Brian Thompson: Not to be Mourned
On Poetic Justice, Violence & Joy
Courage and madness are inextricably linked in a situation like this.
While celebrating the death of an evil person may be considered harmful spiritually, it is still, at the same time, practical— even ethical. How many people’s lives are saved when one is lost? There is no easy answer to this equation.
It’s intangible, but the weight of Brian Thompson’s heart will surely sink heavy— there is no feather to protect him now from the scale of the pain he’s caused others.
While I fear for the future of our country, I also have immense faith in the endurance of our human spirit. Nonviolent protest sadly will only take us so far. The guillotine existed for a reason— and now? We have guns— and the ever-contested, the ever-protected Second Amendment. Technology may and will be used against us; this has already been proven. But there will always be resistance. There is not a strong enough cage to contain us. The mad, the wild, the courageous and the determined will slip through. Inevitably, always— a rare brave few will sacrifice themselves for the whole; technology and consequence be damned.
Pardon the shooter. Pray they are never caught!!!
Let the murder of UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson serve as a warning to all greedy CEOs: money and status will not protect you from the consequence you so righteously deserve. Death comes for us all. And with death? Judgement.
We live in an era of ever-increasing abuse of institutional and systemic power. We are fully enmeshed within a culture of violence— the people are furious; rightfully so. We are rising-up: regardless of consequence; in the face of fear; while barely surviving the day-to-day. This is resistance. It may look messy and chaotic, yet it feels a lot like poetic justice.
“There is a crack, a crack in everything / That's how the light gets in”
-Leonard Cohen, “Anthem”
Brian Thompson’s murder is the first in a series of what will surely be remembered as a sea change of incoming violence perpetuated from those least expected to act-out: the victims and the witnesses. Everyday people. You, me— us.
When the scales are tipped, the structures will topple. There will be violence. At this point? It’s inevitable. The system will be torn-down in order to be rebuilt. Be brave. Brace yourselves. And make space for joy.
Remember:
Joy is resistance.
Laughter is resistance.
Pleasure is resistance.
Art is resistance.
Love is resistance.
And, while we love, we still must make a necessary space for disdain. We must not grieve those unworthy of all that is good. Empathy and compassion is a kind guide and worthy compass, but not a constant necessity. There is nothing wrong with feeling gratitude— even joy!— when evil is struck down. God alone will judge. Let God deal with the morality of the question. When we are all fed, housed, healthy and free— then we may— if we truly must— cast stones. (But, will there be reason to be? In Utopia, I cannot imagine a space for harm, for anger or cruelty. But, Utopia is an ideal, and we are far from it.)
I hope that all those in positions of power who live with true greed in their hearts are sweating in their thrones right now, writhing their hands and reconsidering their values. I pray that at least one greedy and guilty healthcare CEO changes their policies and actions immediately out of fear for their life— or their children’s.
While threats of impending violence should not be the determining factor of ethical behavior, sadly, it seems that without consequence, some humans lack guidance. Especially affected by this moral quandary are “protected” CEOs “with nothing to lose.” But, Brian Thompson had “nothing to lose” and an empire of protection, and he was still taken out. Clean and simple— and we all know the cause. End of story.
Let’s now ignore his name and the bloodshed— he does not deserve to be graced any more with the honor of grief. Let’s take his name out of our mouths…
But let us remember the day of his death— December 4th— and rename it as a national holiday honoring everyone who has ever been denied access to life-saving medical care. Let’s make December 4th a day of holding hope for those still suffering. And, especially— a day of remembrance for the countless millions who’ve perished needlessly. May we grieve their life and legacy. May their memory embolden and remind us to be better within our everyday actions, and may their love guide us.
There’s choices we soon may be forced to make. Fight— or perish.
Let our hearts not be heavy.