Had you heard of Charlie Kirk before yesterday?

[Havetoagree]

Just that really? I hadn’t and wondering if I’m the only one. And why is it such a big story? I guess the association with trump. What would be the equivalent level of fame over here?

Nothing he said made "perfect sense" unless you were a racist misogynist (which of course many people are). He was almost a caricature of everything I oppose. This makes not a jot of difference to the fact that killing him was an abhorrent act. But how can people be speculating on motives when we dont yet know? There are endless possibilities.

Yes. I knew he was aiding Trump. But the SM I read, the US took the mick out of his gums and hair.

I didn't know his name immediately but I had seen some of his Cambridge debates and thought he was out of his depth against the 18 year olds.

I’ve been watching his videos for a couple of years now, I thought he was great and am so sad about his death (I’m 43)

I didn't know the name, and I didn't think I'd like him when I read about being a Trump supporter etc. When I looked into him, I realised I'd seen a lot of him before. And I do actually respect him and his views. There's things he said that I dont agree with. However I respected how he put his point across.
And a lot I actually did agree with.
He was intelligent, and respectful in everything I've seen.
No one deserves what happened to him, just for having different views to others.
And his poor family.
I'm 44. My children knew of him by name.

Nope, thankfully not. Everything I've read since suggests he was no great loss but his murder still a heinous act likely to incite further violence, intolerance, bigotry and division in the US.

Yes, unfortunately the manosphere has found their way to my FYP even after I tap the "not interested".

Absolutely. Anyone who claims to oppose the death penalty, while sympathizing with this assassination, is being a hypocrite.

Sure, he hated women and black people but he always kept his hair neat and tidy.

Yes I had and in 40s.

I have watched some of his debates and disagreed with most of his views, yet that does not justify his murder. Should differing opinions only be tolerated when they align with our own?

Not well known over here at all.

He was only relevant to the knuckledragging right in the white settler entity america, the most racist, bigoted country in human history. He fed off that hate.

He didn't believe in empathy (in that case we shouldn't show any towards him, but we aren't heartless like him), was an advocate of censoring (whitewashing) history in american schools and sought to have "patriotic history" being taught (so no mention of the slave owning tyrants who "founded" that white settler entity, no mention of the paedophile thomas jefferson who raped his 15 year old slave, no mention of every racist "founding" document coming with a warning), and he viewed deaths from gun laws as being "worth it" (maybe his wife will be comforted with that thought..."twas worth it" as he believed).

He was a shitstain on humanity, and while he had no feeling towards the Gazan children being killed everyday, unlike him I and most people believe human life is sacrosanct and he should not have been killed for his disgusting views.

Yes, but I only heard of him a few weeks ago.

We don’t live in countries where people are allowed to carry guns around with them so no I don’t think this will affect anything this side of the pond.

Yes. Which is why I’m frankly shocked and disgusted that so many people on mumsnet are labelling him as respectful and incredible. It is awful that he was murdered and it’s very sad for his family, but he was a terrible person, and a white supremacist who hated women.

All three of my adult kids had - they were all in the family chat taking about it.. I felt very old and not too bright!

Yes I’m 58. He had abhorrent views on many things.

No but I’m not interested in Trumpisum or American politics.

There is a big move by some quarters to import the cult of populism over here so it doesn’t surprise me to hear that so many young British kids are being targeted by American hard right content on their socials.

He’s am american, it’s in his constitution, it’s a completely different culture. Equally if you believe it’s ok for people to be murdered for their speech, that applies to everyone, not just people we disapprove of. I don’t agree with his beliefs, I think more people should have been able to construct reasonable arguments against his views. The reality is he was good at debating because it’s a skill the left/centre and centre right have lost the ability to debate. I’ve watched the videos of garbled arguments relying on sentimental nonsense put forward by his opponents,I’m not surprised he did as well as he did frankly.

The left is intellectually empty, no sane person would have claimed transwomen are literally women and thought they could actually supoort that position in reasoned debate for example. It’s a nonsense. We have lost reason and common sense. Instead of being mad at him for what he saod the question should be why do we not have better arguments? Why do we rely on cancellation, mockery and snideness instead of authentic good faith arguments.

The women’s rights issues of recent years demonstrate exactly this. How many feminists have been called all sorts but ultimately rational argument is winning out not “ewww what a bigot”.

I’m so confused! What bits about him were good????

No one deserves to die but come on? A good man???

@ToWhitToWhoo That is the opposite of what I said.

He was neither of those things

No but it’s still very sad. Poor little kids have lost their dad.

So you agree with his view on empathy then?? I fear some are tying themselves in knots rather than being able to say in an adult way that whilst they disagree with what he says and stood for he should not have died in the way he did.

No, my only form of social media is MN so was completely unaware. The first I'd heard of him was reading a thread on here yesterday.

I've got to say, it was extremely unnerving seeing people cheering on the extra judicial killing of a man whose opinions they didn't like. I'm glad that it was deleted and this thread seems to be more measured.

Yes over in Europe we never shoot people over their beliefs - we just stab MPs to death and firebomb journalist offices - so much more civilised.