Posted on August 10, 2010

Possibility That Omar Thornton Did Not Act Alone

Edward Nelson, New York Examiner, August 8, 2010

Unfortunately, the Connecticut workplace shooting leaves more facts that have not been considered. {snip} Some people don’t want to discuss racism as being a form of violence because it would reveal that they themselves are in fact extremely violent and in denial about it.

{snip} Hartford Distributors may have used racism and gradually managed to kill Omar Thornton mentally and emotionally before the killing spree via attrition. {snip}

{snip}

{snip} [A] fellow co-worker who was employed with Omar Thornton at Hartford Distributors has come forward stating that he had seen the racist taunts: “Stuff on walls. Racist comments. I saw with my own eyes.” More importantly, the fellow co-worker said Mr. Thornton was hired as a truck driver; yet, he was assigned to loading boxes in the warehouse. Mr. Thornton had to fight to get behind the wheel. The co-worker then states that Hartford Distributors are lying and the evidence is in Omar’s cell phone. These statements are serious and they are not based upon speculation. This places the co-worker in a position to be called as a key witness to racism within Hartford Distributors. Although the co-worker is no longer under the employ of Hartford Distributors, he has witnessed these incidents first-hand. These statements make it appear as if Hartford Distributors is deliberately being obtuse to shield themselves from potential liability. {snip}

If Hartford Distributors created an atmosphere of institutionalized racism within the workplace, then Omar Thornton’s contributing accomplice would be Hartford Distributors who subtly enraged Mr. Thornton to kill 9 employees. In no uncertain terms am I expressing that Omar Thornton was justified by what he did. However, I am expressing that if employers are allowed to continue with business as usual without being held accountable, the contributing employer accomplice will continue its uncorrected racist practices with the result being identical to the facts currently before us. {snip}

If not, the subjective side of the alleged violence will continue without correction. Racist employers are in dire need help to redirect their violent tendencies in the workplace! If Mr. Thornton is correct, racism (his employer’s racism) motivated him to do what he did. A Latin term used in the legal community is ipse dixit (he himself said it). How is it that a fair minded person can incriminate Omar Thornton for what he did; yet, absolve the Hartford Distributors for their alleged racist conduct? If there was no shooting spree, many have suggested that he could have used the administrative process to report the racism. What that indicates is that many actually believe Omar had enough to file a complaint. Otherwise, why suggest filing a complaint when you don’t believe anything happened? That would be a futile gesture. It also suggests that a large population of people believe Mr. Thornton was subjected to racism. Normally, it’s the employer that recommends that the employee receive help with a problem that affects his/her job performance. In this case, it could be the employer who needs help with its entrenched racist practices toward African-Americans. {snip} According to Omar Thornton, racism directly contributed to his shooting spree.

In a company that quickly identifies people by color, Hartford Distributors knew that its employees recognized which color was in the minority and the majority. The 911 tape is replete with descriptions of Omar Thornton being Black and one caller adds that he is the only Black guy that works there. The racism herein may have been cloaked in secrecy and a higher mind and set of eyes are reviewing the evidence in this case to find it. {snip}