#national hero luigi mangione

[thekobaltpossum]

ok but like if luigi mangione is actually the shooter and actually a right winger that might be kind of great because it might make other right wingers realize the true enemy. The corporations and capitalism as a whole

[pussytussigangbang]

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My ex-colleagues boyfriend is a Sydney based photographer and met Luigi Mangione in Sydney 👀

[houseofbrat]

By Mark Bederow Mr. Bederow is a criminal defense lawyer and a former Manhattan assistant district attorney. The murder of the health care executive Brian Thompson on a Midtown sidewalk was shocking, brazen and seemingly methodical, but it wasn’t all that sophisticated. It didn’t take long for the authorities to identify Luigi Mangione as the likely murderer and arrest him. They had surveillance videos and various sightings. They are said to have forensic evidence linking him to the crime. A gun he had when he was arrested in Pennsylvania is said to be the same type of gun as the murder weapon. A notebook attributed to Mr. Mangione is said to have mentioned Mr. Thompson’s company, UnitedHealthcare, and that he planned to shoot a C.E.O. “These parasites had it coming,” he wrote, condemning health care companies for callous greed. In other words, Manhattan prosecutors have what looks to be a pretty straightforward case of second-degree murder, the charge that is almost always filed in New York State in cases of intentional murder.

But the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, instead has charged Mr. Mangione with first-degree and second-degree murder in furtherance of terrorism (among other charges), which requires lifetime imprisonment in the event of a conviction. (The maximum sentence for second-degree murder without the terrorism charge would be 25 years to life.) By complicating a simple case, Mr. Bragg has increased the risk of acquittal on the most serious charge and a hung jury on any charge. Since Mr. Mangione is already being celebrated by some as a folk hero because of his rage against the American health care system, the terrorism charge, which alleges that Mr. Mangione “intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, influence the policies of a unit of government” and “affect the conduct of a unit of government,” almost certainly will turn the case into political theater. By charging Mr. Mangione as a terrorist, prosecutors are taking on a higher burden to support a dubious theory. In trying to prove that Mr. Mangione killed Mr. Thompson to “intimidate or coerce a civilian population,” prosecutors will presumably argue that the civilian population comprises health care executives and employees. But New York appellate courts have taken a very limited and fairly traditional view of what constitutes a civilian community under the terrorism law that was enacted within days of the Sept. 11 attacks.

The evidence appears to suggest that Mr. Mangione was bent on assassinating Mr. Thompson rather than intending “to sow terror,” as Mr. Bragg alleged in his news conference unsealing Mr. Mangione’s indictment. Mr. Mangione’s notebook reportedly says that he planned a targeted assassination because he did not want to “risk innocents.” So while this statement incriminates Mr. Mangione as a murderer, it appears to undermine the terrorism charge. By taking on the burden of trying to prove Mr. Mangione’s essentially political intent, prosecutors could amplify the criticisms of the American health care system that have made Mr. Mangione so alarmingly popular. The district attorney would provide Mr. Mangione a soapbox upon which he will be allowed to rail against the American health care system while trying to garner sympathy. Given the national debate over the role of insurance companies like Mr. Thompson’s, prosecutors will have a hard time, in any case, weeding out jurors who have some sympathy for the defendant. By turning Mr. Mangione’s supposed intent into a central element of the trial they invite juror nullification, in which jurors ignore their instructions to focus on the facts and instead let their points of view influence their verdict, leading to a hung jury, if not a full acquittal. At a standard second-degree murder trial, the jury would be instructed that the prosecution need only prove that Mr. Mangione committed the crime. Motive does not need to be considered. Perhaps Mr. Mangione’s most feasible defense would be a psychiatric one, alleging that he is not criminally responsible “by reason of mental disease or defect.” Unless there is persuasive evidence that has yet to be revealed, such a defense would be fairly easily undermined by evidence of Mr. Mangione’s detailed planning, concealment and flight. But the terrorism charge could slightly enhance such a defense if a jury is subjected to Mr. Mangione testifying about his grievances against the health care system and how it led a seemingly intelligent and grounded young man to assassinate an individual he didn’t know simply because he was a top executive at the nation’s largest insurance company.

And if the threat of life without parole is simply being used as a cudgel to leverage a plea to second-degree murder, how would Mr. Bragg justify wiping away the terrorism charge? It brings to mind the Daniel Penny case, in which Mr. Bragg brought a manslaughter charge, then dismissed it when jurors deadlocked, leading to an outright acquittal on even the lesser charge. The bottom line is that by choosing to make an open-and-shut murder case into a complicated debate on the health care industry, the district attorney risks highlighting the most troubling aspects of the case and making a conviction more difficult.

[thefreethoughtprojectcom]

A US health insurance CEO’s murder has transcended political ideology in uniting average Americans of all stripes against the kind of corruption that would warrant some freedom bombs if it were in a foreign nation of strategic interest to the US.

Read More: https://thefreethoughtproject.com/featured/hero-or-villain-heres-why-some-americans-are-celebrating-luigi-mangione

#TheFreeThoughtProject

[54t411]

Luigi Mangione was the hero we needed when our country was most divided.

It’s not secret our country is in complete shambles from whatever point of view you look at it. No matter what side you’re on, you have to admit the United States of America have fallen from the glory super power it was in the 60s. However, it’s strangely the death of a ceo that causes people from all spectrums of life to come together to rejoice.

That’s how terrible the medical system is here in America.

We are rejoicing, writing sexual fanfic, making edits, and lookalike contest for a man who killed another person out of the blue.

This is not me defending the CEO, don’t misjudge my words, I think many ceos of healthcare companies shouldn’t be surprised that people’s resentment towards the medical healthcare system is to this level. They have watched as Americans cried and pleaded for their claims to be accepted so they and their love ones can get the medical attention they need.

And they laugh before denying it.

Deny.

Defend.

Depose.

The ceos running these selfish capitalistic schemes shouldn’t be surprised that we do not view them as one of our own. They betrayed everything our founding fathers believed and died for the second they made critical treatment that doesn’t cost them a penny worth more than a fucking house.

How dare you act surprised a man is dead when millions have died because you refuse to allow them the healthcare they need. The people will cry out, the people will fight out, and they will not be held back.

We are in an age where people will do whatever it takes to secure their liberties as Americans. After all, we’re the same generation that had far right people storm in the capital because they couldn’t handle someone other than Trump won.

It’s not that we , the people, are “scary.” It’s just so hard to live in a country pushing an idea that other nations have already established.

God damn it I just want my anxiety pills to not cost me a pretty penny.

Anyways the country is a joke and I’m happy United healthcare stocks are in a down low right now though I know they’ll begin to rise given time.

- anon 🦖

[maturin1919]

Luigi Mangione is a national hero.

[teemoonley]

In This House Luigi Mangione Is A Hero End of Story T-Shirt

The In This House Luigi Mangione Is A Hero End of Story Shirt is a bold tribute to the controversial figure at the center of a national conversation. Inspired by Mangione’s Italian-American heritage and a memorable line from The Sopranos, the shirt declares, "IN THIS HOUSE LUIGI MANGIONE IS A HERO, END OF STORY."

This shirt pays homage to Mangione, who became infamous after allegedly killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024. The incident, coupled with enigmatic bullet casings found at the crime scene, has sparked debates about the motives behind the act. Mangione, an Ivy League graduate and tech enthusiast, has become a polarizing figure. His personal struggles, juxtaposed with his public image, make him a fascinating character. This shirt reflects the ongoing cultural discourse, blending pop culture references with real-world issues. Whether you view Mangione as a hero, a martyr, or something else entirely, this In This House Luigi Mangione Is A Hero End of Story Shirt lets you wear your stance proudly. With its unique design, it’s perfect for those who appreciate both dark humor and cultural commentary.

[faithnfrivolity]

Rage Against the System

Murder, money, and Americans who are mad as hell

DAN RATHER AND TEAM STEADY

DEC 13

Over the course of my career in journalism, I have certainly seen news stories take surprising turns. But the murder of a health insurance executive on the streets of New York is something different. The killing by a coward, ambushing from behind, collectively shocked and disgusted many of us. As it should have.

But what has suddenly grabbed much of the country by the lapels is the support shown not for the victim, but for the man accused of committing the crime. With that support, we are witnessing an undercurrent of anger, even rage, come to the surface. It is directed squarely at an American business model that is, according to many policyholders, screwing us over every single day.

Violence cannot and should not be condoned, especially cold-blooded murder. It should be condemned, and the person who did it made to pay the maximum penalty under law. Period. Full stop. Beyond that, we as a nation, as a society, as a people are forced to recognize this: The lack of sympathy for murdered UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and the glorification of his alleged killer has opened a window into the frustrated psyche of the American health insurance consumer. It is a window that we ignore at our peril.

If you haven’t been following this closely, here’s the quick backstory: On the morning of Wednesday, December 4, Thompson was shot in the back and killed in midtown Manhattan on his way to an investor meeting. The shooter inscribed the words “delay,” “deny,” and “depose” on the shell casings found at the scene.

Some of those words appear in the title of Jay Feinman’s book about the health insurance industry, “Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It.” The killer’s etched words have become a rallying cry for many Americans who are hurting — physically, emotionally, and financially — under the current system. In these days after the murder, you can buy online merchandise like mugs and sweatshirts adorned with “delay, deny, depose.”

The man now charged with Thompson’s murder is 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, an Ivy League graduate who allegedly dropped a backpack full of Monopoly money in Central Park as he fled the scene on a rented electric bike, according to police. He was able to escape the city on a bus. Authorities arrested him on Monday at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after a patron recognized him.

In the ensuing five days, Mangione was vaunted as a modern-day folk hero and a 21st century Robin Hood.

What gives? Americans are good-hearted people. With that having been said, we are now witnessing a groundswell that knows no boundaries. It is red and blue, men and women, coast to coast — folks who have collectively had it with corporate health care.

Much of the online reaction to Thompson’s murder was morbid glee. The UnitedHealthcare Facebook page had to be taken down after a post about the CEO’s death received more than 36,000 laughing reactions, according to The New Yorker.

Things weren’t better on X, where 6 of 10 posts about the crime were in support of the shooter. “Thoughts and deductibles to the family. Unfortunately my condolences are out-of-network,” one person posted. “My only question is did the CEO of UnitedHealthcare die quickly or over several months waiting to find out if his insurance would cover his treatment for the fatal gunshot wound?” posted another.

Author Joyce Carol Oates put it well with her social media post. The outpouring of negativity “is better described as cries from the heart of a deeply wounded & betrayed country; hundreds of thousands of Americans shamelessly exploited by health-care insurers reacting to a single act of violence against just one of their multimillionaire executives,” she wrote.

The phenomenon of a person operating outside of the law to deliver justice in what is perceived as an unjust world has been called social banditry. “When people lose faith in the state’s ability to address their concerns and grievances, they sometimes look to outlaws who offer themselves as an alternative,” Joshua Zeitz wrote in Politico Magazine.

In the eyes of many, Luigi Mangione has become that alternative.

This unnerving reaction to Thompson’s murder and murderer was born of unbridled frustration with a failing system. The American health insurance “system” is a misnomer. It implies that it was intentionally designed. In truth, coverage in the United States entails a messy patchwork of private insurance companies covering 65% of those insured and government-funded insurance (Medicare and Medicaid) covering the other 35%.

Senator Bernie Sanders is a proponent of health care for all provided by the federal government. What we have “is a system not designed to provide health care to all people in a cost-effective way,” Sanders said of the current setup. “It is a system designed to make huge profits for the insurance companies, the drug companies, and many other industries within the system.”

Most of those private insurance companies are publicly traded entities whose primary goal is to make money. And boy, do they.

Last year, UnitedHealthcare, the largest private insurance company in the country, made $16 billion in profit. To boost profits even further a company must reduce costs. The easiest way for insurance companies to do so is to deny coverage. UnitedHealthcare, which has one of the highest denial rates in the industry, turns down about a third of all claims.

Shockingly to me, many health insurance companies — UnitedHealthcare among them — outsource the decision-making of approving or denying coverage to third parties that use AI-generated algorithms to make life-and-death judgements. According to reporting by ProPublica, this hidden cottage industry works by a “denials for dollars” model. The more they deny, the more they get paid.

It is no wonder people are infuriated and some are praising a self-styled vigilante who claimed he was trying to do something about it.

A 2023 Gallup poll found that just 31% of Americans trust the U.S. health csare system. One in 4 report delaying or foregoing medical treatment because of cost. While the Affordable Care Act has improved things, adding 45 million people to the insurance rolls, an estimated 23% of these are still underinsured, meaning they don’t have enough coverage.

Wouldn’t it be great if we had politicians who had the guts to do something about this mess? Health care lobbyists have spent more than $150 million to keep Congress in line.

And now we have Donald Trump and his bevy of billionaires, including the world’s richest man, looking to cut costs. Elon Musk says he may consider Social Security and Medicare as possible places to find savings.

The system can be fixed, but it would take elected officials willing to have the government do more, not less, at least when it comes to health care. Anybody think that sounds like Trump, et al.?

Stay Steady,

Dan

© 2024 Dan Rather