The shocking assassination of right wing activist Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, at a Utah University speaking event yesterday, is a danger sign for the future of American politics.
Kirk was a controversial and outspoken figure, who had millions of followers on social media who followed his extremist rhetoric, which had elements of racism, nativism, misogyny, Islamophobia, and attacks on gay, lesbian and transgender people.
And despite his recent pro Israel support on the Gaza War, Kirk also had uttered antisemitic assertions, and was promoting a white Christian MAGA nationalism mentality.
Kirk had the full support of Donald Trump and his children, JD Vance, and all of the most influential Trump Cabinet and advisers, and was seen as the most controversial and divisive young advocate of Trump policies, along with Stephen Miller.
Now, sadly and troubling, we are seeing, already, right wing attacks on the left wing, without any idea of who the assassin was, and that person’s motivations, as the manhunt continues as I write this entry.
And the fear is that Trump and his Cabinet will step up even more abusive and aggressive attacks on the vulnerable groups that have already been victimized in the past eight months.
Here we are on the 24th anniversary of September 11, and now a crisis on what the American future will be, and the fear of many more victims of violence and bloodshed that may be perpetrated by the extremists of both sides of the political spectrum.
This is a time that America should be uniting in mourning a death that should not have occurred, not a time for retribution and revenge!
MSNBC analyst, Matthew Dowd, was fired from his position at MSNBC after comments he made following the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/matthew-dowd-fired-msnbc-charlie-kirk-death-1236514875/
‘War Is Here’: The Far-Right Responds to Charlie Kirk Shooting With Calls for Violence
“Prominent far-right figures and elected officials have called for vengeance following the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.”
https://www.wired.com/story/far-right-reactions-charlie-kirk-shooting-civil-war/
These people BADLY want violence, war, etc. – they’re itching for it.
Trump blames ‘radical left’ for Charlie Kirk shooting, but does not mention attacks on Democrats as search for suspect continues.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2025/sep/10/donald-trump-jeffrey-epstein-tariffs-immigration-crime-us-politics-live-news-updates
That is WILDLY irresponsible – Trump is such an irresponsible “leader”.
Trump has no ability or desire to rise to the occasion or unite the country – quite the contrary.
Their desire for “war” or retribution or whatever they call it is crazy and irresponsible on multiple levels: 1) we don’t even know who murdered Charlie Kirk; 2) even if it was somebody with left-wing views, that doesn’t mean he represents the entire left; 3) at times like this, we need to come together, not escalate and tear each other apart further.
A moment of silence on the House floor over the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk gave way to a shouting match Wednesday between Republicans and Democrats.
https://www.axios.com/2025/09/11/charlie-kirk-shooting-house-boebert-luna
Jesse Watters on Fox “News” needs to be fired.
https://www.alternet.org/jesse-watters-charlie-kirk/
Officials believe they have recovered the firearm used to shoot Charlie Kirk from a nearby roof and they’re saying that the gunman is male and appears to be of college age.
Also, right-wing European leaders are also blaming the left.
Multiple historically Black colleges and universities in the South were on lockdown or cancelled classes on Thursday over potential threats.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/11/us/hbcu-lockdown-potential-threats
FBI has released images of the possible shooter.
Authorities say they tracked the gunman’s movements after he shot Charlie Kirk from a roof. Sources say phrases related to cultural issues were scrawled on a rifle and ammunition recovered by authorities but a motive is not yet clear.
FBI Director Kash Patel is heading to Utah to assist with the investigation.
President Donald Trump, who credited the activist with mobilizing young voters to help him win a second term, said he will posthumously award Kirk a Presidential Medal of Freedom.
TikTok will remove videos that show close-up views of Charlie Kirk’s shooting yesterday.
A Meta spokesperson told CNN’s Brian Stelter that the company, following its usual policies, is applying a “warning label” to video clips of the shooting, and limiting access to such videos to users 18 and over. Additionally, Meta is removing content that “glorifies, represents, or supports the incident or the perpetrator.”
In Washington, DC, police responded to the Democratic National Committee headquarters due to a bomb threat that has so far been determined to not be credible, according to a DNC spokesperson.
The US State Department will “undertake appropriate action” against foreigners in the United States “praising, rationalizing, or making light of” Kirk’s death, Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau said.
Charlie Kirk’s wife and two children were in attendance at the Utah university event where he was shot and killed.
“South Park” episode that mocked Kirk won’t re-run on Comedy Central.
I feel sorry for Charlie Kirk’s family, but he’s not deserving of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
MAGA leaders are harassing and intimidating Kirk critics.
https://www.alternet.org/maga-charlie-kirk-critics/
Deputy secretary of state slammed for targeting ‘foreigners’ after Charlie Kirk killing.
https://www.alternet.org/news-politics/trump-kirk-secretary-of-state/
GOP senator blasts top conservatives’ responses to Kirk murder.
https://www.alternet.org/gop-senator-kirk/
House Republican demands Trump tone down ‘ridiculous rhetoric’ after Charlie Kirk shooting.
https://www.alternet.org/trump-massie-kirk/
Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA is praising him as a “martyr”.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) is calling on House Speaker Mike Johnson to put a statue of Charlie Kirk in the U.S. Capitol, according to NOTUS.
https://x.com/reesejgorman/status/1966176211782246516
One analyst on MSNBC was speculating that the shooter may be a woman with short hair.
Looks like a young man to me.
Charlie Kirk statement. “I HATE the word empathy. It’s a made up new-age liberal term that has done a lot of damage.”
So I will conclude, that upon his death, I will honor his political viewpoints towards others… and “I’ll not give a damn.”
You reap what you sow.
Of course any educated, critical thinking person would know that the word, “Empathy,” has been in the English language, and all languages in general, for 1000’s of years.
This is a perfect example of the dystopian propaganda retoric Charlie Kirk was pushing.
I have been quoted often, “The success of a Democracy is based on the Art of Truth.”
Nancy Mace wants Charlie Kirk to lie in honor at US Capitol.
https://wset.com/news/nation-world/rep-mace-to-introduce-resolution-authorizing-charlie-kirk-to-lie-in-honor-at-us-capitol-september-2025
President Donald Trump just said in an interview that the Charlie Kirk shooting suspect has been apprehended. Four sources familiar with the matter also told CNN that a person is in custody and being questioned in connection to the fatal shooting.
State and federal officials will hold a news conference at 9 a.m. ET this morning.
Another update from CNN:
The man in custody confessed to his father that he was the shooter. His father told authorities and said he had secured his son until he could be formally detained.
‘People are scared to death’: Members of Congress fear for their safety after Charlie Kirk assassination.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/congress-scared-charlie-kirk-assassination-canceling-events-rcna230632
People Are Losing Their Jobs for Criticizing Slain ‘Free Speech’ Advocate Charlie Kirk
“Journalists, publicists, and college faculty have been fired after calling the right-wing influencer a divisive figure and making light of his assassination”
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/charlie-kirk-death-people-fired-comments-1235425832/
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) said Thursday that President Trump could show he’s “serious” about wanting to stop political violence by overturning pardons he issued for those convicted in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5499256-trump-pardons-capitol-riot/
Pretty sure there’s no way to “rescind” pardons, but obviously, those 1/6 insurrectionists never should have been pardoned in the first place.
Virulent debater and clickbait savant: how Charlie Kirk pushed a new generation to the right.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/12/charlie-kirk-young-conservatives-social-media
The right’s vicious, ironic response to Charlie Kirk’s death
“They’re calling him a martyr for free speech as they demand a violent crackdown on progressive dissent.”
https://www.vox.com/politics/461254/charlie-kirk-shooting-trump-radical-left-violence
Scrutiny Mounts Over F.B.I. Under Patel
“Already, a series of missteps by Kash Patel, the F.B.I. director, in recent months have invited worries that he has eroded public confidence in the agency.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/11/us/politics/fbi-patel-kirk-shooting.html
Patel should never have been confirmed as FBI director, obviously.
Trump says he’s going to attend Charlie Kirk’s funeral.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-09-11/trump-says-he-will-attend-funeral-for-slain-ally-charlie-kirk
Agreed.
Charlie Kirk Was Not Practicing Politics the Right Way
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/09/charlie-kirk-legacy-ezra-klein-2020-election-trump-turning-point/
The shooting suspect in the killing of Charlie Kirk is a 22-year-old from Washington, Utah, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation.
The suspect is in custody. His name is Tyler Robinson. Officials believe he acted alone. Investigators interviewed a family member of Robinson who stated that Robinson had become more political in recent years and had criticized Charlie Kirk.
From what I’ve been hearing, he sounds like some of the other mass shooters. He doesn’t seem to have any specific ideology.
The inscriptions on bullets recovered near the scene of Charlie Kirk’s murder appear to reference video games and online furry role-play, not a legible political ideology.
https://www.wired.com/story/charlie-kirk-bullet-memes/