You are murdering Charlie Kirk
A warning to the left
Based on what we currently know about Charlie Kirk’s assassin I think it’s very hard to say he was a radical leftist. He defintely wasn’t on the right, especially in terms of his views on sex, but this does not seem like an Antifa thug or a Black Panther or someone from the Weather Underground. It would be much less disturbing if he was like those people because it would make more sense. But often these crimes are committed because the person is not well. Reagan’s would be assassin was in love with Jodie Foster, that’s why he tried (and apparently didn’t even try that hard) to murder the President.
The right has been somewhat beclowning itself with all the rhetoric about this assassin being a hardcore leftist. But it’s somewhat excusable for a few reasons. Partially because many of them are grieving the loss of an actual friend, someone they knew, I think there’s a lot of deep and understandable emotions. And partially because they’ve all known for a long time that something like this was inevitable. On Piers Morgan Steven Crowder went into more detail about all the problems they had with violence back when he used to do the exact same thing Charlie was doing when he died. Megyn Kelly pointed out that Ben Shapiro has to have an inordinate amount of security just to come to her studio, which seems ridiculous because literally all Ben does is comment on current events. As far as I know similar people on the left don’t have to deal with this problem. I could be wrong, but I think we all know why it’s dangerous to do what Charlie Kirk did.
Remember that time a man dressed as a woman threatened to send Ben Shapiro to the hospital then placed his hand on him (basically committing battery) just because Ben was pointing out scientific facts?
On Dr. Drew’s show Zoey Tur said “you cut that out now or you’ll go home in an ambulance.” Zoey said this to Ben with his hand placed firmly on Ben’s back. That’s what people like Ben are facing. What they do is dangerous in a way that leftist commentators and agitators doesn’t seem to be.
It’s not as if we don’t have reason to think Kirk’s alleged assassin should have been a hard radical leftist. When you decide words are violence and that all speech you hate is hate speech it would seem like there should be much more violence like this from the left. But Kirk’s assassin just doesn’t seem to be all that political. Left leaning on sexual ethics sure.
But the supreme irony of all this is that keyboard warriors have proven what Jesus said remains true: hatred in your heart is essentially the same sin as murder. The right is trying to impugn the left and the evidence isn’t exactly there, but the irony is that the left couldn’t be rational, they had to raise their hands and say they were glad Charlie is dead. They had to crap all over the man as soon as he was murdered. Whenever you spew your bile on Facebook you are murdering Charlie Kirk, warping your own soul and giving the right exactly what it wants.
I wasn’t a huge Charlie Kirk fan, I disagree with Christian Nationalism and a lot of things about MAGA politics, but I’m always the weirdest Conservative in the room. Kirk’s views were pretty normal, and have been pretty normal. I don’t say the pledge of allegiance (it was written by a socialist) and I probably would’ve been a loyalist during the war for US independence. My conservatism looks very different from Charlie Kirk’s and many normies. But Charlie was a good man. This is beyond debate. Probably a much better man than I’ll ever be. He didn’t spew bile, in fact he often preached the love and foregiveness of God through the good news of Jesus Christ. A lot of what he said politically was correct, and even if it wasn’t he shouldn’t be dead for having opinions that are controversial at the moment. But the left is proving some of the ridiculous things the right is saying to be true. I think it’s because they’ve internalized Zoey Tur’s politics: when I can’t win the debate and I hate what the other person is saying turn to violence, or at least turn to violent speech, act insane and nasty on facebook.
I’m going to end with this long quotation from the obituary I wrote for Billy Graham from the Federalist because it’s even more relevant now:
Sadly, Obama drew considerable ire from the tweetsphere when he honored the fallen friend of the White House:
“Billy Graham was a humble servant who prayed for so many - and who, with wisdom and grace, gave hope and guidance to generations of Americans.”
You can find a road map of this hate at the Washington Times if you need a Lenten exercise in forgiveness. Of all the evil responses to Graham’s passing (and there were some epically horrible responses), Lauren Duca easily wins that unfortunate race.
“The big news today is that Billy Graham was still alive this whole time. Anyway, have fun in hell, bitch. “Respecting the dead” only applies to people who weren’t evil pieces of shit while they were living, thanks.”
She was right about one thing: Billy will burn, but not in separation from God. Like Elijah and Eric Liddle before him, Billy Graham rides in a “chariot of fire.”
You’ve got to give up the bitterness and hate. Billy Graham was a good man. Charlie Kirk was a good man. James Dobson was a good man. Celebrating their deaths and crapping all over good men you disagree with is really just campaigning for Vance 2028 because you’re proving that you are who the right says you are. You’re acting insane and making yourselves even more unhappy. Hate and bitterness are not good for you. Internalizing violence is just poisoning yourself. I don’t want that for anyone, especially the people who I disagree with because I have pity on you. When you spew irrational hatred you’re just hurting yourself and your own causes. You don’t have to agree with someone politically to see their goodness. Goodness that comes from their creator and should transcend hatred. You’ve got to imitate Erica Kirk and forgive those who feel you have reason to hate. She really has reason to hate her husband’s assassin but she knows Charlie would want her to forgive, because Charlie believed that’s what Jesus would’ve wanted.