The streaming star on how to reject political violence while staying honest about Kirk’s rhetoric.

  • pyre@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    he was set to debate Charlie before he got a new hole on his neck just in a couple weeks. if the shooter waited a little while Hasan could have literally been a couple meters away from him during the shooting. even putting aside the possibility of being the target himself, he could just catch a stray bullet one day because the US is just generally an insanely violent, backwards-ass country. why would he want this to be a normal thing

    • whiwake@lemmy.cafe
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      2 days ago

      He should just not say anything on the matter. If he can’t publicly celebrate the removal of trash, then he should remain silent. Calling this a tragedy is saying his behavior is acceptable, and people have the right to poison the world as such.

      • anarchiddy@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        2 days ago

        Actually I think his reaction is the most reflective of the situation. Yea, Kirk was a stochastic propagandist and a sociopath, but him getting killed doesnt materially improve anything while making the situation far more dangerous for everyone involved.

        The most I feel comfortable saying is that Kirk fucked around and found out - but I certainly wouldn’t celebrate the situation this now puts us in.

        If you’re going to engage in adventurism, at least make sure your target is worthy of your sacrifice. Kirk was a loud nobody and his death has gained us close to nothing.

        • whiwake@lemmy.cafe
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          2 days ago

          Hard disagree. Kirk was a successful mouthpiece for the extreme right wing. He targeted the youth. He knows he was programming them.

          Frankly, I just don’t think you are aware of what all he did—which explains your ignorant dismissiveness.

          Kirk’s death is a godsend. It is THE road we need to be on.

          • anarchiddy@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            1 day ago

            Agree to disagree, then.

            I’m well aware of kirk’s influence, but if anything those in his base have just been galvanized, many more have likely been driven into extremism.

            Things will get worse from here before they get better.

            • whiwake@lemmy.cafe
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              1 day ago

              They aren’t gonna get better sweetie. Not without our lifetime. This is the part where people read about in the future and think “wow they didn’t even know how fucked they were, and they did nothing to stop it”

              • anarchiddy@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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                16 hours ago

                I’m speaking directly as compared to him not being assassinated, friend. The harm he would have gone on to do is outshadowed by the harm that will now be done as retribution for his death.

                There was always going to be violent conflict between the fascists and anti-fascists, but believe it or not he was a moderating voice in the reactionary space. Without him, the overton window shifts even further right, with voices like Shapiro becoming comparatively centrist and falling out of favor by those motivated by Kirk’s death. It’s a reason why the shooter potentially being a Groyper is both liberating and damning to leftists - it means that we can’t as easily be blamed for the escalation (we will still, though), but it also serves as a reminder that there are more violent voices still who are driving a wedge into the center of the republican party to drive them further into Nazism.

                Better to target the productive capacities of the right, rather than the beneficiaries of the right’s sugar daddies (like Kirk).

                • whiwake@lemmy.cafe
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                  15 hours ago

                  I disagree. I don’t think they are actually going to DO anything. It wasn’t a lefty. People know that. It won’t gain popular support among the MAGAs. Meanwhile, as long as it’s right-on-right, who cares.

                  • anarchiddy@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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                    5 hours ago

                    Right, because there haven’t been any recent attempted or successful kidnappings or assassinations of democratic politicians recently…