First off, except for one other person, the entire agency is white. If somebody wants to be a racist fuck, there are lots of people here that they can be racist fucks to without offending anybody.

I get offended when people are racist.

So, if they're white, they don't get offended?

Even aside from that, I know what you mean, but that idiot's going to offend whoever he's dealing with.

Two, this agency, like all mental health agencies in Washington state, severely overworks their workers.

Not just Washinton. And its not just managed care... its been like that forever. Its not just the managed care bugaboo.

I used to work for the S.C. Continuum of Care for Emotionally Disturbed Children - and everybody there was slammed utterly, dealing with the overload. (In this specific case, because they were more efficient than Department of Juvenile Justice, or Department of Social Services... so they expanded CoC, until the other two got enough political pull to rip it back apart, but I digress). Nothing to do with managed care.

Not that that excuses the problems with managed care. But the same overload exists elsewhere.

The last thing she needs is some bullshit fuckhead telling her that a) she's not asian, and b) he hates all asians, and that they should all "go home"

As much as I sympathise... that's why I had to dissent.

Its part of the job. Sorry for not being sensitive about it. There are certain things that have to be endured with some jobs. Teachers, social workers, cops, are usually shafted heavily, and aren't compensated for what they have to put up with.

But that doesn't change what they do have to put up with.

Thanks to this bullshit, my wife is seriously considering a career change. The plan was for me to finish college, and then for her to be a stay-at-home mom, but at the rate she is going she can't last the 1 year left before I finish college, and it is killing her. While I understand your sentiment, if you think things are bad in the computer industry, it's worse in her field.

Did I say things were bad here? Worse here? No.

I think you're getting carried away with the sentiment. And that's what I was trying to tell you - you've got to get able to handle it, too.

Or it will tear you up, too.

And yes, if its killing her, she needs to get out. Or she's got to learn to deal with it, one of the two.

Look at what you just said - that's nuts. Already its nuts. This might be the last straw.

But if its not this idiot, it'll be the idiot next week.

And *somebody* has to deal with them.... it is part of the job.

And if she can't deal with it, she should get out. I think we all agree on that.

I'm not telling you its not bad, or she should be able to deal with it. I've seen it bad, myself. I've known many social workers, and how they deal with it - I don't know.

But it boils down to being able to deal with it. many people can't.

It burns out lots of good people.

If you and she can't deal with it, get out, and get into something (more) healthy.

And good luck. :)

Addison