Editorials & Other Articles

Judi Lynn

(162,542 posts) Tue Dec 10, 2024, 04:21 AM Dec 10

The Murky Right-Wing Politics of the Alleged UHC Shooter

Malcolm Ferguson
/
December 9, 2024/1:36 p.m. ET

A man has been taken into custody for the shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO—and the digital footprint he left behind is mind-boggling.

A person of interest was taken into police custody on Monday for questioning regarding the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan. If the man in question is in fact the alleged shooter, his digital footprint raises many more questions than answers.

Luigi Mangione, 26, from Baltimore County, Maryland, was apparently apprehended at a Pennsylvania McDonalds on Monday. Mangione went to Gilman, a private all-boys high school in Baltimore, and then studied at University of Pennsylvania, where he acquired a master of science in engineering degree and a bachelor of science in engineering degree in computer science.

Perhaps of greatest note, his cover photo on X contains an image of an X-ray, leading to speculation about the status of his own health.

His X account is rife with mostly right-leaning, slightly nihilistic, tech bro-y takes concerning AI, mental health, altruism, ancient history, and society in general. Mangione follows Ezra Klein, Sam Altman, AOC, Edward Snowden, and Robert F. Kennedy, among others.

In April, he posted that “modern Japanese urban environment is an evolutionary mismatch for the human animal. The solution to falling birthdates isn’t immigration. It’s cultural.” He reshared another video from June of Republican megadonor Peter Thiel talking about people with Asperger’s running start-ups. He reposted a pseudo-motivational quote, “Netflix, door dash, and true crime podcasts have stolen more dreams than failure ever will.” And he reposted several messages railing against “wokeism.”

More:
https://newrepublic.com/post/189162/uhc-united-healthcare-shooter-what-we-know-right-wing-politics

4 replies

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The Murky Right-Wing Politics of the Alleged UHC Shooter (Original Post) Judi Lynn Dec 10 OP

So pretty much your standard rethug voter...copy that... diverdownjt Dec 10 #1

I'm beginning to notice that the younger generation... Think. Again. Dec 10 #2

right wingery no longer correlates with much... except violence paulkienitz Dec 10 #3

The gun lobby seems to be oblivious to the fact that the guns and ammo being sold... Crowman2009 Dec 10 #4

diverdownjt

(716 posts)

1. So pretty much your standard rethug voter...copy that...

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Tue Dec 10, 2024, 05:03 AM

Dec 10

What a surprise.

Think. Again.

(19,040 posts)

2. I'm beginning to notice that the younger generation...

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Tue Dec 10, 2024, 05:11 AM

Dec 10

...isn't inclined to be taken in by a strict "one side or the other" ideology.

Like this guy, they seem to be free of partisanship and are taking in what both the right and the Left present, without consideration for where it's coming from.

"Mangione follows Ezra Klein, Sam Altman, AOC, Edward Snowden, and Robert F. Kennedy, among others." From the article

That's quite a mix.

In my opinion, that's a danger posed by normalizing rightwing talking points and positions, such as when we here on DU post rightwing stuff with the excuse of "knowing the enemy". Again, in my opinion, I believe we already know the enemy and should do our best to keep their propaganda, lies, and immoral point of view out of the public eye.

paulkienitz

(1,340 posts)

3. right wingery no longer correlates with much... except violence

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Tue Dec 10, 2024, 06:13 AM

Dec 10

The guy who shot Trumpsky's ear was another one who, if judged by his target, might be mistaken for someone on the left... but it does seem to be that only those who absorb right wing morality end up using deadly weapons politically.

Crowman2009

(2,844 posts)

4. The gun lobby seems to be oblivious to the fact that the guns and ammo being sold...