Today I saw something that I found genuinely horrifying: An imitation holy candle with a picture of Luigi Mangione on it.
For those living under rocks or who have consciously turned off the news since the election, Mangione is the man accused of assassinating United Health Care’s CEO on a New York street in broad daylight.
What’s worse I found this novelty picture on a feed from a friend on BlueSky, the alternative to the hate and lies spewed on Xbird. When I called them on this, they attacked me and mocked the fact that I had called out the deification of a murderer as immoral.
I don’t have a problem with being attacked on social media; it happens all the time. But embracing murder as a viable response to corporate greed strikes me as beyond the pale.
It is a sad commentary on the state of our country when vast numbers of people whom I would consider moderately progressive are celebrating a murder with memes and novelty candles.
The killing of Brian Thompson has indeed raised the awareness of the egregious practices of insurance companies in their country. But at what cost? I have to wonder if it isn’t partly in response to the election of a blatantly immoral man as president. It is tempting to feel that the whole system is corrupted and only extreme and cruel actions can change things.
But that road leads to anarchy and worse.
Part of the American experiment is relying on the inherent desire for fairness that is the heart of our democracy. It is tempting to say that since the system was gamed and a truly unfit man was elected, then all bets are off.
But that attitude will lead to a greater escalation of tensions and most likely to some kind of martial law being enacted to stem the violence. Such a prospect is not that far of a mental leap.
I believe the only way to successfully change the inequitable health care system in the U.S. is to push for a national health care similar to Medicare for all. After all, that kind of system works in almost every other civilized country in the world, and there is no reason to believe it won’t work here. We start by making billionaires pay their fair share of taxes the use that glut of money to finance the health and welfare of all Americans.
To do that will take building a consensus in both parties, and, frankly, I believe this moment offers a chance to do just that. How many people, of both parties have been driven into bankruptcy by a catastrophic illness? That is an issue that cuts across all party voters.
If this brutal killing can accomplish anything it should be to raise awareness of the problem, not to create a saint out of an assassin.
Only an entitled fool that’s had their ass wiped their whole life would write such an article. You can live in lollipops and gumdrops land all you like, but it’s not reality. We are way past “drawing attention to them problem”, this guy says, as if it’s not entirely purposeful in the first place. The American people that hail Mangione are the exact way their country made them to be. Struggling, angry, sick, homeless, hungry, desperate, and victims of a shitty hypocritical justice and healthcare system. No one, NO ONE should be surprised or disgusted that the American people have no room for empathy, and celebrate the murder of a mass murderer. It’s time for anarchy. American Anarchy.
You’re a turd.
Who wrote this trash ?
For once I actually agree with something this author wrote. A murderer is a murderer. But the last thing we need is the government to get into providing all of us universal healthcare.
Go fuck yourself. You’re part of the problem, have you ever ONCE looked into the facts regarding universal healthcare? We’re the laughing stock of the world because of people like you. You’re a fucking bootlicker. Most of us don’t care to be a means of profit for some prick with a business degree when facing an illness or injury. Also fyi, SEVERAL of my immediate family are physicians (that means doctors btw) and they KNOW and COMPLAIN about how broken our system is. Tell me you know more than them about this issue.
Link to where I can buy one? TY!! 🙏🏼
You are such a lame dork. Do you ever hear yourself talk and get the urge to punch yourself because you sound so insufferable.
Whoever wrote this shit has to be trolling us, right?? Right?…
To the author-
Do some actual journalism, talk to real people & try again. You are out of touch.
Wrong. He deserves a medal. Nice shot!
Luigi did more to strike fear in the oligarchs than 60 years of peaceful protest ever did. Eat shit
> But at what cost?
Well if that’s not hypothetical: at the cost of a worthless psychopathic CEO made from wealth forged in the suffering of childhood cancer patients. When the LGBTQ community is so free from grief they need to extend the umbrella to this putz of a CEO, I’m relinquishing my ally card.
Founding Fathers did far worse over far less.
The post-hippie generation has been hamstringed by mythologies of Gandhi and MLK that ignored those movements had very violent competitors but ultimately with the same aims. MLK had black panthers, Malcolm X /Nation of Islam, etc. Those were the sticks.
The powers that be chose to negotiate with the peaceful side, to legitimize it, the carrot. But why do you think they only teach you the carrot? Because if it were that effective alone, it would’ve never been taught.
And what did it get anyone? Decades of protests that achieved nothing.
Our father who art thou in heaven, thank you for sending us your son, middle americas one true savior who gives a f*ck, Luigi Mangione.
Brian Thompson is complicit in the deaths of millions of Americans that could not afford the life saving treatments their insurance companies denied. CEO’s like him will be in history books as causing mass death and poverty amongst the largest population in the US just to make themselves richer.
What C suite execs butthole did you pucker up and clean for christmas? You know you don’t have to do that, right? they can probably afford a bidet..
Were you paid to write this crap? If so, they paid too much because this “pearl-clutching article” is missing the mark. You, Sir, are part of the problem!
lol “ Part of the American experiment is relying on the inherent desire for fairness that is the heart of our democracy” oh Lord was the American experiment ever fair? To the indigenous? To Africans they bought and sold as chattel? This country was built on racism, genocide, and exploitation. Always was, and still runs on these atrocities. Get a grip author. You sound like a fool. Propping up old white myths and arrogance that the populace is steadily waking up to, finally.
Free Luigi, end the ruling class starting with the billionaires, and if you side with your oppressor then you are a class traitor. So sybau boot lickers!
Oh, you found it genuinely horrifying? I find health insurance companies profiting from (and celebrating) deliberately denying life-saving care to millions, and a healthcare system predicated on keeping the working class indentured to private equity firms to be genuinely horrifying. The laws of the United States are quite purposefully written to ensure–and enforced by a judiciary which will purposefully ensure–that justice will never come to those responsible in any other form. Even if everything Luigi Mangione is guilty of all of the allegations against him, he did nothing wrong.
Hah. No actually. We could wait a hundred years for the system to act and it never would. Only the erasure of those in power can bring society salvation. Rise up, and cull the strong!