Shock poll: 41 percent of young voters find killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO acceptable

[hay rick]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Emile (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: The Hill

A poll found 41 percent of adults under 30 consider the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson acceptable, more than the 40 percent in that demographic who consider it unacceptable.
...
The survey from Emerson College Polling found 68 percent of all respondents found the actions of the person who shot and killed Thompson unacceptable.

But a startling 24 percent of those aged 18-29 found it “somewhat acceptable,” and 17 percent of that group found it completely acceptable.

Read more: https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5044269-poll-finds-41-percent-find-killing-unacceptable/

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There has been a lot of handwringing over the generational divide on supporting the rule of law. Maybe the generational divide is that younger people have never lived in a time when the rule of law meant something when the criminal was named Trump. They have watched the Supreme Court and the presidency sold to the highest bidder without legal intervention. They have grown up hiding under desks in active shooter drills and watched the laws enabling mass shootings remain unchanged despite polls showing overwhelming public support for reform. When laws fail to protect people there should be little surprise when they look to extralegal means of self-defense.

[Think. Again.]

1. It must be an awful feeling to grow up knowing from first hand experience...

...that the law, or the status quo of society itself, will not protect you and that you may have to take matters into your own hands someday.

[Aussie105]

23. Aren't there a gazillion movies and TV series that are based on this very concept?

The Matrix films, John Wick, Reacher TV series, most Tom Cruise movies, etc.

They are works of fiction, sure, but they express an urge to be the Good Guy against the Bad Guys, and some may be tempted to act this out in real life.
While others watch and approve.

[Think. Again.]

24. It's a shame that life is imitating our darkest art.

We have really let our children down.

[Dave Bowman]

2. As much as I hate these fat leeches I find unacceptable to kill any people except for self-defense.

[Dan]

5. Self-defense...

I am an old man and will probably not live to the next election or to see what will be the outcome of the Trump era, but I am wondering this.

In a society that has elected a Felon to the POTUS, a SCOTUS that says that man can commit no crime that can be punished, and a political party that no longer represents the population but rather pledges loyality to that man (possibly at the expense of the Constitution)... what is self-defense?

[Dave Bowman]

7. It's pretty much defending the well-being of oneself from immediate bodily harm.

Shooting that guy wasn't self-defense.

[Dan]

8. so, I am trying to find answers myself, but

When a guy makes decisions that enriches himself at the expense of others (and possibly to their detriment and potential loss of life) then that is okay, because he hides behind a desk and uses a pen?

[hay rick]

9. What qualifies as self-defense?

A person with a weapon can kill you immediately. An executive with the power to withhold treatment by denying coverage for treatment can kill you just as thoroughly- it will probably just take longer.

When a person with a weapon attacks you or a loved one, you know who is attacking you and you can take immediate direct action. When a large company withholds coverage, you don't know who made the fateful decision or if it was a committee and not a single individual. There is no immediate personal presence and no identifying fingerprints. It's also true that some of those decisions will kill not only you or your loved ones, but many others as well.

Killing the CEO or largest stockholder of the company is vengeance in the absence of justice. Seeking vengeance is refusing to accept injustice. It may not be self-defense but it is also not unprovoked.

[angrychair]

13. It is self defense

Wait until some healthcare corporate executive decides your wife or kid or sister or brother isn't worth it and must die so the executive can get a fat bonus and buy a nice new shiny yacht.

[Dave Bowman]

21. So you approve this murder. OK.

[NotHardly]

3. The nature empathy is limited to our experiences and expectations

the kids are alright.

[hay rick]

6. I will be 80 this summer.

I grew up with the Roe v Wade decision in 1973 and watched the Watergate burglary result in the resignation of a president and jailing of an attorney general. Sometimes the law protected us, sometimes it failed- Iran/Contra for example. Since Citizens United (2010) the failures have been more egregious and, with the re-election of Trump, seemingly inevitable.

[mercuryblues]

4. Would you expect a different answer when you are told your entire life

that gun rights are more important than your life to live.

Those kids have grown up with school shootings. Tots and prayers!

[3Hotdogs]

10. I'm 82. Give me about 15 minutes and I'll compile a list of around 200 names that we would be better off without.

I disqualified myself from jury duty, based on age. But if I was on a jury to decide the guilt of someone who wacked any of the above 200 people, I would try to convince my fellow jury members to vote "Not guilty."

If that didn't work, it would be a hung jury.

That is something I could legally do. And no. It ain't just the young'uns that don't feel bad about politicians or patricians being wacked. Many of my age peers feel the same.

Ya see, the presidency, Congress and Supreme Court have been bought and paid for and my name and your names are not on the receipt. Talking heads are saying that the proper way to address grievances is through the legislative process and the court system. Well the "proper way" leads to one destination: straight up our asses.

[hay rick]

11. The idea of rule of law is poorly served in America's current reality shitshow.

If the Supreme Court was bulldozed tomorrow I would expect more cheers than jeers.

[LeftInTX]

19. Yeah, I would be cheering beyond belief!

[Avalon Sparks]

12. 100%

Agree 100% - you put it very well

[Demobrat]

14. They grew up in a world where

it is considered acceptable to shoot them dead just for going to school. The VP elect called school shootings a fact of life. I’m surprised it’s only 40%.

[Cattledog]

15. I thought it would be higher than that..

[Greybnk48]

16. They grew up hearing the MAGA's saying it was A-OK for Kyle Rittenhouse to murder an unarmed protester

in cold-blood. It's what the right wing and their media taught them.

[hay rick]

17. And the endless parade of Stand Your Ground and qualified immunity murders...

[Think. Again.]

25. ⬆⬆⬆THIS!!!⬆⬆⬆

[LeftInTX]

18. Also, social media says it's OK. Most of them watch TikTok and anyone can get on TikTok and say whatever.

Last edited Wed Dec 18, 2024, 03:09 AM - Edit history (2)

We had murder of a pregnant young woman and her boyfriend last year. OMG. First of all, they were missing for a week, so right away, it was already crazy. And he had abused her previously, so right away, "BF did it". Then, they are found in their car. ("It was murder suicide.".) The who-done-it by those on TikTok was absolutely crazy...and 90% of was totally fake! They have these " influencers", who say "whatever". One person even staged fake gun sounds in her apartment complex. One was that RW guy who has YouTube channel who is always on the border filming immigrants. He shows up at her funeral filming people and says he found the killer. On and on it went until a few weeks later, the killer was caught.

(It was a drug deal gone bad)

[Behind the Aegis]

20. Disgustingly sad.

[Grokenstein]

22. Wow, that is a startling shock.

Only 41%???

(Yes, yes, go ahead and wag your finger at me, holier-than-thou pearl-clutching civility mavens. I have my own finger for you.)

[Emile]

26. After an alert and discussion with the hosts, locking.

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