Charlie Kirk's assassination controversy

No humane or reasonable human being would want another's life taken. The assassination of Charlie Kirk on the campus of Utah Valley University has been deplored by the vast majority of conservatives and liberals alike. Yet, the way that condemnation has been communicated has created a tidal wave of statements and calls for civility across higher education. The problem was that Kirk's appearances on college campuses, having become the central voice for conservative youth, were often riddled with comments that offended or ridiculed others. When reference is made to his conservative youth platform statements, accusations of insensitivity quickly follow.

A central point of criticism is that U.S. higher education created a hostile space for conservative voices, thus setting off the dynamics that resulted in Kirk's death. The accusations flying from conservative to liberal and vice versa include violation of free speech rights on both sides. The self and declaratory censorship of media as well as firing of faculty and staff on numerous campuses is an authoritarian's dream - closing down communication on a topic deeply harmful to so many students, faculty, and staff across a wide political spectrum. Most fundamentally, to silence distasteful dissent about Kirk is a dangerous abridgment of the First-Amendment.

To say the least, Charlie Kirk was controversial primarily because of how he was portrayed. His portrayal, if not a real persona, caused liberals to condemn his speech and perspective. However, conservatives have said that he advocated dialogue between conservative and liberal advocates. Van Jones, frequent CNN commentator, confirmed Kirk's advocacy for dialogue at least in Jones' specific case. The linked article is from the Conservative Brief and it is notable that Jones' report of Kirk reaching out to him has been reported across all media.

While conservatives portray Charlie Kirk as a champion of free speech, others say that his approach demonstrated discourse outside the bounds of civility. The "Prove me wrong" format he used on college campuses was more like a trap to ultimately lead to a previously determined desired outcome. Critics portray the strategy as victimizing impressionable young adults who naively walked into "debates" on rehearsed topics that were conservative talking points. For those who believe in critical discourse or any type of real debate, "Prove me wrong" is anything but. As Cory Nichols' FACEBOOK post proposes, "his certainty was performative rather than earned, and his victories were manufactured rather than genuine."

Grief over Charlie Kirk's death fueled a surge in Turning Point new members. Advocacy for free speech is part of the impetus for the increased interests but, due to the way Kirk approached it, educators fear what may unfold. In the face of embattled views of the limits and conditions of free speech, education leaders warn against restricting any speakers on campus.

The Education Department's launch of grants to fund "Patriotic Education" appears to be another way to erase lived history in favor of a narrative of nobility. The proposal is to add elements of patriotism to various education grant processes that present "the history of America grounded in an accurate, honest, unifying, inspiring, and ennobling characterization of the American founding and foundational principles" and how "the United States has admirably grown closer to its noble principles through its history."

A Turning Point USA event at UC Berkeley drew protesters. Arrests and a DOJ investigation followed. Such events and the government's response may take place elsewhere, forcing campus administrators to choose between free expression versus being placed in the spotlight of the government.

Secretary of Education McMahon characterized those who celebrated Kirk's death as a fringe population. New College in Florida proposed a statue of Kirk as a testament to his legacy. Visa status of those who make light of Kirk's assassination are being threatened by the State Department. Academics in the U.S. (Arkansas) and the U.K. have been disciplined for statements they made about Kirk. More actions are sure to unfold as the fires of conflict are fanned - I will continue to update this post to reflect them.