There’s a burgeoning annual tradition that lay before us- an event so visceral that it unifies the populations, ideological or political position be damned. Last year, it was the television show Velma.
This year, since people were upset at the so-called Supreme Court of the U.S. essentially giving carte blanche to the president, you would think the same response would be afforded to Joseph Biden, upon the news of him pardoning his son. YOU WOULD THINK, but no- there were some who actually defended this act, based on the rationalization of, ‘Well Donald Trump pardoned folks, and if Kamala won, he wouldn’t have done it.’
As poor as that rationalization is, that’s not why we’re here. The event that has unified the masses is the death of Brian Thompson, the CEO of United Healthcare. The person who had a direct hand in said death supposedly has yet to be found (at the time of this writing). That said, not only is the $10,000 reward for finding this person deemed incredibly minuscule to the thousands who have had claims denied by United Healthcare, thereby being forced to pay tens of thousands more out of pocket; most people said that even if they were a witness, they would not snitch.
Capitalism conditions us to battle over low-hanging fruit differences among ourselves, diverting attention from the actual enemy. Instead of unifying on the realization of our material conditions being fueled by capitalism, there’s a focus on the components of a so-called ‘culture war’- the drag queens, the ‘immigrants’, the poor, rural farmer, assumed to be a republican. The masses fight among each other, while the handful of those who own the means of production laugh and amass more wealth.
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Having experienced United Healthcare at one point through a job; i can attest that a comprehensive mental health plan was virtually nonexistent, when i was signed up with the company. The networks in terms of what doctors you were able to see were also fairly limited.
My experience with the ‘marketplace’ was also traumatizing. On a phone call, when explaining my financial struggles at the time; i was told very plainly by the person on the other end that they were sorry i was struggling between paying rent and meeting the deadline for the insurance payment, but essentially that was not any of their business, and i needed to pay them, regardless. This person was adamant that they were not willing to work with me, in terms of formulating a payment plan.
In more recent times, i discovered that the insurance i received through my job did not cover my hospital stay, after the near-fatal accident, where i got ragdolled by a truck and lost a leg. Due to this, i had to sign for alternate insurance through the state (or else i would have no coverage at all, and i’d be paying upwards of a million dollars in bills out of pocket, as i was in the hospital for two months, twice during that period in the ICU). After leaving the hospital, i stayed at a rehab center, in which there was a cessation of coverage after two weeks. i had to eventually stop receiving physical therapy at a center, as well as any tools which would have been helpful for my legs, because insurance stopped outright covering those things.
i am but one person, in a sea of thousands, affected by an inhumane system which denies a range of care for its most vulnerable. As your labor is less likely to be exploited in desired or intended ways, you are of no use to society. There have been countless, heartbreaking stories of people being denied coverage for life-saving procedures and mental health care. The pre-authorization periods that United Health Care (and other major insurance companies) is known for, have had life-altering consequences, due to the constant delays which occur.
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We are certainly in some interesting times. We are seeing the mass protests in south Korea, calling for the impeachment of (U.S. backed) president Yoon Seok Yeol; we are seeing several international businesses remove their facilities, finances and support from Israel, as the resistance continues to surround the IOF; we are seeing most countries around the world supporting the end to the blockade on Cuba, as well as the recognition of Palestine to have self-determination. Make no mistake- the U.S. empire, its allies and appendages are in the process of falling, but we must remember that this is a protracted struggle. The actual end is not going to happen in my- or perhaps your- lifetime. That said, the process is certainly, again, interesting to see.
But i once again, digress. The unity on predatory corporations and their executives is leading to a greater analysis on the root cause of our conditions. i at this moment am not going to begrudge anyone for potentially having that ‘light bulb moment’ only now. We all get there in our own time. As i keep saying, none of us born into the imperial core came out of the womb with knowledge of what ails us.
This does make me think of the story in 2013, where a number of computers were returned to the San Bernadino Sexual Assault Services Center, a note included: “We had no idea what we were takeing. Here your stuff back. We hope that you guys can continue to make a difference in peoples live. God bless.” When i first heard this story, i automatically thought of the concept of ‘crime’, and who determines that.
Brian Thompson performed thievery on a consistent basis, and yet his job was considered valuable or virtuous (to those who determine what crime is, under a capitalist society). When you ask a cross-section of people what crime is, that concept tends to be reserved for people who face the largest class disparities, and not bosses, landlords, CEOs or other executives. Statistically, when material needs are met, you have less crime; so this connectivity should inform all of us…
And perhaps that is happening now, because unity across a spectrum of interests has occurred. Lets’ hope this unity becomes more commonplace.
Overjobbed and Underworked 