American work conditions have become increasingly glim in recent years, since the fall of the economy has led thousands of people struggling to find work. But even the people who are fortunate enough to have a job are being more and more discontent with the lower pay and higher expectations they’re given. In the new film ‘Murder by Proxy: How America Went Postal,’ which is now available for download in New York, first-time filmmaker Emil Chiaberi courageously explores the workplace and social conditions that lead discontent workers to unleash their rage in mass killings.
‘Murder by Proxy’ chronicles the widespread changes that have occurred in workplaces across the United States over the last 50-years, and what societal conditions have caused people to commit mass shooting sprees in the workplace. Most people who are responsible for the shootings have no criminal record or history of mental illness, but are driven to take severe action to have their grievances heard. The documentary also examines the complex personal factors that are the primary causes of workplace massacres.
Chiaberi, who served as ‘Murder by Proxy’s director, writer and producer, effectively showed the growing socio-economic changes that have taken place throughout the U.S. since the Reagan era. The filmmaker took a risky move in trying to show the murders were more of a rebellious act than a crime, and viewers may initially think the director is being sympathetic to the shooters. But he commendably showcased the reasons why they felt compelled to take such an extreme method to be heard.
‘Murder by Proxy’ focuses on several of the most well-known workplace shootings in American history, including the first, which occurred on August 20, 1986 at the Emond Post Office in Oklahoma. After being reprimanded by two supervisors the day before, the shooter, Patrick Sherrill, walked into the post office shortly after 8 AM. He immediately killed one of the supervisors, and ended up killing 14 people in all, and wounding six others.
Chiaberi emphasized how Sherrill felt alienated and targeted by his bosses for not following their guidelines of productivity. While viewers will still remain sympathetic to the victims of the crime, they will also come to understand that Sherrill took an extreme measure to have his grievances against the post office heard.
Another massacre Chiaberi heavily featured was the shooting spree that occurred on November 14, 1991 in Royal Oak, Michigan. Thomas McIlvane, a 31-year-old former postal clerk who was fired, due to insubordination, walked into a regional office and opened fire with a .22-caliber rifle. He killed three workers and wounded six other, before turning the gun on himself.
Letter carrier Charlie Withers, who was at the post office when McIlvane opened fire, appears in ‘Murder by Proxy’ to support his campaign that showcases the problems postal workers face on the job. Withers is a respectable figure among postal workers nationwide, often times sacrificing his own time, happiness and safety to fight for better working conditions. Even though many of Wither’s pushes to pass laws that prevent dangerous conditions and harassment in the work place have failed, his dedication to helping his fellow co-workers is clearly evident and admirable
‘Murder by Proxy’ is an informative and memorable explanation of the possible psychological links between socio-economic imbalances in the workplace and office violence. The documentary relays the sentiment of the working American class, which has become disillusioned with occupational conditions in recent years.
While most workers have come to learn how to cope with these difficulties, Chiaberti’s first directorial effort shows the uncertainty about where American society is headed. ‘Murder by Proxy’ also draws attention to the continued widespread discontent over the hazardous working conditions that serve as the major contributing factors in the tragic epidemic.
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