If you want to see a copy of the newsletter mentioned in the article below, it's available here in PDF. (http://www.delawareonline.com/assets/pdf/BL133941430.PDF) Of the advice they offer their employees, my favorite is: "Never refer to a co-worker as a “retard.” This is an insult to people with mental disabilities." It seems quite appropriate.

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DelDOT's diversity coaching backfires (http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20090501/NEWS02/905010383&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL)
Rights advocates slam newsletter listing slurs

By MIKE CHALMERS • The News Journal • May 1, 2009

The Delaware Department of Transportation designed its recent "Diversity Spotlight" newsletter to be an "in-your-face" effort to fight workplace discrimination.

But some DelDOT workers, minority-rights advocates and a diversity expert said the newsletter itself was offensive because it spelled out the slurs, insults and stereotypes that co-workers should never say to each other.

The newsletter, which Secretary Carolann Wicks distributed two weeks ago to most of the agency's 2,600 workers, covered "workplace faux pas" involving homosexual, black, Asian, white, Hispanic and elderly workers.

The section titled "The N word," for example, actually spells out the word, then says, "It is never, ever acceptable to use this word in any context."

The newsletter also says it's wrong to ask a black co-worker, "Should we order fried chicken or watermelon for you?"

The section on Hispanic co-workers lists several ethnic slurs and says workers should not ask, "Can you help me out with my landscaping?" It tells workers to avoid specific slang terms for homosexuals and not tell older co-workers, "You know Wal-Mart is hiring."

[More... (http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20090501/NEWS02/905010383&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL)]

Well, some of those were extemely goofy. Some of them are honest enough, like asking a coworker, if, they do landscaping. You never know some people might want to make some extra cash on the weekend, that is like asking a teenager, if, they want to baby sit or mow a lawn.... I was kinda disappointed in the Asian question section, they definately should have put in hey, how much apm do you hit in Starcraft. Not all asians play Starcraft or whatever. The don't ask an Asian guy about where is a good asian resteraunt, I mean come on, lots of people enjoy asian cuisine, it doesn't neccessarily imply some sort of racism.

Of course, we are still a society that likes to ask questions to 2 black coaches when they reached the Super Bowl in football, what is it like to be the first black coach to win the superbowl on National Television...... as if blacks are somehow inferior. Same thing with females in metal bands. Same thing with a black president of the US. Same thing when a woman becomes the president. Yes, that was allittle silly with an ok meaning, but, it could have been a bit better taste.

Some of them are honest enough, like asking a coworker, if, they do landscaping. You never know some people might want to make some extra cash on the weekend
Yeah, I agree. I ran into a scenario vaguely like this when I used to interview applicants for the company I worked for. Being a cheap bastard, I'd always sign up for the lunch time-slots so I could score a free lunch. In any case, we had an applicant from China and I asked him what he wanted for lunch. He didn't have an opinion so he asked me to recommend a place. I suggested, as I always did when was asked for a recommendation, my favorite sushi place (hey, if you're getting reimbursed you may as well go someplace pricey). He immediately assumed I had incorrectly identified him as being Japanese and had stereotyped him as sushi eater and said, indignantly, "I'm Chinese, not Japanese."

Seems like they could have phrased the newsletter a little more intelligently. Like saying, "Don't use racial slurs". "Don't offer someone stereotypical food because of their race". "Treat people exactly how you want to be treated".

That's unfortunate, Klath! I hope you set the guy straight.

Seems like they could have phrased the newsletter a little more intelligently.
Indeed. Putting in all the examples seemed a wee bit counterproductive. On the other hand, I learned a new pejorative for illegal aliens ("hot footer") so the newsletter wasn't altogether uninformative. :)

I hope you set the guy straight.
Aye, I told him that I was American and that it didn't prevent me from liking sushi. He got a kick out of that but, as it turned out, he didn't like sushi and we ended up going to burger place. /sigh

Seems like they could have phrased the newsletter a little more intelligently.You forget their target audience.

Personally I found it hilarious. Living in San Francisco, you quickly forget how intolerant much of the rest of the country is.

Judging from the responses I've seen, I don't think the typical gay person here would care one way or the other in the face of those comments. They might look at you strangely, though.

I have an example that goes along this, because eventually if you engage in any social interaction whatsoever, you are eventually going to slip up on something stereotypical. It can be slightly offensive some times, it just can not be avoided.

I went to see After Forever play locally. They are a Dutch symphonic metal band. They have a really tall, attractive singer named Floor Janssen with some opera training as a vocalist. So, during the performance I noticed her shoes she was wearing, they looked like a pair of dutch wooden shoes, which I got a kick of. So, after the show I asked her about it. Apparently, they were cowboy boots..... So, there you have it, I had my little thing, and she had hers coming into Nashville wearing cowboy boots because it would help blend into the local country music scene and stuff, lol.

I had very socially aware parents and most of us turned out that way too but I had one brother that just couldn't grasp the concept. I'm pretty sure it was just something about the wiring in his brain, like a Tourette's sufferer, only his was with awkward, racial or other things that would slip out at really inappropriate times.

Seems like they could have phrased the newsletter a little more intelligently. Like saying, "Don't use racial slurs". "Don't offer someone stereotypical food because of their race". "Treat people exactly how you want to be treated".

That's unfortunate, Klath! I hope you set the guy straight.

The letter should have discussed the need for being professional and keeping focused on the job while at work. Every example that I read could be avoided by addressing them in a proper fashion and keeping discussions at work focused on the job that that person was hired to do...