Writes Ezra Klein, in "Charlie Kirk Was Practicing Politics the Right Way" (NYT).
That resonates with something Meade just texted me:
"When people stop talking, really bad stuff starts. When marriages stop talking, divorce happens. When civilizations stop talking, civil war ensues. When you stop having a human connection with someone you disagree with, it becomes a lot easier to want to commit violence against… pic.twitter.com/Kq1Cbq744S
— DiploAct (@diploact) September 10, 2025
Posts
196 comments:
Liberalism could use more of his moxie and fearlessness
First, Ezra is eloquent in his correctness but the tragedy for liberalism is it does not survive debate. Moxie and fearlessness got nothing to do with it…
"When people stop talking, really bad stuff starts."
"When men stop talking, they reach for their swords. Let's hope we can keep Parliament talking." - Oliver Cromwell
That is what scares the left.
The elites in the democratic party created their own nazi monsters.
This all started with the left's manufacture of antifa brown shirts. ... and piles of bricks in the streets.
Hmmm...
"ATF and other law-enforcement located an older model imported Mauser .30-06 caliber bolt action rifle wrapped in a towel in a wooded area near the campus. The location of the firearm appears to match the suspects route of travel. The spent cartridge was still chambered in addition to three unspent rounds at the top fed magazine. All cartridges have engraved wording on them, expressing transgender and anti-fascist ideology. An emergency trace has been submitted an ATF SLC is working leads generated by the trace."
https://x.com/scrowder/status/1966118431511433267
Kirk was practicing politics in exactly the INEFFECTIVE WAY.
He was trying to convince killers to come over from the dark side.
And they showed him who they are.
Don't make his mistake. Stop trying to save these people. They have forfeited their right to be among us.
Lincoln didn't want to kill Americans. But he knew he had to.
Trump is going to have to do the same.
Nobody gives enough of a shit about Ezra Klein except for the fellow travelers who now want to kill him just for these words.
“A friend of mine who is a political activist said something interesting the other day, and that was for most people on the left political violence is a knob, and they can turn the heat up and down. with things like protest, and riots, all the way up to destruction of property, and sometimes murder…but for the vast majority of folks on the right, it’s an on and off switch. And the settings are Vote or Shoot Fucking Everybody. And believe me, you really don’t want that switch to get flipped, because Civil War 2.0 would make Bosnia look like a trip to Disneyworld.” – Larry Correia
I keep asking for examples of Charlie Kirk's hateful rhetoric. It's a sincere request. So far, I haven't had any takers.
I still cannot get over the joyous “punch a Nazi today” promoted by my liberal daughter years ago. The closest we ever came to estrangement. It is so tremendously hateful and dangerous.
Consider that Kirk's "Prove me Wrong" event at a college campus strongly resembles Steven Crowder's "Change My Mind" events at colleges (dating to 2018). Crowder has strongly gone after Islam, Che Guevera, Woke, etc.
Crowder's response video to the assassination: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8REpcIC-Bg
Democrats cannot have a debate with us. They will not debate with us.
They lose that way.
They will kill us instead.
Charlie Kirk isn't the last person on their list. They're not done killing Republican leaders. They intend to murder Trump, and anybody else who pokes their head up on social media and gets some followers.
That's how they're picking the targets: identify the conservative "influencers" them take them out one by one over time ... never too many at once so as to arouse passions. That's how they are going to win. They're going to boil the frog slowly.
All the while blaming us for making them do it.
"I keep asking for examples of Charlie Kirk's hateful rhetoric. It's a sincere request. So far, I haven't had any takers."
You won't get any. You're arguing with mentally ill people bent on murder.
They are not people any more.
If you frequent right-leaning sites, you encounter mostly right-wing morons.
@ SpaceMountain. Larry Correia....one of my favorite authors.
That paragraph quoted: Very astute and very true. The switch is off until it isn't.
Former Law clerk speaks for me.
"I keep asking for examples of Charlie Kirk's hateful rhetoric."
From what I can see, it's basically about disinclusiveness. He said people who identify as trans are not "normal." He said the U.S. system of government was designed for Christians and won't work without Christians. He held strongly to a principle that subordinated women's bodily freedom to the right to life of the unborn. You can defend things like that as not based on hate, but I think that is what the people who are saying "hateful" are talking about.
Well, all that pretty much falls into the category of “anything I disagree with is hateful!”
I’ve been thinking of getting a gun permit for several years now. My wife finally agrees. I’m sure we’re not alone.
"It is supposed to be an argument, not a war" Remember 1789. Actually existing "liberalism" always required violence, or the threat of it, to enhance its power over us pagans and heretics. Its left-prog offshoot of recent decades explicitly and repeatedly renounced the civil-disagreement-let's-talk blahblahblah. So, what now righties?
You know who else was persuasive…
My biggest fear is that the killer is a professional hitman hired by Putin.
Think about it.
1. No security.
2. A friend and close ally to Trump.
3. Possible future President in 10 years.
Dave Begley has gone off the deep end.
It sounds like he makes the young person mistake of thinking that principles are not affected by what they say. It circles back. Trump knows that, Vance does not. It's what makes Vance a moron but popular with dogmatists.
“Lincoln didn't want to kill Americans. But he knew he had to.”
True but simplistic, ignoring Lincoln’s anguish over the war and his efforts to avoid or limit force where feasible.
“You can defend things like that as not based on hate, but I think that is what the people who are saying "hateful" are talking about.”
People should look into their own hearts and - if so inclined - pray about it. Perhaps that will help them to discern who or what is evil. For example, if you celebrate abortion as many do, there is most definitely something wrong and evil about you.
Althouse wrote: "You can defend things like that as not based on hate, but I think that is what the people who are saying "hateful" are talking about."
Democrats aren't going to define what hate speech is in the United States. Those are war words.
The Democrats are already fighting a guerilla war against the United States. You are seeing their casualties pile up. First, they attempted to murder Trump twice. Now they're moving on to Trump's friends and very influential people they have identified using social media. They're picking people off. Anybody who shows promise.
We are already at war. We didn't want it. But that's where we are. And Donald Trump needs to stroll on down to the Lincoln Memorial and grow some balls. It's time to fight.
After reading the threads on the Kirk assassination the ones that stand out are the ones decrying the immediate blame on the left. "We don't know what the motive was".
THE SUN RISES IN THE EAST! you dumb fucks and you know it does, but let's wait a few days to make sure. What is wrong with you people?
Defending the unborn is always HATE Speech - to dedicated leftists.
FLC:
It was a professional hit job. The question is who paid for it.
Sebastian: 1789? The Calling of the Estates General? The Estates renaming themselves the National Constituent Assembly and proclaiming free speech and freedom of religion, and issuing the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen? The Mutiny on the HMS Bounty? William Wilberforce's first speech in Parliament proposing ending the slave trade? The Bill of Rights? The Inauguration of George Washington? The Establishment of the Post Office?!!
What do you have against 1789 exactly?
“ You can defend things like that as not based on hate, but I think that is what the people who are saying "hateful" are talking about.”
Because it never occurred to them that someone could espouse a position you cited, based on love? i’m not saying people‘s agency should be thoughtlessly diminished by their fellow citizens, but if we see a fellow citizen hitting themselves in the head with a brick, is it hateful to say ‘hitting yourself in the head with a brick it not a good thing to do and we think you should stop’?
I note the murder in Charlotte is now officially off the air and out of the media, and discussion of the failure of Democrat ideology and policy and governance in America's cities has been stopped successfully Close call there, people almost realized just how idiotic Soros DAs are, with their cashless bail and non-prosecution policies. I will wager a whole dollar that the Kirk murder will be memory-holed in short order also, as was the attack on the Republican representatives at the softball field, the Trump assassination attempts, and heck, even the "Fast & Furious" Obama scandal. All resulted in serious injuries and deaths, all are ignored to avoid publicly showing the vileness of the Left.
Here's to federal prosecution of the rock-throwers assaulting ICE agents.
"You can defend things like that as not based on hate, but I think that is what the people who are saying "hateful" are talking about."
Thank you for your answer, Althouse.
It's what I expected. Their "hate" are positions they disagree with. They twist the meaning of words to justify their actions. And to justify their claims both sides engage in it. It is a position I reject.
“I’ve been thinking of getting a gun permit for several years now.“
You already have a permit. For home and self-defense, get a firearm. Better yet—get more than one, learn gun safety, and practice your shooting skills.
Shortest path through the thesaurus from hateful to beneficent
hateful despicable abject submissive respectful gracious beneficent
Just put a pointer to where stuff falls and it will tone down the rhetoric.
(Any 3 words in a row mean the same thing in some context; in going to an opposite you bring up a series of contexts)
1986 program.
Alexander: 1789 marked the beginning of the French Revolution. Some say it has all been downhill from there for Europe.
Charlie Kirk has repugnant ideas to the Trans-coddling they/them child abusing left, and the pro-abortion left - but mostly - Charlie Kirk was an effective and kind speaker who listened. ... and Charlie Kirk was popular with some young people who wanted to show up and listen to him.
This so enraged the left, they had petitions to get Kirk banned from speaking.
That alone was enough for the democratic terrorists to want him dead. The communist march thru education has been very effective. Charlie Kirk made a dent and began to help peel away some of the dark influences of the communist left. That is not acceptable to the demon left.
Every young person in that audience has now been terrorized by the shooter. Most Leftists delight.
From the comments at the NYT:
“So sad for his family and our country as well that this is where we are today. Feels like the 60s again. But hey NY Times, I never heard of the guy until yesterday and I’ve been reading the Times for decades. Maybe there should be better coverage of conservative points of view here.”
Peachy said...
“Former Law clerk speaks for me.“
Pretty sure Charlie Kirk would want you to speak, think, and act for yourself.
I see the Althouse definition of "inclusiveness" is adopting without limit every Democratic position and that any quibbling can be construed as hateful.
"You already have a permit."
That's God damned right. The 2nd Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America is your permit.
And I second the notion to get some training. And remember that gun use is a perishable skill, like piloting. If you don't train constantly over the course of your time shooting, you will lose the skill.
It is not easy to shoot a gun; it is even harder to shoot someone with a gun in a tense situation that may appear out of the blue with zero warning. You simply MUST train for those experiences so that when they happen, your body won't react by pumping you so full of adrenaline that you are ineffective.
Find a gun store in your area and make friends with the owner or employees there. If you live in Illinois, or other states where lawless governments have illegally eliminated the 2nd Amendment (hey, Trump, are you listening???) then MOVE from those places.
Until Trump grows some balls and starts taking these illegal actions on at the state level, you have to choose carefully where you plant your family.
@ Begley
There are a lot foreign interests who would love to see civil strife in America. Let's see if a prominent left wing person is killed in the near future.
"Pretty sure Charlie Kirk would want you to speak, think, and act for yourself."
And so does Former Law Clerk.
I'm sure I'm reflecting everyone's frustration, but definitely don't let me put words in your mouth. Speak yourself and add your voice to the chorus calling for change in our country.
Killing people for protesting on a college campus - where have we seen this before?
Antifa and migrants comin'
We're finally on our own
This autumn I hear the drummin'
One dead in Utah
Gotta get down to it
Lefties are gunning us down
Should have been done long ago
What if you knew him and
Found him dead on the ground?
How can you run when you know?
JSM
"It was a professional hit job. The question is who paid for it."
I agree that it was professional. But suggesting the Russians did it is precisely what a Democrat talking point sounds like.
Solzhenitsyn in The Gulag Archipelago said, “Every man always has handy a dozen glib little reasons why he is right not to sacrifice himself.”
Many on the left think they have nothing left to lose. Many on the right have lots to lose, for instance, their fucking country. Many on the left no longer have any "glib little reasons for not sacrificing themselves." Many on the right are beginning to run low.
They've no idea how much they have to lose, and they do not want their enemies to reach their level of fatalism. They think this is some kind of co-extinction where we're trapped in the USA with them.
If it's co-extinction they want, it's simple extinction they'll get.
I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught in [colleges] and in the [campuses], where all [leftists] come together; I have said nothing secretly. - John 18:20
Imitatio Christi. JSM
As Althouse points out, "hate speech" is now reduced to hate paraphrasing by the people who hate you.
"He was one of the era’s most effective practitioners of persuasion.”
Which is why he was killed.
Shooty shooty
Pew pew pew
Let’s all learn what guns can do
Lefties in the USA
Love to nod their heads and say:
“Those guns you bought were from a store”
“You can’t fight a civil war!”
“Fight our army, you will lose!”
“We also have guns that we can use!”
But that isn’t where the story ends
They have homes, and kids, and friends
Leftists threaten you with bombs?
Just remember: they have moms!
Your idle boasts aren't idle threats
You think we can’t find you…
Wanna bet?
Where will you keep your family safe?
There's no place we can't bomb or strafe
Please send transtifa and drag show queens
Against 40 million AR15s
They're outnumbered ten thousand to one
That is why we've kept our guns
Don’t forget, because it’s true:
They are trapped inside with you
“You already have a permit ………….
The 2nd Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America is your permit.”
Not in NY state if it’s a pistol.
So sorry I liked something Former Law Clerk stated.
I should have specified that I agree completely with his post at 8:32.
I am surprised at D. Begley's confidence that it was a "professional" hit job. Really? 140-160 yards? Any competent marksman with a scope could do that. How many left-wing lunatics with military experience are there out there? Many, I think. They sure sound off on X and Bluesky. Look at the profiles of people gloating over this.
How about the rehashes of Crooks's attempt on Trump? They sort of provide a blueprint of how to do it wrong--it is a short step to how to do it effectively.
I predict that the killer will be a veteran with mental problems who wanted to shut up an effective voice from the right.
FLC:
I wrote that my "biggest fear" was that Putin ordered the hit. I didn't speculate that he did order it.
If you did actually write judicial opinions, you should know to be precise in your reading and writing. I am.
NYT readers comments on Klein piece are virtually unanimous that Kirk was beyond the pale.
"He was one of the era’s most effective practitioners of persuasion."
That's WHY they killed him.
"suggesting the Russians did it is precisely what a Democrat talking point sounds like."
Begley, you're suggesting it. As I said. Very precisely. But I'll take you at your word. I would be amazed if that's how this all shakes out.
I live in a blue state and an extremely blue leftist town. I am bombarded with leftist bullshit and lies as soon as I step out of my home. The left are assassinating people... murdering people ... children.... allowing crime and criminals to walk free.
My rage against what I see as absolute evil - is sparked. I see that Former Law Clerk has very similar feelings.
I often say the same about author RJ Rowling. She speaks for me. Why? I am not the best writer. I'm not a writer at all. When someone writes with such clarity, and wisdom, and yes - righteous correct anger - I eagerly say so.
A or B?
A) Dems hired another assassin
B) Democratic MSNBC insanity, inspired a terrorist.
Little Ezra is smarter than the usual progressive- he knows how damaging this event is to the movement. He is to urge his fellow travelers to back away from the abyss. I think he is far too late to the party.
"I wrote that my "biggest fear" was that Putin ordered the hit. I didn't speculate that he did order it."
How is that not 'speculation'?
Not in NY state if it’s a pistol.
New York State is a ROGUE state, run by a criminal organization. Trump should confiscate New York and return it to the Constitution.
Lincoln didn't let rogue states defy our Constitution. He declared war on them. And Trump needs to do the exact same thing. Get himself up on Mt. Rushmore.
omg - The left are blaming "The Russians" now?
I doubt the Russians care or even know who Charlie Kirk is.
hakeem jeffries warns US all..
don't politicize this; or he'll have YOU shot
@gilbar. See my comment at 9:23. Thinking alike.
Whether or not the shooter is caught probably depends on the real motive of the shooter himself. If he is a leftist, then he will almost certainly want to get the credit for the shooting so will either act to reveal himself after or will have already provided his identity in social media posts prior to yesterday. I think is highly unlikely this was a paid hitman- a hitman would have chosen a completely different venue and time of day given Kirk apparently had little security in place.
I think the shooter is long gone. mafia style.
FLC has gone ultra. Beware provocateurs.
Wow, RSM. We’ll have to call you Dr RSM from now on. Well done! JSM
In the timing, manner and venue chosen, the shooter's goals were at least four-fold:
1.) Kill Charlie Kirk.
2.) Maximize the chances of escape and preserve the threat of killing again.
3.) Intimidate others on one side of the debate.
4.) Squelch public speech by visiting speakers on college campuses through the imposition of prohibitive security requirements.
What is the logic of not releasing the picture of the shooter?
You can travel through NY state with a pistol if the ammo is separated from the firearm and both are locked in the trunk or rear compartment. Another restriction: You are not permitted to stop in the state except for gas.
"It was a professional hit job."
No.
It seems to me that E.Klein had nothing good to say about C.Kirk before he was assassinated. Makes me wonder about sincerity.
The logic of not releasing the photo at this time is because law enforcement does not want to be bogged down with thousands of false sightings that people will mistakenly make trying to be helpful
The Left has no Charlie Kirk because of all their lying. They can't have a Charlie Kirk. And that's on you Ezra Klein.
"...the tragedy for liberalism is it does not survive debate."
Sure...to people who refuse from the outset to give "liberalism" any credence. Otherwise, it does. It is responsible for all advances in human society.
CFP reporting Antifa and trans phrases engraved on the ammo.
RideSpaceMountain said...
but for the vast majority of folks on the right, it’s an on and off switch. And the settings are Vote or Shoot Fucking Everybody.
9/11/25, 8:30 AM
If that's true, it implies Correia has never read Heinlein. Violence is indeed a continuum, and denying that only justifies inaction. How far back do we have to reach for an example- the KKK? The Founders?
Yancey Ward said...
Little Ezra is smarter than the usual progressive- he knows how damaging this event is to the movement. He is to urge his fellow travelers to back away from the abyss. I think he is far too late to the party.
I am not even going to speculate on the WSJ article I just read.
If that is true then shit will get real.
Walk Away
Only the brave walk away. Cowards stay.
RSM said
"....but for the vast majority of folks on the right, it’s an on and off switch."
I'm a patient guy, until I'm not. Then all bets are off.
Robert Cook said...
"...the tragedy for liberalism is it does not survive debate."
Sure...to people who refuse from the outset to give "liberalism" any credence. Otherwise, it does. It is responsible for all advances in human society.
Liberalism is not the problem. I am a liberal.
The problem is people who believe the government should take money from some people and give it to other people. This is an inherently violent act and the very essence of redistributionism is political violence.
The left is just violent by nature of their ideology at a fundamental level.
Yancey Ward said...
Little Ezra is smarter than the usual progressive- he knows how damaging this event is to the movement. He is to urge his fellow travelers to back away from the abyss. I think he is far too late to the party.
9/11/25, 9:37 AM
The NYT had to close comments about an hour after opening them, because they were just proving all the stereotypes about Bluesky types. Their problem is simple, President Trump is absolutely going after their networks. Some will be arrested, and some will be brought to justice.
There is no way I would call the modern left "liberal".
"What do you have against 1789 exactly?" Oh, you know, just the Terror, the Vendee, Napoleon.
I rather like Correia's current book series "Son of the Black Sword". Good job of world-building. His other stuff is rather juvenile/pulpy. He got better.
Liberalism is a philosophy of divergence. Progressivism is a philosophy of monotonic change. Conservativism is a philosophy of moderation. Principles matter.
Howard said...
The logic of not releasing the photo at this time is because law enforcement does not want to be bogged down with thousands of false sightings that people will mistakenly make trying to be helpful
Another reason is that if this person is arrested many of us expect him to be free and alive in some years. John Hinckley
jr. is free as a bird with no restrictions as of 2022.
We have noticed that our government never really holds these people or the organizations that support them accountable.
We have noticed that on some level Trump is allowing us to be hunted and persecuted. Our government has allowed the leftists to be violent and criminal on many levels. They use the government to steal and when that isn't enough they throw BLM riots. They celebrate people being stabbed on subways and let the murderers walk free.
If Trump doesn't correct this expect Pinochet to win in 2028.
These deranged lunatics are celebrating that a young man with young children was murdered.
Original Mike - I agree.
"Liberal" is not accurate in any way.
These people are Democratic Progressive Authoritarians.
You can defend things like that as not based on hate, but I think that is what the people who are saying "hateful" are talking about.
Yes. To modern day liberal activists, disinclusiveness means that you do not adopt their propaganda. Thus, you spew hate speech.
Just who are the Nazis in this psychodrama?
"From what I can see, it's basically about disinclusiveness. He said people who identify as trans are not "normal." He said the U.S. system of government was designed for Christians and won't work without Christians. He held strongly to a principle that subordinated women's bodily freedom to the right to life of the unborn. You can defend things like that as not based on hate, but I think that is what the people who are saying "hateful" are talking about."
But they also take it a step further and make it life or death. If you oppose "trans-inclusiveness" it will lead to teenagers committing suicide. Your beliefs are literally killing children. Same thing with abortion. If you oppose abortion, women will get illegal abortions and die. This is how they justify violence. In their twisted minds, it's just "self defense." You are trying to "kill them." This is the rhetoric of the modern left.
A nation, a community in transition, where trans indicates a state or process of divergence from gender (i.e. sex-correlated attributes), from humanity (e.g. elective abortion), equality (e.g. DEIsm, political congruence), etc.
"There is no way I would call the modern left "liberal"."
The modern left cringes at the word "liberal." They demand to be called "leftists."
“The NYT had to close comments about an hour after opening them, because they were just proving all the stereotypes about Bluesky types.”
That’s interesting they closed the comments. I didn’t think they were out of line. For the NYT they were rather reasonable.
1. Closing comments at NYT
2. Firing Dowd
3. TMZ apology
The lefties really are running scared. Interesting.
Again - the left cannot run from this:
The left's terrorist inspiring words: Repeated daily.
"Trump is an existential threat to democracy"
"Trump is Hitler"
"Trump is a fascist"
"Trump is a King"
"Trump's supporters are fascists"
"Trump is a Nazi"
Trump's supporters are Nazis"
"Trump is a dictator and he will end our democracy"
All of those words come out of elite democrats in positions of power. That rhetoric emboldens the violent leftist cultists to act.
Read the Wall Street Journal editorial. They say it is time for the President to be the united, not the divider. He is doing just the opposite. Mean, nasty and vicious. He is attaching and attacking the left, baselessly. Is this what we can expect the nect 4 years? Heaven help us, it will destroy the right. And may just destroy democracy in the process.
OT on this 9/11,
Here's to Rick Rescorla, a true American Hero:
of the 2700 Morgan Stanley employees that day, only 13 died. 4 of the 13 were Rick and his team. Rick was last seen on the 10th floor of the Tower, shortly before it collapsed, headed back up to check for stragglers...
Absent Friends...
Sorry Victoria - YOUR Party is the Party of Lies, rage, and violence. Why don't you figure it out, and stop deluding yourself.
"And may just destroy democracy in the process."
I'd call shooting your political opponents destroying democracy.
victoria, we can smell the fear.
You’re not afraid of us on the right, you’re afraid of what you’ve unleashed on the left. And you want mean ol’ Trump to protect you. Can you say please?
Read the Wall Street Journal editorial. They say it is time for the President to be the united, not the divider. He is doing just the opposite. Mean, nasty and vicious. He is attaching and attacking the left, baselessly. Is this what we can expect the nect 4 years? Heaven help us, it will destroy the right. And may just destroy democracy in the process.
What you can expect the next four years is resolute stamping out of radical left violence that has attempted multiple assassinations, and succeeded yesterday, and has also perpetrated several massacres in the last two years. Your fear that not tolerating such violence will destroy "the right" and "democracy" notwithstanding.
DD Driver - the left are shape shifting assholes. First they want to be called liberal - then they soil the word liberal...
Then they move on to "progressive" - then they soil Progressive.
We normals refer to them as the French derived "Leftist" - which makes some of them mad. You are now saying they like it? OK fine. Leftist, it is.
Progressive Neo-Marxist Leftwing Democratic Socialist Authoritarian - I think that is most accurate.
After this heinous assassination - The Democrat Party is also a trans-rage terrorist organization.
"Mean, nasty and vicious" pretty well describes the secular priesthood that runs most US universities, and who define the inner life of the left. C.Kirk spent his life arguing back against these people by counter-preaching to their students/victims.
For those suffering from bothsidesism.
I keep asking for examples of Charlie Kirk's hateful rhetoric. It's a sincere request. So far, I haven't had any takers.
Here is some examples AI tossed up:
During an appearance on Fox News the day before his death, Kirk falsely claimed that white people were disproportionately attacked by Black people in the U.S.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Kirk claimed that attacks by Black individuals on white individuals occur at three times the rate of white-on-Black crime, despite Black people making up only 13% of the U.S. population. (correction: 15 times)
He also made comments comparing Islam's Prophet Muhammad to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and claimed that Islam was "at odds" with Western values.
Which is the closest AI came to providing actual examples — the rest was just accusations.
And here are more from Instagram:
Charlie Kirk’s Top 11 Most Heinous Statements & Remarks (documented & reported):
1. Said gun deaths are “unfortunately worth it” to preserve the Second Amendment.
2. Called transgender identity a mental disease, needing “brain treatment.”
3. Refused to use people’s correct pronouns: “I will not call a man a woman.”
4. Demanded a nationwide ban on gender-affirming care.
5. Quoted scripture about homosexuality as an “abomination” deserving death.
6. Called Martin Luther King Jr. a “myth” and said the Civil Rights Act was a “huge mistake.”
7. Promoted the “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory.
8. Spread COVID-19 misinformation likening masks and vaccine mandates to “medical apartheid.”
9. Suggested mass incarceration as a fix for the housing crisis.
10. Advocated for public, televised executions even for children to watch.
11. Dismissed Black competence and made demeaning statements about Black women:
He claimed that Michelle Obama and other supporters of affirmative action “lacked the brain processing power” to understand arguments on those policies.
He also made undermining comments toward Black pilots, saying, “If I see a Black pilot, I’m gonna be like, ’Boy, I hope he’s qualified.’”
As for the last, I can't imagine why.
All of which proves that for progressives, everything contradicting progressive shibboleths is hate speech.
Trump was shot too. He attacked “the Radical Left” because they are violent. He could have just said “the Democrats.” He gave the Democrats an out. Obama took it.
As far as “professional,” Oswald & Ray killed JFK and MLK. They aren’t pros either. The left-wing nut who almost killed Trump wasn’t a pro either.
Carlos the Jackal is dead
Ezra Klein coming off as thoughtful and I have to agree with his view on this tragedy. It is a tragedy for all of us, even those who are afraid of having to debate actual ideas.
But my gut tells me that Klein will move off of this 'can't we all just get along' phase in less than a week. But at least for now he's proven the old adage that even a blind squirrel can find a nut every once in a while.
I agree with Peachy that "The Democrat Party is also a trans-rage terrorist organization."
Among other things.
10. Advocated for public, televised executions even for children to watch.
I used to think this would be appropriate, but now I think the best way to handle executions would be in the juvenile jails, with all the inmates marched in to watch. Very salutary for them to see where their path will lead them if they don't change their ways.
The Evil Tim Walzian Left are calling for more.
"PART 2. URGENT. FYI. It’s not only the sky place. It’s here too!!! [on X]
Here are calls to target JK Rowling, Elon Musk and Donald Trump and they are on X!!! Charlie Kirk was just the beginning. They are calling for more!"
link
It was a professional hit job.
Based on the information we have, how would it appear different if it had been a non-professional who got "lucky" and panicked and ran after the first shot?
“Read the Wall Street Journal editorial. They say it is time for the President to be the united, not the divider. He is doing just the opposite. Mean, nasty and vicious. He is attaching and attacking the left, baselessly. Is this what we can expect the nect 4 years? Heaven help us, it will destroy the right. And may just destroy democracy in the process.”
What the WSJ is saying (in my opinion) is we need to protect the left in order to save the right. IOW they are saying it is within our interests to save the lefties from the most radical elements of the left. Lefties know they can’t denounce the radicals. They know Kirk’s fate awaits them if they do. Maybe swifter and harder. That’s what’s behind Klein’s very conciliatory essay, the swift firing, the TMZ apology. They know their fringe groups better than we do.
Daddy . . . help!
" white people were disproportionately attacked by Black people"
This is absolutely true. Blacks are by far the most violent group in the US as a % of the population. The old Justice Department crime reports statistical breakdown of race with both perpetrators and victims showed that blacks were committing violence vs whites at several times the rate whites were committing violence to blacks. I seem to recall this reporting protocol was abandoned about the year 2000.
Here is Part One of a small sample of the Insane mentally ill violent left - inspired by MSNBC, Tim Walz, 86-Comey, CNN, Adam Schitt, PBS newz, NPR, Rachel Maddow, The View, & Most every Democratic in power..
Trump, Rowling, Kennedy, Musk, Reagan, Gabbard et al are apostates of left-wing theology, where mortal gods and goddesses bray, and acolytes prey, they are "burdens" of left-wing ideological ethics and liberal progress foreign and domestic.
This from the founder of Vox-
Which has been a source of peddling far left smears, libels and incitement of violence by leftists.
Go pound your Hamas-loving desert sand, Klein. And take your transurrectionists who'se dicks you suck every night with you.
"Why don't you figure it out, and stop deluding yourself.
If Vicky didn't have delusions, she would have no thoughts at all.
Planned Perphood (PP) enjoys bipartisan support from the right for capital offenses, and the left for Capitol offenses, social progress, and other purposes.
buwaya (10:04am) on Larry Correia's writing style: "He got better." I couldn't help hearing that as implying that Correia had been turned into a newt.
they released the photo. He appears to be wearing a black shirt with a picture of an American flag and a bald eagle.
Ann Althouse said...
...
He said the U.S. system of government was designed for Christians and won't work without Christians...
I've seen this said by many others also. So let's ask a serious question or two.
Could the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution be written by and/or used to govern muslims?
Could the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution be written by and/or used to govern Hindus?
The answer for both those religions is obviously NO! Non-muslims are second rate citizens or marked for death by islam. The caste system of Hinduism makes a mockery of equality.
I have enough familiarity with those two religions to opine that. Not familiar enough with the beliefs Buddhism, Shinto, Zoroastrianism, or others to opine, but suspect the answer is no.
Judaism appears to be compatible- since Judaism and Jewish people have been part of the American state since it's founding.
May a million Charlie Kirk's bloom.
The corrupt vile evil pro-trans terrorist organization that is the modern democratic party -- cannot kill all of us.
should end italics. If not-
I saw (didnt meet, crowds) Mr. Correia once. He is an extremely large man (6 and a half feet tall or more) with an intimidating aspect, and I'm not small myself. He would make an extremely large newt. I would flee.
While I'm happy to use and read social media, I'm sorry it exists.
X is swarming with pro-leftist violence. one example.
@amuse
"DRIVE-BY MEDIA: CBS Morning host Nate Burleson lectures Republicans to moderate their language and accept responsibility for Charlie’s death."
shorter asshole leftist: It's your fault we killed him.
I am confident now what would have happened if the mob had gotten to Riley Gaines in 2023. The same they will do if JK Rowling spoke in public rather than via tweets.
ack - wanted to plant this here:
Just look at the insanity & the audacity to lie, from the top of the Democratic party.
Read the Wall Street Journal editorial. They say it is time for the President to be the united, not the divider. He is doing just the opposite. Mean, nasty and vicious. He is attaching and attacking the left, baselessly.
How quickly Victoria has forgotten Triumph of the Will, excuse me, Joe Biden's "Red Speech" where he labeled half of America as dangerous extremists.
"they released the photo. He appears to be wearing a black shirt with a picture of an American flag and a bald eagle."
In other words, camouflage.
Ann wrote: "From what I can see, it's basically about disinclusiveness. He said people who identify as trans are not "normal." He said the U.S. system of government was designed for Christians and won't work without Christians. He held strongly to a principle that subordinated women's bodily freedom to the right to life of the unborn. You can defend things like that as not based on hate, but I think that is what the people who are saying "hateful" are talking about."
If this is a reasonably fair summary of what the "...he was hateful" people think, then I think the path forward is clear. I don't like it. In fact I hate it and have been publicly arguing against the logically incoherent "hate speech" or "hate crime" category since at least 1990, but I guess this is where we have to go.
Under that definition, huge chunks of academic research and teaching are "hate speech," and I expect governors and legislators of red states and the federal government will start treating them that way. This will mean career destruction, canceling of classes and academic conferences, punishment for saying "De-colonize X" or Smash the Patriarichy," or even "End Capitalism," but as Kurt Schlichter keeps explaining: there can only be one set of rules.
So if the rules are that making calm, reasoned arguments in which the other side is given a chance to respond are "hate speech" purely due to the political CONTENT of those arguments, then those rules are going to be applied--ruthlessly--to both sides. And the academic mainstream and left has no defense against this and no preparation for what is coming.
Kirk himself would certainly object to such a regime. But when you assassinate the moderates, guess who gains power in the movement? (the movement, by the way, that just won an extremely convincing election and controls a lot of the massively overpowered executive apparatus).
Like Schlichter, I liked the old rules. I think that free speech is much better for everyone than restricted speech, that the answer to speech you dislike is counter-argument rather than silence. But those aren't the rules that were adopted.
Hassayamper - yeah it was a diabolical speech that Victoria liked.
The Biden Hate Speech
More clues
This very month Ezra Klein was saying Trump was working like a mafioso to enrich himself and increase his power, so I suppose Ezra hasn't been "practicing politics in exactly the right way" himself.
Sometimes there can be a professional sympathy among pundits. Often there isn't. When it's there, it may help to humanize people who are only talking heads or disembodied brains. I do remember Rod Dreher taking exception to comments on David Brooks's or Mark Lilla's messy divorce when he was going through his own messy divorce.
@
Conspiracy again. "The 'Great Replacement' conspiracy theory." That would appear to be one of the cases where it's absurd to call it a conspiracy or a conspiracy theory, because it's all been so clearly out in the open for all to see, whether or not one acknowledges it publicly.
@
Disentangling the fictional or quasi-fictional professional assassin 'the Jackal' from the real terrorist 'Carlos, the Jackal' would be a tough job. I'm not really up to it.
WSJ: "Ammunition in Charlie Kirk Shooting Engraved With Transgender, Antifascist Ideology: Sources."
The blending of radical trans-ideology with Antifa-Nazi Authoritarianism. So Democratic.
Is it time to Label "Antifa" - or "Democratic Party Antifa" as a terrorist organization? I think it is.
they should be rounded up and institutionalized as criminally insane. Then - as someone would recommend - "reprogrammed"
A small radicalization of "Teh Normies" the size of a fucking massive radicalization of "Teh Normies".
I’m not putting much confidence in the leaked information about the messaging. Maybe its true, but it just doesn’t seem right for someone that was able to pull this off and get away from the area.
Every sane parent must remove their children from any school who has radical insane mentally ill trans-antifa as teachers.
"Ryan Saavedra @RealSaavedra
Federal law enforcement says that the ammunition used by Charlie Kirk's assassin had transgender, anti-fascist ideology engraved on it
CNN makes no mention of what was written, only calling it "cultural phrases", adding it's not clear what the motive is
Unreal"
We’re watching. We’re listening. We’re taking notes.
Time to make nice now.
"Time to make nice now."
The time to make nice was Tuesday.
Today is different time.
Nice is so....yesterday.
As the kids might say.
Eva - nice with who?
The left burned a bridge so badly this time - there is no one to re-build it.
If Dems/ Their corrupt media want to repair the damage they themselves created - they are free to do so. We wait.
Treating the Corrupt Democratic-Left as if they will now operate in good faith - is dangerous.
The D-left prove daily they are dangerous, they are moral-less and they should never be trusted. In fact the left are openly evil. Their agenda is pure evil - and as of right now --- that agenda is not any different.
Btw - Who is watching these roofs? After Butler - this never should have happened again.
The point again – is we on the right assume the best of people. But leftist people are not good people. They buy all of the garbage propaganda sold to them from the hierarchy of a corrupt Political party. Both must change. The d-base, and the Soros (D) Kingpins. Other than normals fleeing the democratic party - I don't see any evidence yet the Dems and their corrupt media want to alter anything.
another example of what I am talking about.
Instapundit is showcasing the Media/Dem party alliance hypocrisy and their BS and lies.
Again - the democracic party and its media are evil.
Batya Ungar-Sargon
@bungarsargon
Democrats: "We're in a war to save this country so you have to be willing to do whatever is necessary." (paraphrase of Democratic Chris Murphy)
Killer: murders an icon of the Right
Democrats: "Right wing podcasters are incredibly dangerous. We're not at war and their rhetoric will lead to violence."
The democrats in power set the brain operation for their cultists.
"Take a close look at many of the groups we see over-represented in celebrating Charlie Kirk’s death:
-Teachers
-Healthcare Professionals
-Government Workers
These are NOT radical blue-haired freaks. They are the highly-indoctrinated Democrat rank and file."
Another example
what was the line from roadhouse,
Not your leftist liberalism, Cooke. But classic liberalism which was open to the thought that freedom belonged to everyone. you despise freedom.
'be nice, until it's time not to be nice'
From what I can see, it's basically about disinclusiveness. He [Charlie Kirk] said people who identify as trans are not "normal."
This may come as a shock both you and the more general left, Althouse, but normal men do not enter women’s safe spaces — rest rooms, locker rooms, showers — to wave their pecker at biological women. Normal women do not barge into a boys’ locker room with a video camera. Score one for Charlie.
He said the U.S. system of government was designed for Christians and won't work without Christians.
Charlie is almost right. The correction I’d make is adherence to the Christian set of ethics and concepts of what is right and wrong. And I argue that one can do that without attending church on Sunday or believing in the. Virgin Birth or the Resurrection.
He held strongly to a principle that subordinated women's bodily freedom to the right to life of the unborn.
And from your wording I infer that the Pro-Abortion people still do not have a response to the argument that a baby has a right to be born and to have a fair chance at life. Words like “hate speech” and loaded terms like “subordinate” sort of give the game away, don’t they?
You can defend things like that as not based on hate, but I think that is what the people who are saying "hateful" are talking about.
One can, and people do, but hiding one’s lack of intellectual integrity behind the phrase “hate speech” is simply announcing that the other side has the right of the argument.
Yancey said: "In other words, camouflage."
That is exactly the apt way to put it, Yancey.
The Democrats are waging a guerilla war against the United States and against conservatives in this country. So the killer is wearing camouflage.
So far, they've attempted two murders of the President, at least one Supreme Court justice, and now they're going after the top conservative influencers in the nation. Soft targets.
It doesn't matter if these are isolated operations. Or if they are coordinated. The main feature of a guerilla war is un-coordination, and lack of main leadership.
But it's clear that the United States is under attack from within and at war with elements of the Democrat Party that has been badly wounded and is responding like a trapped animal.
Trump needs to start treating it like the war it is. Brush off his Lincoln. Maybe suspend habeaus corpus as Lincoln did. Precedented, as they say. And start using military assets instead of the Keystone Kops that the FBI represent.
yes dysmorphia is a delusion, that arises from dark sources as jonathan cahn has noted,
And let's get something else straight, as Big Mike obsesrved:
Trannies are NOT NORMAL. They're fucking freaks and sexual perverts and if you see one in a women's bathroom (well, you know what to do but if I say it, Althouse will delete this comment.)
They are trying to normalize everything all the way down to fucking your children. Make no mistake about it.
They are abnormal freaks and we need to dispense with every last one of them. Psychiatrists used to prescribe labotomy's for these people and we need to revive that practice.
the extremity of the derangement drives some to kill, hence trantifa, in the northwest, the covenant and annunciation shooters,
Trantifa.
Scott Adams says it’s time for the dismantling of the Democratic Party.
I’m shocked and surprised how many young people (who I always assumed to be apolitical) around here are genuinely upset about Kirk’s murder and seem to be struggling with how to deal with it. A lot of eyes were opened yesterday.
Former Law Clerk, In the spirit of Charlie Kirk, and as a relatively liberal Democrat, I'm happy to debate with you, either here or on email As a starting place, why don't we debate whether the current Trump administration or the former Biden administration better honored and defended First Amendment values? Or perhaps you have a better starting place. Let me know.
ah a little standup, oh you're cereal,
"If you frequent right-leaning sites, you encounter mostly right-wing morons." Absolutely. Same with left-wing sites. When I read the comments sections of WaPo or NYT, I see moronic, ill thought out stuff by people on the left. I come here and see the same from the right. On both sites, I can also see insightful comments. Is it worth sifting through all of it? The last couple of days, no.
miss disinfo, probably had Charlie on a list, and it wasn't for birthday cards
actually we've been quite civil, compared to what's happened in the last eight years since Alexandria,
Now that we can't have nice things, I expect this to be happening more often.
Stephen
Why don't you start the conversation by talking about Biden's Misinformation Czar?
Khaaaan!!!
Leland - your link leads to even more Seattle Hot Garbage.
so they've gone full terminator mode
Leland's link:
[Jacob Nestegard said:] “I would have killed Charlie Kirk myself”
"These words were spoken by Jacob Nestegard tonight at a candle lit vigil for Charlie.
Jacob works as a specialist at “Rehab Without Walls” in Seattle.
Do what ya’ll do. "
-----------------------------------------------------
It takes a really special kind of asshole to go to a vigil - to celebrate their death.
Original Mike said...
I keep asking for examples of Charlie Kirk's hateful rhetoric. It's a sincere request. So far, I haven't had any takers.
9/11/25, 8:31 AM
--
What the celebrators allude to is his downplaying concept of empathy and calling school shootings collateral damage from 2A. Never providing quote or context.
It takes a really special kind of asshole to go to a vigil - to celebrate their death.
These scum are pretty much the same as the Westboro Baptist Church. Normal folks can scarcely fathom just how loathsome and evil some people can be.
"but I think that is what the people who are saying "hateful" are talking about."
And their response to imagining that hate is to kill the offender?
Sounds kind of hateful to me.
Very hateful, Mason G. These people are sick of mind and soul…
Stephen
Why don't you start the conversation by talking about Biden's Misinformation Czar?
Her name is Nina Jankowicz, and I am hoping she will go to prison for a decade for "official oppression under color of law" or "conspiracy against civil rights" or whatever the appropriate statute is.
It is well-established law that just as the government may not directly censor individuals' free speech, it may not solicit or conspire with non-governmental individuals or organizations to infringe on free speech or other civil rights. Yet that was basically this bitch's job description.
If we were the type of people to do targeted political assassinations, which we are not, this despicable she-devil would belong near the top of any list. As it is, I hope Trump will use the wave of revulsion at Charlie Kirk's murder to pave the way for vigorous criminal prosecution of this commie bitch and many others like her, together with as many state attorneys-general as they can rope in. Drop the hammer on her.
Additionally, there are victims of her censorship regime in every state who would have a claim against her in civil court. I'd like to see Musk or some other moneybags individual or organization finance a massive class-action lawsuit against her and everyone she conspired with, and file it in Wyoming or Alabama in hopes of a massive judgment that will strip them all of everything they own down to their toothbrush.
Total war on the Left from this point forward. Fuck civility, collegiality, and mercy. They are the worst enemy we face and they must be destroyed.
Well, all that pretty much falls into the category of “anything I disagree with is hateful!”
Exactly. And that's why I'm done talking to them.
They say it is time for the President to be the united, not the divider.
Fuck you and your calls for unity, Vicki. It isn't going to happen.
Because we are selling a bunch of stuff on FB Marketplace right now, I've been forced to go on FB for the first time in many months - probably a year and a half or more. Despite trying to go immediately to the Marketplace tab (or whatever you call it), I've been sucked into the regular feed more than once since yesterday.
So. The other side - at least, those on the other side who inhabit my feed - honestly seem to think that Kirk was a hate-monger and that their side is the side of forbearance and tolerance. They really believe this. They are careful to say that "violence has no place" in our public dialogue, but they are just as quick to blame my side for amping up the rhetoric and creating an environment in which actual physical violence is the logical outcome.
Am I crazy? I know my side has certainly followed suit, to a degree, with the political rhetoric - these days I hear "the Democrats are the fascists" frequently. But I have never heard "Biden is as bad as Hitler (or Stalin)," nor "Harris would cancel all elections" nor "Obama was a would-be dictator." I hear those claims about Trump constantly, even though he walked out of the White House in 2021 under no protest (hush, this is a true statement) and reentered in 2025 only after an election that no one can reasonably claim even had "irregularities."
I have heard "the Flight 93 election." I have heard "the most important election of our lifetime." I have heard "Democrats are evil" - directly contrasting with the old "Republicans think Democrats are wrong; Democrats think Republicans are evil." That observation is very very over, it seems. But - going back to my very first example, "the Democrats are the fascists," I've heard that sentiment expressed always for one of two reasons: countering the claim that "Republicans are fascists" (the articles matter, rhetorically), or in response to Democrats' having done something authoritarian like citing surfers during COVID or creating de-facto mal and vaccine mandates.
What I have not heard from Republicans is "our democracy is at stake" or "vote like it's the last election you'll ever vote in - because it might be" or any of the extreme-1930s-Germany talk that Democrats trafficked on throughout the election season and continue to bruit about every day.
Look, lefties of Althouse. Either you believe Trump is actually positioning himself to be Hitler, and therefore all these claims your side makes about him are true - and everything up to murder is justified in order to stop his march to dictatorship... or it's all BS, merely political rhetoric designed to gain and hold political and academic and bureaucratic and social power. Which is it?
Because now you've got people like FLC and RSM and even Peachy, for God's sake, talking about what's good for the goose. (Achilles has always run hot.) Is this what your side was aiming for?
"but they are just as quick to blame my side for amping up the rhetoric and creating an environment in which actual physical violence is the logical outcome."
"Look what you made me do!" says the five-year-old.
My point Peachy is that there will be a lot more doxxing of liberals with that guy's perspective.
Maynard and Hassayamper, My understanding of Biden's misinformation czar is that she was in office for about a month, and that her agency's operation was disbanded almost immediately thereafter. It's existence may have posed a threat to First Amendment values, but in the end, the Biden Administration shut it down on its own. Have I got my facts right?
FormerLawClerk, Hassayamper, and Maynard, I was wondering what you would say about Trump's executive orders against law firms, or the suspension of research funding at Harvard--all of which have been declared to be in violation of the First Amendment.
Charlie Kirk was a 2020 election denier and conspiracy spreader. But he was a 2020 election denier and conspiracy spreader in the right way.
By whom, Steven?
How can it be a violation of the first amendment when taxpayer money is involved?
Rusty, Thanks for following up. The four law firm cases did not involve any government funding--the issue was that the government was flat out punishing them for exercising their First Amendment rights. In the Harvard case, government funding was involved--but the court found that the research suspension, in addition to violating federal statutes, was unconstitutional because (1) it was done in retaliation for the exercise of Harvard's First Amendment rights, (2) imposed unconstitutional conditions on the continued receipt of federal funds, and (3) unlawfully coerced Harvard to restrict the freedom of speech of its faculty, staff and students. A link to the district court's opinion is below. Best, Steve
https://www.harvard.edu/federal-lawsuits/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2025/09/gov.uscourts.mad_.283718.238.0_1.pdf
So. The anti-Semites at Harvard took umbrage that their funding was being withdrawn because they are anti-Semites.
Personally I think you can believe anything you want, but I also think I shouldn't be compelled to subsidize your beliefs.
Kakistocracy said...
Charlie Kirk was a 2020 election denier and conspiracy spreader. But he was a 2020 election denier and conspiracy spreader in the right way.
9/12/25, 6:06 AM
Not that this matters in context of his days old slaughter, but go eff yourself if you think 2020is just another groovy election process. And by the way, the same approach to pause electoral count was attempted by Dems in previous elections that they felt were concerning. But regardless, can your folks stop with reverting to trying to turn opposition into pink mist?
Thank you for your attention to this matter!
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