I'm not going to get drawn too far into this, as experience has taught me the best, most guaranteed way to fall out with people is to argue over politics or religion. So, as dispassionately as I can, here's my views.
Charlie Kirk was a vile, divisive personality. He hid behind his "approachable" and "open for debate" image to play to his base audience, videos edited to make him seem better. He never wanted someone to "change his mind", his views were fixed and it was about him being made to look reasonable and prepared to talk to the opposite side, even if in truth he didn't care what they had to say. His views on race, abortion, gun ownership, conspiracy theories amongst other were foul and promoted hate. He was a Christian Nationalist with all that that promoted including restrictions on individual rights and government via religious interpretation of laws. But he didn't deserve to be murdered. Sadly though, that's the situation America is in right now, political violence has become to be normalised and accepted.
It's like an onion, layer upon layer and as you peel one away, you deal with another. America has a huge mental health crisis, funding for mental health support and help has been cut back since Reagan. Not just the street loonies, but early intervention and support for those with borderline issues. The next layer is the easy availability of guns, for every 100 Americans there are 120 guns. Not much in the way of background checks or restrictions other than you have to be 18 to buy a gun. But once bought from a licenced gun seller there's no restrictions on who you can sell to. The next layer is the removal of the "fairness doctrine" by Reagan that allows outlets to broadcast selective and biased "news" without a rebuttal from the opposite side. This created echo chambers, like Fox news, that only aimed at one section of American society. The next layer is social media and the lack of oversight on that preventing lies and disinformation being spread, creating more echo chambers. The first amendment has become twisted by this by allowing anything to be said (online) as the "right to free speech" (the same thing is happening here). Yes, you have the right to free speech, but with that comes the responsibility to not deliberately spread malicious falsehoods and you are responsible for the outcomes of your actions. If you say something that causes harm or encourages harm to someone, it's on your head. You can't just claim it's your right to free speech and that can say whatever you want. But now in America it's become that way, making opposite views "the other" and demonising them (and it's happening here now, trawl Facebook or twitter and you'll see it in no time). It was said that the Republican campaign in 2011 against Gabby Giffords featuring her head in a target inspired the assassination attempt on her, even though her attacker wasn't politically affiliated and had a deep hatred of her. Add in the rampant conspiracy theories propagated on social media and it's easy to see how some can make the next step towards violence against the "other". The next layer is Trump himself. He stirred up the January 6th attack on the Capitol building and later pardoned the rioters. Remember, these people stormed the Capitol and were preparing to lynch the Speaker, Nancy Pelosi and Trump's own Vice President. Charlie Kirk was involved himself then as an organiser bussing rioters in.
Once you put those layers together it's made political violence acceptable to some and Newtonian physics tells us that for every action there is a reaction. It's only a few weeks ago that a Democratic state Congress woman was murdered by a MAGA nutter. A reaction from a left wing nutter was always likely because "if they can use violence and murder their political opposition, why can't we/I do the same"? With the extremes on both sides being whipped into a frenzy, there'll be plenty out there on either side who will take the chance if they get it.
Charlie Kirk, through his podcasts and activities helped shape the mess America is in now and as the sayings go you reap what you sow and if you live by the sword you risk dying by the sword. I won't shed a tear for him personally, but I will for American democracy. No matter how unpleasant he was, he didn't deserve to die for his political opinion. Condolences to his family, but I don't see this getting better for anyone any time soon.
