Before You ‘Eat the Rich’, Consider This

The disturbing chorus following the murder of UnitedHealthcare executive, Brian Thompson

Photo by Lea Kobal on Unsplash

I posted a couple of Threads yesterday following the cold-blooded murder of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel. The responses were mostly vile and of the “eat the rich” flavor.

From my Threads

I can understand these comments and celebrations to some degree if you or a loved one were denied coverage or had approval delayed for a necessary operation. If the health insurance company behind that decision was UnitedHealthcare, you may be out for blood if their denial or delay led to a loved one’s death.

It appears to have been a motive for the person who murdered Brian Thompson. The New York Times reported that words including “delay” and “deny” appear to have been inscribed on the bullet casings next to Thompson’s body.

But while this type of vigilante justice may seem like logical retribution at the moment, there are numerous fatal flaws in its reasoning. Flaws that would be disastrous for society should they become norms or appropriate actions to take against…