by Pa Rock
True Crime Fan
Altoona, Pennsylvania, was one of the regular stops that George Burns and Gracie Allen made on the vaudeville circuit in the early twentieth century, and after the couple moved to television, George continued to reference the small Pennsylvania city in his comedy shtick. One of his several books, in fact, was entitled "Living it up, or They Still Love Me in Altoona!"
Yesterday morning the city of Altoona (pop. 42,788) was back in the news when local police responded to a tip from an employee at a McDonald's and confronted a young man who was seated in the restaurant wearing a medical mask and working at a laptop computer. After the young man complied with a police request to remove his mask, one of the policemen then asked if he had been to New York City recently, at which point the person being interviewed reportedly began to shake.
Today Luigi Mangione is being held without bail in Pennsylvania as he awaits extradition back to New York City where murder charges have already been filed.
Luigi Mangione is a 26-year-old native of Baltimore, Maryland, who grew up in a life of privilege. His grandfather was a wealthy real estate developer, and his parents own country clubs. He has an uncle who is a Republican politician and a member of the Maryland State Assembly. Luigi attended a very exclusive private high school for boys where he graduated as valedictorian. He attended the University of Pennsylvania, an "Ivy League" school, where he majored in computer technology and earned both a bachelor's and a master's degree. He is an intelligent young man, financially well-heeled, and politically and socially connected. His attorneys will not be from Altoona.
(Patty Hearst's lawyers weren't from Altoona, either.)
Luigi Mangione was detained as a person of interest in the New York City shooting death of Brian Thompson, and later in the day was arraigned on a charge of second-degree murder. Mangione reportedly had a "ghost" gun in his possession that matched the description of the weapon used to kill the insurance company CEO, as well as several fake ID's and a three-page hand-written "manifesto" that expressed what one of the policemen who made the arrest referred to as "ill-will toward corporate America."
Mangione's manifesto as well as some of his past postings on social media indicate that he was to some degree a fanboy of Unabomber Ted Kaczynski. The Unabomber also expressed "ill-will" toward corporate America.
Josh Shapiro, the Democratic governor of Pennsylvania, the state where the arrest was made, was quick to grab a microphone and the spotlight and use his political pulpit to caution Americans against making Luigi Mangione into a folk hero. Governor Shapiro, a man who aspires to one day be President, also used his time with the microphone and spotlight to offer some compassion and understanding to Americans who have suffered loss and harm through the neglect and malice of insurance companies.
Murder is wrong, and politicians understand the importance of "backing the blue" and supporting law and order. But they also understand that when a nation is outraged, as ours currently seems to be regarding the autocratic crap that health insurance companies have been foisting on us for generations, it is prudent to listen to what people are saying and to respond as if you are actually hearing them.
Luigi Mangione committed a heinous crime, and for that he may pay dearly. But he seems to have been motivated by a desire to get a message out to the public regarding the greed and unethical practices of health insurers - and he has gotten people talking - and sharing their stories - and expressing their outrage. The historically powerless are suddenly roaring and making a great noise. But will they actually be heard?
Brian Thompson was buried yesterday. Luigi Mangione stepped into a cell yesterday and heard the door slam shut behind him.
Josh Shapiro implored us not to make Luigi a hero, and in the very next breath he told us that our leaders are listening and they do hear our outrage at the way we are treated by insurance companies.
Is he right? Is the great noise being heard?
Time will tell.
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