Racist or Good Business?

tpay · 10-26-2009, 09:22 PM

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33479833...city?GT1=43001

New hotel owner hounded by racism charges
Hispanic employees protest after being told to change their first names

TAOS, N.M. - Larry Whitten marched into this northern New Mexico town in late July on a mission: resurrect a failing hotel.

The tough-talking former Marine immediately laid down some new rules. Among them, he forbade the Hispanic workers at the run-down, Southwestern adobe-style hotel from speaking Spanish in his presence (he thought they'd be talking about him), and ordered some to Anglicize their names.

No more Martin (Mahr-TEEN). It was plain-old Martin. No more Marcos. Now it would be Mark..........

ODH · 10-27-2009, 01:36 PM

Racist

Spider · 10-27-2009, 02:00 PM

Language: English should be spoken except when a customer speaks another language. Then it is appropriate for hotel personnel to use the language preferred by the customer if the employee speaks it. It is impolite to speak in a language not understood by those around you.

Name change: Inappropriate. A person's name is his or her identity. If it is unusually long or complicated, it can be shortened to an acceptable (to the employee) nickname or abbreviation. There is nothing wrong or offensive with an ethnic sounding name.

quinn14 · 10-27-2009, 02:38 PM

If they are legal citizens, then this is beyond racist. Wouldn't it be illegal? I'm not sure about the language thing, but I'm pretty sure that you can't make someone change their name.

Aztec · 10-27-2009, 04:46 PM

Neither.

rustyshackleford · 10-27-2009, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spider

Language: English should be spoken except when a customer speaks another language. Then it is appropriate for hotel personnel to use the language preferred by the customer if the employee speaks it. It is impolite to speak in a language not understood by those around you.

Name change: Inappropriate. A person's name is his or her identity. If it is unusually long or complicated, it can be shortened to an acceptable (to the employee) nickname or abbreviation. There is nothing wrong or offensive with an ethnic sounding name.

What he said.

ODH · 10-28-2009, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by quinn14

If they are legal citizens, then this is beyond racist. Wouldn't it be illegal? I'm not sure about the language thing, but I'm pretty sure that you can't make someone change their name.

What does it matter if they or legal citizens or not?
Is it OK to act racists to illegal aliens?
What about legal aliens?

quinn14 · 10-28-2009, 01:01 PM

I said it was BEYOND racist if they are legal, meaning that not only IS it racist, it is also illegal. I wasn't suggesting that it was okay to do to anyone. I just thought it would also be illegal, as well as racist, if done to a legal citizen.

Spider · 10-28-2009, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by quinn14

I said it was BEYOND racist if they are legal, meaning that not only IS it racist, it is also illegal. I wasn't suggesting that it was okay to do to anyone. I just thought it would also be illegal, as well as racist, if done to a legal citizen.

No one is asking anyone to change their name, only to use an anglicized version of it at work. I don't think that it's proper, but I doubt that it's illegal.

quinn14 · 10-28-2009, 11:01 PM

The way I read the story it said that he ordered them to anglicize their names. It sounds to me like if they didn't then they might be fired. I am no lawyer, don't even try to play one on the internet, I am just hoping that it would be illegal. I wouldn't change my name for anyone and find it hard to believe that a boss can order someone to do so.

10-26-2009, 09:22 PM	#1 (permalink)
tpay NCAA Champ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Oxnard California Posts: 1,058	Racist or Good Business? http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33479833...city?GT1=43001 New hotel owner hounded by racism charges Hispanic employees protest after being told to change their first names TAOS, N.M. - Larry Whitten marched into this northern New Mexico town in late July on a mission: resurrect a failing hotel. The tough-talking former Marine immediately laid down some new rules. Among them, he forbade the Hispanic workers at the run-down, Southwestern adobe-style hotel from speaking Spanish in his presence (he thought they'd be talking about him), and ordered some to Anglicize their names. No more Martin (Mahr-TEEN). It was plain-old Martin. No more Marcos. Now it would be Mark..........

10-27-2009, 01:36 PM	#2 (permalink)
ODH World Champ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 2,905	Re: Racist or Good Business? Racist

10-27-2009, 02:00 PM	#3 (permalink)
Spider Ancient Arachnid Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 4,240	Re: Racist or Good Business? Language: English should be spoken except when a customer speaks another language. Then it is appropriate for hotel personnel to use the language preferred by the customer if the employee speaks it. It is impolite to speak in a language not understood by those around you. Name change: Inappropriate. A person's name is his or her identity. If it is unusually long or complicated, it can be shortened to an acceptable (to the employee) nickname or abbreviation. There is nothing wrong or offensive with an ethnic sounding name. __________________ "Love never dies." The Beatles

10-27-2009, 02:38 PM	#4 (permalink)
quinn14 Round of 12 Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 267	Re: Racist or Good Business? If they are legal citizens, then this is beyond racist. Wouldn't it be illegal? I'm not sure about the language thing, but I'm pretty sure that you can't make someone change their name.

10-27-2009, 04:46 PM	#5 (permalink)
Aztec Redshirt Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Alhambra, CA Posts: 1	Re: Racist or Good Business? Neither.

10-28-2009, 01:01 PM	#8 (permalink)
quinn14 Round of 12 Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 267	Re: Racist or Good Business? I said it was BEYOND racist if they are legal, meaning that not only IS it racist, it is also illegal. I wasn't suggesting that it was okay to do to anyone. I just thought it would also be illegal, as well as racist, if done to a legal citizen.

10-28-2009, 11:01 PM	#10 (permalink)
quinn14 Round of 12 Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 267	Re: Racist or Good Business? The way I read the story it said that he ordered them to anglicize their names. It sounds to me like if they didn't then they might be fired. I am no lawyer, don't even try to play one on the internet, I am just hoping that it would be illegal. I wouldn't change my name for anyone and find it hard to believe that a boss can order someone to do so.

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