The assassination of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University was an unforgivable act of political violence that stunned the nation and stole a young conservative leader from his family and the movement he helped build. This wasn’t a partisan talking point—it was a brutal attack on free speech and on the American idea that ideas should be debated, not silenced by a bullet.
In the chaotic hours after the shooting, left-leaning elites amplified hateful misinformation instead of calming the country, with Stephen King publicly tweeting a baseless claim that Kirk “advocated stoning gays to death,” only to delete it and apologize when called out. That kind of rush-to-judgment from cultural icons is dangerous and shows how readily the left will smear a target to score points rather than seek the truth.
Representative Ilhan Omar made matters worse by resharing a video that blamed Kirk for his own murder and by telling the public that those mourning him were “full of s*,” remarks that insulted a grieving family and gratuitously stoked division at a moment that demanded restraint. Elected officials should lead toward healing, not add fuel to the fire by publicly cheering or justifying violence against political opponents.
Republicans pushed to hold Omar accountable, filing a resolution to censure her and strip committee assignments, though the effort narrowly failed in the House by a single vote. That razor-thin margin exposes the bitter partisan fracture in Washington and the reluctance of some to enforce basic standards of decency when the target is on the left.
Conservative voices like Dave Rubin rightly pushed back on the smear campaign, appearing on Fox and on his show to debunk the lies and call out the double standard in media coverage and celebrity commentary. Rubin’s blunt message — that public figures must be responsible and that the left’s reflexive dehumanization of opponents is intolerable — resonated with millions who are tired of watching their side be lied about and demonized.
This moment should be a wake-up call: the left’s cultural elites have too often weaponized lies and moralizing to wreck reputations and silence debate, and they must be held to account. Conservative leaders and lawmakers must demand consequences for those who spread falsehoods and use their platforms to inflame violence, while also defending free speech and ensuring justice for Charlie Kirk’s murder.
Hardworking Americans want safety, truth, and a political culture that respects lives on both sides of the aisle. We mourn Charlie Kirk, we demand a full and fair investigation, and we will not stand by as lies and rancor become the new normal in civic life.
