Man Fired For Calling Watermelon Obama Fruit

The comment Darwin Holly made was in bad taste AND at a work function. The employer was fully within their rights to terminate his employment.

What he said is no less bigoted than if Obama had grabbed a KKK hood and said he was retrieving Darwin Holly's bed linens.

[edit on 22-7-2010 by Aggie Man]

White people make up over 50% of the population, and have historically had the better jobs, more money, and more power. That is why it is not OK for white people to make demeaning jokes about other races.

Maybe, just maybe, if we had all been fair and equal from the start, the jokes wouldnt matter so much. But as it is, you are paying for the sins of your fathers. Fortunately for you, you are also living relatively high on the hog based on the actions of your fathers. Im not saying "you" persoanlly, but 95%+ of whites in America.

This country was formed by wealthy white landowners who stole the land from and subjugated many tribes, then used the free labor of black people to build it into an industrial powerhouse. That is why its not cool for white people to talk # about other races like they are subhumans, because in most cases, the whites put them there in the first place.

Originally posted by CREAM
Oh my, how DARE he vaguely imply black people like water melon?!?! Of course they dont like water melon!

Seriously though, the guy who made the "obama-fruit" comment is not a racist. The only people perpetuating racism here are the ones who cant laugh at race jokes imo, races jokes make you laugh at racism itself, rarely they are meant in a mean-hearted derogatory fashion. The funniest "black jokes" Ive heard have been from black people themselves. Its a shame this guy had to go to court over this, its also a shame thousands of our tax dollars was spent on court costs, all because some guy called water melon "obama fruit". I am gonna start calling watermelon "obama fruit" for now on too, its catchy.

I guess I am missing what is so funny about what was said. You admit it was race based, so all we are missing is the funny part.

Please, make me howl.

Originally posted by aching_knuckles

Originally posted by CREAM

Is Dave Chapelle being "hurtful" when he makes white people jokes? Of course not, just like when white people make black people jokes in good spirit. We(not "we" as in white people, as in me and dave chapelle) can do that because we have gotten past racism.

Tell you, you head down to Harlem, and start screaming crap about Obama fruit, and when a mob approaches you, say "Hey, its cool dude! Me and Dave Chappelle are past racism, so your feelings shouldnt be hurt!"

The rationaliztions I see for racism get dumber every day.

Ohh, sure, because the big bad black people in harlem will beat me up, right? Thats what black people do, right? See, stereotypes like THAT one is racist and derogatory towards black people!!! Just saying they all like water melon is harmless!

By the way, I dont hang out in harlem, but lets say I do hang out on the block with black people you would probably stereotype as "gangster"(based on your harlem comment) - and guess what? They would not be offended if I call my water melon "obama-fruit" - they would probably laugh, because they are my friends, and they know I am not racist, we all joke each other because we know no one means it in a derogatory way. edit - and its not just white people jokin black people here, my black friends joked us white people and I dont get offended, we joke our jewish friends, our asian friends, italians, greeks etc etc and we all joke each other, and none of us are racist, we dont treat each other any differently, at all, period.



[edit on 22-7-2010 by CREAM]

Originally posted by CREAM
Ohh, sure, because the big bad black people in harlem will beat me up, right? Thats what black people do, right? See, stereotypes like THAT one is racist and derogatory towards black people!!! Just saying they all like water melon is harmless!

This is not a stereotype about "big bad black people". Go to any reservation and talk # about casinos and wampum, or go into an italian neighborhood and start talking about pizza and the mob.

Just because you can joke with some friends does not mean that racism is right. Try it with some people you dont know, not with the people that you do.

Again, quit trying to rationalize your ugly behavior.

[edit on 22-7-2010 by aching_knuckles]

Originally posted by CREAM

They would not be offended if I call my water melon "obama-fruit" - they would probably laugh, because they are my friends, and they know I am not racist, we all joke each other because we know no means it in a derogatory way.

But that is you, hanging out with your friends, which is entirely different than a working / business environment.

That this knucklehead guy made the comment at a company picinic, still made it out of place. Perhaps the company had invited guests that could make or break the business? Members of the local chamber of commerce, contractors?

There is a time and a place for everything, and being a jerk on company time, or at a company function is not one of them.

He did violate policy, so the firing is understandable.

With that said . . .

I am tired of the politically correct crap.

People's skin needs to be thicker.

I do not get upset when Chapelle, Chris Rock, George Lopez, or anyone else makes fun of white people. Most people don't.

But God forbid a white person make fun of another race.

Idiocy at its finest.

The problem I see about this is why did it take a week before this company did anything. If that was so racist to the point he should be fired I would thin it could have been done within a couple days after the incident. Also does this man have a history of making racist remarks in the past. There is something else that bugs me and I do not see if it says he was white or black or any other color. If this was a white man he said something about a black man and it sounded racist, but if he was a black man he would not have been in that much trouble and for those who do not believe me then just take a look around in the real world. The point I am getting at is that there are certain things that can be said by a blackman about another black man and it is not racist yet if a white man says the same thing it is racist. Ok now how many black americans have been punished for talking bad about a white american. Now it is just common sense to watch what you say and who you say it around, but I don't see many news articles about a blackman calling a white man a honky or any other racist remark towards whites being fired for it. There is bound to be some of you that think I am sounding racist with this example and you are far from the truth. The word racist is thrown around way to much nowadays and the branding of racism is stuck to people because of something they say. So before you start saying this man should have been fired because he was a racist are just going by what someone else says.. This man may have never said this type of remark before in the past yet he is being condemned for one remark. If he has a record of these kind of remarks then yes he should have been fired, but if this is just an isolated remark the firing was not the way to handle this. This goes both ways wether the man was white or black so don't think this is being said because of the mans skin color, because wether you are black or white we all bleed red on the inside unless you are from off this blue marble then I have no idea what you bleed. This is just my opinion on this.

gotta use that spell check more

[edit on 22-7-2010 by tsurfer2000h]

Originally posted by Blanca Rose

Originally posted by CREAM

They would not be offended if I call my water melon "obama-fruit" - they would probably laugh, because they are my friends, and they know I am not racist, we all joke each other because we know no means it in a derogatory way.

But that is you, hanging out with your friends, which is entirely different than a working / business environment.

That this knucklehead guy made the comment at a company picinic, still made it out of place. Perhaps the company had invited guests that could make or break the business? Members of the local chamber of commerce, contractors?

There is a time and a place for everything, and being a jerk on company time, or at a company function is not one of them.

This is true, but the guy slipped up, you dont take his job for something like that unless he was in front of clients, but it sounds like he was just in front of co-workers. I woudnt call it being a jerk either, he didnt do it on purpose to offend anyone obviously, to be a jerk you have to try to rub someone the wrong way which did not seem to be the case here.

[edit on 22-7-2010 by CREAM]

Originally posted by aching_knuckles
Fortunately for you, you are also living relatively high on the hog based on the actions of your fathers. Im not saying "you" persoanlly, but 95%+ of whites in America.

Dont return racism for racism.

The watermelon comment was racist. But its also racist to pretend that some huge proportion of white people are living high on the hog because of the racist past. There have always been poor whites living in conditions no better than those of ethnic minorities. The elite are color blind. They will exploit whomever they can, however they can. It just so happened that at that point in history, exploiting Africans worked well for them. They had been exploiting poor whites before, during, and after the exploitation of Africans, to the degree they were able.

AND, it made the poor whites feel like they could have someone less powerful then they, someone they could feel better than while they were living in their miserable little insignificant powerless lives. Classic kick the dog syndrome. 'Yes, I may be powerless, and looked down upon, and called trash, but Im not BLACK." Its pitiful, really, though not excusable.

There were two things going on, exploitation by the wealthy and powerful, (and those aspiring to it) and a feeble attempt not to be the bottom of the barrel by the rest. Its all racism, but its motivated very differently, and the latter class of people have never "benefited" other than psychologically from their racism.

The two groups, poor whites and blacks, should have been natural allies, but racism was (and is) a handy tool to keep them fighting each other while the powerful laugh their way to the bank. Its always been so. Whether two groups of poor whites are pitted against each other, or two groups of blacks, or two groups of different color.

reply to post by CREAM

This is true, but the guy slipped up, you dont take his job for something like that unless he was in front of clients, but it sounds like he was just in front of co-workers. I woudnt call it being a jerk either, he didnt do it on purpose to offend anyone obviously, to be a jerk you have to try to rub someone the wrong way which did not seem to be the case here.

It's really not up to you...you create your own company and then you can allow your workers to call watermelon "Obama-fruit"...maybe you can allow them to use other racist stereotypes as well...just don't cry when you get lawsuits against you.


If it was my company...I would fire him too. I don't need the hassel of it all and I would want to send a clear message to the rest of the employees that this is NOT acceptable.

The company did nothing wrong, they are well within their rights to say they don't want racists to represent their company. You can try to justify or excuse racism all you want...it just makes you look just as bad as a racist.

reply to post by CREAM


You are right. How many of us haven't said a remark that may be a little rough around the edges. There are times when you may say something that at the time it was funny and joking around with co workers, but when you get home or wherever and think about the comment and think that may not have been the best thing to say. At the time it was funny, because if you have a good sense of humor and a quick witted personality you toss up some funny one lners before you actually think about what you said. They call it a sense of humor. It looks like there may be something else to this story we do not know. If this is all that we have to go by then no this man should have been brought in and had a good talking to to let him know he was out of line with his comment but not fired.

Originally posted by aching_knuckles

This country was formed by wealthy white landowners who stole the land from and subjugated many tribes, then used the free labor of black people to build it into an industrial powerhouse. That is why its not cool for white people to talk # about other races like they are subhumans, because in most cases, the whites put them there in the first place.

here comes another guilt trip served with a side of idiocy. how about you go a little further back in history to the time when blacks had white slaves. i bet you won't be figuring that into your little equation will you?

or what about the 700,000 white indentured servants sent over from england to build the colonies?

i s'pose that won't fit into your world view either. and let me guess, you're white right? just another white person fed to the teeth with guilt. you've already derailed this topic enough begging for attention. give it a rest.

the watermelon comment was not racist, it was bigotry plain and simple. however at a workplace it does seem to cross the line. the blacks and mexicans will be jsut as racist/bigoted behind closed doors and hold grudges against whites. it's human nature. get off your high horse and quit slopping up all this white guilt. it's really really stupid.

reply to post by OutKast Searcher


Just a few questions for you. Have you ever said a joke or something derogatory toward any other human being ever in your life? Or have you been around someome like a friend that has and if you have did you laugh or did you tell him he was a racist and you could not be his friend anymore? One last thing do you laugh at certain jokes that comedians do or do you decide they were racist because of the jokes they say? If you answer that you have laughed at any joke that was remotely racist sounding then you my friend can be considered a racist.Believe it or not.

reply to post by CREAM


Missouri is an at will work state.

Missouri employment law

Once again, while a handbook is not required, most companies have them to make it plain what is acceptable behavior from employees. Companies have them to protect themselves from suits like this one.

A policy regarding sexual and other types of harassment in the workplace

He may have slipped up, but, in this economy, one has to be very careful if they want to keep a job. I'm sure there are plenty of other people who would love to have a job, who would be far more careful in choosing their words around co-workers. This man may have been an excellent employee, but, it he made a comment that might put the company in an embarassing light, oh well, it's called live and learn.

While he thought he was being funny, or cute, he wouldn't have a job at my company if other workers had complained about his comment to me, either!

reply to post by acrux


Ok thats understandable, I have heard the fried chicken thing alot I guess i just forgot it included watermelon.

reply to post by tsurfer2000h


I disagree. No one in America with a TV is unaware that to be openly racist (especially white on brown racist) is asking for trouble.

Therefore, this man had to know he was asking for trouble, he was apparently just banking on the people around him thinking like he did, so he could make remarks he knew were racist, and get away with it.

He gambled, he rolled the dice, and he lost. He may still be a racist after this, but now he will be less likely to make other people uncomfortable or feel threatened or humiliated in the workplace as a result of his racism in the next job. He will keep it to himself, family and friends. Or, hopefully, be fired again.

Some people dont learn on principle. They seem to need consequences that cause them pain to encourage them to change, their behavior if not their beliefs.

reply to post by acrux


Ok thats understandable, I have heard the fried chicken thing alot I guess i just forgot it included watermelon.

Ok thats understandable, I have hear the fried chicken thing a lot but I guess I forgot it included watermelon.

Originally posted by OutKast Searcher
reply to post by CREAM

 

This is true, but the guy slipped up, you dont take his job for something like that unless he was in front of clients, but it sounds like he was just in front of co-workers. I woudnt call it being a jerk either, he didnt do it on purpose to offend anyone obviously, to be a jerk you have to try to rub someone the wrong way which did not seem to be the case here.

It's really not up to you...you create your own company and then you can allow your workers to call watermelon "Obama-fruit"...maybe you can allow them to use other racist stereotypes as well...just don't cry when you get lawsuits against you.


If it was my company...I would fire him too. I don't need the hassel of it all and I would want to send a clear message to the rest of the employees that this is NOT acceptable.

The company did nothing wrong, they are well within their rights to say they don't want racists to represent their company. You can try to justify or excuse racism all you want...it just makes you look just as bad as a racist.

Well it did turn out he wasnt talking about race and was calling obama a melon head, thats why he got his job back. But regardless of that, I can understand your point about the company legally being put in a position where it would be better for them to let the guy go just because the comment sounded bad, point taken. But it think its pretty obvious the guy in the story was not a racist, the melon-head comment makes more sense then him saying a race comment in front of his co-workers. The only way you'd be able to know if he was a racist is if you knew him and you knew how he meant by his comment. Since none of us here know him, it just really (Im being serious) disturbs me that people will be so quick to call him a racist.

[edit on 22-7-2010 by CREAM]