Workplace violence has always been a thing in the US. As a phenomena, it predates the era of school shootings. It’s so common that I feel comfortable predicting that this man’s motives were a personal grievance, not class warfare.
It was a thing before Columbine, cause man, I remember the talks at school about that.
The class was brought out, we sat under a tree, and were allowed to talk about our feelings.
One of my bullies looked me dead in the eye, and said something along the lines of “Its always the quiet ones.”
I’m surprised I didn’t have to talk to anyone after looking him dead in the eye back and replying “Yeah, it is.” Just letting it hang in the air.
I will say, he no longer bullied me after that.
That’s ok, I had another bully who learned the hard way that if pushed far enough, I would break bones if provoked enough. Last day of school that year. He clotheslined me and put me in a choke hold when I was running a football, you know, playing like a kid on the last day of school. He still had a hold as we got up, him behind me. When my vision started to dim, I stomped the arch of his foot (multiple fractures, lot of bones there) to get out, then turned and broke his nose with one punch.
It all stopped after that.
Because my teachers were aware of the bullying (thanks for stopping it, assholes) I didn’t get in any trouble. This was at the beginning of zero tolerance talks. It was a policy the next school year.
A school year of bullying stopped by a decisive punch?
Clearly both are the same. Not one kid being tormented to the point of violence in self defense because they couldn’t fucking breathe anymore, over the whole school year. Not something the teachers, our so called care takers, could have nipped in the bud a LONG time ago. No, clearly, both kids are violent offenders.
I was a fake bully. Big giant bastard. Me and this other guy had a bit where I’d pick him up by putting my hand around his throat on with pressure on the sides and lifting him by his jaw while he was against some lockers with a loud bang. I think he also jumped. Obviously a stupid dangerous thing to do, but par for the course for testosterone fueled teenagers. Looked violent as shit though, essentially a pro wrestling choke slam.
Fuck, I was a skater in school. I threw myself down a two story half pipe in a warehouse every weekend. I had bruises on top of bruises.
Pain wasn’t new to me, cause man, I fucking sucked on a skateboard.
Let me put it this way, the kid I gave a broken nose to was a wanna-be MS13 member at the time. Ran into him after high school - guess who was a member? I’m glad I had friends with me, and we outnumbered his crew. They backed down. I don’t know what they had, but we all carried knives - and at the time - were ready to use them. My late teen years were a little wild. He recognized me, and called them to back off.
I guess getting the cops involved over a pool table in a bowling alley would have fucked up their bigger plans.
There may be a personal grievance, but what are the chances that if he had better work conditions, that the personal grievance he had would have driven him to this?
Workplace violence has always been a thing in the US. As a phenomena, it predates the era of school shootings. It’s so common that I feel comfortable predicting that this man’s motives were a personal grievance, not class warfare.
I mean if school shootings are acceptable and there’s the chance for many many victims, America should quite happily accept CEO murders to continue.
“Going postal” was a thing.
It was a thing before Columbine, cause man, I remember the talks at school about that.
The class was brought out, we sat under a tree, and were allowed to talk about our feelings.
One of my bullies looked me dead in the eye, and said something along the lines of “Its always the quiet ones.”
I’m surprised I didn’t have to talk to anyone after looking him dead in the eye back and replying “Yeah, it is.” Just letting it hang in the air.
I will say, he no longer bullied me after that.
That’s ok, I had another bully who learned the hard way that if pushed far enough, I would break bones if provoked enough. Last day of school that year. He clotheslined me and put me in a choke hold when I was running a football, you know, playing like a kid on the last day of school. He still had a hold as we got up, him behind me. When my vision started to dim, I stomped the arch of his foot (multiple fractures, lot of bones there) to get out, then turned and broke his nose with one punch.
It all stopped after that.
Because my teachers were aware of the bullying (thanks for stopping it, assholes) I didn’t get in any trouble. This was at the beginning of zero tolerance talks. It was a policy the next school year.
The Postal video game series was quite directly based on the trend of postal workers going crazy and killing people in the 80s and 90s.
I’m aware, I didn’t feel the need to reference the game series.
Zero Tolerance = Bully Enabling
You’re not wrong.
A school year of bullying stopped by a decisive punch?
Clearly both are the same. Not one kid being tormented to the point of violence in self defense because they couldn’t fucking breathe anymore, over the whole school year. Not something the teachers, our so called care takers, could have nipped in the bud a LONG time ago. No, clearly, both kids are violent offenders.
I was a fake bully. Big giant bastard. Me and this other guy had a bit where I’d pick him up by putting my hand around his throat on with pressure on the sides and lifting him by his jaw while he was against some lockers with a loud bang. I think he also jumped. Obviously a stupid dangerous thing to do, but par for the course for testosterone fueled teenagers. Looked violent as shit though, essentially a pro wrestling choke slam.
A bit between friends is different.
Fuck, I was a skater in school. I threw myself down a two story half pipe in a warehouse every weekend. I had bruises on top of bruises.
Pain wasn’t new to me, cause man, I fucking sucked on a skateboard.
Let me put it this way, the kid I gave a broken nose to was a wanna-be MS13 member at the time. Ran into him after high school - guess who was a member? I’m glad I had friends with me, and we outnumbered his crew. They backed down. I don’t know what they had, but we all carried knives - and at the time - were ready to use them. My late teen years were a little wild. He recognized me, and called them to back off.
I guess getting the cops involved over a pool table in a bowling alley would have fucked up their bigger plans.
Depending on the grievance it might still be “class warfare” depending on how loosely you define it.
It has literally been taught in schools for decades, what did people expect?
There may be a personal grievance, but what are the chances that if he had better work conditions, that the personal grievance he had would have driven him to this?
While true, how many of those workplace incidents involved someone from the executive level?