Charlie Kirk’s life was replete with irony. He was a college dropout who became the intellectual leader for a generation of college kids. He was a Biblical scholar who was also an activist in the secular world of politics. He didn’t originally seek the spotlight, yet became a popular host of radio, TikTok, and podcasting. He is also credited with handing the White House over to the Republican Party in last year’s election by delivering the coveted 18 to 29-year-old voting block. Yet earlier this month, he was murdered by a member of that same demographic group.
While speaking to a large crowd of college kids at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, Kirk was shot in the neck and killed by 22-year-old Tyler Robinson. We may never know the full extent of why Robinson hated Kirk enough to murder him. Liberals say Tyler was radicalized by the right, and conservatives say he was radicalized by the left. Some in both camps say he was radicalized by a romantic involvement with his trans male roommate. All we know for sure is that Charlie Kirk’s voice was silenced that day by a disturbed young man who left our nation more politically divided than ever before, with people on both sides more willing to cancel each other out than to talk things out.
Charlie Kirk welcomed diversity of thought and invited civil discourse and debate everywhere he appeared throughout his tour of college campuses. To be sure, Kirk’s views were controversial. He was an election denier, he opposed DEI, he said that abortion was worse than the Holocaust, and he was anti-transgender. But above all, he was a staunch advocate for everyone’s right to free expression, and in that regard, I believe that Charlie would be sorely disappointed in what has transpired since his death.
In the days following Kirk’s assassination, journalists, broadcasters, public relations specialists, teachers, military personnel and others have been fired or disciplined for making public statements that were critical of Charlie.
Among those who found themselves out of a job were: MSNBC’s Matthew Dowd, who commented that “Hateful words lead to hateful actions,” implying that Kirk’s controversial views brought about his murder.
Charlie Rock, a PR coordinator for the Carolina Panthers, was canned for joking about Kirk’s 2023 statement in which Charlie had said “It’s worth…some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our God-given rights.” Rock used that quote to imply that Kirk’s assassination was justified.
Lisa Greenlee, a part-time instructor at Guilford Technical Community College, was fired after she told her students, “I’ll praise the shooter [Robinson]. He had good aim.” And last week, Randolph County high school teacher Heidi Varner resigned after she posted disparaging remarks about Kirk on social media.
Meanwhile, David Bauder of the Associated Press reported that a Florida journalist was suspended for the phrasing of a text he sent to his Congressman. And a Marine Corps recruiter was fired for posting: “Another racist man popped.”
A Washington Post columnist believes she was fired over posts she made about Kirk and America’s apathy toward guns, while over at ABC, Jimmy Kimmel’s TV show was suspended after he criticized Trump for not properly grieving his slain friend.
And last week, Attorney General Pam Bondi said that DOJ will start targeting left-wing protestors, while J.D. Vance called on everyone to report anyone who posts something negative about his friend Charlie Kirk.
Let me be clear. I am in no way defending the tasteless remarks that some folks have made in the days following Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Truth is, I would have probably fired some of them too, but it was Charlie’s firm belief that no one’s speech should be abridged. Beyond that, Kirk took criticism calmly and in stride. He also had a great sense of humor and never took himself too seriously. In fact, prior to his death, Charlie posted a video to say how much he enjoyed an episode of South Park which featured him as a “master debater” (a double entendre that hinted at a sexual act). Still, Comedy Central yanked that episode from rotation the day after Charlie’s assassination.
I was no fan of Charlie Kirk, and I disagreed with most of his political beliefs. Nevertheless, I respected him for his commitment to civil discourse. He seldom raised his voice, never used foul language, never engaged in degrading name-calling, and so far as we know, he never betrayed his faith or his family. In life, Charlie didn’t call for his critics to be censored, fired, or suspended, so it seems ironic that both his supporters and detractors want to silence each other now that he’s gone.
The Ironic Life and Death of Charlie Kirk
Charlie Kirk’s life was replete with irony. He was a college dropout who became the intellectual leader for a generation of college kids. He was a Biblical scholar who was also an activist in the secular world of politics. He didn’t originally seek the spotlight, yet became a popular host of radio, TikTok, and podcasting. He is also credited with handing the White House over to the Republican Party in last year’s election by delivering the coveted 18 to 29-year-old voting block. Yet earlier this month, he was murdered by a member of that same demographic group.
While speaking to a large crowd of college kids at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, Kirk was shot in the neck and killed by 22-year-old Tyler Robinson. We may never know the full extent of why Robinson hated Kirk enough to murder him. Liberals say Tyler was radicalized by the right, and conservatives say he was radicalized by the left. Some in both camps say he was radicalized by a romantic involvement with his trans male roommate. All we know for sure is that Charlie Kirk’s voice was silenced that day by a disturbed young man who left our nation more politically divided than ever before, with people on both sides more willing to cancel each other out than to talk things out.
Charlie Kirk welcomed diversity of thought and invited civil discourse and debate everywhere he appeared throughout his tour of college campuses. To be sure, Kirk’s views were controversial. He was an election denier, he opposed DEI, he said that abortion was worse than the Holocaust, and he was anti-transgender. But above all, he was a staunch advocate for everyone’s right to free expression, and in that regard, I believe that Charlie would be sorely disappointed in what has transpired since his death.
In the days following Kirk’s assassination, journalists, broadcasters, public relations specialists, teachers, military personnel and others have been fired or disciplined for making public statements that were critical of Charlie.
Among those who found themselves out of a job were: MSNBC’s Matthew Dowd, who commented that “Hateful words lead to hateful actions,” implying that Kirk’s controversial views brought about his murder.
Charlie Rock, a PR coordinator for the Carolina Panthers, was canned for joking about Kirk’s 2023 statement in which Charlie had said “It’s worth…some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our God-given rights.” Rock used that quote to imply that Kirk’s assassination was justified.
Lisa Greenlee, a part-time instructor at Guilford Technical Community College, was fired after she told her students, “I’ll praise the shooter [Robinson]. He had good aim.” And last week, Randolph County high school teacher Heidi Varner resigned after she posted disparaging remarks about Kirk on social media.
Meanwhile, David Bauder of the Associated Press reported that a Florida journalist was suspended for the phrasing of a text he sent to his Congressman. And a Marine Corps recruiter was fired for posting: “Another racist man popped.”
A Washington Post columnist believes she was fired over posts she made about Kirk and America’s apathy toward guns, while over at ABC, Jimmy Kimmel’s TV show was suspended after he criticized Trump for not properly grieving his slain friend.
And last week, Attorney General Pam Bondi said that DOJ will start targeting left-wing protestors, while J.D. Vance called on everyone to report anyone who posts something negative about his friend Charlie Kirk.
Let me be clear. I am in no way defending the tasteless remarks that some folks have made in the days following Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Truth is, I would have probably fired some of them too, but it was Charlie’s firm belief that no one’s speech should be abridged. Beyond that, Kirk took criticism calmly and in stride. He also had a great sense of humor and never took himself too seriously. In fact, prior to his death, Charlie posted a video to say how much he enjoyed an episode of South Park which featured him as a “master debater” (a double entendre that hinted at a sexual act). Still, Comedy Central yanked that episode from rotation the day after Charlie’s assassination.
I was no fan of Charlie Kirk, and I disagreed with most of his political beliefs. Nevertheless, I respected him for his commitment to civil discourse. He seldom raised his voice, never used foul language, never engaged in degrading name-calling, and so far as we know, he never betrayed his faith or his family. In life, Charlie didn’t call for his critics to be censored, fired, or suspended, so it seems ironic that both his supporters and detractors want to silence each other now that he’s gone.