Charlotte--You're right. Violence begets violence. The rage people are expression in memes and jokes are also indicative of a country long used to putting profits before people. I'm retired and I find myself fighting more with health care organizations than ever before--and I have the knowledge and academic credentials to take them on. Even the most persistent patient becomes exhausted. It's the people who don't know the ropes who really give up and get screwed. :(
I’m not advocating violence. I think you’re correct to suggest another path for Mangione. He had a fine education, an attractive person, but I understand how one arrives at this point.
I don’t assume you haven’t been there: on hold forever, healthcare being declined. Everyone wants the newest treatments, the best for themselves or loved one, to hear you don’t get the best,newest, most pain free is disheartening.
I’m not a violent person. I don’t think violence solves issues. I don’t think Luigi is a hero, I just understand how he got there.
"Political violence solves nothing. It never has." Absolutely! I'll also add that this is the way too many men solve their problems, with physical, emotional and/or mental violence or they rationalize and sympathize with men who are violent. Yes, some women are also this way, but it's so much smaller numbers. When my daughter was about 4 years old I took her to a place where children could play in different play-scapes. One was a play construction site. There was a two story, small frame of a building and children could use wheelbarrows and other equipment to add "bricks" to the building. I stood watching my daughter for a while when I finally realized that all girls at the site were working together to bring "bricks" up to the second floor, while all the boys were knocking down the bricks. This was happening over and over again. Play imitates life.
Imho, violence has never solved anything, it only exacerbates any situation. Murder is always wrong, even when carried out by a state using the death penalty.
That being said, this particular murder has brought attention to the terrible health care in this country. No matter where you get insurance, it’s expensive and barely covers anything to help sick people. Cancer is almost always a path to bankruptcy, medications are so expensive that very few can afford it.
Single payer, like every other developed country has, is the answer, but lobbyists for insurance and big pharma are buying our politicians. I wish I had more answers, but it will take more than a murder to change it.
I have been struggling all week with my unease with the callous comments, memes, cartoons, etc., regarding the death of a human being. Maybe an uncaring, equally callous human being, but one nonetheless. Thank you for once again giving perspective.
As always, Charlotte, you've cut to the heart of it and dang it, you made me look at it with a much better perspective, even though I prefer to wallow in victimhood and retribution after the election. Thanks for pulling me up, as usual!
Something more to consider... at a time when many are content to play judge and jury, one should also contemplate whether they, themselves, are also being judged. If one doesn't wish others to judge, one shouldn't indulge in it either.
Hear, hear, Charlotte, on the money as usual. Advocating violence to solve these problems will only lead to a world in which we are all looking over our shoulder. May I suggest the book and television "Say Nothing" if you want to see a world where political violence becomes justified and takes a heavy toll on the oppressed and the oppressor alike.
Interestingly, tellingly missed the fact that most of the largest, splashiest 'capitalist' corporations suck far more corporate welfare out of our government, particularly the agriculture and defense and healthcare industries, than what has ever been spent on the food stamps and welfare for poor.
Young Turks will always exist in our societies--young men eager for upending the table, eager for violence for violence's sake, never thinking beyond what will happen after that.
Your perspective on the Brian Thompson murder is the absolute right one.
The excerpt from Mangione's Goodreads review of the Unabomber book struck me, because it's the argument that all terrorists and their apologists seem to make--that peaceful opposition and resistance can't achieve what they think violence can.
But, as you point out, they are wrong. Murdering and harming other people to achieve even a benevolent goal helps absolutely no one.
Charlotte--You're right. Violence begets violence. The rage people are expression in memes and jokes are also indicative of a country long used to putting profits before people. I'm retired and I find myself fighting more with health care organizations than ever before--and I have the knowledge and academic credentials to take them on. Even the most persistent patient becomes exhausted. It's the people who don't know the ropes who really give up and get screwed. :(
Absolutely right (as always. Charlotte: don’t you ever get tired of always being right? I hope not.)
We cannot resort to violence. It’s the worst way to do things.
I’m not advocating violence. I think you’re correct to suggest another path for Mangione. He had a fine education, an attractive person, but I understand how one arrives at this point.
I don’t assume you haven’t been there: on hold forever, healthcare being declined. Everyone wants the newest treatments, the best for themselves or loved one, to hear you don’t get the best,newest, most pain free is disheartening.
I’m not a violent person. I don’t think violence solves issues. I don’t think Luigi is a hero, I just understand how he got there.
"Political violence solves nothing. It never has." Absolutely! I'll also add that this is the way too many men solve their problems, with physical, emotional and/or mental violence or they rationalize and sympathize with men who are violent. Yes, some women are also this way, but it's so much smaller numbers. When my daughter was about 4 years old I took her to a place where children could play in different play-scapes. One was a play construction site. There was a two story, small frame of a building and children could use wheelbarrows and other equipment to add "bricks" to the building. I stood watching my daughter for a while when I finally realized that all girls at the site were working together to bring "bricks" up to the second floor, while all the boys were knocking down the bricks. This was happening over and over again. Play imitates life.
Oh, this is excellent. You put my scattered thoughts into coherent words. Thank you.
Well said Charlotte. I admire your ethical perspective.
Imho, violence has never solved anything, it only exacerbates any situation. Murder is always wrong, even when carried out by a state using the death penalty.
That being said, this particular murder has brought attention to the terrible health care in this country. No matter where you get insurance, it’s expensive and barely covers anything to help sick people. Cancer is almost always a path to bankruptcy, medications are so expensive that very few can afford it.
Single payer, like every other developed country has, is the answer, but lobbyists for insurance and big pharma are buying our politicians. I wish I had more answers, but it will take more than a murder to change it.
I have been struggling all week with my unease with the callous comments, memes, cartoons, etc., regarding the death of a human being. Maybe an uncaring, equally callous human being, but one nonetheless. Thank you for once again giving perspective.
As always, Charlotte, you've cut to the heart of it and dang it, you made me look at it with a much better perspective, even though I prefer to wallow in victimhood and retribution after the election. Thanks for pulling me up, as usual!
Something more to consider... at a time when many are content to play judge and jury, one should also contemplate whether they, themselves, are also being judged. If one doesn't wish others to judge, one shouldn't indulge in it either.
Hear, hear, Charlotte, on the money as usual. Advocating violence to solve these problems will only lead to a world in which we are all looking over our shoulder. May I suggest the book and television "Say Nothing" if you want to see a world where political violence becomes justified and takes a heavy toll on the oppressed and the oppressor alike.
This is absolutely the best commentary on this terrible event. Thank you for getting directly to the heart of the matter.
Excellent analysis.
Here's a take from a 1%er from almost ten years ago warning his capitalist friends that they are going too far in their greed--after Thomas was killed, he re-posted it: https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/06/the-pitchforks-are-coming-for-us-plutocrats-108014/. The gap between wealthy and poor has grown
Interestingly, tellingly missed the fact that most of the largest, splashiest 'capitalist' corporations suck far more corporate welfare out of our government, particularly the agriculture and defense and healthcare industries, than what has ever been spent on the food stamps and welfare for poor.
And of course, that article is very dated. https://www.cbpp.org/research/poverty-and-inequality/a-guide-to-statistics-on-historical-trends-in-income-inequality shows the gap has grown so much greater between wealthy and poor, than when he originally wrote the article.
Young Turks will always exist in our societies--young men eager for upending the table, eager for violence for violence's sake, never thinking beyond what will happen after that.
Your perspective on the Brian Thompson murder is the absolute right one.
The excerpt from Mangione's Goodreads review of the Unabomber book struck me, because it's the argument that all terrorists and their apologists seem to make--that peaceful opposition and resistance can't achieve what they think violence can.
But, as you point out, they are wrong. Murdering and harming other people to achieve even a benevolent goal helps absolutely no one.
Right on the nose, as always, Charlotte.