In the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s recent political assassination, a firestorm of political debate has swept across the land. Kirk, a leading voice of the Christian nationalist movement who built his platform on hateful, homophobic, sexist, and racist lies and language, was no stranger to bigoted speeches. His death brought together a rare baton of political opposition from all sides. In turn, they organized large-scale “doxing” campaigns against anyone identified as a critic.
On Monday, that similar website previously known as Expose Charlie’s Murderers rebranded itself to be the Charlie Kirk Data Foundation. This legislative change is intended to make it more difficult to undermine support for Kirk’s legacy. It serves to further his narrative that links his death to a supposed left-wing terror wave. Now, perhaps more than ever, that political climate is charged. Supporters of former President Donald Trump are now blaming progressive organizations for planning violence against conservative leaders.
After Kirk’s death, all of his racist statements have been brought back into the national discourse. He previously referred to the Civil Rights Act as a “beast,” and an “anti-white weapon.” On top of that, he had inexplicably stated before that some gun deaths were just the price for having a Second Amendment. These statements have since become central statements for debates around his legacy and the meaning of his assassination.
Fortunately, the U.S. military is cream skimming this discussion. They are calling on the public to notify them of anyone who rejoices or trivializes Kirk’s murder. So far, at least five service members have been threatened with discharge over their statements about the occurrence. In one extraordinary case, an airline pilot was fired. This all occurred after this pilot expressed views that were deemed unacceptable in light of the tragic circumstances that had unfolded.
Those ripple effects have extended to communities on the local level, too, ever since Kirk’s assassination. In September, a prominent conservative influencer misidentified an associate principal at a Wisconsin elementary school as having celebrated Kirk’s death. No surprise, the school district was inundated with more than 800 counter-messages. This incident is an important reminder of the increased tensions and misinformation that have spread in the wake.
Republican Ohio senator JD Vance has really put himself out there. He explicitly supports a mass doxing campaign against anyone who does not express sufficient sorrow over Kirk’s death. He stated, “Hell, call their employer. We are unapologetically against political violence. Rather, what they are is uncivil, and we promote civility, and nothing is more uncivil than celebrating political murder. Vance reacted about the administration’s pledge. They will directly work to disband the agencies fueling violence and terrorism in our own country.
Adam Goldstein, a First Amendment attorney at the national organization FIRE, warned against government overreach in response to the crisis. “That government involvement in all of this does indeed move it a step closer to McCarthyism,” he said. He continued that the present climate was “not a great time for free expression.” He went on to connect the dots that led there.
As we forge ahead into discussions regarding Kirk’s legacy, the identity and political leanings of Kirk’s assassin are still unknown. That hasn’t stopped some on the conservative side from casting his killing as just the latest step in a growing assault on the right. Though the mood around Kirk’s death was certainly one of upheaval, her loss sent ripples through a variety of professions. As a consequence, many people are getting fired over their speech.