How do you handle a coworker from a foreign country who talks poorly about

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your society/culture? There's some truth in what the guy says but still, I'd rather not hear it sometimes. He has said these things on at least 5 different occasions in the past year. If the guy has such big problems with my society/culture, then I wonder why he continues to live here.

He says things like:

Americans are fat
American colleges/universities are a joke
Americans have no sense of humor

I don't really react to him anymore when he says stuff like this. I just let him speak, make him feel like I'm listening to him. And eventually the conversation ends...

What would you do?
 
Well, there are a few different ways to handle this.

Here's probably the most professional and "correct" way to do it. Go to HR and make a formal complaint. You can do it anonymously so he doesn't have to know it was you. They'll have a talk with him and that should be the end of it. His behavior is no different than you making comments about his society. How would that go over? "I'm so sick of how all of these indians come over here and take over our gas stations. *thick accent* Would you like a squishee with that?" Or how about? "Those lazy f*ing mexicans can't do anything right."

Hmmm, sounds a lot different when the shoe's on the other foot doesn't it? I'm only pointing this out to show you going to HR is the reasonable answer. You're not taking it too far.

If you want to handle it on a personal basis, I'd confront him about it in a professional manner. Tell him it's offensive and ask him to stop. You could start a dialog about it. Ask him how bad things were where he came from that he's willing to put up with all of our atrocities to live here.

Or finally, if you want to be passive. Don't talk to him anymore except on a professional basis. Don't go out to lunch with him, move your desk away from where he sits. He'll get the point that you don't like him but he won't know why, I think that's missing the point.
 
He needs to realize that although some of those "facts" may be true to an extent, it in no way describes every single person that is a part of our culture and society. Whenever people make general comments like that it is offensive and essentially prejudice. I would tell him to have a little more tact with the things he says, especially in a work environment. Someone with not as much patience as you could become more than offended and end up going to his superior.
 
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