US Shooting: We Must Also Turn an Eye Toward Inequality

The CEO of a major health insurance company was fatally shot in New York on Dec. 4. The alleged shooter is being seen as a hero, an unexpected reaction that is spreading.

The incident was motivated by strong dissatisfaction with health insurance in the U.S., and by extension, the disparities brought about by capitalism. One might also say the shooting reflects America’s dark side.

Local press reported that the 26-year-old defendant comes from a wealthy family. He had undergone a major surgery, and a notebook that he had in his possession when he was arrested detailed his dissatisfaction with the cost of medical care in the U.S., the largest health care system in the world, and even hinted at killing the CEO.

After the defendant was arrested, T-shirts bearing his image were sold and money was collected to cover his legal fees. The spread of support for the defendant has also become somewhat of a social phenomenon.

The U.S. does not have a public universal health care system that covers everyone, and many people purchase private coverage.

Insurance premiums, coupled with medical expenses, have risen, and the Kaiser Family Foundation reported that in 2024, it cost an average of approximately $26,000 to enroll in a family plan through corporate group insurance. Businesses pay for the majority of plans, but workers shoulder more than about $6,300 in expenses.

On the other hand, there is an increase in the number of claims that insurance companies have refused to pay. Many U.S. citizens feel that it is unreasonable for the companies to be making increasing profit at the expense of insurance policy holders, as corporate top brass are paid exorbitant salaries. Over the course of a year, the slain CEO received over $10 million in compensation.

In the U.S., the top 10% of income earners account for 67% of the total financial assets of the nation’s population, while the bottom 50% account for only 2.5%. Tuition even at public universities costs thousands of dollars each year, and there are students who are at a disadvantage in finding employment because they cannot pursue higher education.

It is a structure in which the have-nots cannot gain, while those who have continue to gain more. In 2014, more than 64% of those polled felt that the “American Dream” is fading away and that the U.S. is no longer the land of equal opportunity.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump may cut back or abolish the Affordable Care Act, which is designed to provide health insurance for low-income earners. Trump has also indicated that he plans to cut taxes for the wealthy, which could increase economic inequality.

While we cannot justify murder and other crimes, why has the accused shooter garnered so much public favor? We must also look to the harmful effects of capitalism that are behind this.