Roxana Anayat
On Sept. 10, conservative media personality Charlie Kirk was assassinated during a debate at Utah Valley University, which he visited as part of his “American Comeback” tour. Within hours of Kirk’s death, conservatives and liberals began a media firestorm, analyzing all angles of his death. Their common ground? Kirk died for simply speaking his opinion, making his death symbolic of the rise of political extremism on both sides of the aisle.
One month later, where are we? On Wednesday, Oct. 8, during a roundtable on antifa, President Donald Trump bragged that his administration “took the freedom of speech away.” In an Aug. 27 executive order, Trump attempted to override Supreme Court’s rulings that protect flag desecration — burning the American flag — as a form of protest.
I disagree with the claim that Kirk’s death is a characteristic of already-existing hostility between the right and left in American politics. Instead, his death represents an entirely new age of political weaponization. Conservatives are actively exploiting Kirk’s death to further their agenda by attacking this country’s most fundamental right: the freedom of speech.
In the wake of Kirk’s death, two important things happened: First, Trump immediately hailed Kirk as a “legendary” figure. Second, the suspected killer, Tyler Robinson, became the subject of widespread speculation. He became the projection for everything the conservative party attacks: an immigrant, an antifa terrorist, a transgender individual, and a leftist. Conservatives used these supposedly dangerous characterizations to justify suppression of opposing viewpoints.
The Trump administration has evolved past pushing back on opponents in speeches and petty tweets. It has begun a systemic attack against its opponents, immortalizing Kirk as its martyr. His administration has waged a war on the First Amendment, going several steps beyond the groundwork he laid in his first term. Both the president and vice president issued threats against “radical” leftist groups for “celebrating” Kirk’s death.
The biggest threat of this sudden mobilization of power comes in the form of the “silent” attacks on freedom of speech. This past month, we have heard about attacks on pop culture, with the suspension of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” making national headlines. However, the same can’t be said about the everyday workers who have been fired for their personal opinions. Vice President J.D Vance called for employers to turn in anyone who makes light of Kirk’s death. A myriad of Republican officials called for even harsher punishments in their respective states.
Kirk’s death revitalized the conservative movement in the United States. His death completely changed the conservative narrative. Conservatives in power are in a perfect position to capitalize on his death to further their attacks on the federal level — and they are doing just that. Charlie Kirk is no longer a right-wing propagandist who promoted transphobic and racist talking points; rather, he was a father who championed American values and the image of an ideal citizen. Kirk’s new reputation is not just a PR stunt, it represents an attack on freedom of speech.