Being Black in the Work Place

[checkmate]

They take my kindness for weakness.

They take my silence for speechless.

They consider my uniqueness strange.

They call my language slang.

They see my confidence as conceit.

They see my mistakes as defeat.

They consider my success accidental.

They minimize my intelligence to "potential".

My questions mean "I'm unaware".

My advancement is somehow unfair.

Any praise is preferential treatment.

To voice concern is discontentment.

If I stand up for myself, I'm too defensive.

If I don't trust them, I'm too apprehensive.

I'm defiant ! if I separate.

I'm fake if I assimilate.

Yet, constantly I am faced with work place hate.

My character is constantly under attack.

Pride for my race makes me, "TOO BLACK".

Yet, I can only be me. And, who am I you might ask?

I am that Strong Black Person...

Who stands on the backs of my ancestor's achievements, with an erect spine pointing to the stars with pride, dignity and respect which lets the work place in America , Canada and around the world know, that I not only possess the ability to play by the rules, but I can make them as well!

[Mr.Faarax]

Does somalis count in this case?

 

When people talk about black vs white, we somalis feel that we aint involed in that game!

 

But if you talk about ina hebel this and ina hebel that...Oh yeah you have true discrimination!

[Castro]

Originally posted by Digaale:

When people talk about black vs white, we somalis feel that we aint involed in that game!

Don't "we" me into your nonsense. :rolleyes:

[Mr.Faarax]

^^rolling eyes doesnt look good on u atheer

 

by the way' what makes u think u are included in the "we"??

[Guhaad]

Digaale,

 

the only two qabiils we have in the US are Black and White. i guess for anyone who has lived here a while, and will continue to, this is a worthy cause than any, oh, except one

[Castro]

Originally posted by Digaale:

by the way' what makes u think u are included in the "we"??

You said "we somalis". That includes everyone on this board, except Mr. Jibis (and others yet to come out in the open). That's why.

 

And I look fabulous when I roll my eyes, thank you very much. :rolleyes:

[Mr.Faarax]

Kafaaxiye- qabiiladan iyo tololkan mareykanka ah, everything is clear. White people ayaa heysto kuwa madowna waa la heystaa. Haye anaga hadaan hada soo galney, White ma sheegan karnoo ayaagaaba cadow nugu ah. Balaagana wax la sheegto ma istaahilaan, Cuz they disrespectin themselves. That is why i propose...waxaanu nahay dad soomali ah (markii laga reebo MEXICAANKA la yiraahdo Castro! )

 

Duq Castro- Indho qaloociska waa haruuf, haruufkana walaal dumarka baa lagu yaqaanee'

bacaadka ma iskenee?

 

***(digale)*** macawiista ayuu laabtay, the crowd screams "jooni jooni"

[Castro]

^ Only because that was funny are you off the hook. Though I'd contend rolling the eyes, if done at right time, looks good on anyone. Saaxib I'm too old for bacaad specially with a younger dude. I only invite geezers (the likes of Xiin and NGONGE) to it coz I know I can whoop their as$es if they show up.

 

On the topic, that was a nice poem and not too far from the truth. I know since I've been in corporate America for a minute. I don't know about Canada and the UK though. Probably the same shidh with a different accent.

 

Originally posted by Digaale:

Balaagana wax la sheegto ma istaahilaan, Cuz they disrespectin themselves. That is why i propose...waxaanu nahay dad soomali ah (markii laga reebo MEXICAANKA la yiraahdo Castro! )

On second thought, and your having disrespected your African American brethren, may be the bacaad is not a bad idea. It'll be good for your young blood.

 

And it's Cuban dammit. Not Mexican.

[sheherazade]

Castro, yup, different accent. I'm sick with the flu today, slept most of the day. When I let my boss know I was too ill to go into work, I got back a sarcastic remark. N*cas that he is, he put it in an email. Yesterday when I said my campaign of info gathering was going to start I had no idea I'd be productive when off sick. Nacal shakluh, he's going down.

[Castro]

^ I learned long ago to snicker whenever a co-worker tells me he or a member of his family made him stay out due to illness. Not that people don't get sick, it's just that illness has become the "I don't wanna go to work" excuse here. Not to mention I always ask "sick with what?" ( more like "sick of what" ). Now that's always a joy when I see their minds work overtime to make up a lie if they really weren't out sick. I know, it's devious but also fun.

[sheherazade]

How annoying of you.

[Castro]

^ But wait, there's more. I never stay home sick so I always go to the office with all kinds of nasty bugs. The coughs, sneezes, the khuukhs and the khaakhs coming out of my cubicle make people want to run for the emergency exits. No one wants to shake my hand or come near my cubicle. It makes for a peaceful day to nurse whatever illness I have. There's nothing like being asked how your weekend went when you've got midgets wrestling inside your sinuses.

[sheherazade]

^ U dirty bugger. People like u are the reason people like me are always catching bugs! Stay home and infect your family instead of the workforce.

[Cara.]

Castro, stop being a hero. Stay home when you're sick.

 

As for this issue of blacks in the workplace, I find the idea of affirmative action very disturbing. I would hate to work in a place where I would be wondering if merit got me the post, or if they needed to fill a quota. I understand the necessity, but it's disturbing anyway. The cool thing about academia is that nearly half the professors and postdocs are immigrants, and a few are African. It's a more dynamic setting, with so many ways to discriminate without resorting to mere race.

[Castro]

^ But academia is hardly "real" life. Not the dog-eat-dog one anyway.

 

I've no problem with affirmative action. If it's so bloody hard to get one's toe in the door based on merit (as it is in Canada), it's the only way to get in. I'd also like to remind you that even if the person is admitted on the basis of affirmative action that they are no more or less lazy or stubidh than, say, someone there due to nepotism or friendship or what have you (the unofficial white affirmative action). As long as the playing field is not level,(official) affirmative action for minorties must stay. Besides, whoever said one didn't have to meet all the criteria for a job to be even considered for affirmative action. They don't pick people off the street who can't read and ask them to fly planes, do they? But if there's a pilot who has the education, the number of hours, and the safety certifications, why on earth shouldn't they have a chance to work as a pilot when all similarly qualified white pilots have to do is shower, shave and get to the employment office early in the morning. What about that Ms. Callypso?

 

Sheh: it's the daycare I catch bugs from. I'm so experienced I can even tell when my daughter brought home a Vietnamese one.