Anyone harassed at work for being American?

Stacey,
I'm really sorry you've had such a horrible experience at work.   I know many folks have had negative experiences with comments and even discrimination, but I think it's just a symptom of a larger problem that faces a lot of places- how people treat people who are different from them!

I think I've been really lucky in my experience with my job. I work in a bookshop in Central London and find it's really cool to be around people of all races, nationalities, faiths! It's basically a melting pot, you know?  I've gotten some Anti-American comments- or rather, generalisations- but nothing that's ever been directed at me personally. We are a shop full of people of all races, etc, and everyone has been really respectful- they joke with me about how I say things (I can't page the 'Duty Manager' because hoots of laughter come from every corner of the shop as it sounds like "Doody Mgr"  ) And they used to joke with me that they could hear me from ALLL the way back in the shop with my nice loud American voice hehe I've fixed that just in the course of being here for 2 years and only revert to my loud accent when I'm in the presence of other Americans hehe But everyone is really friendly and still actually seem to find it a novelty to work with a "real" american- I get questions & discussions all the time about the assumptions made about Americans and I feel really lucky that I can dispell myths!

The biggest one at the moment is that we *all* voted for George Bush and are (in the words of a customer I just had the other day) "Politically ignorant sheep who would follow our leader off a cliff".   Can I tell you that my co-worker very nearly went OVER the counter at this guy to rip his eyes out? hehe In 3 minutes I had 2 other people defending *my* honour!  We tried to assure him that people who make generalisations are just showing their own personal ignorance. Because it *is* just ignorance that makes people believe stereotypes.  I consider it a sort of quest to show that we Americans can be *just* as intelligent, socially aware, environmentally concerned, politically interested, and classy as any other person with those same qualities-or they can be jerks. Like the people stacey works with. But that's not *all* the English! Just as not all Americans are like those on Jerry Springer!

Ok- I've had a bit of a babble. I guess it's just that I feel really fortunate that I've had the experience I've had with work. People are going to make comments because that's just the nature of imperfect people...but if someone is making your life a living hell just because you're "different" from them- that's discrimination and I agree that it's totally unacceptable! It's a really tough situation to be in and I wish you the very best at either finding something else, or figuring out how to combat it!

Well-said, jenny. Great post!

Here here Jenny, that was great.  I feel as you do that you can help change people's opinions of Americans just by being you.  Might sound corny but you never know until you try it.  I've surprised my finace a time or two.

Well said Jenny!  

wench

What about Northern lreland?? huh, you forgot NI!!    Should l take this personally??  

but of course.....

The one thing I have noticed about British is that they like for other people to see them as being witty. Could it be that some things we, as Americans, are taking as harrassing is really the British thinking that it's a witty comment or observation? I mean, I know my husband loves me, but sometimes he'll say something that makes me reel back and wonder what on earth he means!

I was talking with my father-in-law the other night and he made a profound comment: "If I think someone has said something that is offensive, I'm sure I heard them wrong because I know they don't mean to offend, so I shrug it off." Sure made me think.

One time we had my husband's 2 best friends over for lunch, and we were watching the West Wing on DVD. I know they don't not like Americans, but I we got talking politics and I got the George Bush thing from them since we were in American Mode. Now, they know me, they know I'm a die-hard liberal and even if I weren't they'd know I don't agree with GWB's ways, but I still got it in the neck, just because, I believe, I am American. I was nearly in tears and almost threw them out of my house.

I didn't say anything at the time because I wanted to save face in front of Iain (hubby). But now that I know them better and they know me better, if I got ANY sort of comment from them I would give it right back by saying that there are 250m+ Americans and we are not all alike, and if you don't like America don't cry to me, because I can't change the actions of 250m+ people.

It's all about stereotyping and being closed-minded. If anyone feels others' comments are disrupting their work, they should report it. There's only so much you can internalise before you have to let it out.

I tend to give it back and then forget about it.  It's not worth my time and energy to take these things to heart.  
The one instance I can think of at work was on my first day.  During lunch, in front of about six people I had just met, my boss told me he had friends who were American, but they were normal people not like most Americans.  I told him that I thought he'd find that 99.9 % of Americans were normal people and the other .1% were guests on Jerry Springer and giving the rest of us a bad name. We all laughed and then when on to talk about stereotypes-I think I managed to make my point without upsetting anyone(my new boss) and also show that I wasn't going to take anymore put downs.  

kmharris-I think in your situation, I would have joked that they were on American soil while inside your house and no American bashing was allowed. This is something I've actually done a couple of times.  Just give it right back and then forget about it.

I was talking with my father-in-law the other night and he made a profound comment: "If I think someone has said something that is offensive, I'm sure I heard them wrong because I know they don't mean to offend, so I shrug it off." Sure made me think.[/quote]

That is SUCH an outstanding viewpoint!  I seem always to have my "radar" out for offensive comments, and have a hard time letting go of the hurt.  I need to be more like your FIL.  [smiley=wings.gif]

The biggest one at the moment is that we *all* voted for George Bush and are (in the words of a customer I just had the other day) "Politically ignorant sheep who would follow our leader off a cliff".   Can I tell you that my co-worker very nearly went OVER the counter at this guy to rip his eyes out? hehe In 3 minutes I had 2 other people defending *my* honour!  We tried to assure him that people who make generalisations are just showing their own personal ignorance. Because it *is* just ignorance that makes people believe stereotypes.  I consider it a sort of quest to show that we Americans can be *just* as intelligent, socially aware, environmentally concerned, politically interested, and classy as any other person with those same qualities-or they can be jerks. Like the people stacey works with. But that's not *all* the English! Just as not all Americans are like those on Jerry Springer!

Lucky you!  I think I've said that I'm a liberal about 1,000 times but I still get it from my British colleagues on pretty much every single issue.  Sometimes they even take something that has nothing to do with America and turn it into an attack on America and Americans in general.  It gets really old really fast!

Ok- I've had a bit of a babble. I guess it's just that I feel really fortunate that I've had the experience I've had with work. People are going to make comments because that's just the nature of imperfect people...but if someone is making your life a living hell just because you're "different" from them- that's discrimination and I agree that it's totally unacceptable! It's a really tough situation to be in and I wish you the very best at either finding something else, or figuring out how to combat it!

Thanks...I'm still trying to figure it out right now.

One time we had my husband's 2 best friends over for lunch, and we were watching the West Wing on DVD. I know they don't not like Americans, but I we got talking politics and I got the George Bush thing from them since we were in American Mode. Now, they know me, they know I'm a die-hard liberal and even if I weren't they'd know I don't agree with GWB's ways, but I still got it in the neck, just because, I believe, I am American. I was nearly in tears and almost threw them out of my house.

I didn't say anything at the time because I wanted to save face in front of Iain (hubby). But now that I know them better and they know me better, if I got ANY sort of comment from them I would give it right back by saying that there are 250m+ Americans and we are not all alike, and if you don't like America don't cry to me, because I can't change the actions of 250m+ people.

It's all about stereotyping and being closed-minded. If anyone feels others' comments are disrupting their work, they should report it. There's only so much you can internalise before you have to let it out.

Oh, I KNOW.  I get SO SICK of people asking me how Bush became President...because to be honest, *I* still can't figure it out and I followed that whole mess start to finish.  I even read the entire 60-page SCOTUS opinion when it was published and I thought that the majority hung their opinion on the absolute smallest of legal hooks.  Since I'm from Texas I catch sh*t all the time about the death penalty...like I'm the one pulling the switch or something...and even though I tell them over and over that I'm anti-death penalty, they act as though I am somehow personally responsible for every execution in the United States.  *sigh*  It's not like I have a hotline to the governor that I can pick up and say, "Hey, Rick?  Stacey here.  Yeah, I just wanted to tell you that Nigel in England doesn't like the death penalty, so can you...y'know...stop executing people?" and he'd say, "Sure, because we wouldn't want the English saying bad things about us."

It's absurd!

kmharris-I think in your situation, I would have joked that they were on American soil while inside your house and no American bashing was allowed. This is something I've actually done a couple of times.  Just give it right back and then forget about it.

LOL I'm going to have to use this!

Harassment on the job is obviously counter-productive to your work, and aggrevating to you.  This type of conduct is not generally considered professional, although I've seen some office environments in which it thrives as part of the corporate culture.  You're not alone.

My advice is similar to the other very good responses:  

I would suggest you explain to your peers that you would hope for a more constructive work environment but you are sensitive to their remarks about Americans on a deeply personal level and that is getting in the way.   Brits tend to be nationalists, perhaps try to work it from that angle.  "I'd never say something like that about the British monarchy because I respect them and I also respect you as co-workers.  By the same reasoning, I do feel disrespected by your remarks"

If harassment persists, use your judgement to pursue this with your management or HR.  They are or should be trained for these situations.  Management will generally frown on troublemakers but will or should appreciate a constructive team-building effort.  

Try something this: "There may be a way to increase our sales.  The team should focus the effort on X, whereas today it is somewhat splintered into camps.  For example, I get criticis/zed for being American but can't relate it to my job performance, or see how it is improving sales".

If they fail to address the issue, external legal assistance is also available for you to resolve issues of this nature.  I recently read about some cases where UK companies had to pay employees for harrassment suits for using derogatory language.  Your management will be aware of that and try to avoid conflicts.  

By the way, thanks to somebody for pointing out the "race relations act" - I may just use that one myself if I ever have to kill off a stupid conversation while working in the UK.  I studied for 3 years in the UK as an American and there were a few annoying encounters back then, even in the pre-GWB era.  I was sure to remind people why Americans celebrate July 4th, but surprisingly, that didnt help to de-escalate the discussion.  

Try something less confrontational.  Also remember: if you don't have a chip on your shoulder, they can't knock it off.

Good luck!

Try something less confrontational.  Also remember: if you don't have a chip on your shoulder, they can't knock it off.

Good luck!

It's taking every ounce of my willpower to not be insulted by what you just implied:  that this is MY fault because I have a chip on my shoulder.

I certainly hope that's not what you meant.