IN VIRGINIA OK TO LOOK THE OTHER WAY

Lax on Violence

In Virginia go ahead and arm anyone who is a threat to himself or herself, go ahead and pay the way for mass murder—arm any miscreant. But don’t say a dirty word or anything sexually suggestive—there will be swift retribution.

Part of what I said in the last posting is worth repeating. As a manager in the government I was trained on my responsibilities—professional and legal. On sexual harassment by one of my subordinates, I could be held responsible even if I did not know about it—because I should have known about it. If the law takes this firm a stand on an off-color joke or remark that can be interpreted as “harassment,” why is Virginia law so lax on workplace violence or murder? Not only should the law school have known about Odighizuwa’s violent tendencies—it did know about them.

In Virginia, apparently as long as you talk the good talk, as long as you spout the right moral words and family values, there is no need to take responsibility, no need to act. Go ahead look the other way—look the other way especially if guns, violence, or murder are involved.

In other words, in the Old Dominion if someone has a record of violence, if he or she is violent, you have “no need to know, no need to act.” You have the right to look the other way—even in the case of potential violence including murder. But, when it comes to off color jokes or sexual harassment, you must act. (To be continued)

There is something I am missing in this logic—or maybe I am just naïve. (To be continued)