Freedom of speech isn't tolerated by some

[WhatNextBanana]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/comment/2025/09/10/charlie-kirks-shooting-terrible-moment-american-democracy/

Political violence on the rise.

People are getting angry when people have Political views they don't agree with. Freedom of speech must be allowed not shutdown.

Tragic news of a young family man shot by someone today. Please remember he was a human with a family. Violence is never ok.

I've read the flags thread here on mn. Such nastiness towards people around flags. Nastiness around left and right Political views. Debate but not hatred, nastiness and violence. Tragic.

if people are on their social media accounts please remember to disable auto play videos and to turn on the option to sensor distressing images/videos.

his poor wife and young children.

Does your support of freedom of speech in the US include students protesting on campus against Israeli military action?

I think it is important to emphasise however that the US isn’t the UK and they face different problems to us.

Terribly sad for this man and his family.

The UK doesn’t have the same gun violence issue as the US.

I understand most images have been removed. Should never be allowed to be shared. Children shouldn't be exposed to that type of content.

I don’t share most of Charlie’s views, I’m not religious, I’m not American… but it’s really affected me.

when did we lose the ability to disagree peacefully, to discuss openly, to debate fiercely…

… but violence of this magnitude? I’m so angry. And scared. Religion aside, ‘left wing vs right wing’ aside, where is common humanity?

Ah yes. This is the man who stated in 2023 that lives need to be lost as part of America’s need to bear arms.

It’s terribly tragic especially for his young children having had to witness this, but let’s be honest here, when people talk about freedom of speech what they generally mean is that they should be allowed to hold and express any abhorrent views they choose without consequence.

Have students been killed protesting about Gaza. Sorry to hear that. Again that would also be tragic. Violence has no place.

This is what I mean. Forget all else. This is a man, a husband and a father. Don't agree with him, then argue the points don't kill.

Might not have the same issues as such or such easy access to firearms but I definitely feel it’s only a matter of time before something similar happens here. I feel like tensions continue to escalate daily.

Sadly MPs have been attacked and killed here.

But he was a supporter of gun violence.

He actively said that gun deaths are a small price to pay.

Do I think that his children should have seen that? Absolutely not.

But it’s hardly a surprise when someone who actively encourages violent killings ends up dying in the way he endorses.

Some of his views on abortion, should he have gained legislative power, and he already had the ear of those that do, could well have resulted in women dying.

But two wrongs don't make a right. Shooting him isn't ok just because he was a horrible man.

A better title for this thread would be, 'Those who live by the sword die by the sword.'

His supporters sent out a lot of thoughts and prayers tonight, which is their usual response to any type of gun violence.

The issue he was discussing when he was killed was trans gender gun violence due the increase in trans gender gun violence.

We don't know who killed him but come on killing someone for a different view is never right.

While I don't celebrate his murder, and worry about escalating political violence - he wanted to bring back public executions (and make children watch) and thought gun crimes (including mass shootings of children) were a price worth paying for the right to bear arms.

If you're going to support or excuse these things, there's always a risk they'll happen to you.

He did not actively encourage violent killings. That's a lie.

Yes, people forget "We're better together" as Jo Cox said before being stabbed by a Brexit supporting Nazi.

That being said I think this was related specifically to the transwomen led shootings they are having in US as that was the precise topic he was discussing at the time. I don't know if that is politics or ideology at this point. It's unlikely to be a leftie gun abolitionist, in reality.

Thoughts with his loved ones. No one should be killed.

I 100% agree with you that killing people for having opposing views is wrong, and most people would, but I think the point people are making here is that HE wouldn't agree with you. He's (or was) part of the problem.

Excellent public facebook post by Rebecca Solnit offers more context:

Re Charlie Kirk's death by gunshot on an Utah public university campus. "Under the changes in HB 128, which went into effect on May 7, individuals who are 18 years old or older and have a current Utah concealed weapon permit (CWP) may carry a weapon on campus, including in an “open” fashion. The new law makes it clear that Utahns 18 years or older, who have a concealed weapon permit, may carry a firearm concealed or openly on campus. University of Utah Police will confirm that those carrying openly on campus have a concealed weapon permit."
This is not the campus on which Kirk was shot, but so far as I can tell, it applies to all public university campuses in the state; the state legislature just made open carry legal for those with permits. The site continues: "What if someone shows up in my classroom or workplace openly carrying a weapon? Anyone observing a person with a weapon on campus should report this information to University Police (585-COPS or 911 if an emergency). Police will respond and verify that the person in question is authorized to carry the weapon and otherwise complying with the law." But in the meantime they walked into your space with a visible weapon capable of killing you instantly and easily, and they just might be allowed to do so.
Murder is wrong, and so is the system that makes tools of homicide so widely available.

Not quite what he said.

He conceded, in a debate, that lives would ultimately be lost as a result of the right to bear arms.

The right to bear arms isn’t exactly a radical viewpoint to an American.

It’s terribly tragic especially for his young children having had to witness this, but let’s be honest here, when people talk about freedom of speech what they generally mean is that they should be allowed to hold and express any abhorrent views they choose without consequence.

Surely though, we should be able to express our views (no matter how abhorrent people find them) without being murdered for them? I don’t think death should be a consequence of freedom of speech.

Do you?

He was as entitled to his opinions and views and to share those opinions and views as I am and as you are. And to not be murdered for them.

I don't believe he was a supporter of gun violence. He was talking about the rise in shootings by young trans people, ge wasn't supporting the incidents. Is it not possible for you to pause and realise he didn't deserve this.

You know which way this thread is going to go. The Charlie thread was one of the most disturbing blood feed frenzies I've seen. The bottom line is, you are a fascist if you are intolerant of other political opinions.