Over the last month (as I write) there have been many comments on the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Several have spoken to the reasons behind the crime and its causes. Some have even inexplicably said that MAGA republicans were responsible. Those people evidently were intent on avoiding having the far left taking the blame.
The alleged assassin is Tyler Robinson a 22-year-old resident of the state of Utah. He was apprehended after his father recognized his pictures circulated on TV by the FBI.
Robinson apparently was a gifted student in earlier years because he obtained a scholarship to Utah State University. One of his relatives said that Robinson had a romantic relationship with a roommate who was transitioning from a male to a female.
Together they developed an addiction to videos of violent games and to illicit drugs. The roommate was reported by Robinson's relatives to "hate conservatives and Christians." His mom reported that Robinson "had become more political and lurching left." He had heated arguments with his dad espousing left versus right positions.
The Utah county district attorney stated that Robinson developed "leftist ideology" after becoming increasingly radicalized in recent years. This DA revealed that Robinson informed his roommate that he had an opportunity to "takeout" Kirk, and he was going to take it.This was the culmination of all the inflaming rhetoric that many on the far left have been making in recent years. That rhetoric has an inflammatory effect on unstable minds, as was the case with Robinson. Here's proof. The casing of the bullet shells used in the assassination were engraved with the statement: Hey Fascist. Catch! In other words: stop the bullet with your body.
Incendiary statements have been made by politicians that can cause physical harm. I can think of a prominent politician who was asked if she thought that Trump was a Fascist. "Yes, I do," she replied. A compilation of such statements can inflame unstable minds to evil action. By contrast Charlie Kirk used civil debate to air differences in political views. He used thoughtful words, not harmful rhetoric.
In a majestic Christian response to evil, Charlie Kirk's widow said courageously, amid sobbing: "To the killer I say--I forgive you!" She didn't get into civil punishment. That was for others to decide. She echoed the words of our Lord from the cross: "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." Would that we all could be half as brave as Erika Kirk.
Peter Gilderson, Madison.
