The recent senseless shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has sparked an even more senseless social media debate. Some are using this as an opportunity to discuss our broken healthcare system. Others are coming very close to trying to justify this insane act of violence as being a day of reckoning. As a result, painting the alleged murderer as a hero.
Doing so has now become dangerously close to normalizing violent actions for those who oppose certain beliefs and justifying targeting someone simply because of their job title as a result of those beliefs. Are we comfortable being in a society that justifies acts of violence against innocent people? Are we missing the bigger point? Is this really about the symbolic killing of an innocent man as an outcry about the price of healthcare or a cry for mental health not being addressed?
The Cause
In the midst of this seemingly random act of violence, there were school shootings across the country and a stabbing rampage in NYC. Additionally, there was an acquittal in the case of a NYC vigilante who took the life of another alleged violent person with mental illness.
There is an obvious epidemic in today's society that extends beyond our immediate surroundings. The world has undoubtedly changed since the pandemic. Whether or not these changes have had long-standing impacts on our physical or mental health will likely take decades to address, however, it doesn't mean that we should not examine what's currently happening.
The intricacies involved with determining the type and level of healthcare needed in today's society is part of a larger conversation that is desperately needed by the leaders within this space. There is no doubt like so many other things, that healthcare is about business and profit, and not saving lives. It has been shown that there is much more profit to be made in keeping individuals on lifelong medications and treatments, as opposed to curing them. Furthermore, immersing individuals in unhealthy food products can further exacerbate existing conditions and create new ones. All recipes for out-of-control health insurance costs that can impact communities of color and marginalized communities.
Mental health is one of those conditions not usually covered well by insurance programs and not supported enough across many cultures. Our systems are broken and leave little avenues for families and loved ones to explore once a person decides they do not want treatment, or that they do not want to address their mental health issues. Instead, families of loved ones dealing with mental health issues are left on their own.
They are often told unless the person is a danger to themselves or others, there is no intervention. This can lead to dangerous outcomes for those dealing with homelessness, addiction, and mental health crises. Ultimately, the current system is telling you to take a wait-and-see approach as to whether conditions will lead to self-harm or harm to others.
In the film Dark Knight Rises, the villains’ subplot is to hold those accountable in the fictitious city of Gotham using a so-called people or citizen court to determine what punishment those deemed elite should have. The elite group are those associated with law and order enforcement such as judges, prosecutors, business leaders, and police. The parallels with the thought process of some regarding the alleged killer of Mr. Brian Thompson is justifying the hideous act committed by his alleged killer and classifying it as a sign of rebellion against the healthcare system. In essence, the alleged motive is similar to the comic movie villains' motives to sentence those deemed corrupt in society to death.
The Reality
The issue with this logic is that the ends cannot justify the means. A comparison to killing a man whose title was CEO of a company despised by some for what the company represents cannot be justified by society. In this case, it could be mental illness or vengeance, or the dangerous combination of both for the reason behind this crime. The conclusion is that the murder does not solve the problem many agree exists within the current healthcare structure of today’s society. There may be an argument that people die because of a lack of insurance or access to affordable and quality care, which again impacts those in certain communities more.
Many can argue that other places have better healthcare, however, some argue that we do. So where does this leave the millions of us dependent on this system? It leaves us with the burden of having to advocate for ourselves. This means asking questions and exploring all possibilities most often with the help of a medical professional, local clinic, or hospital. It may also mean optimizing a relationship with your local hospital social worker, a recommended organization or peer advocate, or a patient partner. The point is to never feel as if you are alone or suffering to the point where you contemplate harming another person.
Violence can never be the resolution. The healthcare issues in today's society will not be fixed overnight. However, you can choose to make your voice heard in a positive and productive manner. Additionally, mental health will not be solved until we decide to do better for the families of those impacted. We can and we deserve better for each other as members of society.
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