MANKATO, Minn. – A professor whose words literally called for assassinating more health insurance company executives says his wording was insensitive. His intent, says political scientist Kevin Parsneau, was to draw news media attention to abusive claims practices by the insurance industry. The news media focus, he said, have been too focused on the ambush killing of a UnitedHealthcare executive on a New York sidewalk –not on the core issue of bad insurance practices. Parsneau made the clarification in an interview with Mankato television station KEYC. Parsneau’s original comments, in a Facebook exchange, prompted southern Minnesota Congress member Brad Finstad to call for Parseau to be fired from the faculty at Minnesota State-Mankato.
Verbatim
Parsneau: “My comment was a social media response to a friend meant to reflect the tone of his initial question. I had never heard of Thompson before his murder, and I wasn’t advocating curtailing the investigation of his assassination. It was an insensitive comment after the fact, and it was meant to be about the larger social media reaction to the crisis, which I believe reflects public frustration with the health insurance industry and the countless tragic stories of denied health care. Representative Finstad should spend his time addressing that crisis instead of being a Cancel Culture activist.
Parsneau. At MSU-Mankato since 2006. Holds doctorate in political science from University of Minnesota. Academic specialties: Public policy analysis, public administration.