MMMMMM said:

[ QUOTE ]
Well, Cyrus, this isn't the 1950's. There is very little prejudice in America today against minorities, and what little there is, is quite possibly more than functionally offset by overwielding programs such as Affirmative Action.

All in all, the race card, and race issue ARE DEAD--except for those with axes to grind or those who remain ideologically mired in ancient (modern) history.

[/ QUOTE ]

In the same thread, MMMMMM challenged the board to come up with an incident of modern-day racism. It appears to be somewhat of a moving target--as the thread progressed, the modifier "serious" was added.

In any event, I am aware of such incidents. Some of which I cannot write about, even anonymously, becuase of my professional responsibilities. But I offer this description from a recent court opinion:

This case is before us for the second time. In Spriggs v. Diamond Auto Glass, 165 F.3d 1015 (4th Cir.1999) ( Spriggs I), we briefly outlined the facts as alleged in the complaint. Therein we noted that Spriggs, an African American, had been employed by Diamond as a customer service representative in its Forestville, Maryland store from July 1993 until August *182 1995, FN1 and again from September 1996 until February 1997. On both occasions, Spriggs left Diamond's employ dissatisfied with the company's response to certain actions taken toward him by his white supervisor, Ernest Stickell. The details of these events having now been more fully developed through the discovery process, we relate them here in the light most favorable to Spriggs. See Hawkins v. PepsiCo, Inc., 203 F.3d 274, 276-77 (4th Cir.) (citations omitted), cert. denied, 531 U.S. 875, 121 S.Ct. 181, 148 L.Ed.2d 125 (2000).

FN1. From the materials produced during discovery, it now appears that Spriggs initially separated from Diamond on September 7, 1995. See infra note 10.


A.


1.

At his deposition, Spriggs testified that he left Diamond the first time because of Stickell's incessant racial slurs, insults, and epithets. Indeed, Stickell rarely hesitated to vilify anyone of African descent, including Diamond employees (whom he proclaimed “niggers” or “monkeys”) and customers of the business. Not even Stickell's wife, an African American, was off-limits, as Stickell repeatedly referred to her as a “black bitch” in Spriggs's presence. Stickell often became enraged during telephone conversations with his wife, causing him to “fly into a barrage of racial obscenities towards her and slam the phone down. She would call back. Once again, she was a no-good nasty bitch. It was continuous daily.” J.A. 195.

2.

Spriggs was eventually persuaded to return to the Forestville store on management's assurance that Stickell would be kept in check. It quickly became clear, however, that Diamond would not deliver on its promise, as Stickell's behavior did not improve, but actually worsened. In addition to maintaining his routine of talking about his wife in racially derogatory terms, Stickell habitually called Spriggs a “monkey,” “dumb monkey,” and “nigger.” In one particularly egregious episode, Stickell placed a picture of a monkey between the pages of a parts manual (known as a “NAG book”) that Spriggs regularly used. Stickell had captioned the picture with X's and O's, along with the notation “so you'll never forget who you are.” J.A. 209.
On Thursday, February 6, 1997, Spriggs walked out of the Forestville store “to alleviate the onslaught.” J.A. 211. Spriggs attempted to return to work the following Monday, February 10, but Stickell denied him access to the premises. A dialogue ensued involving Spriggs and various representatives of Diamond, including its president, Richard Rutta. As a result of these discussions, Spriggs was invited to resume working on March 10, 1997. When Spriggs arrived on the appointed date, however, Stickell presented him with a formal list of job duties, which Spriggs believed to be unduly onerous and racially motivated. Rather than accept the new conditions, Spriggs resigned his employment.