Well, folks, it looks like we’ve reached the point where social media outrage intersects with the justice system in a way that’s equal parts absurd and infuriating. Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old accused of gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has somehow become the latest internet antihero. The same internet that gave us TikTok dance trends is now serving up fan art depicting Mangione as a saintly martyr. You can’t make this stuff up.
The federal charges against Mangione, which include murder, stalking, and weapons violations, have escalated the case and opened the door for the death penalty—despite New York outlawing capital punishment decades ago. Naturally, this has caused an online meltdown among his so-called supporters, who are crying foul over the possibility that Mangione could face harsher punishment than some school shooters. Let’s pause and unpack that for a second: we’ve reached a point where people are actively defending a man who stalked and allegedly assassinated a CEO in cold blood.
Homemade billboard spotted in California:
One particularly hot take claimed, “They literally wanna kill him for daring to threaten capitalism and corporate greed. They don’t even do this to school shooters.” Another user chimed in with, “He’s being set up as a martyr for the cause… did they never watch Hunger Games?! He is our Mockingjay.” That’s right—Mangione’s supporters are now drawing parallels to dystopian fiction, as if a meticulously planned murder somehow makes him Katniss Everdeen.
It’s absurd, but it’s also a chilling reflection of our cultural moment. Mangione allegedly wrote detailed plans about his intent to “whack” an insurance CEO, citing disdain for the health insurance industry as his motive. He stalked Thompson for days, choosing the exact moment and place to carry out his crime. Yet somehow, parts of the internet have twisted this into a warped narrative of righteous rebellion against corporate greed. The mental gymnastics here are Olympic-level.
abc7.com/post/luigi-m…
— Read the book Abolish Rent (@jphillll.bsky.social) December 13, 2024 at 1:02 PM
Let’s not overlook the government’s handling of Mangione, which some critics argue has inadvertently fueled his martyrdom. From the perp walk in Manhattan, complete with freshly trimmed hair and a media spectacle, to the NYPD helicopter ride into downtown, it’s as if the authorities were auditioning for a Netflix crime drama. Twelve NYPD officers sat in the front row of his hearing, and even Mayor Eric Adams made an appearance. If the goal was to keep Mangione’s profile low and prevent lionization, well, mission not accomplished.
Luigi Mangione was brought back to New York City to answer to the charges in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Those who bring illegal guns to our city will face justice.
I want to thank all the individuals and law enforcement who helped bring this suspect into… pic.twitter.com/oF9hpzkOhj
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) December 19, 2024
Free Luigi Mangione.
The spectacle hasn’t been lost on Mangione’s online defenders. One user quipped, “Whether you’re for or against him, they’re making it SO easy to lionize him.” Another added, “The government is setting itself up for its own demise.” The irony here is thick enough to cut with a knife. These are the same people who decry the justice system’s inefficiencies but now want Mangione handled with kid gloves because he happens to align with their anti-corporate grievances.
That is all.
— Josh Hodgeson (@joshhodgeson.bsky.social) December 18, 2024 at 12:47 PM
— Luigi Mangione Updates 💬 (@thecigaverse.swifties.social) December 14, 2024 at 7:31 PM
Here’s the reality: Mangione didn’t take down “the system.” He allegedly took the life of one man, leaving a family and community in mourning. There’s nothing noble or revolutionary about what he did. The justice system is pursuing both state and federal charges, and whether or not the death penalty is on the table, the focus should be on ensuring accountability—not fueling a social media circus.
📍Baltimore, Maryland
— Luigi Mangione Updates 💬 (@thecigaverse.swifties.social) December 19, 2024 at 7:57 PM
The Mangione saga isn’t about capitalism, the justice system, or even the death penalty. It’s about a man accused of committing premeditated murder in cold blood. If parts of the internet want to canonize him as a folk hero, that says far more about them than it does about Mangione or the society they claim to despise.
