this post was submitted on 18 Mar 2025
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Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/luigi-mangione-accused-us-ceo-murder-depicted-london-mural-2025-02-26/

The story at that link is about 1 month old, but someone posted about this mural on Reddit yesterday.

Thoughts?

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[–] frankPodmore@slrpnk.net 6 points 1 day ago (10 children)

Honestly, aside from what Mangione did and whether it can be justified, I just think this shows how America-brained so much of the UK is. The guy lives and committed his crime on the other side of the ocean in a context which does not exist in this country. I would personally prefer for him not to be executed but I don't understand what anyone's thinking when they use him as an icon over here.

[–] Maggoty@lemmy.world 4 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago) (1 children)

The guy lives and committed his crime on the other side of the ocean in a context which does not exist in this country.

The word "tenement" has a negative connotation specifically because of the UK's treatment of the working poor. The Grenfell Tower was only 8 years ago. You guys might not have the health insurance issue we have but you certainly have the "Parasite class killing and causing suffering for monetary gain" problem that is the root cause of both issues.

[–] frankPodmore@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 hour ago

By far the most coherent response, thank you. I still think the contexts are sufficiently different that I find it odd that anyone would feel the need to paint his face on a wall thousands of miles away.

[–] Lazylazycat@lemmy.world 1 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

You don't understand why a country full of oppressed people enslaved to billionaires would empathise with citizens of another country experiencing similar oppression? Why not?

[–] frankPodmore@slrpnk.net 1 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

I think you probably understand why it's ridiculous when right wingers say that socialised healthcare = Stalinism, and so on an identical basis you should see it's ridiculous to describe the people of the UK as oppressed slaves.

[–] Lazylazycat@lemmy.world 2 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

Who is most of the income you generate going to, if not a billionaire, or multi billionaires?

[–] frankPodmore@slrpnk.net 1 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago)

Me. But I should add that a system of wages and salaries is not slavery, and that part of the reason I know this is that actual slaves really, really want instead to be paid a wage or a salary.

[–] bennieandthez@lemmygrad.ml 2 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

Do insurance companies not rip off people in the UK?

[–] Mobster@feddit.uk 1 points 1 hour ago

We don’t have the same health insurance system as the US, but I really feel for people anywhere in the world who fall ill and can’t access affordable healthcare.

There is health insurance if you want it in the UK, but most people use the National Health Service, which is free. I am always grateful for this.

[–] Hevsvmsavlvs@lemmy.world 3 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago)

I don’t understand what anyone’s thinking when they use him as an icon over here.

i mean cmon usa isnt the only place where a lot of people want some rly rich people to die

[–] RandomVideos@programming.dev 8 points 13 hours ago (2 children)

Luigi Mangione did not do anything. He allegedly killed someone. He is innocent until he is proven guilty. You cant assume that just because someone is suspected for committing a crime, they actually committed the crime

[–] Retropunk64@lemmy.world 3 points 6 hours ago

You forgot the last part of that phrase: innocent until proven guilty IN A COURT OF LAW. We are not in a court of law, we're in the the court of public opinions, where I can, and will, say I think he did it. Doesn't mean I think he did anything wrong though.

[–] frankPodmore@slrpnk.net 0 points 12 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago)

Okay, this isn't a court and it's absolutely fine for people in casual conversation to say he did something when there's strong evidence that he did.

Strictly speaking if he yelled 'I did it and I'd do it again' at the cameras on his way into court, he'd still be 'innocent till proven guilty' but no one would insist that actually meant he 'hadn't done it'. EDIT: Actually, strictly speaking, he'd still be 'innocent' under a strict definition after pleading guilty but before the jury pronounced him so.

In any case, as to our wider discussion, you'd then be disagreeing with many of the people here and arguing that people painted his face on a wall because he didn't do anything.

[–] Hossenfeffer@feddit.uk 70 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

I don’t understand what anyone’s thinking when they use him as an icon over here.

We are also governed by billionaires who own our press and control our politicians. It doesn't matter that Mangione did what he did three and a half thousand miles away, what matters is that he is a symbol for the ultimate sanction the people can have against a billionaire class who are otherwise unaccountable and untouchable.

[–] Apocalypteroid@lemmy.world 24 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Are you being purposefully obtuse? You could say the exact same thing about Robin Hood.

It just goes to show how England brained America is. What business does America have making movies and TV shows about a 12th Century English folk hero? America hadn't even been discovered in the 12th Century, how can you have context in the US for his actions?

It's a story about a little guy who broke the law to stand up for the greater good while risking his own life to do so. That kind of heroism is borderless. Luigi Mangione may have killed one person but the person he killed was responsible for the death and chronic pain of thousands. I think we English understand that very well indeed.

[–] Nougat@fedia.io 14 points 1 day ago

I'm sure there are greedy shenanigans that happen without consequence in the UK, too.

[–] Eyekaytee@aussie.zone 7 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

I just think this shows how America-brained so much of the UK is.

Yep, they already had the majority of brands and culture back in the 80s and 90's but since the internet and especially since social media we've never been so american

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rr8ljRgcJNM Comments are turned off.

[–] samus12345@lemm.ee 3 points 22 hours ago

The UK: America without so much fascism and with better health care!

[–] DonAntonioMagino@feddit.nl 9 points 1 day ago

Speaking as a Dutchie, I hope the big American middle finger (and Hitler salute) will at least lead to their culture not being so omnipresent in European countries anymore.

I'd like that for Feddit too, actually...