right leaning and me being left), so we tend to have debates every so often. Not arguments, that's one of the things I like about him: he doesn't argue. He debates. Voices are never raised, facts are stated, sources are cited, and insults are thrown in as light jabs, not strong attacks, and we both admit when we go nothin' to back up a statement. It is awesome because this trait is so rare among people these days.

    Anyway, two weeks ago he mentions to me that he wants to open a gun store. We get to talking about that for a while and at one point he tells me he wants to call it "America First Guns". Me, being the left leaning person I am said this in response to that: "Don't you think that's kind of arrogant? Why don't you just call it 'Kill the Brown People' and be done with it?" More banter went back and forth. At the time he showed no signs that my words had hurt him.

    Then he comes by again this week, and the first words out of his mouth are "I wonder who was insulted worse last week: you or me." I of course have no idea what he's talking about and have to be reminded about the conversation. He told me that that night he told his(pure-blooded Mexican) wife what I had said, and she was surprised he didn't smack me in the face. He says he actually came close to doing so, and the main reason he didn't was because I myself have a Mexican heritage.

    So he thought I was deeply offended by his idea for the name of his store. I wasn't really, this is what I told him this week: "It's just that I'm tired of all this black and white, 'my country tis of thee' jingoism." For those of you that think that statement sounds familiar: it is a direct quote from Zero Punctuation's video review of Call of Duty 4. It just popped into my head and seemed to fit when G brought this stuff up. And it is true: I am tired of all the overly-patriotic crap going on in this country.

    So, that night, G and I had another debate about patriotism and jingoism. Apparently G thinks there actually isn't enough patriotism...and back and forth we went. The debate ended unresolved when he got an alarm call and had to leave. But it was just like any of our other discussions: no raised voices, no pointless bickering, just reason and facts with the occasional light-hearted insult thrown in. Before he left, he did apologize for insulting me by the name of his store, and I had to again remind him he didn't really insult me, and I had to apologize for inadvertently insulting him and his wife.

    I don't think he's really pissed off at me, but it's hard to tell. I mean, he says he was close to punching me when I made the 'Kill the Brown People' remark, and he didn't show any outward signs of anger. But G is the kind of guy that doesn't really let things bother him for long, so I'm hoping that now that he realizes I didn't mean to insult him that badly that he'll get over it. Guess I'll have to wait and see.

  • #2
    I think you should probably avoid debating with someone who can't take frank speech. Especially since he's your supervisor.

    I mean, if he's willing to have a serious, potentially provacative conversation with you, he ought to be able to take it. If he's not, and it sounds like he's not, maybe he should stick to topics like the weather and American Idol.

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    • #3
      The unwritten rules that you don't discuss religion and politics are a good thing to follow. You will never find people who will defend their beliefs and opinions, whether or not you are able to debunk them, like you can when it comes down to the religious beliefs or the political stance. And it very rarely ends well either.
      My Karma ran over your dogma.

      Comment


      • #4
        You shouldn't be discussing those kinds of topics with your supervisor cause it can come back to haunt you in unexpected ways. I don't care how chummy the two of you are-those kinds of discussions are inapropriate in the workplace.

        Comment


        • #5
          Quoth TheRedHawk View Post
          Anyway, two weeks ago he mentions to me that he wants to open a gun store. We get to talking about that for a while and at one point he tells me he wants to call it "America First Guns". Me, being the left leaning person I am said this in response to that: "Don't you think that's kind of arrogant? Why don't you just call it 'Kill the Brown People' and be done with it?"
          You know what? I'm offended by that comment, and I don't have a speck of "brown" blood in me.

          While I can understand being tired of all the pseudo-patriotic carp that gets thrown around (I am, too), that response was completely uncalled for. Last I heard, a lot of the "brown people" were American, too.

          ^-.-^
          Faith is about what you do. It's about aspiring to be better and nobler and kinder than you are. It's about making sacrifices for the good of others. - Dresden

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          • #6
            In RedHawk's area of the country (which is mine too, btw) this is unfortunately not far from the truth. We're talking about a state where one of the state senators was lobbying for the right to carry concealed weapons in schools, and was PISSED when it was passed only for universities and jr. colleges (she said our K-12 students were sitting ducks if the teachers couldn't pack heat). There was an issue on the ballot of 2004 where we voted on whether or not ranchers were allowed to shoot possible illegals trespassing on their land (not messing with anything, just passing through). I'm not defending illegal immigrants, but this particular issue was about suspending the rights of the victims family (citizens or no) from suing the murderer in civil court for wrongful death. We have militiamen practically offering oral sex to be deputized so they CAN shoot "the brown ppl" and will openly say so in the media.

            I don't think RedHawk was far off from the truth, with what he said, and his sup knows the socio-political situation here as well. Maybe it was poorly phrased, and racism is NEVER okay, but in this town...I dunno. As for the issue of what to say to a sup, I've been fired for saying much less. In an at-will employment state you can be fired because the Cardinals lost a game. In fact, that might explain the high amount of unemployment around here.
            "I've never had a heart attack, but it isn't for my son's lack of trying." - Me

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            • #7
              I think the whole "you don't know what it's like, here" line is a load of hooey.

              Anything else I might think belongs on Fratching, and some of it, not even there.

              ^-.-^
              Faith is about what you do. It's about aspiring to be better and nobler and kinder than you are. It's about making sacrifices for the good of others. - Dresden

              Comment


              • #8
                You have no idea how much I wish it was hooey. Just like I wish the Phelps clan was hooey, but unfortunately both examples happen to be true.
                "I've never had a heart attack, but it isn't for my son's lack of trying." - Me

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                • #9
                  I honestly cannot see what is wrong about calling it "America's First Guns". I take it that he wants Americans to feel safe again. If I am wrong about it, then please tell me and not berate me. And yeah, this should be on Fratching
                  Under The Moon Paranormal Research
                  San Joaquin Valley Paranormal Research

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                  • #10
                    Honestly, I thought what your response to "America First Guns" was something along the lines of, "So, what, we SHOOT the American's first? Is that what the name means?" I mean, that was what came to my slightly twisted mind when I read it.

                    But yeah, it can be hard to gauge where the line is, sometimes. I have had good friends, ones I have had for 15 years, get incredibly pissed at me for something I said that I thought was somewhat innocuous. Thankfully, they know I never apologize for, like, anything, and can eventually forgive me anyway.

                    I think that sentence could use more commas, don't you?
                    ~ It is a beautiful day to be dizzy!

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                    • #11
                      I think the store name "America First Guns" means something along the lines of "America First", as in "putting America first", defend the homeland, 2nd amendment, you can have my gun when you pry it from my cold, dead hands, etc. From a marketing standpoint the name is brilliant as it infers the belief system of your most vocal gun shoppers, i.e. NRA members, militia and militia wannabes, and your other right leaning uber-patriotic folks. Other people do own guns, yes, but your average person who has protection in mind will only need, and buy one gun. It's the other folks mentioned that will want several guns and ammo to match who would be the gun retailer's bread and butter.

                      I hope that clears things up.
                      "I've never had a heart attack, but it isn't for my son's lack of trying." - Me

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