Racist trainer at Heartland Express.

Make sure you play the recording to this guys boss and let him hear for himself and make sure the idiot is sitting there so he can hear it as well,, i think all of this guys supervisors need to hear the recording,, then they can make the rule at work no more crap like that.. hope you teach heartland a real good lesson.

 

I'm fat and in my fifties also; maybe I'll sue.

I hope you get your apology, you're due it. What he said was wrong, how he feels is wrong. But perhaps you need to look at yourself a bit also?

Hun, you're a beautiful creation by God. His design, his choice of shade. Don't allow fools and evil to touch the beauty that you are.

P.S. I promise not to sue you even though I think you're fat prejudiced. None of us are perfect.

 

IMO: I doubt he would have attacked you, especially since you made no mention of him being threatening to you in any manner. EVERYONE has a right to "run off at the mouth" EVERYONE has a right to IGNORE the comments too. Yeah the guy was crude, oh well move on and let it go. There are all types of people in the world and the PC police cant be everywhere at once. Maybe you could have "helped" this guy if you had made a few comments in your conversation with him such as "I try not to judge anything by its color", "theres good and bad in all races" etc....thats how I deal with racist people in my family at least. I hope you find the answer you seem to be seeking, and a way to deal with people in the world who choose NOT to be PC, in all areas.

 

I can understand the frustration of the writer of the original post. I can see that he is also not perfect with his comment on the obese. One should try to walk a mile in anothers shoes. Then we can see that many things are not what they appear to be.

 

You seem like a level-headed person, so why didn't you wait it out til you got back to the terminal and asked for another trainer? The world is full of people who say things others don't like or agree with. It's a big ugly world out there and one needs to grow a skin in order to survive. We've all been the butt of someone's comments at one time or another. I don't understand why you didn't seek other channels to resolve this issue before seeking a lawyer. When you called to report this trainer, did you tell them you had this recording? Did you tell the company rep you were recording their conversation? It may not be permissible in a legal proceeding. Each state has laws about permission by the party in question. This leads me to think there's more to this than you're admitting to.

You said yourself he was shocked when you told him you were half black, so I don't think he would have figured it out. It looks a little premeditated to those of us who weren't present. You didn't try to correct the situation before you sought legal help. Sorry, just my opinion.

 

The biggest lie that you will ever hear is "All men are created equal". Things are not equal. You are deceiving yourself if you are buying into that equality crap.

That being said, knowing that things arent always fair or going to be fair, YOU have to do the best that YOU can in order for YOU to be successful in life. You lost focus. The reason why you were in the truck was for training, not a popularity contest. Was the guy training you? If so, he was doing his job. Theres nothing in his or your job description that says that you have to be buddies. If negavtive talk bothers you, simply say to him,"Friend, I am trying to do the best that I can to be a good driver, the negative talk is hurting my concentration." He would have stopped. Now he's training someone else and you are back at zero contemplating a lawsuit. Should have done that AFTER you got what you came to Heartland to get...TRAINING!!!!!

I hate most truck drivers. They whine and complain about money, but they dont want to drive. They argue and bicker about politics. Had some female driver try to tell me about the new safetyman firing drivers for getting put out of service for logbook while I was trying to tell another driver how to make money. My response was "Lady, if you choose to live in fear of the safetyman, thats your business." She got offended, but she got the point.
Had a black driver come up to me and ask me where I was going. I told him Ft Saskatchewan, and he snubbed his nose at me, "I dont go up there. Forget that crossing the border stuff." Fine. Dont tell me about how you cant make money anymore in trucking.

The economy has gone to hell. The only person thats going to take care of you is you. Focus on what you have to do and do it. Quit trying to win popularity contests and keep your business (youre being half black) your business.

 

I have to agree with Trucker123 on this. Sometimes you have to take a stand which, right or wrong, he did. I would have done the same as him and have done in the past. I don't believe those criticizing him are qualified as they have not been subjected to racism.

I've seen White racism, Asian racism, Black racism and sadly Native racism, some of it in my family. I was at a gathering last week that was attended by some Whites. Some of the Native speakers said things that I was not comfortable with, thinking how I would feel if the same things were being said by Whites about Natives. When I was called to speak I stressed our commonality as creations of God rather than our human imposed differences.

Many years ago I was having problems with racism, both that of others and mine. I talked to an elder friend, a Pipe Carrier, at a sweat and he told me we are only responsible for our own ignorance, not the ignorance of others. I have never forgotten that. I don't fight battles for myself anymore but for my children, grand-children and great grand-children.