Michael Moore, the Oscar-winning filmmaker behind documentaries like Bowling for Columbine and Sicko, declared on Friday that he will not “tamp down” the growing anger against what he describes as America’s “profit-driven and murderous health insurance system.” His comments come in the wake of Luigi Mangione’s alleged killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan earlier this week.
Mangione, who was named as the suspect in the shooting, reportedly left behind a manifesto expressing frustration with the U.S. health care system. The manifesto, shared by journalist Ken Klippenstein, pointed to Moore’s work and that of author Elisabeth Rosenthal as critiques of the perceived corruption in the health insurance industry.
Moore’s Response to the Incident
In a detailed Substack post titled “A Manifesto Against For-Profit Health Insurance Companies,” Moore acknowledged being referenced in Mangione’s writings. “It’s not every day my work gets such a passionate endorsement from a killer,” he wrote, adding humor to an otherwise grim topic. “My phone hasn’t stopped ringing — which is ironic, since my phone doesn’t have a hook.”
Sicko, Moore’s 2007 documentary, delves into the U.S. health insurance system, comparing it to universal health care models in countries like Canada, the U.K., and Cuba. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary and has remained a cornerstone of criticism against for-profit health care.
Moore revealed that many media outlets had asked him to condemn the murder of Thompson. In his post, he clarified his stance: “I do not condone murder, but I will not denounce the anger being expressed toward the health insurance industry.”
A Justified Outrage
According to Moore, the outrage isn’t about the killing of a CEO but about the broader harm inflicted by the U.S. health care system. “This anger stems from decades of mass death and suffering — from physical pain to financial ruin — caused by a system that prioritizes profit over people,” Moore stated. He criticized politicians and the government for enabling this system, which he described as “broken, unethical, and rapacious.”
While condemning murder, Moore emphasized that his primary target is the health care industry itself: “I condemn America’s vile and immoral health care industry, its CEOs, and the politicians who sustain this corrupt system instead of dismantling it.”
A Call for Action
Moore concluded his post by reiterating the need for change, advocating for universal health care as a solution. He offered a free link to Sicko and called for the complete dismantling of the current system:
“Throw this entire system in the trash. Tear it apart and replace it with something humane, universal, and compassionate — a system that values human life over profits, like every other civilized nation on Earth.”
Moore’s remarks underscore his longstanding critique of the American health care industry, reinforcing his commitment to push for systemic reform even in the face of controversy.
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