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.

Yeah its not illegal but a GP surgery can certainly request people not to talk in a certain way.

I’ve been places before buses, libraries, shops etc where people have been asked by staff to tone it down with the offensive language.

I'd have had fun with this. Their faces would be a picture when they connected my "proper" English name to my brown self.
Not sure there's any use reporting them. It's not like they'll be stopped from using the doctors or anything.

This is beginning to feel like the George Orwell 1984 world. Report, report, report - what difference do you think that would make. People ARE entitled to their opinions although they should have spoken more quietly.

You should definitely report it to gp practice. They'll be able to identify them from the time you were there/their description. There are protocols in place for this kind of behaviour. They might do something about it, they might not. It might at the very least put them on the radar for any further abusive behaviour and with any further strikes they'll be out. With any luck, at some point, they'll be removed from the list and have re-register somewhere much less convenient for them. Anybody defending their behaviour and describing it as 'childish' is quite clearly also a racist - it's laughable.

Are there any prefects at the surgery that you could report to?

Freely speaking your thoughts is still able to be a criminal offence.

Your reference to "thought police" isn't relevant as spoken words have an impact...and have become more than thought...in this case creating a hostile environment

Somehow I think they’d agree it should be challenged if Jewish surnames were involved.

A certain type of person can only “not determine anything racist has happened” when the likely targets are brown and Black people who may even be Muslim.

Yes, report.

No one should have to listen to that. What they do or say in their own homes is up to them, we don't have thought-police in this country - they are entitled to hold those views, but once people start expressing views in public that could reasonably cause offence and distress to others, they need to be stopped,

I am not sure challenging them would have served any good purpose - they would probably have been pleased at the opportunity to rant at you and it could have drawn more attention to the offensive comments they were making, meaning if they hadn't already been overheard by the subjects of them, they almost certainly would be, causing distress.

I think reporting to the receptionist would have been the best option - they would have had the option to talk to them in private - I am sure they must have a no-tolerance policy of racism or generally absuve behaviour, my GP surgery has signage to that effect.

It may not be too late to report them - even if they can't be identified, it will put the reception staff on alert.

Yes it absolutely is illegal to say racist things

The only effective action would have been to call them out at the time.

Well she was clearly insecure in the first place if she was so angry about what they said but waited till she got home before posting about it rather than tackling them at the time.

Surprise, Surprise the OP hasn't come back to the thread.

GP surgeries have signs up saying abuse won’t be tolerated. This might not have been directed at OP or the staff but it’s still grossly offensive and should have been reported at the time so someone could have told them to shut the fuck up or get out.

Some of the comments here show how lackadaisical people have become towards public displays of racism, some Nigel fans amongst us I fear.

BMA guidance ...is warning letter then remove from list

Something I see on here a lot. I would rather be someone who dislikes all types of racism, rather than choosing just to ‘focus’ on one, but we are all different I guess.

But that is exactly it - if you want to make a stand then you have to at the time. Posting about it after is pointless - basically the OP is saying ‘I heard some people say some offensive things in public but I was so wound up that I said nothing to them but came onto the internet to muse about whether I can do something about it now as they won’t know who reported them’

I would have said something to them at the time, along the lines of "I am finding your comments about people's names unpleasant and unecessary".

I hate that sort of thing too but not sure to whom you could report them. I'd have given them a dirty look and maybe said we don't need a running commentary.

Sorry, I don't recognise that word.

People are entitled to voice racist comments? really?

People should challenge at the time though - going home then claiming she wants to report them is pure virtue signalling.

They sound annoying . There are annoying people everywhere unfortunately. There is no means of reporting everyone who is nasty or hateful or racist and that’s life . I would just feel a bit sorry for them that they are making pathetic idiots of themselves in public .

I'm being factitious....

Where is OP anyway