Unlike many of those who have spent the last few weeks celebrating, excusing or minimizing his murder, I had heard of Charlie Kirk before a politically motivated assassin’s bullet tore through his neck as he spoke at a Utah university campus on Sept. 10. I wasn’t a big consumer of his content – I’m a little out of the demographic that was his target audience.

But as someone interested in cultural phenomena even beyond my usual orbit, I had heard of Charlie Kirk and his travels to college campuses challenging brainwashed students to refute his ideas and prove him wrong.

It wasn’t just the usual America-hating fringe that gleefully celebrated his murder. There were people from establishment spheres like teachers, doctors, civil servants and other professionals who have so little exposure to opposing opinion that they were shocked when their jubilant behavior and comments got them suspended or fired. They thought everyone shared their contempt for “fascists” like Charlie Kirk.

At least those overtly celebrating do us the favor of outing themselves as the soulless ghouls that they are.

Then there are the, “He didn’t deserve to die, but…” people. If he didn’t deserve to die, there is no “but.” Why disparage him in death? He can neither apologize nor argue back. The only reason to speak ill of the dead is to diminish the value of a life. And that’s not very far from, “He had it coming.”

On one of Kirk’s assassin’s shell casings the words, “Hey fascist – catch!” were etched.

Meanwhile, our Saturday morning downtown sign holders continue waving placards labeling democratically elected leaders and their voters with the exact same term, among other vile and incendiary epithets.

The lesson has not been learned.
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[This column originally appeared in the October 2, 2025 Wakefield Daily Item.]