Influential anti-LGBTQ+ activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated on Wednesday. While condemning violence is something most can get behind, sanitization of his hate has gone too far.
He was a vile individual with repulsive ideas who didn’t deserve to be shot or to die. He also in no way should be made into a hero or a martyr, and doing so only demonstrates the hypocrisy of America.
We can condemn political violence while also being pleased that a cruel and spiteful Javert of our time can no longer do his thing.
Here's my tribute to Charlie: He was supremely talented as a propagandist, able to modulate his tone and temperament for the audience before him. He could throw the red meat for his lunatic base supporters, and he could also present himself as "reasonable" to moderates and liberals wavering on issues of fundamental human rights. He was a genius of communications and also had a talent for organization.
But let's be clear: He practiced a dark art for evil ends. He was picked out at a young age by billionaire plutocrats to be their human face, and he happily obliged, handsomely profiting himself in the process.
We are better off - dare I say, the world is better off - without him doing the work he so passionately pursued. I would say the same thing had he retired or been felled by a sickness of an accident: Good riddance.
Bill Montgomery, a marketing executive and Tea Party activist, was Kirk's mentor. He and others wanted a millennial alternative to Occupy, which was still very much a "thing" back in 2012.
That same year, Kirk met Foster Friess, a major Republican donor who would become a driving force behind TPUSA.
Despite its growing popularity among some groups, TPUSA remains overwhelmingly funded by wealthy business owners and elites.
To be clear, Democrats do the same shit. I'm not saying Charlie is unique in this regard - on the contrary, it's systemic.
I was so excited, waiting for your words on this subject. Per usual, you knocked it out of the park. Proud to support you as a spokesperson for our community. Much love to you and your wife. ❤️💪💕🏳️⚧️
It sickens me that Gavin Newsom, or any other people that should be allies, would dare to say that we should continue the work of Charlie Kirk. Your article is excellent. I condemn violence, it is a reflection of the sickness of our society. But anyone who says his work was anything to be proud of or continue, is either part of this dangerous belief system or willfully using this assassination for political advantage (looking at you Newsom). And also, the very first thought I had when I found out he was killed was this: Please don't let it be true (or claimed to be true) that the shooter was trans.
I have always found him slimy and untrustworthy. I'm proud to say that I never sent him one penny of my hard earned dollars ~ but I have given him my two cents in how he practices his politics!
Please Erin, I swear to god, don’t tell me this is the mainstream liberal take. I cannot live in a world where flipping CHARLIE KIRK is a model citizen even for our “allies”. 😣
It's a horrible thing that he was murdered. I feel for his child, I feel for the students of UVU, I feel for the people in that crowd. I hope his murderer faces appropriate justice with due process.
But you have a very good point. Are we really going to honor this man as a paragon of political discourse because he held open mic debates? He was a content creator, an influencer. He orchestrated situations in which he used practiced debate tactics against inexperienced students. He led a company which routinely dismissed the rights, equality and humanity of others with less power than him.
We're seeing the formation of Charlie Kirk the myth right now, but let's not be mistaken: Charlie Kirk the man was a bully.
I honestly think that MSNBC commentator put it well in the comment that got him fired. Kirk cultivated hate. He contributed to this climate of violence and intolerance more so than most. It was an unfortunate, hateful end to a life of hate and no one is better off for it all.
It would serve our allies well to recognize and remember that words can be violence, too. Charlie Kirk only play-acted honest, open debate -- he invited people to express opposing views so he could bully and belittle them with his hate and rhetoric. To think differently is a level of naivety and delusion that is beyond shameful for someone like Ezra Klein (and not at all surprising of someone as opportunistically pandering as Newsom). The attempted spin on this event sickens me even more than crime.
Thanks for writing that. I don't want to live in a world where Charlie Kirk calls for my death. I also don't want to live in a world where we're shooting each other in the streets. I really just wish we'd never walked this road
I am freaked out! I can't believe I saw this headline from WSJ without any proof or details: "Ammunition in Kirk Shooting Engraved With Transgender, Antifascist Ideology: Sources" (link below)
I really hope this is dispelled and condemned. I don't know how much more I can stand our community being increasingly demonized.
Gun violence is reprehensible and repugnant and needs to stop. There are always so many effects of gun violence on others. It’s never just about the victim. Bereaved spouses, kids, friends. The cost of gun violence in the U.S. is astronomical. Other countries have done a much better job than we have of combating it.
The culture around handguns and other weapons of violence disturbs me, I'm not against the right to defend oneself, but we have to acknowledge how out of control the situation is.
Erin, Thank you so much for such a rational, reasonable, ethically informed and well articulated piece of journalism. I wish this could be required reading for so many people who really need this perspective but are unlikely to see it.
While agree that violence is not the answer it is also wrong for someone like Charlie Kirk to be whitewashed- He was a racist Plain and simple for trump to give him a medal for this is an insult and an embarrassment to our country. This medal should be reserved for people who serve and greatly improve our country not someone who spreads hate
Participating in a political movement which produces crimes even only what has already occurred is violence. This is why it is a fine thing for the nazi party to be banned. You can not legitimately advocate for violence to be done and as a part of your movement carry it out. Talking about robbing a bank is protected for a speech, the instant you begin to do anything the implemented you are committing a crime. Charlie Kirk was a child torturer by his own frank admission, to hell with him where he now fries.
I will not allow any comments here praising or glorifying Charlie Kirk's death. If you do so, it is clear that you did not read my piece.
He was a vile individual with repulsive ideas.
He was a vile individual with repulsive ideas who didn’t deserve to be shot or to die. He also in no way should be made into a hero or a martyr, and doing so only demonstrates the hypocrisy of America.
Your comment is right on point.
Can always count on Erin to put into words what we're all thinking.
We can condemn political violence while also being pleased that a cruel and spiteful Javert of our time can no longer do his thing.
Here's my tribute to Charlie: He was supremely talented as a propagandist, able to modulate his tone and temperament for the audience before him. He could throw the red meat for his lunatic base supporters, and he could also present himself as "reasonable" to moderates and liberals wavering on issues of fundamental human rights. He was a genius of communications and also had a talent for organization.
But let's be clear: He practiced a dark art for evil ends. He was picked out at a young age by billionaire plutocrats to be their human face, and he happily obliged, handsomely profiting himself in the process.
We are better off - dare I say, the world is better off - without him doing the work he so passionately pursued. I would say the same thing had he retired or been felled by a sickness of an accident: Good riddance.
Now, God help us.
"He was picked out at a young age by billionaire plutocrats to be their human face"
Info on that, pls?
Bill Montgomery, a marketing executive and Tea Party activist, was Kirk's mentor. He and others wanted a millennial alternative to Occupy, which was still very much a "thing" back in 2012.
That same year, Kirk met Foster Friess, a major Republican donor who would become a driving force behind TPUSA.
Despite its growing popularity among some groups, TPUSA remains overwhelmingly funded by wealthy business owners and elites.
To be clear, Democrats do the same shit. I'm not saying Charlie is unique in this regard - on the contrary, it's systemic.
Well said!
I'm really hoping you'll submit this to the NYT and other broader sources as an Op/Ed piece. It's beautifully written and such an important message.
I was so excited, waiting for your words on this subject. Per usual, you knocked it out of the park. Proud to support you as a spokesperson for our community. Much love to you and your wife. ❤️💪💕🏳️⚧️
It sickens me that Gavin Newsom, or any other people that should be allies, would dare to say that we should continue the work of Charlie Kirk. Your article is excellent. I condemn violence, it is a reflection of the sickness of our society. But anyone who says his work was anything to be proud of or continue, is either part of this dangerous belief system or willfully using this assassination for political advantage (looking at you Newsom). And also, the very first thought I had when I found out he was killed was this: Please don't let it be true (or claimed to be true) that the shooter was trans.
I have always found him slimy and untrustworthy. I'm proud to say that I never sent him one penny of my hard earned dollars ~ but I have given him my two cents in how he practices his politics!
Please Erin, I swear to god, don’t tell me this is the mainstream liberal take. I cannot live in a world where flipping CHARLIE KIRK is a model citizen even for our “allies”. 😣
this is the worst part, isn't it??
It's a horrible thing that he was murdered. I feel for his child, I feel for the students of UVU, I feel for the people in that crowd. I hope his murderer faces appropriate justice with due process.
But you have a very good point. Are we really going to honor this man as a paragon of political discourse because he held open mic debates? He was a content creator, an influencer. He orchestrated situations in which he used practiced debate tactics against inexperienced students. He led a company which routinely dismissed the rights, equality and humanity of others with less power than him.
We're seeing the formation of Charlie Kirk the myth right now, but let's not be mistaken: Charlie Kirk the man was a bully.
I honestly think that MSNBC commentator put it well in the comment that got him fired. Kirk cultivated hate. He contributed to this climate of violence and intolerance more so than most. It was an unfortunate, hateful end to a life of hate and no one is better off for it all.
It would serve our allies well to recognize and remember that words can be violence, too. Charlie Kirk only play-acted honest, open debate -- he invited people to express opposing views so he could bully and belittle them with his hate and rhetoric. To think differently is a level of naivety and delusion that is beyond shameful for someone like Ezra Klein (and not at all surprising of someone as opportunistically pandering as Newsom). The attempted spin on this event sickens me even more than crime.
This might be your best piece ever.
If it were my own death, I have no doubt that Charlie Kirk would celebrate it, to the extent that it reached his attention.
Thanks for writing that. I don't want to live in a world where Charlie Kirk calls for my death. I also don't want to live in a world where we're shooting each other in the streets. I really just wish we'd never walked this road
I am freaked out! I can't believe I saw this headline from WSJ without any proof or details: "Ammunition in Kirk Shooting Engraved With Transgender, Antifascist Ideology: Sources" (link below)
I really hope this is dispelled and condemned. I don't know how much more I can stand our community being increasingly demonized.
https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/charlie-kirk-shot/card/ammunition-in-kirk-shooting-engraved-with-transgender-antifascist-ideology-sources-pdymd1sXXMSlVRhpvR4b
This has not been confirmed. It's fucking rumors that the times keeps pushing.
Very well spoken Erin.
Gun violence is reprehensible and repugnant and needs to stop. There are always so many effects of gun violence on others. It’s never just about the victim. Bereaved spouses, kids, friends. The cost of gun violence in the U.S. is astronomical. Other countries have done a much better job than we have of combating it.
The culture around handguns and other weapons of violence disturbs me, I'm not against the right to defend oneself, but we have to acknowledge how out of control the situation is.
Erin, Thank you so much for such a rational, reasonable, ethically informed and well articulated piece of journalism. I wish this could be required reading for so many people who really need this perspective but are unlikely to see it.
While agree that violence is not the answer it is also wrong for someone like Charlie Kirk to be whitewashed- He was a racist Plain and simple for trump to give him a medal for this is an insult and an embarrassment to our country. This medal should be reserved for people who serve and greatly improve our country not someone who spreads hate
"While agree that violence is not the answer"
Tell it to Nuremberg, or Appomattox Courthouse.
Those people who commuted those acts were despicable and got what they deserved but you can’t compare hate speech and no violence the same
Participating in a political movement which produces crimes even only what has already occurred is violence. This is why it is a fine thing for the nazi party to be banned. You can not legitimately advocate for violence to be done and as a part of your movement carry it out. Talking about robbing a bank is protected for a speech, the instant you begin to do anything the implemented you are committing a crime. Charlie Kirk was a child torturer by his own frank admission, to hell with him where he now fries.
I don’t approve of violence and the way a feel about Kirk and what he stood for is deplorable
But his killing will not change anything - hate will not win in the end