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Omar Thornton, a 34 year old African-American driver at Hartford Distributors, Inc. in Manchester, Connecticut, killed nine people this morning after being disciplined by his employer. M. Jodi Rell, Governor of Connecticut, is quoted as saying:
“’How could someone do this? Why did they do this? It was a senseless act of violence that has left us all shaken and reminds us just how precious and fragile life truly is.’”
These questions demand an answer. When unemployment has reached a historic apex and the job market is showing marginal growth, who would seriously consider terminating an employee on an assumption that s/he stole something? Being unemployed in America is a very serious issue. Recently, the New York State Legislature passed an Anti-bullying in the workplace bill that would prohibit employers from misusing their authority over subordinates. In fact, Mr. Thornton would have had an alternative option to exhaust his grievances and the nine individuals who needlessly lost their lives would be here today if the State of Connecticut had enacted an Anti-bullying law.
Reports are circulating that Mr. Thornton complained of racism and his employers did nothing to investigate his several complaints. Workplace bullying has a devastating psychological impact on those being oppressed. Unfortunately, today’s on-the-job shooting sheds light on one of the many dangers that workplace bullying can cause and how it could potentially affect innocent employees. David A. Paterson, Governor of New York, should sign the Anti-bullying in the workplace bill into law immediately to stop what seems to be a growing trend of violence emanating from the workplace. America does not want to create jobs by hoping that someone takes the life of fellow employees.
There are a number of employees who allege that Mr. Thornton had stolen beer and the incident was videotaped. However, we have yet to see the images produced in that videotape. John Hollis and Christopher Roos, both teamster officials, said Mr. Thornton was a disciplinary problem. Yet, according to Gregg Adler, an attorney for Teamsters Local 1035, Mr. Thornton had no previous disciplinary issues and the amount of beer he was accused of stealing remains unknown. There is more to this story. This entire event is really awful and our hearts go out to the families of the injured and deceased. Governors Rell and Paterson should seriously consider signing a bill into law that prohibits bullying in the workplace. Unlike Governor Rell, Governor Paterson has a bi-partisan Anti-bullying bill on this desk. The New York State Senate and Assembly has done their part.
So, how can someone do this? It’s public knowledge that workplace bullying creates angry employees. Why did they do this? There are no laws prohibiting workplace bullying and no internal audits of control to assure that employees are being treated fairly in the workplace. As a result, superiors with authority are not impugned for their abusive behavior. We need something in place to hold our superiors accountable for their abuse.
Comments
I could just imagine how they tortured this poor man, to make him snap like that. Good people pushed to the brink, can just go out and buy guns and kill people, its that simple. Just like the Columbine shootings, all FUELED by BULLIES, well they won't be bullying anyone anymore :( a LESSON to anyone bullying people, your not superman and can't stop bullets as they BLAST through your flesh, spilling your LIFE all over the floor.
I do not believe in what this man did, but I UNDERSTAND why. All through history things that have been oppressed FIGHT BACK eventually.
nice spin, since he's black it's ok that he shot those people. you should be ashamed of yourself but I don't think you have the capacity.
Blame it on our politicians that are encouraging folks to "lock and load", and/or to seek a 2nd amendment solution to their problems.
Give Omar Thornton the Tea Party Medal of Honor!!!!
Way to go dude!!!
Some of you morons ignore the fact that the mad killer Omar Thornton boasted to his mother of having killed 5 racists. As if that makes it okay. Guess what? He killed 3 other people too! Presumably, if Thornton is to be believed, these other 3 he murdered were not racists. Still think it's okay to go on a murder spree because you're angry at being treated poorly? Those of you who give justification to this maniac's rampage are truly sick and misguided.
What is wrong with you people. He was fired for stealing, caught red handed on video. He never once complained to the Union or his employer that he was being bullied or had a race issue. The ONLY person claiming he was a victim of racisim is his girlfriend who is changing her story by the minute. Ohhh the tortured poor man.. Makes me sick. Dad said he never drank.. wonder who the beer was for that he was stealing. Get caught stealing? Claim racism, Gonna lose your job? claim racism.
i believe the complaints of racism were made to offset or justify his stealing. i do not feel they are actual racism incidents
There is no excuse for premeditated murder. I don't care if he was bullied, was treated badly at work, or endured racial slurs. I've gone through all of this and I didn't grab my 9mm and shoot anybody down in cold blood. Besides, since he had to get his "drink on" and stole beer--that's why he was fired.
Well I guess its time to make his maker and, p.s. there's no beer in hell, Omar!!
The logical person in me says: This is just terrible. Obama has been talking about this FOREVER, but do people listen? (shakes head.) The ignorant person in me says: YES!!! OMAR Thank you for killing racist people!!
I don't think if any guy who steals and get fired would do such an act...common think about it..when you know you are guilty..deep down in your heart...you aren't that angry. However, if you have been wronged for a period of time..the emotions builds up in the heart and one day it explodes.
It does not matter, he might have stolen and got racial rants...the point is ...he does not see a way out...its the society that should take the blame..100s of people steal everyday, 100s of people get fired, and 100s of people around the world face racism in work place..but it seems only in America people cant take it...Americans are good people...but the society isn't structured for a second chance
I can not believe what I am reading. Anyone that upholds this kind of action has little or no feelings for the poor people that were killed. You need to take a long look at yourselfs and get a real life. He was just a mad killer and the gov. can say what he wants about this bullsh_t. Stealing is stealing and he should have been fired!
If you are caught and guilty and you can throw the race card, do it. Playing the race card changes your guilty status to victim status immediately. No questions and the good thing is, you have an unlimited amount of cards.
Torn: get some help!
Apparently work place bullying causes you to steal beer too.
In America, “why” is never allowed to enter our minds. We are programmed to foam at the mouth & call people names. This makes us feel good & we're very good at that. Given the right situation, many among us would break. Even fewer who would take others as they go down. Taunting & bullying is a national obsession – a national sport. Most victims quietly go away, but a few will calmly go to work/school and put a lead ball or two in the heads of the bullies and their accomplices. Its bad enough to deliberately press buttons. It is even more stupid to press the buttons of those on the edge. America is very good at that. Has anyone even began to notice that in virtually every case where a nice guy went postal, there is ALWAYS bullying involved. When there are dead bodies lying all over the place, its too late to scratch your pathetically empty heads & stupidly blab, "Jeez, I can't understand why he had to go that far bleh bleh bleh bleh ..." That will surely resurrect the dead.
I have been a victim of workplace bullying and the threads run deep and are very intricate -- because bad behavior by a superior is something that is difficult to prove. Especially, if co-workers are afraid to speak up for fear of losing their jobs. It's a hard puzzle to figure out in the aftermath. But the trauma is definitely felt by all involved - especially the victim, which can sometimes create 'new additional victims' -- such as the 9. I don't know what happened with Omar. What he did was wrong, indisputably. I have deep compassion for the victims and their family. However, all people who choose to make a flat out judgment and say he was fired because he stole -- let's see all the evidence 1st before coming to a conclusion. Workplace bullying is subtle in its attributes, but fierce in the devastating results it can sometimes bring if uncorrected. So sad for all.
Hey Torn, He went there with a mission. If he got to keep his job people will live. If he gets fired, people will die. Funny that he just happened to pack a gun along with his sandwich. He is a thief and a killer. The whole race thing is being made up by his girlfriend. He never mentioned anything to his bosses because it never happened. If it did happen you could bet your butt he would have been in there with Rev Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson faster than lightning. As far as people crying about guns killing people, if the other employees were carrying guns there would have been only two deaths. The first guy Omar shot and Omar himself by 20 other workers.
You can argue that racial bullying justifies killing eight people, but you can argue that for fear of being labeled 'racist' people are reluctant to accuse blacks of any wrongdoing. Please, pull up your pants and stop blaming 'the man' for everything screwed up thing that happens to you.
What utter BS. The man murdered nine innocent people and you write a politically correct, bleeding heart idiotic column about bullying. HELLO!! Nine people murdered. But its OK, right? He alleges racial comments were made. I guess if you allege racism before you murder nine people, its OK in Obama's America.
Where is the video of him being "Bullied"? No video, no proof. No video of him stealing, no proof right? Oh wait, he CHOSE TO RESIGN. Why resign if you're not guilty? He CHOSE TO MURDER. He CHOSE TO COMMIT SUICIDE.
Of course you didn't see a video of this happening so it must not be true. The absolute facts are: He worked at the business, got promoted to truck driver, was accused of stealing product from off of the truck, was offered resignation and took it, decided to take a gun to work and kill innocent victims then in a cowardly manner took his own life instead of facing the consequences of his evil actions.
But again it's all make believe until the author sees a video of it happening. No real reporting or well written article to see here folks. Carry on.
I forgot to add that there doesn't need to be anti-workplace bullying laws. Thats ridiculous. Companies have Human Resource, Unions, Legal Teams, etc that you can turn to. In this day and age you have so many resources it's inexcusable for someone to not use them.
This isn't the industrial revolution, we are not slaves, no one is paying their life's wages to the company store. Please stop putting a spin or giving a reason for some social degredant murdering US citizens. Labeling the innocent victims as racist without any hard evidence is a crime against the victims and their loved ones.
I heard that Omar was a member of the Black Panthers and an Anti-Christian Muslim. He was an evil Racist Negro Islamic Terrorist who had been overheard saying "I will kill those cracker Jesus lovers. - There's some baseless rumors for those who like to print them.
Edward, You glossed over several important facts.
1. He was caught red-handed stealing. If a White person got caught stealing, he'd be fired too.
2. If he 'snapped' why was he carrying a gun hidden in his lunch box. Hiding a gun strongly suggests premeditation.
3. If he killed 5 'racists', why did kill 3 other non-racists?
4. Did his complaints of "racism" only appear AFTER he got busted for stealing? If not, how come he didn't go through his union representative? If his bosses were *that* racist, they probably wouldn't have hired him.
5. If the atmosphere is so toxic, how come he didn't quit? He was a teamster, he could have got another job even in this economy.
6. This is hardly the first time a A former employee kills his bosses in revenge for being fired. In many of those cases the shooter was white.
He got caught stealing, he knew he would fired, and decided to get even
It is a shame this tragic event happened and that so many lost their lives. I am a black woman, I never grew up around racism and was never exposed to it until I was 14 and called ni**er, then again when I was 15 when followed in a store, then again when I was 21 after my friends & I were thrown out of a Block Buster & accused of stealing (which we never did - funny thing the manager said they had it on tape too! And when I asked him to show it to me they simply called the police), then again in corporate America. All throughout my adult life I have experienced it. The older I get the more apparent the racism is. I grew up very naive & gullible, always giving people the benefit of doubt. I never thought people could have ill will towards me because I was black. When I started working in corporate America the racism was very subtle, most companies fear being sued so they do enough to not cross the line.
(Part 2)There were many occasions that I could have reported it to management, but in the back of my mind I always told myself "MJ you need a job and chances are they won’t do anything about it or there will be retaliation.” So I continued to perform my job and just deal with it. Many people that have faced discrimination, bullying, racism just deal with it…Why??? Because the bills have to get paid, because you don’t want to be a target, you don’t want to have to deal with getting an attorney, filing a suit and be dragged through the ringer because someone who is ignorant treated you unfairly. Most level-headed people can live their life this way…but others let it build until one day they explode. I’m not saying that that’s what Omar did but hoping that everyone can see on the other side of the fence. There will be a day when racism doesn’t exist and I can’t wait for that day to come, but it starts with each of us choosing to see things from another’s perspective.
(Part 1) It is a shame this tragic event happened and that so many lost their lives. I am a black woman, I never grew up around racism and was never exposed to it until I was 14 and called ni**er, then again when I was 15 when followed in a store, then again when I was 21 after my friends & I were thrown out of a Block Buster & accused of stealing (which we never did - funny thing the manager said they had it on tape too! And when I asked him to show it to me they simply called the police), then again in corporate America. All throughout my adult life I have experienced it. The older I get the more apparent the racism is. I grew up very naive & gullible, always giving people the benefit of doubt. I never thought people could have ill will towards me because I was black. When I started working in corporate America the racism was very subtle, most companies fear being sued so they do enough to not cross the line.
Most of the comments to this article have missed the point. Not a single news source that I know of has published a copy of the disciplinary video showing Mr. Thornton stealing bear. Statements that Mr. Thornton was a disciplinary problem has been contradicted by an attorney who said he had no previous disciplinary problems. Without Anti-bullying laws, the families of the innocent victims are left without compensatory relief for an antecedent behavior that was created by the employer, not the employees. I'm not saying what Mr. Thornton did should be overlooked, however, I am asking that my readers understand how the employer relationship can cause a state of despair which can foreseeably result in death. Employers would like you to pursue a claim of wrongful death against the presumably poor Thornton family for conduct the employer actually played a major part in creating. That would probably equate to $0 for the families of the now deceased employees.
Furthermore, I did not say that any of those who were shot were racist. That's not my thinking! However, I am saying that the employer, not the Thornton family, should compensate the families of the deceased for failing to investigate Mr. Thornton's complaints of racism in the workplace. What I don't understand is this: How do you equate wanting compensation for the deceased White families as being racist and far fetched?
Where's this tape they claim show's him stealing?
If you look around the world 90% of the violence seems to be caused by men. It's us we start the wars, rape the women, burn stuff down. This is just another tragic example of men being violent. The result? A bunch of dead men and upset family members. I think we need to become more mature. There is really no excuse for committing mass murder in this situation.
everyone is racist...i do agree with Matthew, "3. If he killed 5 'racists', why did kill 3 other non-racists?"
show me the video!!!
I do not condone theft or violence; However, if Omar's experience with racial bias and favoritism was anything like at my previous employer, they are lucky that only 9 died. I guarantee you that if Omar was stealing beer, he was not the only one...just the one they were targeting. Getting caught stealing probably would not cause him to "lose it", so it is probably valid that there were other workplace problems that the powers-that-be chose to ignore or participate in.
I can't believe that so many of you are justifying his behavior - This was premeditated murder... For unfair practices in the workplace, the Teamsters could help and so could the CT Department of Labor... there are many options. Murder should not be justified.
If Omar's supervisors were so racist, how did he get promoted? Why not use the system to confront the racism? If the proof was on the bathroom wall and his supervisors did nothing it would have been a slam dunk civil suit. Sounds like Omar was a "closet psycho" and not to bright.....
As the author of the Healthy Workplace Bill -- the anti-bullying legislation referenced in this article -- I am distressed over this rush to characterize what happened in Connecticut. Let's see how the facts unfold.
Those who wish to read my commentary on this can Google my blog my blog, Minding the Workplace, and read the post "Connecticut workplace shootings subject of instant spin."
David Yamada
Professor of Law and Director, New Workplace Institute
Suffolk University Law School, Boston
If he was targeted because of his skin and called names, that still doesn't justify murder. Think about it, he killed eight people. Eight people! Did he report these people who were racist towards him or not? I am not too sure what he did. Sounds like he never did that, which makes the whole--I was driven to madness by racists-- argument seem thin. The fact of the matter is Blue Collar work situations are filled with a tougher crowd who can sometimes say a few nasty things once and a while. I am white and I've been called a few things in my day, too, but you know what? I never killed anyone over it. Felt bad for a while; then I moved on. I've worked in such environments and a thick skin is definately required. I also doubt HR and the Union would look the other way.
This Omar is a scumbag I hope there is a Hell so this subhuman can rot in it for eternity. I agree totally w/Brian. Anyone who thinks different is a moron--period.
Daniel shut up you are a racist, we all work in company's that favor workplace bullying. This type of practice will always be alive.
I agree wholeheartedly with the point this article is looking to make. Workplace bullying needs to stop and is just a subtle, and statutory legal, way of violating another American's civil rights which includes the right to make a living and be treated with dignity and respect like everyone else. Workplace bullying can lead to actions of revenge such as stealing pens, paper, staplers, time, and perhaps a beer from the workplace like 90% of other colleagues do. If you kill someone's dreams, you may as well be killing them, and you should expect some reaction.
You people are sick in the head...there is no justification for murder, short of self defense....poor Omar, he stole some beer and now they want him to resign...but brave, courageous Omar stood up and murdered everyone except the guy that fired him...the white man is the true victim of slavery...he is now stuck with the sniveling, whiney, murdering mullys, most of whom are not even descended of slaves...affirmative action gave us a president and now look where we are...
Not difficult to understand that justifying and choosing murder as an act against perceived racism is the worst form of racism in itself. Obviously the act of a diseased mind.
Wow AMEN, sounds like you justify his actions?
Of course murder is not justified, but what happens is long term bullying causes PTSD and people become suicidal. If they want to die and plan to kill themselves they then begin to think that taking out those who have made them ill and ruined their lives is a good idea. Think about it, if you have been tortured to the point you have PTSD you are very angry. I have PTSD from workplace bullying and did enough research to know I was high risk for murder suicide, so I took actions to prevent it. I used to tell people my ager was so big it would fill up the whole world. Most people will not know what to do. I had some psychiatric background. Note-if this man was not black they would have found another reason to psychologically toruture him, that's what workplace bullies do. The beer stealing may be someting everyone does and they used it agaisnt him or it could be a total lie. That is one of their common tricks.
Gee Celia, who are they that you are truly referring to when you say, "That is one of their common tricks." I have seen enough professional victims in my time to know where you are going. I have also been the victim of professional victims. Fortunatly I have the sense to use the proper channels to defend myself.
"who would seriously consider terminating an employee on an assumption that s/he stole something?" Mr. Thornton was called into a room and shown a video of him stealing beer!!!! Where do you get the idea it was an ASSUMPTION????
"Reports are circulating that Mr. Thornton complained of racism and his employers did nothing to investigate his several complaints" There were NO FORMAL racist grievances filed by Mr. Thornton....
"killed nine people this morning after being disciplined by his employer." WHAT???? Disciplined?????? He was given the option to either get fired or resign after shown the video of him stealing!!.....he had just signed resignation forms when he calmly shot these people!! What a biased article!!!
Mr. Nelson.....where did you get the undisputed truth that this was without a doubt a case of "workplace bullying"??????
@Surprised....Ditto.....he brought the weapons in with him...end of story.
The Anti-bullying law would have protected him just as well as the anti-murder law protected his victims.
There is no excuse whatsoever for this man's murdering these people, whether innocent or not. He took it upon himself to be judge, jury and executioner combined. HOWEVER - the reality (if it is at all reality in this situation) is that bullying is real, exacts a serious and painful toll on its victims as well as work bystanders and the victim's family. The Lottery (CT!!) shooter reportedly tried to get assistance for what he perceived to be a bullying situation and was told, again reportedly, that since he is not a protected group member, there was nothing he could do. This was 'reportedly' about 3 weeks before his dreadful, sinful actions as well... Does something really need to be looked at for bullying legislation, yes I do, though I distoll any idea that this is any excuse at all for retaliation and murder.. My heart goes out to all of this man's victims and thier families! Let's not be too quick to justify this!
You ask how anyone can do such a thing, and attribute it to bullying with not a shred of evidence other than the statements, to friends and family, of someone who is apparently (with video evidence) a thief.
I would ask, how can anyone in their right mind write an opinion piece so short on facts and then draw conclusions, including recommended laws, based on nothing more than assumptions and the statements of an apparent thief.
Thieves are dishonest people generally. I've worked with people who play the race card at work to cover up their own performance issues and dishonesty.
My bet is that is what happened here with this Thornton guy. To so casually turn this dirtbag into the victim, with no evidence other than his statements (again, he's an apparent thief and a killer) is really pathetic.
@SWJ - Based on your logic, it's pathetic to call Omar a thief and dismiss his claims entirely merely based on his former employer's statements. Remember these are statements from an employer that advocates workplace hostility and discrimination... again, based on your own logic we should choose a side and take his word for it.
I smell a cover up as the employer dodges the liability of his family suing them for racial discrimination. It's a very bad lie they're telling at a kindergarten level... why hire a private investigator for an employee when you have a video camera? If there was a video, it would have been released already. Furthermore, the point of the article is that workplace bullying and harassment not only impedes productivity but it creates hostility within the target that can result in a response such as theft or worse. For the sake of all of us that work, we need to learn from this situation and take race out of the equation although it was a significant factor here.
@SWM... you have a point. Why hasn't anyone come clear on exactly how many beers he stole? That's a simple question to answer when you have alleged video camera footage. Was it a can, a case, a box? It's obvious what is going on here. He took all that he could mentally and couldn't take it anymore. He knew that them firing him without cause and creating this theft story was the end of his career. He could no longer work legally with that on his record. In the end no one will learn a thing and America can go to bed knowing that we live in a post-racial society... whatever that means.
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