to be angry with typical stereotyping of foreigners?

[pinkalicious]

I am fuming.

We are looking to have some work done to our house and had a builder round this morning for some quotes. He gets in and immediately asks me where I am from as 'I dont sound like I am from here'. Fair enough - told him I am African etc.

He goes ahead and says something like this:

"Oh,so you are not on benefits then as you own this house! I hope you and your hubby are not here to take our jobs coz my brother is out of a job!"

I was like WTF? I stayed calm but when he was going, he said, ' Oh you do know how to use a computer dont you coz i want to email the quote?'

I told him to GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!

Did i overeact?

What a twat. You did the right thing

I know this is different, but it reminded me of a builder who gave us a quote when we were expecting DC1. He said his company don't like employing women because of maternity leave! His company didn't get the job!

Well frgr..I can only imagine the way he asked it, judging by the following comments..so no, just asking someone where they were from isn't an iffy question in itself I agree.

I can imagine he couldn't wait to get a dig in!

I should have added YANBU!

Im amazed that anyone quoting for work would think this was a way to talk to potential clients - he is obviously not very intelligent is he!

Can asking where someone is from be perceived as insulting, I would do it out of curiosity if I could not place an accent.

God how miserable and also hilarious. Never fails to amaze me how the act of paying somebody for something is taken as a naked act of aggressive dominance in Britain - IMO that's the root of all the 'poor service' programmes on at the mo. People just can't forgive you for paying them money in this country, or perhaps can't forgive you for making them ask for it.

Pinkalicious, hope you have found somebody else?

You all want to be nice about this but you think it all the time.

I am a qualified nurse who cant get a job. I should get first preference!

I am utterly horrified that such neanderthals exist. My MIL sometimes comes out with annoyingly racist comments or stupid comments about immigration (she reads the Express). I constantly have to remind her that without immigration she wouldn't have her much loved granddaughter (DD). My mother's family escaped an oppressive regime to live in the UK before the war, and comments like this make me feel ashamed to be British.

Asking someone where they are from is perfectly fine in general conversation, of course! if he is there to do a quote and asks it automatically on arrival I would wonder why..

Then the following comments kind of tell me why :(

lola - nope, never thought it myself.

the computer question was out of order imo.

Lola - if thats what you think

Perhaps i should haev told him that my DH and I run a company that employs 14 people? I think we have done our bit for society, dont you think?

Must point out that in the 9 years we have been here, we have met so many wonderful people :0 and have learnt to ignore such rubbish

Anyone else really not like the idea of someone like lola nursing them?

oh that was meant for Lola!

good point deciduous

What a w**r. I can't believe he spoke like this to a potential customer (or to anyone for that matter).

In my old there was a lovely greek girl who lived with her DH and they had just had a baby. I was round for coffe when her HV came for the first time. The girl was well educated(was doing her PhD back then) and they were well off. The flats were ex council flats.

So the HV said "I assume you're single then, do you get all the benefits you're entitled to", and the girl said, "no, I'm not single and our income is too high for us to get any benefits". The HV replied "Oh, I thought... the council flats... and your accent.."

And to think that was someone whose job is to support new mothers. Some people are simply idiots, you can't help them.

no, you're not lola. You're not a nurse.

Eh?

Lola as some one who is a registered Nurse though no longer in the NHS but keeps an eye out on jobs I can tell you that there are jobs in nursing you just have to look, but if you're going with an attitude like that I'm not surprised you haven't got a job.

in my olf flat I meant

old flat! Gosh!

ROFL and 'stereotyping' and 'typical' in the same sentence

My wife, who's identifiably Polish what with her accent and all, seems to be getting more comments recently, including some odd attitudes from some other mothers at Nursery.

She's been over here for over 15 years and been a British Citizen for almost 11 of those years and we've not really encountered it much before, except I used to get ribbed sometimes that I must have "got her off the Internet, hahaha, eh, mate, hohoho?" from other blokes sometimes.

No!

No one should be allowed to get away with xenophobic and racist abuse. Don't feel intimidated by the interrogation by people you meet - just answer with "are you interested in the job"? This is where I would say politely "sorry I have someone now" and let them go. You can of course report this abuse to the police if you know the persons name and address.

I'm afraid I would look for a Polish builder. The xenophobic British builder with attitude is likely to do a bodge job and over charge. He'll do a bodge because he has an axe to grind and no where else to grind it. As this recession bites deeper more of this type of abuse is likely to happen.

Sorry you have had this experience, it is more widespread than people admit because no one talks about this form of racist abuse. The UK is not the warm, welcoming multiracial society it should be.

Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention - this needs to be discussed.