Charlie Kirk’s murder and reactions to it indicate a society in moral freefall

It feels that in recent years speculations about civil war breaking out in the United States have skyrocketed.

Almost daily, as we drip feed on the depressing content of our news cycle, many of us find ourselves looking for a type of latter-day “Franz Ferdinand moment” that preceded World War I: a spark that will tip the US into internicine conflict.

The attempted assassination of Donald Trump in July 2024 was one potential such moment, but perhaps more so is this week’s horrific killing of Charlie Kirk.

On the whole, the immediate responses were that of shock, anger and a deep sense of grief at what happened. As expected and desired in such circumstances, voices from across the political aisle came out to condemn the brutal actions and highlight that such violence can never have any place in politics.

Sadly, though, this didn’t last long.

Shortly after Kirk was shot, one woman released a TikTok video during which she danced and celebrated the news. Nameless, faceless accounts flooded forums such as X and Reddit with disgusting celebratory comments.

Even mainstream media outlets failed to keep things civil. Within hours of the incident, political pundit Matthew Dowd, who has since been fired, suggested live on MSNBC that Kirk’s “hateful rhetoric” was to blame for the incident. In the UK, writer Nels Abbey appeared on the Good Morning Britain TV show and whilst condemning the act in one breath, went on to compare Kirk to a KKK leader in the next.

Perhaps saddest of all were the types of comments I heard in the flesh from otherwise well-meaning people, along the lines of, “Well, he had it coming.”

It is only natural to have opinions on a figure as famous and influential as Charlie Kirk. His views, though common amongst many conservatives, are certainly controversial in the broader political conversation. His work with Turning Point USA clearly had a huge impact on the election of Donald Trump to the White House in 2024. Furthermore, in recent years, his outspoken support of Israel drew backlash from people on both the political Right and Left.

None of this, however, merited the senseless killing he fell victim to. And whilst, in good time, debate over his message and legacy is warranted, it is distasteful and shows a significant lack of class to do so whilst the news is still painfully fresh, and his body is yet to be buried.

And yet, here we are.

It certainly feels as though the cycle of such events has shortened in recent years. From hearing the news, to politicising it, to even joking about it – it seems every crisis we face nowadays leaves less room for mourning together before we can discuss how we found ourselves here.

Instead we are left with “hot takes”, stemming from a callous lack of empathy and an inability to separate our fellow man from the views held.

This act of dehumanisation – which sees Kirk simply as the evil conservative, and not a husband, father, friend and child of God – is a symptom of the very polarisation that likely led to his death. It is a vicious manifestation of the fractured society that we have all contributed in creating. A society on the verge of collapse.

The great irony of this specific deranged act, is that it resulted in the murder of a man who in many ways embodied the answer to the problem. Beyond the conservative opinions and millions of views on social media, here was a man who did something many of us would truly struggle to do: travel all around America and model civil discussion with people he disagreed with.

Despite being mocked, threatened, shouted at and, strangely, even flashed at on one occasion, Kirk never shied away from discussing America’s most polarising issues with whoever was willing to speak with him. In large part, his notoriety and success came off the back of this.

In a world where most retreat to the comfort of their political allies and echo chambers, this simple but countercultural act of Kirk's was a model of our Western inheritance, and what we risk leaving behind.

Like Socrates, a father of Western civilisation, Kirk’s willingness to debate and publicly push the boundaries of mainstream thought saw him rise to fame. Sadly, like Socrates, his successful “corrupting of the youth” also saw him executed.

As we do begin to move forward, our response must be to cling to the inheritance that Kirk, and so many victims of political violence, represent – that of political freedom, the ability to live side by side with those who think differently to us and the ability to come together around our common shared values, while disagreeing civilly over the rest.

Most of all, we must strongly and loudly reject those who celebrate such tragic incidents and denounce the lie that Charlie Kirk “had it coming”.

Sadly, this will likely not be the last of such incidents. But it could prove – like the name of the conservative youth organisation he founded when still a teenager – to be a turning point: one that brings us together peacefully.

“Blessed are the peacemakers” like Charlie Kirk.

Photo: Flowers and wreaths laid by mourners outside the US Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa, 11 September 2025. (Photo by PHILL MAGAKOE/AFP via Getty Images.)

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