Brian Thompson shouldn’t be dead. He should be alive and well, spending time with his wife and sons, working–denying sick people health care–living and, most importantly, breathing.
Generation Z has a knack for finding a social issue and latching on to it, pouring their collective thoughts into the social commentary. Most have the purest of intent for doing the right thing and calling attention to the cruel way our government runs, with topics ranging from tense foreign conflicts to the Trump administration’s attacks on DEI and numerous other constitutional rights.
However, this isn’t the case for every political and economic issue they focus on. Where Gen Z is both bringing to light political issues as well as spreading hateful actions is with every red-pilled, chronically online, recently converted Marxist’s favorite heartthrob, Luigi Mangione.
Mangione, who faces the death penalty after being federally indicted on murder and stalking charges in the case of the slain UnitedHealthcare CEO, is seen as a rabid dog needing to be put down by the ruling class and viewed as a working man’s hero to the politically disenfranchised youth. (He has pleaded not guilty.)
In light of Thompson’s murder, Gen Z has spread the wrong message through Mangione’s acts: that murder is the solution to predatory actions in a hyper-capitalist society. While this take on the matter should not be condoned, some credit should be given: Gen Z has also brought to light the corruptive practices of world-eating oligarchs, as well as highlighting the ruling class’s portrayal of Mangione as a scapegoat.
According to a March 2025 YouGov survey, 29% of respondents ages 18 to 29 said that they view the health insurance industry “very unfavorably.” Also, 21% of that same age group approved of Thompson’s murder.
These stats track. Social media has been flooded with accounts created to spread the “Free Luigi” narrative, posting old photos, fan art–a rather ripped photo of him in an orange jumpsuit–memes and badly done tattoos. Even Ethel Cain, America’s new southern gothic artist, joined in the anti-capitalist fray and spoke out in support of violence against the ruling class, promoting “#KillMoreCEOS.”
As of April 2025, a GiveSendGo fund set up by The December 4th Legal Committee has raised over $900,000 for Mangione’s legal fund, with the comments lauding him and calling for his release. The highest donation to the fund is $36,500.
Would such a drive to free Mangione be as prevalent if he weren’t so good-looking?
Where has our generation gone so wrong to think that cold-blooded murder is the solution to our problems? That murder doesn’t matter if it’s at the hands of a hunk? Could it be our generation’s desensitization to violence in the media? Could it be the mental effects of the indoctrination of video games (Call of Duty, God of War, Dead Space, Mortal Kombat) and smartphones when we were in elementary school? Who knows. Maybe a study will be done in the future to determine our generation’s mental state.
In light of this, Gen Z and others have raised valid questions against the 1% of the world: what corrupt tactics are these oligarchs taking part in to maintain their power? Mangione bluntly points them out in his manifesto.
“The reality is these [indecipherable] have gotten too powerful, and they continue to abuse our country for immense profit because the American public has allowed them to get away with it,” he wrote.
UnitedHealthcare is the largest for-profit health care insurer by market capitalization in 2025, with its worth an estimated $390 billion (Thompson earned $10.2 million at the end of the 2023 fiscal year). Elevance Health, the second-largest health care company, is worth $97 billion. Though cash is flowing through our country’s health care system with no clear sign of stopping, the United States is still ranked 48th in life expectancy in the world, and back in November 2023, a class-action lawsuit was filed against the company, alleging that their AI system, nH Predict, denied multiple claims of post-acute care. A federal judge allowed two of the seven counts to continue in February 2025.
Protests pointed this out in the wake of Mangione’s arrest, questioning the moral rights of having a health care system for-profit. With multiple countries that have universal health care, it’s a valid claim to observe under the light: why are companies tasked with treating people with life-threatening conditions looking to make a profit? Shouldn’t the country with the most expensive health care system have a higher life expectancy, much less No. 48? In a country where the ruling class turns on a dime to suit their political needs (Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg), it shouldn’t be a surprise.
Watch the Hannibal Lecter-esque extradition of Mangione back to New York City by their police department. This tarmac spectacle was put on to show the harsh truth that Mangione is being used as a political stunt to show the middle and working class who is boss.
Look back at recent cases, Nikolas Cruz, the Parkland School shooter who killed 17 people, received life in prison without the possibility of parole. Robert Crimo III, the shooter who carried out the July 4th parade massacre in Highland Park that killed 7 people, received seven consecutive life sentences. Luigi Mangione killed one man and is being tried for the death penalty.
Whose life matters more? A CEO or high school students and bystanders at a parade?
Should Mangione be put to death for his alleged crime? No. Should Mangione be released? No. Should Thompson be dead? No. But in light of this alleged cold-blooded murder, is it good that we’re questioning the practices of the ruling class and our justice system? Yes.
Copy edited by Patience Hurston
This column has been updated to clarify that Mangione is facing allegations and has not been convicted of a crime.
