The nation was shocked last week when video footage emerged of an apparent hitman lying in wait for the appearance of a health insurance executive.
When UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson left his Manhattan hotel, the gunman calmly approached him from behind, shot him, then fled the scene on an e-bike in what former New York Police Commissioner Bernie Kerik told Newsmax was likely a murder-for-hire.
Once the shock wore off, the claws came out — not against the shooter, but against his victim.
Referring to a New York Magazine headline, "The UnitedHealthcare Shooting Was Inevitable,” Sen. John Fetterman observed that "The public execution of an innocent man and father of two is indefensible, not 'inevitable.'"
The Pennsylvania Democrat added, "Condoning and cheering this on says more about YOU than the situation of health insurance."
In another example, Vox Media podcaster and former Washington Post columnist Taylor Lorenz posted to X, "So glad to see Fox News and LibsofTikTok condemning violence against healthcare CEOs. As we all know, the only acceptable calls for violence are against random gay teachers and trans people."
While Princeton sociology professor and New York Times columnist Zenyep Tufeckci didn’t appear surprised by the murder, she did find justification for it.
"I can’t think of any other incident when a murder in this country has been so openly celebrated," she wrote in her column.
"Today’s business culture enshrines the maximization of executive wealth and shareholder fortunes, and has succeeded in leveraging personal riches into untold political influence.
"New communication platforms allow millions of strangers around the world to converse in real time.”
One person posted four photos of Thompson’s home on X and described the home’s features, like a Realtor’s description.
"It makes me so sad that the UHC CEO won't be returning to his $1.5mn, 6,500 sqft mcmansion or its indoor basketball court, gym, 3 car garage, wine cellar, wet bar, covered porch with fireplace, coat room, office w custom milling(?), pool/poolhouse, and two separate kitchens," he said.
It was as though he believed Thompson somehow wasn’t entitled to what he’d worked for.
Another X user with the handle Bleu Cheque replied, "The fact you hate him for things that he has and can’t see that he was just a husband and father that will be missed, tells me that you’re a POS."
And left-wingers, who've claimed to abhor firearms and violence for decades, now seem to openly support it.
One young woman posted a short video of herself on TikTok, apparently suiting up in garb similar to that used by Thompson’s shooter — a dark face mask and hoodie.
A message on the video said, "POV: The People Of The United States Have Had ENOUGH. CEOs, Billionaires, Shareholders ... Should Be Scared ... "
Libs of TikTok, which holds a mirror up to those on the left by reposting their own nutty videos, reposted the woman’s clip, and added that it was initially posted "after the UHC CEO was ass*ssinated," and alerted the FBI.
There were other voices of reason as well.
A blogger who writes under the name InstaPundit reminded the gaters that violence could be a two-way street. "Journalists and academics should remember that they're also members of industries that are hated by millions," he said.
And former FCC chairman Ajit Pai posted what appeared to be a screenshot of a now-deleted tweet written by Columbia University professor Tim Wu.
"I do not condone violence," the tweet began. "But the UnitedHealth murder is showing that when businesses abandon core principles of ethics, they encourage others to do the same."
Pai added this comment, "Kids, you can be anything you want to be. Don’t be like this."
And indeed, there was a time in the not-too-distant past when we were never like this.
We celebrated the success of others and told our children that they could do the same and reach even greater heights if they just studied, worked hard, and didn’t quit.
But then a man named Barack Obama entered the White House and practiced the politics of envy. He pitted Black against white, poor against rich, and blamed their lack of success on the successful and those who “cling to their guns and religion."
Pai was right: We can do better. We’ve done better in the past and can do so again.
Michael Dorstewitz is a retired lawyer and has been a frequent contributor to Newsmax. He is also a former U.S. Merchant Marine officer and a Second Amendment supporter. Read Michael Dorstewitz's Reports — More Here.