The recent assassination of Brian Thompson has sparked outrage in the halls of mainstream media and Washington’s political elite. Yet, in the realm of online discourse, the reaction has been strikingly different. Instead of condemnation, many netizens are celebrating his death—not out of malice but as a symbolic blow against the systemic injustices Thompson represented.
Thompson, a mid-level political consultant and staunch advocate for maintaining the status quo in healthcare reform, was gunned down outside his home. While the mainstream narrative paints him as a victim of senseless violence, the broader public sees his death as a symptom of a much larger problem: the catastrophic failure of the U.S. healthcare system and the moral vacuum it reflects.
The State of U.S. Healthcare: A System Designed to Fail
The U.S. healthcare system is an outlier on the global stage. It spends $4.3 trillion annually, accounting for nearly 18% of the GDP, more than any other nation. Yet, over 30 million Americans remain uninsured, and countless others face financial ruin due to exorbitant medical bills. According to a 2022 study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, nearly half of U.S. adults struggle with healthcare-related debt.
For many Americans, healthcare is a cruel paradox: it’s both the most expensive and the least accessible. A visit to the emergency room can cost thousands of dollars, and life-saving medications like insulin are priced at astronomical levels. The U.S. spends nearly twice as much per capita on healthcare as other developed nations like Canada, Germany, and the UK, yet its outcomes—measured by metrics like life expectancy and infant mortality—lag far behind.
This disparity is not due to a lack of resources but to misaligned priorities. While the U.S. government allocates $850 billion annually to defense, it refuses to implement a universal healthcare system that could save lives and improve quality of life for millions.
A Nation at War—With Itself
The hypocrisy becomes even more glaring when one considers the U.S. military budget. The same resources funding wars in places like Ukraine could instead provide universal healthcare, eradicate medical debt, and transform the healthcare system into one of the best in the world.
In the fiscal year 2023, the U.S. approved a staggering $113 billion in aid to Ukraine, including military support. To put this into perspective, the World Health Organization estimates that universal healthcare for the entire global population could be achieved with an investment of $200 billion annually. In other words, the U.S. could fund universal healthcare domestically and globally with less than its current war budget.
The assassination of Brian Thompson has become a rallying point for those disillusioned with this system. His death, while tragic, is seen as emblematic of a nation that prioritizes bombs over bandages.
The Online Backlash: A Symptom of Deeper Frustration
The mainstream media’s portrayal of Thompson as a martyr for democracy has fallen flat in the court of public opinion. Online, many have taken to platforms like Twitter and Reddit to voice their frustration—not at the act of violence but at the conditions that make such violence almost inevitable.
Netizens have highlighted Thompson’s role in lobbying against Medicare-for-All proposals and his connections to pharmaceutical companies notorious for price gouging. These revelations have shifted the narrative: Thompson isn’t just a victim; he’s a symbol of a broken system that millions are desperate to see dismantled.
One viral post summarized the sentiment succinctly:
“Brian Thompson didn’t die because someone hated democracy. He died because the system he defended makes survival a privilege, not a right.”
This reaction speaks to a broader trend: the erosion of trust in institutions that were once seen as pillars of society.
Deny, Defend, Depose: The Media Playbook
The response to Thompson’s death has followed a predictable pattern. First, deny any legitimacy to the frustrations that led to his assassination. Then, defend his legacy as a champion of democracy. Finally, decry the act as a dangerous precedent that threatens the fabric of society.
Yet this playbook feels increasingly out of touch. Public faith in traditional institutions—from healthcare to media to government—has plummeted to record lows. A 2023 Gallup poll found that only 19% of Americans trust the healthcare system, and trust in Congress has sunk to a dismal 7%.
The assassination of Brian Thompson is not just a random act of violence—it’s a warning sign. If systemic issues like healthcare inequality are not addressed, such acts could become the norm rather than the exception.
The Trumpian Revolution: Class Struggle Reimagined
At first glance, it might seem contradictory to connect Thompson’s assassination to the broader Trumpian Revolution. After all, the movement led by Trump has been widely criticized for its populist rhetoric and lack of substantive policy solutions.
But this event is emblematic of a deeper shift in American politics: the reawakening of class consciousness, albeit in an unconventional form. In the past, it was the left that championed the working class, fighting for labor rights and social safety nets. Today, that mantle has been co-opted by a populist right that eschews identity politics in favor of class struggle.
This is not the Marxism of old, with its rigid orthodoxy and academic jargon. It’s a raw, unfiltered movement fueled by frustration and economic despair. The assassination of Brian Thompson and its online reception are part of this broader phenomenon.
People are no longer content to accept platitudes about “freedom” and “democracy” from politicians who refuse to address their most basic needs. This isn’t about left versus right—it’s about the haves versus the have-nots.
A New Revolutionary Era?
Thompson’s death has laid bare the cracks in the American social contract. The celebration of his assassination, disturbing as it may be, reflects a growing belief that systemic change cannot be achieved through conventional means.
If the shooter is acquitted—or even lauded in certain circles—it will set a dangerous precedent. It could embolden others to take similarly drastic actions, accelerating the breakdown of social order.
This is the revolution many feared but few understood. It’s not a movement led by intellectuals or guided by manifestos; it’s a visceral, chaotic uprising driven by desperation.
A Call for Change
The assassination of Brian Thompson is more than a headline—it’s a wake-up call. The U.S. is at a crossroads: it can continue down its current path, where inequality festers and violence becomes the language of the unheard, or it can confront the systemic failures that brought it here.
This is not just about healthcare or Brian Thompson. It’s about a nation teetering on the edge of a revolution it may not be prepared to face. Whether that revolution brings justice or chaos will depend on whether America finally decides to prioritize its people over its profits.
History is watching, and so are its people.