AIBU to report racist comments made by a couple the GP waiting room?

[rhomb]

At the GP practice this morning. The practice has screens around the waiting areas which come up with name of patient, medical staff and room number when called up.

I was sitting behind a couple who did a running commentary between them. They used racist terms on the foreign sounding names. Then when a name came up such as John Pearson “ooh a proper name”.

I moved seats as I got fed up with the racism. They decided to move (unsure why) next to me. Then carried on. I was in two minds whether to report them. The couple would know it was me that reported them.

I am sick of racist people.

Report them to who?

So what did they actually say?

Report to who though? I mean it's shitty but what do you want someone to do?

Why didn't you say something to them?

Ha ha. report them! Hilarious.

Why didn't you say something at the time to them. What do you expect someone else to do about it after its happened with zero proof

Report them to whom, for what offence? Making fun of non-British names is childish and rude, but it’s not a criminal offence. Do you want the GP to throw them off the surgery list? Would you like to see them being denied NHS treatment?

Stop clutching your pearls and get a grip.

Because the main purpose of the OP's post is to virtue signal about how much she hates racism.
I'm suprised the couple were not described as 'elderly'. It goes with the territory.

You could.

But to who??

And what would you expect the outcome to be?

It's not like school where a teacher will tell them off.

If you were offended it was probably up.to.you to say something at the time. Not delegate it to the staff.

Report them for what to who?

I'm not sure who you could report them to. It probably would have been more effective to challenge them at the time.

Just mind your own business and stop being the morality police. Who on earth would you report them to?!

Hopefully a GP or receptionist will be able to comment properly but for what it’s worth a family member works in a similar environment and they’ve told me in the past that they’ve had to go out to the waiting room and speak with people about how their behaviour is unacceptable. So a complaint, in the moment, to the receptionist might have got you somewhere.

You hate Racism sooo much but didn't have the gumption to call them out to their faces?

🙄

Have you never hear the saying: “if siting at a table are 3 people, 2 are being racists and the third one says nothing, then there are 3 racists sat at the table.”
if you didn’t confront them on their racism there and then, you weren’t bothered enough…

The GP surgery isn’t going to get involved after the event.

You should have said something at the time “do you mind stopping that please, I find it offensive and unkind and don’t want to hear it”.

Then if they didn’t stop, that’s when you tell reception and ask for them to be removed.

👆
Virtue signalling on MN or by "reporting them" is pointless, it's hearsay now. You should have said something there and then.

I presume to the GP surgery who could remove them as patients. They do sound like racist arseholes. Objecting to racism and racist insults directed at staff and patients isn't 'being the morality police'. It creates an intimidating environment for non-white patients which is unacceptable.

You’d need to have challenged them at the time. Presumably you mean report them to the GP practice, but they can’t take action based on one person’s claims.

Was there a teacher about?

Well this. If you have these principles stand up for them by speaking up at the time.

I once stood up to a man on a bus when I was 17 (and looked younger). Him and his mate spent the whole journey shouting abuse at me and throwing cigarette butts in my hair. When I got off an adult couple got off and the woman looked concerned and asked me if I was alright. It really pissed me off. She was trying to make herself feel like a good person by being ' concerned' but actually she had done nothing to stand beside me when I needed it when I was being abused.

So sorry OP, really cynical about your motives here. You did nothing when it would have mattered.

Edited as re-read and realised that they were talking about individuals, but that just increases your culpability for not speaking up OP!

Sounds fair to me. Consider it the arsehole tax. Chances are the doctor would be someone without a "proper name".