What to do when co workers words become genocidal?

[Anonymous]

Co worker has always been right wing, pro guns, lots of guns, any republican is a good person and so on.
The other day, he blurted out comments about "killing them all" at work. Will not say who the them are. He repeatedly said that they all need to be killed.
I work in healthcare and this of course is not the place for anyone to even think like that, so I might be more sensitive. But these comments are disturbing, but worse, he thinks it should be business as usual. Still my friend on Facebook.
DH says that some people just don't get how ridiculous they sound. DH says ignore him. Co worker will never be in a position to influence anyone or act on his words, but this is just too much for me.
I just can't understand how we got to this in America.

[Anonymous]

I would report this anonymously to HR. He sounds like he is mentally unstable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Co worker has always been right wing, pro guns, lots of guns, any republican is a good person and so on.
The other day, he blurted out comments about "killing them all" at work. Will not say who the them are. He repeatedly said that they all need to be killed.
I work in healthcare and this of course is not the place for anyone to even think like that, so I might be more sensitive. But these comments are disturbing, but worse, he thinks it should be business as usual. Still my friend on Facebook.
DH says that some people just don't get how ridiculous they sound. DH says ignore him. Co worker will never be in a position to influence anyone or act on his words, but this is just too much for me.
I just can't understand how we got to this in America.

I'm sure that's what people thought about the Charleston church shooter too. I think it would be worth reporting to a supervisor. At the very least, he is creating a "hostile work environment," at worst he actually means it and needs someone to intervene NOW.

[Anonymous]

He sounds like the opposite of a loony liberal. WALK AWAY. You don't have to listen unless you want to.

[Anonymous]

Hostile work environment, absolutely. I'd report to HR.

[Anonymous]

Goad him. Leave gun control and pro-choice paraphernalia in his work space. Maybe a COEXIST bumper sticker on his wall.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like the type of person who just needs the straw to break the camel's back to bring in a gun and rampage his place of work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like the type of person who just needs the straw to break the camel's back to bring in a gun and rampage his place of work.

This. Report to HR.

[Anonymous]

Seriously? You should have gone to HR the second those words were out of his mouth. What are you waiting for?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would report this anonymously to HR. He sounds like he is mentally unstable.

+1. I had a CW exactly like this at an old job. He was a veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan so that made it an even sadder situation but something needed to be done especially as I knew for a fact that he was a gun owner.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Unfortunately this kind of talk is common where I work. But not quite put this way. It is a semi rural town, outside of DC and everyone here thinks they need tons of guns. They all want to hang criminals and talk like a lynch mob about anyone they hate.
This one struck me as down right inappropriate because it was I front of a "client" who agreed!
HR is not really a good option since they will have to speak with him and my name will come up.
I know this seems odd, but maybe I need to get used to it since I, as a moderate libertarian type, would be considered out of place here. I can't win

[Anonymous]

Send an anonymous note then, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Unfortunately this kind of talk is common where I work. But not quite put this way. It is a semi rural town, outside of DC and everyone here thinks they need tons of guns. They all want to hang criminals and talk like a lynch mob about anyone they hate.
This one struck me as down right inappropriate because it was I front of a "client" who agreed!
HR is not really a good option since they will have to speak with him and my name will come up.
I know this seems odd, but maybe I need to get used to it since I, as a moderate libertarian type, would be considered out of place here. I can't win

So, sounds like you need a new job. If you're not willing to go to HR, and so far you haven't called him out in person, it seems that's the only option left, other than ignoring him and being miserable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Unfortunately this kind of talk is common where I work. But not quite put this way. It is a semi rural town, outside of DC and everyone here thinks they need tons of guns. They all want to hang criminals and talk like a lynch mob about anyone they hate.
This one struck me as down right inappropriate because it was I front of a "client" who agreed!
HR is not really a good option since they will have to speak with him and my name will come up.
I know this seems odd, but maybe I need to get used to it since I, as a moderate libertarian type, would be considered out of place here. I can't win

So, sounds like you need a new job. If you're not willing to go to HR, and so far you haven't called him out in person, it seems that's the only option left, other than ignoring him and being miserable.

I agree. Start the job search if the majority of your co-workers and clients feel this way. You'll just be miserable trying to fight an unwinnable fight. Grin and bear it until you find something better.

[Anonymous]

This stinks of a troll thread.