Workplace Shooting

We are writing this letter in response to much of the media coverage given the fatal shooting at the General Dynamics plant, and specifically to The Times’ stories of Jan. 26 (“History of Suspect in Plant Shooting Gave No Warning”) and Jan. 29 (“D. A. May Ask Death Penalty for Ex-Worker”).

These stories, and others like them, present us with a dramatic image: Robert Mack, a working-class man who was “unfairly” fired after devoting his “entire adult life” to General Dynamics, lashed back at the corporate giant by killing the “arrogant” company representative and attempting to kill his former supervisor.

The Jan. 26 story appeared on the front page and continued with the title “UNFAIR: Firing May Have Sparked Fatal Shooting.”

After his arrest, Robert Mack complained that he had been singled out for harsh treatment.

So, to the editors of The Times, to the union representatives who so quickly used the shooting as a platform to advance their agenda, and finally to Robert Mack himself, we pose the following question: Where exactly is the “fairness” and “unfairness”?

Is it so totally “unfair” that an undisciplined, and obviously violent, worker lost his job? Was it “unfair” that Robert Mack was in the middle of a complex hearing process designed to ensure against wrongful termination?

What is truly “unfair” is that Michael Konz, a 25-year-old, wonderfully bright and pleasant young man was shot and killed. What seems to be truly “unfair” is that James English will likely have vision problems for the rest of his life and that Robert Mack has shown absolutely no remorse for his actions.

What is “unfair” is that people like William Hickey, Mack’s union representative, will malign the character of a person who can no longer defend himself--calling him pretentious, arrogant and overly aggressive--and then bemoan the troubles of his union brother who did the shooting.

What is truly unfair is that Michael Konz will never fully realize his dreams, and his potential will never be completely fulfilled.

The Michael Konz we knew was one of the most easygoing and unpretentious people you could ever hope to meet. He had a great sense of humor and an amazingly positive attitude. He handled the stress and tension of law school with grace and ease, and was quicker than most to concede a point for the sake of objectivity.

He was the type of person who would help anyone who needed it before an exam, even if he could have hurt his own class ranking by doing so. He enjoyed spending time with his brothers and friends. He liked “Star Trek,” and in a couple of weeks he wanted to learn how to ski.

He was a good student and a good friend.

42 STUDENTS, University of San Diego School of Law