Kirk Bangstad, owner of Minocqua Brewing Company and founder of its political Super PAC, is posted a fictionalized dialogue on Facebook referencing Luigi Mangione, the man accused of assassinating UnitedHealthcare CEO Andrew Witty. The post, intended to promote the brewery’s beer “The Resistance,” makes light of a violent act and glorifying political extremism.
The post features a fictional conversation between Bangstad and Mangione, portrayed as a disillusioned traveler expressing anger over corporate corruption and healthcare policies. In the dialogue, Mangione ominously alludes to “drastic measures” being necessary to awaken the working class, with Bangstad responding sympathetically before offering him a beer. The exchange ends with Mangione taking the beer, stating it might help him focus before a meeting with his insurance company—an unsettling nod to the events leading up to the assassination.
Bangstad framed the post as satire, adding a preemptive disclaimer: “If this type of humor is not your thing (and today’s especially might not be), you can always unsubscribe…”
While Bangstad is known for using his brewery as a platform for progressive advocacy, many see this post as crossing the line into dangerous territory. Bangstad ends the post with “vive la resistance.”
“Vive la résistance” is a French phrase that translates to “Long live the resistance” in English. It is often used to express support or solidarity with a cause or movement resisting oppression, injustice, or an opposing force. The term gained prominence during World War II as a rallying cry for the French Resistance against Nazi occupation, and it has since been adopted in various contexts to signify defiance and perseverance against perceived tyranny or injustice.In the context of Kirk Bangstad’s Facebook post, it carries
a politically charged connotation, aligning with themes of opposition to corporate or governmental systems. However, its use in connection to a real-life tragedy can be seen as controversial and provocative- making light of the assassination on the United Healthcare CEO, who was a father and a husband.
