“When someone is gunned down for speaking, all of us lose a piece of the future”
“Some will say he “asked for it” because his rhetoric “caused harm.” That logic is a trap. If claims of harm justify assassination, then any faction can justify any killing.”
“Violence is not rebuttal….You cannot put a bullet where a counterargument belongs.”
The amount of people on social media that don’t care, thinks he deserved it, etc. is appalling. I don’t care what side a person is on, they don’t deserve to die this way. When did Americans stop caring about their neighbors? When did we become so awful to each other?
“What gets lost? The fact that his wife lost her husband, his kids lost their father, and his friends lost someone they loved. That absence won’t be filled by another segment, another viral tweet, or another online argument.” Your words
But when it comes to oppressors, his family doesn’t erase what he represented.
In Christianity not Christian nationalism we’re called to care for the least of these.
He didn’t care about Black children or Black families. So why should I extend empathy to his? I have none for a man who built his life on stripping ours of dignity.
This is why echo chambers and confirmation bias are dangerous.
Y’all talk to yourselves with no repercussions while I, a Black man, deal daily with the rhetoric from this man and from the President as they undo civil rights and target us.
Have you seen the unemployment rate for Black men and women? That’s the reality.
“It is easy to pretend he was merely a cartoon villain. He was not. He was quick on his feet, skilled at framing, relentless in building an organization that out-recruited and out-messaged opponents on campuses that were not designed to welcome him. If you want to beat a movement like that, learn from what made it effective instead of waiting for fate to silence it. Organize better. Tell sharper stories. Show up.”
I push back for conversation purposes
What made him effective wasn’t brilliance it was indoctrination.
This man Charlie built a machine that targeted young people, feeding them Christian nationalism, white grievance, and anti-Black, anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric disguised as patriotism.
Turning Point wasn’t just out-recruiting it was radicalizing, teaching students that systemic racism is a myth, that DEI is anti-white, that Black professionals don’t deserve their roles.
He didn’t create free thinkers he built echo chambers for the next generation of extremists.
I’m not about to let “ White folk sit in this echo chamber and turn a white supremacist into some kind of hero.
I’m not here for the rewriting of history or the polishing of a man who built his whole platform on exclusion and hate. We not doing that. There’s facts that we need to go over
Thanks for writing this. I haven’t been able to really process this. I’m heartbroken and furious. What happened to Charlie Kirk is unacceptable — no one deserves this. I’m appalled that people are celebrating violence, or even saying others should suffer the same just because they disagree. That’s not who we are. That’s not what America stands for. The First Amendment used to mean something.
I’m deeply sad. I’m angry. And yes, part of me wants to hide back under the safety of silence, because it’s scary putting yourself out there — even when you try to stay non-political — if violence continues and social media is flooded with cheers over it. But silence is not a solution either.
If speaking your truth means fear, then when we are meant to be free, what are we really free from? And what are we free for? I stand for a world where disagreement is met with words, not bullets. Where speaking your mind doesn’t come with a risk of harm.
I’m grieving this moment — for the loss, for the possibility, for the promise of safety and speech. But I refuse to let fear win. I refuse to let violence be normalized. Because if we lose that, if we accept people being hurt just for speaking, then what do we have left?
He was a Christian white supremacist, that dealt in moral absolutes. He was a sacrifice, in his own words, so gun violence could continue.
He does not deserve my pity, but, but, but, but, but.........What about the children killed the same day in Colorado? Or the school shooting in Minneapolis in July? Or the Democratic politician in June in Minneapolis???
I Can't wait until you write something about women who bleed out in Red states because they are denied reproductive care.
A well balanced piece on this horrific murder. I stay away from social media now and the news. It was my son that came to announce to me what had happened to Charlie Kirk. I had remembered him from the many Instagram reels that bled from the mighty algorithm to my newsfeed. A fierce, intelligent and articulate man with strong views. Did I disagree with his views? Yes often. Did I want him dead? Absolutely not. We are losing a grip on what it means to be human. As the saying goes “an eye for an eye and the whole world goes blind” We are losing sight as a planet on what really matters. Our sovereignty in tatters. I don’t know what the answer is but I know that I will not be pulled into the division that is taking place in every country right now. Murder and violence are never the answer 🤍
I’m back because I want to add more to this. I spoke directly about who and what Charlie Kirk was behind the surface. Many people don’t realize he wasn’t just a podcaster.
Now I want to bring something into play. People love to articulate on the surface and when you dive deeper people are racist as fuck.
I see people responding and I bet there’s racism underneath
Where was that energy when Trayvon Martin a child was shot walking home with Skittles and iced tea? So again When a voice is Shot, we All Bleed right?
Where were the long form articles, the poetic essays, the national mourning?
Instead, America defended George Zimmerman, and white folks literally lined up to get Skittles bags signed like it was memorabilia. George sold his autographs for cash.
So let’s be clear the difference isn’t about violence vs. peace, it’s about who is killed and what they represented.
Charlie Kirk spent his life mocking Black pain, attacking DEI, denying systemic racism, and fueling white supremacy and suddenly y’all find endless empathy.
But for Trayvon, and countless other Black lives, silence. Do any of you white folk give a fuck? No you can’t comprehend what it’s like being black.
Getting angry-stuck on the hypocrisy of this (exceptions for those with personal trauma) doesn't help. Like, at this point in mango's presidency, when all of America's 🪳 cockroachs feel safe to come out into the light from their dark places, you expected something different? The reminder of past injustice is good and important. The angry incredulousness over it feeds the whole “us against them” tribal mentality that mango is deliberately inflaming.
Cody, I knew that I really liked your type of human being, and if I needed proof, this did it. I love everything that you wrote and you wrote it so well. Everything is connected. When we take sides because of opinions and not facts (facts are a luxury these days), we fall victim to a bigger plan to separate us. When we choose not to value one life because we believe to know everything we cannot truly value any life. Our only chance is union - this means union of humans with different ideas tied together by strong core values. I could go on, but you said it all and better. Thank you. Not only for these words, but making me feel less alone with my hope for this world. Love to you. xo
Just highlighting these:
“When someone is gunned down for speaking, all of us lose a piece of the future”
“Some will say he “asked for it” because his rhetoric “caused harm.” That logic is a trap. If claims of harm justify assassination, then any faction can justify any killing.”
“Violence is not rebuttal….You cannot put a bullet where a counterargument belongs.”
This. All of this.
The amount of people on social media that don’t care, thinks he deserved it, etc. is appalling. I don’t care what side a person is on, they don’t deserve to die this way. When did Americans stop caring about their neighbors? When did we become so awful to each other?
People are rushing to frame Charlie Kirk as just a victim of political violence, polishing his legacy in the process.
But let’s be real and real in the way only I can be real.
This motherfucker wasn’t some innocent
voice silenced in the marketplace of ideas. He was a man who built a machine rooted in Christian nationalism, white grievance, and intimidation.
I’ll pause to explain “ CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM and the indoctrination of it
Turning Point USA wasn’t about free speech, it was about targeting Black voices, professors, DEI, and anyone who challenged the supremacy he preached.
He enraged people because he demeaned and dismissed whole communities, not just because he had ‘opinions.
yes, political violence is dangerous. But don’t twist that into a shield for a man whose life’s work was promoting white supremacy.
Speaking the truth about what he represented is not disrespect it’s refusing to let his machine rewrite history.
If y’all cared about Political Violence yall would have spoke up about Emerita Melissa Hortman, husband killed in attack in June
Why weren’t they outraged over the political assassination of the white elected official earlier this summer?
She and her husband were killed, and another white man was shot but survived. All political hits.
I see straight through the hypocrisy. Most people loved Charlie because he fed into MAGA, white supremacy, and all the hate he spewed.
Y’all hide behind that, but the truth is many of you are racist as hell.
If that wasn’t the case, we’d see the same long-form outrage and coverage about the political violence back in June.
But we don’t because she was a Democrat who didn’t preach hate. And that silence speaks volumes.
“What gets lost? The fact that his wife lost her husband, his kids lost their father, and his friends lost someone they loved. That absence won’t be filled by another segment, another viral tweet, or another online argument.” Your words
But when it comes to oppressors, his family doesn’t erase what he represented.
In Christianity not Christian nationalism we’re called to care for the least of these.
He didn’t care about Black children or Black families. So why should I extend empathy to his? I have none for a man who built his life on stripping ours of dignity.
This is why echo chambers and confirmation bias are dangerous.
Y’all talk to yourselves with no repercussions while I, a Black man, deal daily with the rhetoric from this man and from the President as they undo civil rights and target us.
Have you seen the unemployment rate for Black men and women? That’s the reality.
You go on to say this
What Made Him Effective (And Why That Matters)
“It is easy to pretend he was merely a cartoon villain. He was not. He was quick on his feet, skilled at framing, relentless in building an organization that out-recruited and out-messaged opponents on campuses that were not designed to welcome him. If you want to beat a movement like that, learn from what made it effective instead of waiting for fate to silence it. Organize better. Tell sharper stories. Show up.”
I push back for conversation purposes
What made him effective wasn’t brilliance it was indoctrination.
This man Charlie built a machine that targeted young people, feeding them Christian nationalism, white grievance, and anti-Black, anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric disguised as patriotism.
Turning Point wasn’t just out-recruiting it was radicalizing, teaching students that systemic racism is a myth, that DEI is anti-white, that Black professionals don’t deserve their roles.
He didn’t create free thinkers he built echo chambers for the next generation of extremists.
It’s FACT
What Christian Nationalism Is
Christian nationalism is the belief that the United States was founded to be, and must remain a Christian nation.
It fuses Christian identity with American identity, teaching that “real” Americans are Christians (specifically white, conservative ones).
It’s not just about personal faith it’s about using government, schools, and laws to enforce one narrow version of Christianity on everyone.
In practice, it treats people outside that circles Black activists, immigrants, Muslims, Jews, atheists, LGBTQ+ people as threats or outsiders.
On the other hand Christianity is about following Christ in your personal and communal life.
Christian nationalism hijacks that faith to push power, politics, and exclusion.
It replaces the humility of faith with the arrogance of domination.
I’m not about to let “ White folk sit in this echo chamber and turn a white supremacist into some kind of hero.
I’m not here for the rewriting of history or the polishing of a man who built his whole platform on exclusion and hate. We not doing that. There’s facts that we need to go over
Thanks for writing this. I haven’t been able to really process this. I’m heartbroken and furious. What happened to Charlie Kirk is unacceptable — no one deserves this. I’m appalled that people are celebrating violence, or even saying others should suffer the same just because they disagree. That’s not who we are. That’s not what America stands for. The First Amendment used to mean something.
I’m deeply sad. I’m angry. And yes, part of me wants to hide back under the safety of silence, because it’s scary putting yourself out there — even when you try to stay non-political — if violence continues and social media is flooded with cheers over it. But silence is not a solution either.
If speaking your truth means fear, then when we are meant to be free, what are we really free from? And what are we free for? I stand for a world where disagreement is met with words, not bullets. Where speaking your mind doesn’t come with a risk of harm.
I’m grieving this moment — for the loss, for the possibility, for the promise of safety and speech. But I refuse to let fear win. I refuse to let violence be normalized. Because if we lose that, if we accept people being hurt just for speaking, then what do we have left?
He was a Christian white supremacist, that dealt in moral absolutes. He was a sacrifice, in his own words, so gun violence could continue.
He does not deserve my pity, but, but, but, but, but.........What about the children killed the same day in Colorado? Or the school shooting in Minneapolis in July? Or the Democratic politician in June in Minneapolis???
I Can't wait until you write something about women who bleed out in Red states because they are denied reproductive care.
A well balanced piece on this horrific murder. I stay away from social media now and the news. It was my son that came to announce to me what had happened to Charlie Kirk. I had remembered him from the many Instagram reels that bled from the mighty algorithm to my newsfeed. A fierce, intelligent and articulate man with strong views. Did I disagree with his views? Yes often. Did I want him dead? Absolutely not. We are losing a grip on what it means to be human. As the saying goes “an eye for an eye and the whole world goes blind” We are losing sight as a planet on what really matters. Our sovereignty in tatters. I don’t know what the answer is but I know that I will not be pulled into the division that is taking place in every country right now. Murder and violence are never the answer 🤍
You say be sharper... and I get it
And
Hate takes less work than love
Contempt takes less mental energy than kindness
Cruelty is easier than compassion
Trolling is more fun for most people than nuanced discourse.
Given that...
What is your advice?
I’m back because I want to add more to this. I spoke directly about who and what Charlie Kirk was behind the surface. Many people don’t realize he wasn’t just a podcaster.
Now I want to bring something into play. People love to articulate on the surface and when you dive deeper people are racist as fuck.
I see people responding and I bet there’s racism underneath
When a voice is shot, we all bleed?
Where was that energy when Trayvon Martin a child was shot walking home with Skittles and iced tea? So again When a voice is Shot, we All Bleed right?
Where were the long form articles, the poetic essays, the national mourning?
Instead, America defended George Zimmerman, and white folks literally lined up to get Skittles bags signed like it was memorabilia. George sold his autographs for cash.
So let’s be clear the difference isn’t about violence vs. peace, it’s about who is killed and what they represented.
Charlie Kirk spent his life mocking Black pain, attacking DEI, denying systemic racism, and fueling white supremacy and suddenly y’all find endless empathy.
But for Trayvon, and countless other Black lives, silence. Do any of you white folk give a fuck? No you can’t comprehend what it’s like being black.
It’s not principle. It’s fucking hypocrisy
Getting angry-stuck on the hypocrisy of this (exceptions for those with personal trauma) doesn't help. Like, at this point in mango's presidency, when all of America's 🪳 cockroachs feel safe to come out into the light from their dark places, you expected something different? The reminder of past injustice is good and important. The angry incredulousness over it feeds the whole “us against them” tribal mentality that mango is deliberately inflaming.
This is excellent, Cody. I’m sharing it everywhere.
Every single word you wrote is spot on! Thank you for your (sadly) un- common sense! 💕
The best I can muster for Charlie is agreeing that it isn't ideal.
But if you live by the sword, you die by the sword.
Children in school and people on the left are gunned down all the time, but…..but… hey that's normal who cares
Cody, I knew that I really liked your type of human being, and if I needed proof, this did it. I love everything that you wrote and you wrote it so well. Everything is connected. When we take sides because of opinions and not facts (facts are a luxury these days), we fall victim to a bigger plan to separate us. When we choose not to value one life because we believe to know everything we cannot truly value any life. Our only chance is union - this means union of humans with different ideas tied together by strong core values. I could go on, but you said it all and better. Thank you. Not only for these words, but making me feel less alone with my hope for this world. Love to you. xo
YES. YES. AND YES to This. Thanks for putting the words to how I feel and think about so many things... not just this issue.
Yummy Brain Food articulated way better then I could. No way I wouldn’t drop a few F bombs … Nice restraint C
Good take. Stay well.