Who is celebrating the death of conservative Charlie Kirk? A wave of joy after the murder, an ethical short-circuit that generates further violence, in a nominally Christian country.

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In the United States, an event occurred that shook the public debate: the killing of Charlie Kirk, a young conservative leader.

When he was shot in the neck, he was speaking at Utah University in Orem, during an event, as always, highly attended, with over 3,000 young people present.

As we immediately pointed out, the disturbing coincidence is that seconds before the shooting, Kirk was answering a question about attacks committed by transgender people, like the one that occurred recently at the Catholic school in Minneapolis.

The killer is still at large and the specific motive is unknown, although it is likely a hate crime, related to his ideas.

Which do not necessarily need to be agreed with.

 

 

Charlie Kirk’s Political Ideas

A Christian Evangelical, he was a tireless supporter of the pro-life movement, defended unborn life and the natural family, and criticized gender ideology.

But he also held strong opinions on migration (believing it to be a plan orchestrated to replace native populations) and supported the right to bear arms (even claiming that “it is acceptable to have some gun deaths every year so that we can preserve the Second Amendment”).

Conservative celebrate him as a martyr, while his political opponents accuse him of being merely a victim of his words.

Thus, the most militant conservatives hunt opponents on social media to insult them and highlight (violently) their violence and lack of respect, while leftist extremists (especially in the LGBTQ+ community) increase the intensity rejoicing and celebrating Kirk’s death.

A familiar script, repeated regularly. Violence breeds violence.

It is a phenomenon that says a lot about American society (and beyond).

 

 

The Celebrations of Charlie Kirk’s Death

What is especially staggering is the wave of exultation, mockery, and sarcasm that spread across social networks as soon as news of his death circulated nationwide. Memes, cynical jokes, and triumphant comments accompanied the hours following the murder, in a climate that seems to have forgotten every sense of humanity.

The last time we saw something like this, although on a smaller scale, was at the death of Pope Francis. This time, however, the celebrating profiles were conservative and right-wing.

The United States prides itself on the official motto “In God We Trust”, politicians swear on the Bible, and everyone claims Christianity as a national value. Almost everyone is Christian, friends and political enemies of Kirk alike.

Is it possible that evangelical values (or rather “biblical,” as they call them there), loudly proclaimed, cannot assert themselves at least in the moment of death? For Kirk’s supporters and, even more so, his opponents?

 

A Moral Short-Circuit

Kirk was not Hitler, he was not a pedophile, he was not a monster.

He was a young politician, with a wife and children, an activist loved by millions of supporters. Rejoicing in his violent death in the name of the suffering his ideas have or would have caused others is madness, a moral short-circuit.

How do you defuse the spiral of mutual hatred?

A genuine Christian and Catholic education requires that the only word after the death of a man, friend or enemy, is that of prayer. For Charlie Kirk, so that God may welcome him into His mercy, and for all of us, especially Christians, so that we learn not to be overcome by hatred.