An article by Socialist Aotearoa member Sam

On September 10th 2025, Charlie Kirk was shot in the neck at Utah Valley University. He died shortly afterwards due to complications of his injury.

What is interesting about this? Americans die in gun related violence every day. Just last year, there were more than 488 mass shootings across the US. In the last 4 years (prior to 2024) there were more than 600 each year, averaging two a day. Charlie Kirk, himself an outspoken supporter of ‘second amendment rights’, has been quoted famously as saying “It’s worth it to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment.”

So, why are so many public figures, many of them not aligned with Kirk on the majority of his political ideas, releasing statements mourning him and condemning this brand of, seemingly, politically motivated violence?

In what can only be described as an unapologetically partisan move, the President of the United States Donald Trump immediately appeared on Fox News and blamed Charlie Kirk’s death on “vicious and horrible radicals on the left”, or more succinctly, his political opponents. This is not surprising, and likely will continue, but it is a sign that an era in American political rhetoric is coming to an end. 

No more will the blood-soaked hands of one of the most culpable regimes in human history be clasped in mock reverence for a tragic death. Previous presidents have used moments like these in the nation’s history to deliver bi-partisan platitudes aimed at dissolving tension and reducing political agitation. Instead, the so-called leader of the free world is openly praising his earlier military intervention into domestic police matters, and is announcing further military action.

While this is going on, previous living presidents are condemning this act of politically motivated violence. Joe Biden said “There is no place in our country for this kind of violence.’ Obama said ‘this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy.’ Bush said ‘Violence and vitriol must be purged from the public square.’ Bill Clinton was “saddened and angered by Charlie Kirk’s murder.’

None of these former presidents, even Bush, privately or publicly supported Charlie Kirk prior to his death, or shared a significant portion of his political ideology. Indeed, in many ways Kirk was even more outspoken and radical in his rhetoric than Donald Trump. So why are they so committed to mourning his passing, when it’s extremely likely that he would have made jokes if a similar thing had happened to them?

By way of answering that question, I want to take a brief aside to explore some further details of this assassination that came to light after these political figures (and more, a lot more) shared statements similar to the above. 

The context behind these inscriptions is bizarre and jarring, but I will do my best to make it concise while still appreciating the full scope of the issue. Basically, the man who has been accused of this assassination, Tyler Robinson, is a 22 year old uni student enrolled in a technical college for an electrician apprenticeship. He’s also a ‘groyper’, part of an online group of far right radical young men who antagonize not only ‘liberals’ but also other right wing political activists, in an attempt to discredit their more mainstream views. Somehow, this group has taken offence to Charlie Kirk in the past, mostly for his positions on immigration, and LGBTQ rights.

All of these inscriptions directly reference memes used by this Groyper Army group to antagonize political figures and joke about horrific acts of violence. This group is further to the right of Charlie Kirk, and accused him of ‘watering down Donald Trump’s message.’

Coming back now to the president’s response to Charlie’s death, in a further ironic twist to an already deeply ironic scenario, these Groypers will likely get their wish. Donald Trump has already used this attack to justify punitive action against his political opponents.

The truly sad thing about all of this though, in my opinion, and I think the reason why so many political figures have taken a stance mourning this extremely polarizing figure (beyond the normal reasons) is because of the implication. That being, because of this extreme right wing rhetoric, the insane culture the United States of America has cultivated, and now this volatile cocktail of internet memes and fascist propaganda, no one in that country (or potentially the Western world) is safe. Rabid devotion to the Constitution, complete refusal to institute any kind of meaningful barriers to gun ownership and a fanatical culture that rejects community in favour of individualistic ‘freedom’ has led to a country that enables any public figure to die at the hands of a university student.

This is not new. The potential for this outcome has existed for many years. However, never before has it been so clearly displayed, literally broadcast across the world for everyone to watch.

This is what happens when ideology and capital are allowed to circumvent and overrule the needs of the people for so long that it becomes culture. The very political actors who are condemning this action are the ones who should be held accountable. Because of them, more and more young adults are starting to see themselves as soldiers fighting an invisible war between insane fascist demagogues who actually agree on 90% of issues, but cannot tolerate each other.

The only thing that could solve this problem, the only thing that could have prevented Charlie Kirk’s death, is meaningful gun control reforms that prevent people obtaining weapons. The very thing that Charlie advocated against for his entire career. This of course would be anathema to American culture, so it will never happen. Instead, Trump will use it to justify further military overreach, which will in turn escalate further, leading to further political violence, and so on. This will continue until it becomes intolerable to the majority of Americans, and they are able to act collectively to stop it.

We are witnessing the fall of the American Empire. That is what these people are mourning. Not Charlie Kirk. The chickens are finally, finally coming home to roost. I can only hope they do so with minimal collateral casualties.