“An eye for an eye and the world goes blind.” Many people know this saying but in an America full of political tension the meaning seems to be lost. With the recent assassination of right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk, it is more important than ever for both liberals and conservatives to remember that violence does not solve anything.
While hosting a Q&A with students at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, Charlie Kirk, 31, was allegedly shot and killed by 22-year-old suspect Tyler Robinson. The incident was caught on multiple cameras and immediately was breaking news.
Kirk’s views on subjects like abortion, immigration and gun control were extreme and well documented on his various social media accounts. In a moment of severe irony, Kirk was in the middle of debating a student about gun violence when he was shot.
This is only the most recent in a slough of political violence over the past decade or so. Multiple well documented attempts on President Donald Trump’s life, the attempted murder of Paul Pelosi – husband of former Speaker of The House Nancy Pelosi – and the murders of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman.
It’s important to note that Kirk, and fellow conservative voices like Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens, have extreme beliefs to say the least. Kirk was often sexist, bigoted, homophobic and generally inconsiderate about his opinions. An example of this came after his death, when a quote resurfaced where Kirk exclaimed that some gun deaths were “necessary” for maintaining Second Amendment rights.
However, the precedent Kirk’s death sets is extremely harmful. Despite the fact his views were that of an extremist, he was only expressing his First Amendment right to freedom of speech. The only thing differentiating Kirk from any other American talking about their beliefs is follower count. The precedent that “killing someone you disagree with is OK” goes both ways – left and right – and to celebrate the death of someone with no real political sway is to integrate that precedent.
Lauren Asbury, a graduate student studying higher education and student affairs, believes political violence being right or wrong depends on the context.
“I think that it depends on the context. I don’t think that I can give a blanket statement one way or the other. Some causes are worth standing behind and some are not,” Asbury said.
Violence like this also drives us further into bipartisan politics. Party loyalty is an ever-growing part of American culture as the general views of Republicans and Democrats become more and more extreme. Democrats, generally, are in favor of stricter gun control, and yet when a notable conservative like Kirk falls victim to gun violence, it is celebrated. This hypocrisy drives people further away from their own morals and values and deeper into partisan loyalty that causes division in America.
Violence like this only leads to more animosity. The vicious cycle of gun violence, arguments and controversial headlines being lost in the media storm continues on and on with no change. One thing is for sure, more violence will not be the solution.
