I’ve had a coworker who’s been giving me trouble for the past couple of months. He’s been saying bad things about me behind my back, he basically told me that I’m not Christian enough on a couple of occasions, he has consistently tried to order me around while I work with him (possibly to see if I get upset), he loves to point out my mistakes in front of other people to make me look bad, and he is a well-known pathological liar by most of my other co-workers. I don’t think the problem is with me. I’ve met hundreds of people through my job and none of them have acted like this. This guy is unique when it comes to these types of behaviors. And he does act this way toward other people as well.
Earlier today there was a political discussion at work. It was a slow day so we were able to sit down at our desks for a while. He began reading similarities of the Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy assassinations from a website. One of the similarities was the fact that they were both killed by Southerners. We live in Alabama.
A couple of minutes later, another coworker brought up the story that President Bush and Osama bin Laden’s father were business partners of some kind. This must have set off the trouble coworker in question, so he dug up another website that had a picture of Barack Obama with an Osama bin Laden beard.
Before I talk about what he said next, let me say that I don’t agree with anything he said and I think he’s despicable person for saying it. He began saying that Barack Obama will bring destruction to America within 3 years and that he needed to be killed. He actually said this. He was completely serious and I am not making this up.
A couple of minutes after this tirade, I said “Come on, southerners already killed two Presidents.” He replied “And if I had anything to do with it, I’d make it three…I didn’t say that.” He said this while four other people were in the room listening—me included. No one replied to that remark because what he said was obviously illegal.
What I’m wondering is, what exactly should be done about this? I truly despise this guy and I hate listening to crap like this. If I tell my boss or the secret service, he’ll probably know it’s me. Did I mention that he also knows where I live? He does.
The most I can think of is to tell as many people as I can around my work place what he said in hopes that they will tell an authority figure. What he said was probably the most stunning thing anyone could possibly say and I think just having people know about this is enough to possibly not have to associate with him anymore. Does this seem feasible to you?
Sounds like he needs to be taken out (of your workplace) for being a problem employee anyway. Find some way of alerting the authorities. There’s nothing wrong with snitching if it will remove somebody who is genuinely causing trouble; feel free to take advantage of our government’s power, if it can help you.
Sounds like a run of the mill far right wingnut to me. Nothing knew, this is the same old battle between the Libruls and Rush Limbaugh conservatives and worse.
I would confront him if you feel safe doing so - tell him to lay off. Or is he the kind of idiot that would make a big deal out of that too?
OK, I agree with AT’s major premise: your employer needs to know that this employee cannot acquit himself with minimal professionalism and you are being asked to withstand not merely irritating behavior but the truly intolerable. I cannot agree with his conclusion regarding the advisability of making this, literally, a federal case.
The solution for his unmannerliness is not an FBI or Secret Service investigation. It is the rather more adult approach of (1) telling your coworker that you find it difficult to work with him when he comments on your religion or publicly critiques your work performance, (2) escalating that to your boss when he balks at your attempt to work it out between yourselves, and (3) shedding no tears when he is separated from your company.
Although the justification “this is the mature way of handling this situation” should be enough, I’d also note that submitting false or overstated reports to the federal authorities will subject you to penalties rather than your noisome colleague.
I have to be honest with you. This guy is an above-average performer. He is a hard worker. He has a very good relationship with our immediate supervisor. However he undoubtedly does every single thing I listed in the original post. I did describe the death threat he made toward President Obama in the most accurate way that I could put it. He did say that Obama needed to be killed and he did say “And if I had anything to do with it, I’d make it three…I didn’t say that.”
Three other people heard that loud and clear as well. To provide a back story, he is a staunch Conservative and he is the most hateful religious person I’ve ever met. I truly find it amazing that I actually know someone like this. A few weeks prior, he confessed that he truly believes that Barack Obama is the anti-christ and will help bring about the apocalypse. I’m sure this is a major reason why he made the comments he made today.
You need to assess YOUR standing in this organization, your relationship with the management, and your job security and credibility, and weigh it against his, before you do anything.
If the management is on his side, don’t do anything through them. It won’t end well.
I imagine it’s unlikely he would actually follow through on the death threat, but…
Given that he seems to seriously believe Obama should be killed, he might.
Making the threat was a violation of federal law.
With three other people having witnessed the threat, and who knows how many having heard about it, it seems to me it would be hard for anyone to determine who reported it. I expect the Secret Service would not reveal an information source.
While I’m not the one wrestling with the decision of whether or not to act on this, I’d sleep better knowing the feds were alerted. I can’t say I see much point in telling the boss.
One suggestion: write the most concise note you can saying what you did in the O.P., omitting anything that would incriminate you (though perhaps mentioning they can ask his co-workers for verification). Print it in Times New Roman 12 (i.e. a font every computer has), buy a stamped envelope at the post office and drop it in the mail with no return address. How seriously they’d take it I have no idea. (I don’t know where in Alabama you are but I can tell you the deputies and police I’ve dealt with in central Alabama don’t “do” anonymity and they’re useless for anything other than traffic tickets.)
Guy sounds like a dickhead. If I were you, I’d report him to the Secret Service just out of spite. It doesn’t matter to me that there’s a 99.9999999999[sup]99999[/sup] chance he’s just talking shit, the guy’s being a dick to you and this would be a hilarious way to fuck with him. Do it.
What size is your company? Is it large enough (15 or more employees) to be covered by antidiscrimination laws? If so, what he’s doing in commenting on your religion is illegal religious harassment, and puts the company at legal risk if management knowingly allows it to continue.
The whole discussion of politics in the workplace thing seems very unproductive and is something smart management would want to put an end to, but politics isn’t covered by federal antidiscrimination law (slight chance local law may apply, but not too likely).
Kimmy_Gibbler laid out the basics.
Step 1 - Tell the guy firmly to stop (this step is mature, but optional from a legal point of view. You’re not legally required to confront a harasser to protect your right to be free of illegal workplace harassment)
Step 2 - Tell management
Step 3a - If necessary, go up the management chain or to HR (also optional from a legal point of view)
Step 3b - Report illegal harassment to the EEOC
From your description the threat to Obama doesn’t seem like a credible threat. You were there and saw the guy and you can come to your own conclusions. If you really think it’s a threat, pick up the phone and call local law enforcement, just like I hope you’d do if he said something like “I’m going to kill my wife when I get home” and stormed out the door.
The Secret Service does not exist to help you settle personal vendettas. The more time they spent chasing false leads, the less time they have to trace true ones.
Ask yourself, are you reporting this guy because you honestly think he represents a threat? Or are you doing it because he’s a massive dick? If he was the nicest guy in the office, would what he said alarm you enough that you would report him anyway? If so, call the authorities. But don’t do it just to stick it to someone you hate.
Uh, yeah… and quit taking breaks of any kind or socializing with anybody or saying anything to anyone that isn’t completely job related.:rolleyes:
I actually try not to discuss politics or religion at work and I succeed most of the time, but sometimes when the real STUPIDKRAKENS are released it is just impossible to hold your tongue.
Yeah, while I think it’d be funny if dicks like this actually were forced to realize the gravity of their words by actually being called on it once in a blue moon, I don’t think that this is a serious threat. He’s just your typical, tiny dicked douchebag, spouting off at the mouth so he can make his chubby feel adequate. Maybe because I, too, am from a hick town, I see this all the time.
What I would do, though, is just start fucking with him. “Oh man, you’re totally right. I read this thing that was talking about how the President of Iran is the anti-Christ and like, you say Obama is, too. Do you think they are the same person? I do. Notice you’ve never seen Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Barack Obama in the same place. . . weird, right?” I’d just make shit up, just to see what he goes along with.
Either that, or point out that the apocalypse is kind of a necessary component in our ultimate Christian salvation, per God’s plan. So, really, Obama might be the anti Christ, but his presence is just bringing is closer to baby Jesus, so it’s cool.