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Far-right provocateur Charlie Kirk is the founder of Turning Point USA, which targets college students in an effort to mobilize a young conservative base.
Kirk has frequently spread conservative disinformation, including the right-wing delusion that the 2020 election was somehow "stolen" by Democrats engaging in widespread election fraud. He even funded nearly 100 buses to charter people to the January 6 "Save America" rally, which later devolved into the deadly failed insurrection against the United States Capitol.
As the insurrection proved, the lie that the election was stolen can mobilize people to violence. That was proven yet again with a question posed to Kirk during a recent speaking engagement.
Watch below
The worst part of this isn’t when this guy at Charlie Kirk’s tour says, “When do we get to use the guns .. how many… https://t.co/sE9fcCAwB8— Ron Filipkowski (@Ron Filipkowski) 1635278615.0
One attendee asked Kirk:
"This is tyranny. When do we get to use the guns? That's not a joke, I'm not saying it like that, I mean literally where's the line? How many elections are they gonna steal before we kill these people?"
The conservative audience met the question with applause and agreement.
Kirk denounced the question, but not because violence shouldn't be tolerated, but because violence would supposedly help Democrats:
"I'm gonna denounce that, and I'm gonna tell you why. Because you're playing into all their plans ... They are trying to provoke you and everyone here. They are trying to make you do something that will be violent, that will justify a takeover of your freedoms and liberties the likes of which we have never seen. ... We are close to have momentum to be able to put this country back on a trajectory using the peaceful means that we have at us."
The question generated outrage online.
What would this country do if it was a crowd of Muslims or people of color who said this? Just think about it. It's… https://t.co/YkNxfIzWj4— Wajahat Ali (@Wajahat Ali) 1635351438.0
“How many elections are they going to steal before we kill these people?” Translation: Hello democracy, meet dumpst… https://t.co/CyO3L3Ee2r— Kevin Windham (@Kevin Windham) 1635344637.0
This guy during a Turning Point USA event openly calling for political violence against Democrats. This is horrify… https://t.co/FqGLR28cW0— Bryan Schott (@Bryan Schott) 1635342000.0
So living in Maga country I’m wondering if I need to like put a blue line sticker on my car or something to try and… https://t.co/9QYDgFM7x8— kris n. (@kris n.) 1635332440.0
Wow this guy should be arrested this isn’t funny this is warped! This is not a joke, ppl like this need to be dealt… https://t.co/poInqyunry— Melissce (@Melissce) 1635344875.0
Kirk's halfhearted denouncement wasn't well-received either.
Charlie Kirk, one of my GOP relatives' favorite media figures, glimpses the fact that his rhetoric is inspiring his… https://t.co/aZRWXfJYMt— Steve Silberman (@Steve Silberman) 1635353235.0
Charlie denounces this not because it's legally and morally wrong, but because it's bad optics. What an ass. https://t.co/R0DSHxviBh— Gary Legum (@Gary Legum) 1635346501.0
Notice that he didn’t denounce it because it was violent or wrong, but because saying it publicly was bad political… https://t.co/8r7CoIMdol— Santiago Mayer (@Santiago Mayer) 1635308907.0
Because, as others pointed out, Kirk and right-wing figures like him are mobilizing Americans to violence in the first place.
Charlie Kirk may have "denounced" the guy who called for killing Dems. But the problem is, with every one of the li… https://t.co/3xbArL0D8S— Matthew Chapman (@Matthew Chapman) 1635334929.0
"When do we get to use the guns? ...This is not a joke....How many elections are they going to steal before we kill… https://t.co/5b6a2UhRPW— (((Howard Forman))) (@(((Howard Forman)))) 1635341673.0
Rightoids: "The left stole the election! They want to kill you and your family! We live under fascism!" Their fans… https://t.co/o9XpoKy7QN— 🇺🇸Ali 🦅⚔️ (@🇺🇸Ali 🦅⚔️) 1635348120.0
Kirk and his ilk continue to travel the country peddling dangerous lies.