Charlie Kirk’s Killing Is a Tragedy — Even If You Hated Him

If violence is justified against him, who’s next?

Nobody deserves to be murdered for speaking their mind

Just a few moments ago it was announced that conservative influencer Charlie Kirk died in hospital after being shot in the neck while debating students at a Utah college campus.

It didn’t take long for the internet to react, with many expressing their condolences, but many gleefully celebrating the death of the 31 year old political commentator and father of two.

I had serious disagreements with Charlie Kirk.

I even made a video that went viral breaking down some of those disagreements. But never in a million years would I think violence was the answer.

It’s clear from my video that he had never given much thought to veganism and animal rights. He mainly focused on political issues that affected people, civilisation and society.

Whatever else you say about him, when asked why he did what he did, Charlie’s answer was always the same: because he believed it would make civilisation better.

I don’t share his vision, but it seems to me that he did believe he was trying to improve the world.

And he put his ideas to the test, over and over again, with people who challenged his ideas directly. That’s the essence of free speech.

If you’re celebrating his death, think about what you’re celebrating.

You’re celebrating someone being killed for exercising the same right you rely on: the right to speak freely, to debate, to challenge.

We can’t live like this

As a vegan, I can tell you plenty of people hate us too. Plenty of people find our activism offensive or upsetting.

Do you want to live in a world where it’s “okay” for someone to shoot an activist because they didn’t like the footage being shown on the street?

Because they didn’t like how they were spoken to in a debate?

Because they didn’t like their family’s farm being challenged?

If we accept violence here, we open the door for it everywhere.

Today it’s Charlie Kirk. Tomorrow it could be you, or someone you love.

We should all condemn this.

Not because we agreed with Charlie, but because people don’t deserve to be murdered for speaking their mind.

My condolences go out to Charlie Kirk’s family.