Mangione’s vigilante justice is not the answer. More compassion.

on Tuesday Luigi Mangione was indicted by a New York grand jury in the Dec. 4 murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

In the weeks since the fatal shooting, Mangione’s act, which was filled with brutal intent, has captivated America and drawn cheers (and criticism of those cheers) across demographic lines. While America seems irreparably divided most days, the public assassination of a multimillionaire corporate boss is the social superglue.

And that, it seems, was enough to increase Mangione’s charges, in addition to murder (one count in the first degree and two in the second), to an act of terrorism.

AND New York law after 9/11 states that a crime can be considered an act of terrorism if it “intends to intimidate or coerce the civilian population, to influence the policy of a governmental unit by intimidation or coercion, and to influence the conduct of a governmental unit by killing, killing, or kidnapping.”

According to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Mangione’s crime fit the description. “This was a frightening, well-planned, targeted killing designed to shock, attract attention and intimidate.” he said during a press conference on Tuesday.

Thompson’s murder reveals the collective struggle of desperate Americans

The now-deleted Reddit thread became a rallying point for Mangione’s supporters, many of whom acknowledged that while the health insurance industry appears to be irreparably broken, the reciprocity rule appears to be in place.

“I can’t even imagine how many man-years UHC has taken away from patients and their families due to denials,” wrote one. “It should be about millions. His death won’t make it any better, but it’s hard for me to sympathize when so many people have suffered because of his company.”

Even some doctors chimed in, essentially stating that Thompson deserved a king’s ransom to “f— around” with the lives of millions, and at Mangione’s hands was forced to “find out.”

And again: “What worries me the most are people who put ‘fiduciary responsibility’ (eg profit) before human lives, no more than this company he runs. When the human lives of others are considered worthless, it is not surprising that others also consider your life worthless.”

Thompson, of course, is an easy target. He was the head of an insurance giant that made billions (359 billion in 2023) by collecting insurance premiums – and this was kept those billions by denying or delaying claims. In a world that had become dark and cold, his face became the embodiment of the darkest and coldest human possibility.

But what about everyone else? And what about those of us who do not have God’s ability to decide whether someone lives or dies, but who nonetheless have significant influence over others?

What about a boss who fires employees right before the holidays, or a husband who quits without notice? A friend who spreads damaging rumors or a colleague who sabotages promotions? A parent who sets fire or a child who steals?

opinion: Yes, condemn the assassination of the CEO, but know why people are angry with the health insurance companies

I do not advocate anyone’s death and I do not believe in the justice that Luigi Mangione is charged with. But I know that life is hard; some of us struggle much more than others; and sometimes – in fact most of the time – the best way to deal with acts of retaliation designed to generate shock, attention and intimidation is to do everything possible to prevent them from occurring.

It is living and acting with compassion.

We all have a responsibility to empathize

After Thompson’s death, other insurance companies stepped up security measures and pulled CEOs’ data and photos from the Internet as high-profile executives and boards scrambled to avoid Thompson’s fate.

A few days after the shooting, CNN interviewed Dale BucknerCEO of the security company Global Guardian. Bakker said 47 companies contacted Global Guardian for increased security in the hours after Thompson’s death.

“This is the best moment and change,” he added.

Apparently, the change Buckner has in mind isn’t just about the need for senior staff suits to be with armed guards at all times. Perhaps he understands that the real changes are not specific to Mangione, or perhaps even unique to the insurance industry.

Perhaps he understands the difficulty of living in a country where those who have been wronged are ready to make amends.

I hope we understand that too.

Andrea Williams is a columnist for The Tennessean and curator of the Black Tennessee Voices initiative. She has an extensive background that spans country music, sports, race and society. Email her at [email protected] or follow her on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @AndreaWillWrite.

This article originally appeared on the Nashville Tennessean: Luigi Mangione’s indictment reveals the desperate state of the US | Opinion