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?

Yes. I’m in my 50s.

I didn’t agree with his views at all and thought he was an appalling person. But I take no pleasure in what happened. I am very sorry for his family.

I watched a video of him today speaking with a young trans person. He said that what he would like was for her not to rage against her body but to come to accept and be comfortable in it. Their conversation was polite and respectful.

I know he’s very anti-abortion and pro-guns but I couldn’t disagree with that statement.

And no one should be assassinating another person because they don’t like what they say.

I had. I am 57.

He was dreadful man but, of course, his murder is an atrocious raising of the stakes in an already violent nation.

A UK equivalent would be someone like Darren Grimes - right-wing rabble rouser.

Nope

Nope. But my 19 and 21y olds had.

Yes - I first heard him on the Gavin Newsome (California Governor) podcast in which GN has conversations with people with whom he disagrees politically. It was a great conversation, in the main not shouty or trying to score points, and really eye opening to me as to why Trump won. I really recommend a listen. On the back of that I have followed him. I fundamentally disagree with most of what he said and stood for but he spoke cogently and clearly and you can see why he was influential

edited to add I’m mid 50’s and a bit of a politics geek

No, no idea who he was at all.

I think its such a big story because he was a public figure who many had tipped to be a future presidential contender and he was assassinated while speaking in public. He had many supporters and many critics and there were many people who agreed with some of his beliefs but not all of them, but those people would listen to him… which I suppose made him seem dangerous to some who wholly disagreed with him as he had potential to change opinions

its such a shame, such a waste and just plain horrific. I think violence against public figures pushes more and more people away from speaking up about what they believe in, and we need that discourse for democracy to work

Yes and im 50

Gosh I’m in my 50s and had watched his debates and knew who he was

As PP says I didn’t agree with most things he said but it’s a terrible thing to have happen

i do however work in a secondary school so I am perhaps a bit more in tune with the youth of today

What a foul thing to say.

Only through my young adult children. The name seemed familiar when I saw the news but couldn’t place him.
We couldn’t be more poles apart politically but what happened to him is horrifying.

Ha! I haven’t heard of darren grimes either 😂. Clearly very out of touch!

Nope.

Yes. I’m mid 50s. My kids showed me a clip of him debating Cambridge students about 2 months ago. They wiped the floor with him.

He was an appalling man with some dreadful views.

I’m 38 I have seen lots of his videos

Yes, I had heard of him. I often agreed with him (although not always, for example, his stance on abortion) but he was always respectful and intelligent.

It‘s the truth or would you rather I pretend that I was sad?

I'd heard of him in passing, in a similar context to when I first heard about Andrew Tate. My teenagers knew who he was and my eldest even said he wasn't surprised he'd been shot.

I had heard of him but had never really watched his videos. I have watched some now. If the shooters goal was to silence Charlie Kirk it has totally backfired.

Yes. Watched many of his debates. Disliked his views. His murder is horrifying

Yes, and I’m in my late 40s. I watched his videos due to his views on women and on gender. I disagreed with almost everything he said, and where there was some agreement it was not for the same reasons or reasoning. I think his views were wrong and damaging for women and others. However, I appreciated the fact that he went and spoke to people who didn’t agree with him and gave them a platform to debate with him. I think it’s important to be able to discuss opposing views rationally. I was shocked by his murder, and think it will be incredibly destabilising for the US political scene. As well as a personal tragedy for his family and friends.

No. But both teens are 19 and 16 were very familiar with him (16 year old particularly despised him). 61 yo DH had but he watches a lot of political debates on TV.

Nope. 47 yo Christian but i don't watch videos etc