Help bf has been accused of being racist

[WorriedAndConfusedHelp]

I have NC for this. I don’t even know if this is legal. I will try to keep it short. I don’t even know the full facts yet, just from a five minute phone call. My boyfriend has been accused of being racist. A manger of his called him into a meeting this morning about comments he left on his PERSONAL Facebook page (told him to get rid of Facebook as it’s nothing but trouble but he likes it so whatever). It is set to private so I think someone from his work has done this on purpose as sabotage. He had left a comment regarding a park by us that has just had caravans occupied by travellers moved on and he commented that the park was left looking like a bomb made out of shit exploded over it. That was IT. He was told he had to sign some sort of disciplinary form admitting he was wrong for making racist comments (not too sure about that part will have to ask later). He refused and has told me he might lose his job because he refused. Is that even actually allowed?From comments on a private face book page? I don’t even think it’s a horrible comment to make, he didn’t say anything about travellers just at the state of the park which DID look an absolute mess for days afterwards and still does a little bit. I am absolutely fuming not with him but with his workplace and the little spy that alerted management. What to do?

I can't honestly believe that his employers would act in this way if he only said what the OP claims he said. That comment in itself isn't racist/bigoted.

There will be more to this than a comment about 'shit bombs exploding'

I think the OP has been lied to by her bf.

I really don't understand the people on here that say they reported someones comments to their employers. Firstly, what they do outside of work in their own time is nothing to do with the employers

It's absolutely their employer's business if their choice of words could bring the company into disrepute.

and secondly, its just words on a screen

So ableist/racist/sexist/homophobic comments are 'okay' because they're just "words on a screen?"

thirdly, who the fuck takes all that time to go tale telling on what someone writes online

It's not something I've ever done personally. I love Racists Getting Fired, though. It's one of my favourite songs.

and fourth, what the fuck does it have to do with you anyway?

It's everyone's business to call out hate speech, hun.

I'm with you on calling stuff out, NotACleverName.

I also find it shocking that so many people still find it acceptable to spout shite about gipsies and travellers. I've supported many gipsy and traveller families over the years and they suffer appalling discrimination and harassment.

LakieLady and NotACleverName -- Thank you. I'm with you too.

Lakie - sadly that's in no small part because of the damage that SOME of their communities do, as per the pictures I posted upthread. It must be extremely frustrating for those who are courteous and cause no harm wherever they set up camp

@mikeyssister No prob. Words can be a minefield.

Everything NotACleverName said.

Can you just imagine if MN were hacked and suddenly all our real names and addresses and workplaces were visible on all past threads. Aaaggggh!

Can anyone truly hold their head up and say they have never, ever said anything bad about anyone on this site ? Or exaggerated?

The scary thing is I can see it happening and I don't think there would be an employee left in the country as everyone would have been disciplined/suspended for insulting mils/elderly/millennials/next door neighbour/meat eaters etc etc etc.

We seem to have got to a stage where we're all afraid to say anything for fear of being accused of some kind of racist, phobic etc remark. For goodness sake we have to constantly walk on eggshells for fear of saying something that might get misconstrued. If a group of ANYONE, regardless of who it is leaves a place in a huge mess it isn't being racist to mention it. Nor is it tarring everyone with the same brush, it's just saying it as it is. People need to calm down.

I call bullshit on that being all he said in his post.

who needs courts of law when we have so many armchair
experts on what constitutes a criminal offence.

Make sure he has a screen shot and back up
If that’s truly all he said it’s not racist . It’s just a comment about anti social behaviour . They have not got a leg to stand on
He should do on the Gov website and read up abiut what does constitute racist language and write a case that his language didn’t cover it
But yeah he needs to do a deep friend cull and think long and hard about it

But for what’s its worth

If he said ‘look at the disgusting mess they left’ that’s ok

If he said ‘look at the mess those disgusting gyppos left ‘ he really hasn’t got a leg to stand on !!

We seem to have got to a stage where we're all afraid to say anything for fear of being accused of some kind of racist, phobic etc remark

I don’t agree . Racist and bigoted language really is not part of my vernacular . And I am old enough and ugly enough to know my audience too . I don’t feel like I am walking in egg shells . My main issue actually is being courageous to call people out when they say stuff that is inappropriate !

"Traveller" isn't a race, so your bf definitely shouldn't sign anything regarding racism, as he has not made racist comments. Perhaps bigoted comments, but not racist.

This post inspired to remove every single work colleague from being able to see my posts! It’s so easy to do

Not that I post racist stuff but I do like a sweaty rant once in a while

I work in HR and yes he can be fired for this, in the last year alone I have fired at least 14 people for racist or anti lgbt posts on social media.

People seem to think posting stuff against travelers or trans people will be OK because it can be more socially accepted to be transphobic or say bad things about travelers but believe me companies don't want the hassle of customers being offended or complaining about something a worker has posted so we get rid of them asap.

Also even if your facebook or twitter is private if you access it on our network we have access to it so can see what is being posted so make sure you always use mobile data and never connect your personal accounts on a work network or machine, ie a work phone or laptop.

stopfuckingshoutingatme - sorry but I am laughing at your sweaty rants!!

My phone makes that unwanted change too....

I suspect he commented on a shared or public post, which means he was not able to control who would see it. Does his profile say where he works by any chance, thus bringing the company into disrepute.

As a manager, Ive disciplined people for breaching our (very clear) social media policy using thier personal and private facebook account. Even so much as clicking "like" on post that breaches the policy can be a cause for action, let alone what you have written as comments and posts. This site is as social as my own media gets - its just not worth it.

NormaNameChange you should still be careful as if you post on this site through a work machine or even on your personal phone on the company network we can see your account and posts. With the rampant transphobia on mumsnet you should be careful as to what you post on here.

at JunHR

So you would fire people who post the stuff on the MN feminism boards about gender ID etc? (If you knew who they were)

How much person power is required to monitor all staff's social media presence in order to catch someone out saying something dubious? Who decides what is and what isn't "offensive"?

I, personally, nearly exploded with rage at some of the comments following the Manchester attack last year. People sympathising with the bomber and "his poor family" etc etc. To me those were deeply offensive and vile viewpoints. Far, far worse than complaining about a load of mess made by travellers.

Nothing racist about that, people just want to be always offended. It was factual, what is he supposed to say, that it looks attractive, when it looks a mess.

If IT come to me with a post from a forum with homophobia, racist or transphobic posts that a user posted and that they found due to them using the forum on our network or machines yes they would be let go.

IT tells me most of the filtering is automatic and and filters catch and flag anything that will then be looked into.

And yes most of the stuff posted about trans women on mumsnet is transphoic and would be a fireable offense.

This whole thread is a pretty pointless exercise if the OP hasn’t even seen the FB post in question! I think they do need to at least ask to read the damn thing and come to an informed decision as to whether it’s racist or not..