Comments on: Don't be an annoying white person at work http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/13/dont-be-an-annoying-white-person-at-work/ Advice at the intersection of work and life Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:18:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Grace Ouma http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/13/dont-be-an-annoying-white-person-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-264175 Grace Ouma Fri, 04 Nov 2011 21:00:00 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/13/dont-be-an-annoying-white-person-at-work/#comment-264175 Wow. As an African-American (in the most literal sense, parents are Kenyan and I was born in New Jersey) many of the responses to this article, though years old - reaffirm all of my secret fears about white people and their thoughts on race. An important part in really understanding race in this country and how it functions is understanding the concept of privilege. I would encourage any white person who is angry or confused by this post to research  'white privilege'. I think understanding this will help you understand your anger, and understand why at times, you do have to be mindful of your words (at the very least) in the company of people of color - especially at work. Food for thought: by 2042, it's likely non-Latin whites will no longer be the majority in this country. I'm curious to see how this will shape some of this thinking. Full disclosure - I grew up in an ethnically diverse middle class suburb in New Jersey. We all had to be tolerant and mindful of our words. The town was 55% non-white, and some whites did express some anger over the emphasis on culture and diversity and racial sensitivity (since they were the minority), but most had grown up with this understanding, and it seemed innate (at least to me). It's not until I entered the "real world" that I encountered the thinking I'm seeing in some of these posts and Penelope is speaking to. Wow. As an African-American (in the most literal sense, parents are Kenyan and I was born in New Jersey) many of the responses to this article, though years old – reaffirm all of my secret fears about white people and their thoughts on race. An important part in really understanding race in this country and how it functions is understanding the concept of privilege. I would encourage any white person who is angry or confused by this post to research  'white privilege'. I think understanding this will help you understand your anger, and understand why at times, you do have to be mindful of your words (at the very least) in the company of people of color – especially at work. Food for thought: by 2042, it's likely non-Latin whites will no longer be the majority in this country. I'm curious to see how this will shape some of this thinking.

Full disclosure – I grew up in an ethnically diverse middle class suburb in New Jersey. We all had to be tolerant and mindful of our words. The town was 55% non-white, and some whites did express some anger over the emphasis on culture and diversity and racial sensitivity (since they were the minority), but most had grown up with this understanding, and it seemed innate (at least to me). It's not until I entered the "real world" that I encountered the thinking I'm seeing in some of these posts and Penelope is speaking to.

]]> By: guy smith http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/13/dont-be-an-annoying-white-person-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-260727 guy smith Wed, 21 Sep 2011 23:29:00 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/13/dont-be-an-annoying-white-person-at-work/#comment-260727 hey rob. hate to tell you but this is how it goes in ANY office regardless of race. the boss says do and you do and then he takes the credit. ALL white staffs experience this as well. Quit whining with your race card and face facts.  hey rob. hate to tell you but this is how it goes in ANY office regardless of race. the boss says do and you do and then he takes the credit. ALL white staffs experience this as well. Quit whining with your race card and face facts. 

]]> By: guy smith http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/13/dont-be-an-annoying-white-person-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-260724 guy smith Wed, 21 Sep 2011 23:27:00 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/13/dont-be-an-annoying-white-person-at-work/#comment-260724 you dont have anything to add because you made yourself sound stupid enough as it is. By the way, WHITE isnt a race, its a color. Last time I checked, I dont see anyone walking around who looks white or black at all.  you dont have anything to add because you made yourself sound stupid enough as it is. By the way, WHITE isnt a race, its a color. Last time I checked, I dont see anyone walking around who looks white or black at all. 

]]> By: guy smith http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/13/dont-be-an-annoying-white-person-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-260725 guy smith Wed, 21 Sep 2011 23:27:00 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/13/dont-be-an-annoying-white-person-at-work/#comment-260725 you dont have anything to add because you made yourself sound stupid enough as it is. By the way, WHITE isnt a race, its a color. Last time I checked, I dont see anyone walking around who looks white or black at all.  you dont have anything to add because you made yourself sound stupid enough as it is. By the way, WHITE isnt a race, its a color. Last time I checked, I dont see anyone walking around who looks white or black at all. 

]]> By: guy smith http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/13/dont-be-an-annoying-white-person-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-260720 guy smith Wed, 21 Sep 2011 23:26:00 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/13/dont-be-an-annoying-white-person-at-work/#comment-260720 wah. seriously. wah.  wah. seriously. wah. 

]]> By: guy smith http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/13/dont-be-an-annoying-white-person-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-260721 guy smith Wed, 21 Sep 2011 23:26:00 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/13/dont-be-an-annoying-white-person-at-work/#comment-260721 wah. seriously. wah.  wah. seriously. wah. 

]]> By: guy smith http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/13/dont-be-an-annoying-white-person-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-260716 guy smith Wed, 21 Sep 2011 23:25:00 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/13/dont-be-an-annoying-white-person-at-work/#comment-260716 ok Rob, ill point out then if the "non white" stereotype is spoken about or presented, its because large groups of white kids dont walk around wearing red caps and addidas, harassing anyone and anything who walks by. If the "non white" stereotype is earned, its because white people dont drive around shooting people except in the rare case where the white person wants to be anything other than white. Your're right, each race earns its stereotype. The only difference is the white stereotype ends up as insulting, the non white stereotypes end up with some one robbed, stabbed or shot.  ok Rob, ill point out then if the "non white" stereotype is spoken about or presented, its because large groups of white kids dont walk around wearing red caps and addidas, harassing anyone and anything who walks by. If the "non white" stereotype is earned, its because white people dont drive around shooting people except in the rare case where the white person wants to be anything other than white. Your're right, each race earns its stereotype. The only difference is the white stereotype ends up as insulting, the non white stereotypes end up with some one robbed, stabbed or shot. 

]]> By: guy smith http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/13/dont-be-an-annoying-white-person-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-260717 guy smith Wed, 21 Sep 2011 23:25:00 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/13/dont-be-an-annoying-white-person-at-work/#comment-260717 ok Rob, ill point out then if the "non white" stereotype is spoken about or presented, its because large groups of white kids dont walk around wearing red caps and addidas, harassing anyone and anything who walks by. If the "non white" stereotype is earned, its because white people dont drive around shooting people except in the rare case where the white person wants to be anything other than white. Your're right, each race earns its stereotype. The only difference is the white stereotype ends up as insulting, the non white stereotypes end up with some one robbed, stabbed or shot.  ok Rob, ill point out then if the "non white" stereotype is spoken about or presented, its because large groups of white kids dont walk around wearing red caps and addidas, harassing anyone and anything who walks by. If the "non white" stereotype is earned, its because white people dont drive around shooting people except in the rare case where the white person wants to be anything other than white. Your're right, each race earns its stereotype. The only difference is the white stereotype ends up as insulting, the non white stereotypes end up with some one robbed, stabbed or shot. 

]]> By: guy smith http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/13/dont-be-an-annoying-white-person-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-260713 guy smith Wed, 21 Sep 2011 23:21:00 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/13/dont-be-an-annoying-white-person-at-work/#comment-260713 yet, you sound like a racist simply by writing that reply. yet, you sound like a racist simply by writing that reply.

]]> By: guy smith http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/13/dont-be-an-annoying-white-person-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-260712 guy smith Wed, 21 Sep 2011 23:20:00 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/13/dont-be-an-annoying-white-person-at-work/#comment-260712 Why dont you try actually SOUNDING educated when writing an article? Your article is about white people looking bad in an office environment....... but It should be called, "dont be an annoying white journalist who insults her own people by writing this article." Maybe in po dunk Idaho or whatever rock your people crawled out from, white people act like the stereotype you speak of here.... Why dont you try actually SOUNDING educated when writing an article? Your article is about white people looking bad in an office environment……. but It should be called, "dont be an annoying white journalist who insults her own people by writing this article." Maybe in po dunk Idaho or whatever rock your people crawled out from, white people act like the stereotype you speak of here….

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