would this freak you out too?

I work at a call center and its high turnover so there is always new training classes. Well the one guy in the training class was wearing a trench coat and reading the Anarchists cookbook right out in the open. For those of you who dont know what that is, its a book that teaches you how to make all these types of crazy home made bombs. The book is not illegal but anyone who buys it is automatically flagged by the gov't. Im sorry but with all these nut cases shooting up schools and work places i dont want to have to worry about going to work and getting blown up or worse yet have him bring in a machine gun and shooting the place up.

So, i made a complaint to my supervisor about him and how it made me really uncomfortable. He told me another girl had already made a complaint that he had been staring and staring at her non stop. He seemed pretty disturbed as well when i told him. He told me hes going to get rid of him right away.

!st off everyone knows about that book, and what person would have the nerve to bring that book to your place of employment and read it out in the open like its totally normal. That oughtta tell you right away somethings wrong upstairs.

I think I'd be abit freaked out too.. expecially since he had the gall to bring the book to work and read it there!

I used to have that book. It also has a chapter on making illegal drugs and my chemistry major friends in college borrowed it a lot. My brother gave it to me so I had it because it was a novelty but never attempted to make anything from it!

The guy at your work sounds creepy, but if he's wearing a trenchcoat and reading it at work for everyone to see, he's most likely all bark and no bite; he's trying to appear "dangerous." Someone who was really going to use it to make explosives or whatever would keep the book under wraps...

I'm pretty weird because I automatically befriend the scariest people. Once I'm "friends" with them, they won't hurt me. I know how to handle insane people after dealing with my psychopath mother for years and years, but I don't recommend this method to others.

oh yeah i totally know lots of people read it for fun. My BF read it when he was younger and him and his friend used to mess around with some of the small stuff, we live in the woods so far away from anyone getting hurt. I dont think trying to look like a threat at work is the best thing to do. Maybe i am being a little paranoid but i had guns held to my head before and its kinda scarey.
I dont think management is going to like it when they find out.

I know people that probably would own or read a book like that.. but all of them are still at least somewhat sane enough to know not to bring it to work!

I read that book years ago because there was such a hoopla about it. That book is so old that I can't believe it's on the governments hit list.

I don't think it's appropriate to take to work. I don't think he would have freaked me out. He would have just drawn serious attention to himself.

He does sound odd. And now a days you never now about people.Its best that hes out of your work place.

Most people I've ever known were interested in the book for drug purposes, not bombs. Perhaps he just wants to make his own. Either way, he shouldn't have it at work.

Also, it really bothers me that a "trenchcoat" is now something bad I have one, my son wears one, I know a lot of people who have them. Just because someone is wearing a long coat doesn't make them a criminal or a freak. I hate that stereotype.

It's not that people who wear trench coats are bad, it's just that I believe he was trying to appear mysterious and dangerous. He was using the stereotype, imo, probably with dark glasses, too. I have a trench coat but it's green so that means I'm a good person.

Did you guys know that the satanic bible is one of the most commonly stolen book in our bookstore? Teens and such think it's cool to read shockworthy stuff because it makes them look "edgy" and "cool"

I would be totally freaked out as well and you had every right to report this but it might of been some guy trying to seem cool and "Unapproachable" to the world

a green trenchcoat is good.. my brother has a black leather trenchcoat.. so what's that mean? LOL


Maybe its not so much of owning a trenchcoat.. but it sounded like he was wearing it inside at work?

It's an odd choice for a book, but I certainly wouldn't be offended or afraid because he was reading it. Some people read things out of pure interest, I'm one of them. Granted I've never read that particular book, but I've read others that would appear equally strange to see being read out in the open in public. For example, all of Nancy Friday's novels, the biography of Prince Vlad Dracula otherwise known as "Vlad the Impaler." The later doesn't mean that I'm reading up on learning how to impale people on trees.

He's just showing off. Immature - yes, but does he needed to be kicked out of those classes because other people are seeing things that aren't there? - no. That sort of intolerance is bad...

Way back in high school I had most of the preppy crowd spooked of me. I have no idea how I did it other than not conforming to the social norms that would have made them feel comfortable - ie, I kept to myself, read a lot, and made good grades instead of goofing off at school and partying.

Originally Posted by Mer636

Did you guys know that the satanic bible is one of the most commonly stolen book in our bookstore? Teens and such think it's cool to read shockworthy stuff because it makes them look "edgy" and "cool"

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I don't suppose any of them ever get any Crowley or Rand and actually learn where LeVay "borrowed" everything from, do they?

It would freak me out. In class I used to sit behind this guy who used to research making bombs on the internet. It used to freak me out big time because he was "new" to NZ but he's a lovely guy now so *shrugs*.

im not stereo typing him because of a trenchcoat but he should not be reading it in work, i know people read it for the hell of it and there is nothing wrong with that. He brought it to work on his 1st day of work, wow what a great impression. Other people might not mind someone like that working next to them but alot of other people in my dept are spooked out as well. If he was just wearing a trenchcoat i wouldnt have thought anything about him. Him bringing that book to work is what freaked me out, and its not stereo typing or discrimination to fire him when he is making people feel unsafe. Bottom line, i want him gone, and they oughtta tell him exactly why they are getting rid of him and if hes such a nice guy then he wont be stupid enough to do that at his next job.

Originally Posted by cats4sky

Bottom line, i want him gone

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I don't have much else that I can say than, wow. Harsh, very harsh, and disappointing.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

He's just showing off. Immature - yes, but does he needed to be kicked out of those classes because other people are seeing things that aren't there? - no. That sort of intolerance is bad...

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

I don't have much else that I can say than, wow. Harsh, very harsh, and disappointing.

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I COMPLETELY agree.

Originally Posted by cats4sky

im not stereo typing him because of a trenchcoat but he should not be reading it in work, i know people read it for the hell of it and there is nothing wrong with that. He brought it to work on his 1st day of work, wow what a great impression. Other people might not mind someone like that working next to them but alot of other people in my dept are spooked out as well. If he was just wearing a trenchcoat i wouldnt have thought anything about him. Him bringing that book to work is what freaked me out, and its not stereo typing or discrimination to fire him when he is making people feel unsafe. Bottom line, i want him gone, and they oughtta tell him exactly why they are getting rid of him and if hes such a nice guy then he wont be stupid enough to do that at his next job.

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Obviously you are stereotyping and are prejudice b/c he is wearing a trench coat, otherwise you would not have mentioned it. *sigh* I feel bad for that guy. Fired from a job b/c people look at his appearance and his reading material (and I agree, he was probably either just curious or reading it b/c of drugs, not b/c of bombs) and assume the worst. Most serial killers look like completely normal people...would you like it if you were fired from jobs b/c you dressed "normal" and were told you freaked people out?? He has a right to a job just like every one else...just like you. I'm shocked that our world has become a "guilty until proven innocent" or "judge before action" society. I understand that there are people like that out there, but not EVERYONE is like that just b/c of the way they dress.

I agree with strange_wings, though. Wow...just wow.

Yeah, the world has become quite intolerant after 9/11... Anyone different at all is profiled. The book is still for sale, it is not illegal, and anyone can buy it - so... if it is out there, clearly is to be read?
If he was a using the book to do harm, I can guarantee you that he was not going to bring that book to work. He was naive to think this would not give a reason to be profiled. And the trench coat... It is winter, what is wrong in wearing one? Ah... because of Columbine? I can also guarantee you that more murders were done by people wearing jeans than anything else - so what, we are going to profile jeans as well?
This is sad... and good luck firing him because of this - it is called DISCRIMINATION, and against the law. He did not break the law, but by firing him your company will be the one doing so.

Not that ive noticed anyway althought I must say we had to move out new age area up to where our cash desk is because everyone was either stealing the satanic bible or tarot card packs

Originally Posted by SwampWitch

...The guy at your work sounds creepy, but if he's wearing a trenchcoat and reading it at work for everyone to see, he's most likely all bark and no bite; he's trying to appear "dangerous." Someone who was really going to use it to make explosives or whatever would keep the book under wraps...

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That makes sense to me, too... although it wouldn't make me much more comfortable around him. I must admit, though, I would love to read the book, just out of curiosity!