As the news broke on Wednesday that Charlie Kirk was shot - prior to the official word of his demise - I was struck by a quote from the novel “A Clash of Kings,” by author George R. R. Martin.
When you tear out a man’s tongue, you are not proving him a liar -- you are only telling the world that you fear what he might say.
That passage was not only applicable to the ultimate removal of Kirk’s voice, but it has been on display in these hours following his death. There is no surprise at all that figures on the left, from Democrats and the press, would find ways to act in disgraceful fashion following the grave result. As conservatives, we need to recognize what is at stake and prepare ourselves accordingly.
Some Democrats, knowing full well this act is entirely indefensible, have decided to instead go on the offensive…and behave offensively in the process. We’ll start with Fred Flintstone himself, Governor JB Pritzker, who decided he needed to turn political and blame President Trump for this killing.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) on the shooting of Charlie Kirk:
— Heartland Signal (@HeartlandSignal) September 10, 2025
"Political violence, unfortunately, has ramped up in this country ... I think there are people who are fomenting it in this country. I think the president's rhetoric often foments it." pic.twitter.com/d9jQsnkXLp
Next up was Elizabeth Warren, taking a break from stealing baseballs from children. (Allegedly.) When asked if there is a need to tone down the political rhetoric, she instantly became intemperate. “Oh please!” she said testily, before launching into a lecture on how President Trump has been at the forefront of this language.
🚨 WATCH: Sen. Elizabeth Warren reacts to the death of Charlie Kirk & calls for more gun control legislation.
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) September 10, 2025
She then attacks Pres. Trump for seemingly 'turning up the temperature' in the United States.
Footage from @AndiNapier pic.twitter.com/vk7TYjvXQA
The press has managed to behave even worse, as they sense that their narratives have been fueling the discord in the country. Their solution? Defend that aggressive stance at all costs. MSNBC fixture Matthew Dowd infamously blamed Kirk’s “hate” for this shooting, and it appropriately earned him an exit from the network, in a rare dose of recognition by the executives there that lines of propriety do exist that should not be crossed.
Yet, also on the air at the network were others leaning into the call to have voices tamped down. Katie Tur, in the immediate moments of the shooting, implied that Donald Trump would aggressively use this event. Jen Psaki has been especially acerbic in her commentary on the shooting. Later, during the nighttime broadcast, she condemned the words used by the president in his address on Wednesday evening.
Psaki slams Trump blaming rhetoric, then says all the bad rhetoric comes from Trump and Republicans, and then, incredibly, sneers that Trump didn't try to "unite the country" and brags about *her* past work in unity. pic.twitter.com/HJ7YyUpR1g
— Caleb Howe (@CalebHowe) September 11, 2025
She was literally condemning the president for daring to mention that the press drumbeat of “Trump is a Nazi” and “Republicans are fascists” could be a contributing factor to the intolerance in the national discourse.
Then we had David Corn, riding in with his condescension by citing unnamed “voices” on the right allegedly saying improper things, and folding in an attempt at deflection by invoking the recent shootings in Minnesota of state politicians.
Before knowing all the facts, voices on the right are now exploiting the tragic death of Charlie Kirk & calling for all-out war on the left. This is sad, but not surprising, at a time when we should all be denouncing political violence (if that is indeed what this was). They were…
— David Corn (@DavidCornDC) September 10, 2025
The difference there, as needs to be pointed out to Mr. Corn, is that nobody of prominence was coming out at the time to say the Minnesota politicians brought on the violence with what they had said, as has been the case in the aftermath of the Kirk shooting. His stunted commentary is echoed by the genius behind the leftist "Meidas Touch" account. The summary: The right needs to shut up, or something bad might happen!
The rhetoric coming from Trump, the White House, Elon Musk, and MAGA influencers is as dangerous as it gets—not the words of people trying to lower the temperature or prevent further tragedies.
— Brett Meiselas 🇺🇸🦅 (@BMeiselas) September 11, 2025
Jumping in with this same censoring sensibility was “CBS Mornings” wizard Nate Burleson. While speaking to former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the former football player felt the need to lecture the Republican that conservatives need to watch what they say. “Is this a moment for your party to reflect on political violence?” This is the third assassination attempt on conservatives in just over a year, this time leading to a successful murder, and this alleged journalist wants to condemn the targets as being responsible.
In the wake of Charlie Kirk being assassinated, CBS Mornings host Nate Burleson tells former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy that it's REPUBLICANS that really need to watch their rhetoric:
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) September 11, 2025
"Speaking of this tragedy, is this a moment for your party to reflect on political… pic.twitter.com/qQvgUzO6Bk
All of these examples, and the numerous others spilling out, tell us the same thing: They want to keep our side caged and muted. Bringing down Charlie Kirk was the silencing of an effective voice, and it was a case of being incapable of combating him in the arena of ideas, so he had to be stricken from outside the field of play. But notice the conflicting messages we are getting from the press today.
We are being handed two constructs at the same time: We need to avoid violence and express our differences with words, but also, the people on the right need to pipe down and keep their differences to themselves. Look at the fractured prism they employ. One side needs to rein in its commentary out of concern that it will spark violence from the other side.
Here is the entirely disqualifying detail in this flawed messaging. Charlie Kirk was among the most willing voices on the right to engage in earnest and thoughtful debate. He welcomed healthy discourse and ventured into the unwelcome wilderness of upper-level universities. He embodied the very thing being insisted upon today, and they erased him. They will not like what is to follow.
He wanted to talk it out and you killed him
— Magills (@magills_) September 10, 2025
His passing is by no means a call for conservatives to climb into our shells and hope to keep the peace. This murder is a result of one side of the debate being incapable of supporting its viewpoints. As they now posture that the right needs to modulate their rhetoric, this very message is unwound by the simple truth that they killed off the primary voice that was following that path.
Charlie Kirk’s assassination shows the left does not want peaceful discourse; they want silence. They tried ripping out the tongue of the right on Wednesday. They should fear what will be expressed as a result of this violent act.
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