Ilhan Omar’s recent decision to repost a gruesome, dehumanizing video about Charlie Kirk after his assassination and then double down on it on national television was a disgraceful display of moral bankruptcy that should alarm every decent American. CNN’s Kaitlan Collins pressed Omar about a clip that called Kirk “Dr. Frankenstein” and claimed “his monster shot him through the neck,” and Omar defended her choice to share the post while insisting she didn’t agree with every word.
For a member of Congress to publicly amplify a message that so callously mocked a murdered man — and to insist that his legacy belong “in the dustbin of history” while his grieving family and millions of Americans mourn — is beyond the pale. Omar’s actions were more than bad taste; they were provocations that trafficked in dehumanization at the very moment the nation demanded restraint and unity.
Republicans moved to hold Omar accountable, with Rep. Nancy Mace forcing a fast-tracked censure vote that exposed how raw and real the outrage is across the country. That resolution was narrowly tabled on a 214-213 vote after four Republicans broke ranks, a reminder that even principled conservatives must sometimes defend the First Amendment while still demanding basic decency.
This is not a moment for polite euphemisms. Charlie Kirk was assassinated while doing the work of the conservative movement, and attempts by some on the left to celebrate or excuse that killing reveal how mean-spirited and unmoored from common humanity parts of the Democrat coalition have become. The political class should stop protecting outrageous behavior with legalisms and start answering to the public they claim to serve.
Omar’s thin defense — that reposting does not equal endorsing every line of a clip — is the kind of media-savvy dodge career politicians use when they’re caught doing something shameful. That excuse rings hollow when the reposted material explicitly celebrated or rationalized the death of a public figure, and when the congresswoman then doubled down in interviews instead of apologizing.
Conservative lawmakers were right to bring this to the floor, and hardworking Americans should demand more than half-measures. If the left cheers the mockery of a slain father and husband, then the political center of gravity has shifted toward a brutal, performative righteousness that treats human life as a political talking point rather than a sacred duty to protect.
Independent commentators like Dave Rubin have been spotlighting the media moments that expose how out-of-touch that same establishment can be, sharing clips that show even mainstream anchors taken aback by Omar’s remarks. Those clips — and the public reaction they provoke — are proof that the American people aren’t buying the wholesale moral surrender some in power are offering.
We should be clear-eyed: calling for decorum is not the same as asking for censorship, and defending free speech does not require us to tolerate vile, celebratory attacks on the dead. The House should continue to pursue ethics reviews and committee removals where appropriate, and patriotic Americans must keep pressure on elected officials to defend both free speech and basic human decency. The country deserves leaders who will stand up for both.
