It has already been a year since conservative icon Charlie Kirk was assassinated and the attack has brought out the worst in some of the worst people in our media and celebrity culture. False claims that the alleged assassin was conservative, false quotes and hateful comments have filled TV, radio and, of course, the internet.
The world was scarred from the moment of the attack. Unedited video soon surfaced on social media and who knows how many watched someone they loved or admired get fatally shot. Instead of an outpouring of sympathy, we were transfixed by an endless parade of hate for Charlie, his widow Erika, conservatives and more.
The hate came from all corners of the media and political world, including many names you know — then-MSNBC analyst Matthew Dowd, far-left podcaster Hassan Piker, multiple staffers at The Washington Post, longtime broadcaster Katie Couric and, of course, late night host Jimmy Kimmel. Because if there’s something foul to say, Kimmel can’t be far from that gutter. Much of the commentary is so venomous or vomitous that I won’t dignify it by repeating what was said. Vile grifters have made mountains of cash attacking a grieving widow and I refuse to help them do it.
The left and media moved on quickly from the assassination to character assassination of the victim. Charlie Kirk was bashed as “hateful,” “bigoted,” a “hatemonger” and a “prominent Christian nationalist” who “has been known to make racist statements.” Even major news outlets fired or suspended some of those who bashed Kirk. But broadcast outlets did their best to hide the obvious connection between the alleged shooter and the left’s obsession that everyone on the right is “fascist.”
Kimmel was sidelined briefly for falsely claiming, “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.” Kimmel later said his words were, “intentionally and, I think, maliciously mischaracterized.”
The media, of course, supported him. MSNBC host Chris Hayes called the suspension, “the most straightforward attack on free speech from state actors I’ve ever seen in my life and it’s not even close.” CNN media analyst Brian Stelter criticized the move, saying, “America is a less free place if late-night comedians cannot do or say what they want.”
CNN’s Jake Tapper headed up an hour-long special called “No Laughing Matter: Free Speech Under Attack” like ABC had done something wrong. As Tapper put it, “Less than 24 hours after Jimmy Kimmel was suspended, the tight-knit fraternity of late-night hosts rallied around their comedic brother.”
MSNBC’s Matthew Dowd lost his job for bashing Charlie Kirk saying, “he’s been one of the most divisive, especially divisive, younger figures in this who has constantly sort of pushing this sort of hate speech or sort of aimed at certain groups and I always go back to hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions.” Dowd later blamed “The Right Wing media mob” for his firing. Of course.
Longtime broadcaster Katie Couric blamed the victim. “I think some people might say Charlie Kirk’s rhetoric was extreme.” She added that some were “suggesting that these kinds of words lead to violence.”
Both major liberal newspapers joined in. Washington Post fashion reporter Ashley Fetters Maloy went after Erika Kirk for the clothes she was wearing and even her parenting under the headline: “Erika Kirk is walking a fine line in a glittering pantsuit.” Maloy went on to raise two pathetic Post questions: “While you’re on this publicity tour, who’s parenting your kids? and Why is that suit so sparkly?” Making light of widows coping with loss is unsurprising for feminist journalists. As Erika commented, “If you are now attacking a widow’s attire, like, that’s where we’re at.”
The Post was also ordered to reinstate bitter columnist Karen Attiah after she was fired last year for “gross misconduct” over social media posts she made after the assassination. “Refusing to tear my clothes and smear ashes on my face in performative mourning for a White man that espoused violence is … not the same as violence,” Attiah wrote.
New York Times correspondent and 1619 Project author Nikole Hannah-Jones took a similar view, criticizing efforts “not just to condemn his killing and political violence, but to venerate him.” She wrote this under a subhead whining about, “the mainstreaming of formerly extremist views.” The paper also falsely accused Charlie of being antisemitic when, in reality, he was “quoting a statement from a post on social media and went on to critique it. It was not his own statement.” The paper of record. Ugh.
The lefty Atlantic actually wrote that “MAGA has found its George Floyd.” Except of course that Charlie was an upstanding citizen and the right didn’t riot afterward.
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Hollywood didn’t want to miss out on the hate fest. Former “Mean Girls” actress Amanda Seyfried called Charlie “hateful” and then flipped out because she got pushback. “I’m not f—ing apologizing for that,” Seyfried later said.
“Comedian” Pete Davidson made a disgusting gay joke about Charlie Kirk during Netflix’s “The Roast of Kevin Hart.” But if you pay for Netflix, that’s the kind of high-class content you are supporting. Former “Daily Show” host Trevor Noah couldn’t get past how pro-Second Amendment Kirk “was shot while defending guns.” He called it, “an incongruous funny thing that happens.” “You are there. You’re onstage, like, ‘Let me tell you why people should have guns.’ Wa-pow!” That’s the neutral individual who hosted the White House Correspondents’ Dinner a couple years ago.
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The podcasting world was its own unhinged pit of hate. Much of that I’m skipping and focusing on those the regular media still loves to interview and quote. Former sportscaster and MSNBC host Keith Olbermann complained that Sinclair broadcasting urged the FCC and ABC to do more than just suspend Kimmel. He had a typically measured response: “Burn in hell, Sinclair. Alongside Charlie Kirk.”
Loathsome podcasting harpy Jennifer Welch mocked Charlie. “The person that I heard that justified his death was him,” Welch said. “He’s the one that said on tape that if school kids die, but it means he gets to have a Second Amendment, then that’s what it’s going to be. He’s the one that justified it.” Far-left streamer Hasan Piker mockingly sang the song, “We Are Charlie Kirk” during a tour stop. Piker remains a media darling who hobnobs with top Democrats like Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed and listing all of the other offensive things he has said would take much more space.
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But, despite all that we’ve seen in the past year, there is reason for hope. Even with a year’s worth of hate tossed around like grenades, that hope endures. I saw hundreds praying at a small north Georgia memorial service I attended. That was love, not hate. TV host Jenny McCarthy said the assassination inspired her in faith. “I’ve always been a follower of Christ, but when he passed, I completely surrendered,” she said. “I am so devoted. I mean, I started Bible study immediately.”
And Erika Kirk has shown her grace, her heart and her faith through all this. She had the courage to forgive the man who murdered her husband and I doubt seriously that many of us could do the same. Her husband Charlie made the world a better place for all that knew him or knew of him. And he’s still doing it. And that’s what the haters are most upset about.
