We live in a nation where the word “murder" is used for buzz, while the action itself is so normalized we don't flinch when we hear about the gruesome murder of children as they sat with heads bowed at church.
The killing of a conservative right-wing activist, Charlie Kirk, comes with mixed reactions from an ever divided but never truly unified U.S. Some rejoice and others mourn the death of Kirk, but the question of whether this is a surprise or morbid irony of the activist's death should have been expected.
In a world where we have seen the rise of numerous extremist viewpoints, both with negative and positive connotations for society, they have all ended in tragedy.
Even those seen as moderately radical have been met with ruthless, untimely deaths. Many of which have come at the hands of gun violence.
Kirk's death comes from a deeply rooted issue that he, in his life, spoke out in reverence for: the right to bear arms. While owning a gun is indeed a right, the need for regulations becomes even more apparent with every shooting that takes place in this country. There have been 81 mass shootings this year alone, with more than 80 deaths.
Just two weeks ago, Minneapolis citizens experienced a tragic mass shooting where a shooter opened fire in a church, as catholic students and their teachers sat down for morning mass. Two children, 10-year-old Harper Moyski and 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel, were killed in the shooting and 18 others, mostly children, were injured.
Social media was flooded with stories, tears, and pictures of parents running barefoot down asphalt roads in hopes of hugging their children again. A nurse told news stations her first time learning of the shooting was by seeing her daughter, who she believed to be safe at school, wheeled into the hospital in critical condition. We saw priests, in tears, speak out about running toward the bullets to use their bodies as shields for praying children.
When have the ideals of America resorted to priests and children being in body bags for the right to carry a weapon?
To those celebrating Kirk’s death, yet believe in ending gun violence, you cannot celebrate the very thing you wish to end. Gun violence benefits no one. Murder has no benefit. The U.S. has drawn the tally of gun violence so high our religious leaders, who have given their lives to peace, are now human shields and soldiers.
Whether we blame the impacts on the misrepresentation of the Columbine High School Massacre which had its 26th anniversary this year, or the Sandy Hook Shooting 13 years ago, which saw the murder of 21 first graders and six educators, over a decade later, we are still in a crisis.
Kirk wasn’t always the most agreeable figure for left-leaning people, and often had very controversial takes, even on his own thoughts about gun violence. However, his death is a statement on the dangers of political freedom in this nation.
Don’t take this the wrong way; the murder of political and public figures is not new to our timeline. We have seen the deaths of powerful figures like Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and John F. Kennedy. Even in recent years, popular activists like 19-year-old Black Lives Matter activist Oluwatoyin Salau had her life tragically cut short due to interpersonal violence.
The scariest part about setting precedents is there are no guidelines on who can follow them. This one exaggerates a fact that we already know about extremism in any form: it kills.
Extremist-based mass killings have been on the rise for over a decade, with increasing numbers.
As the Mayor of Minneapolis, Jacob Frey, said after the tragic shooting, “Don’t just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now, these kids were literally praying.”
Action on gun reform is needed now. Publications like The Guardian are starting to report that “political violence is now a feature of U.S. life.”
At the same time as Kirk’s unfortunate death, Evergreen High School in Colorado experienced a shooting that left three teens, one of whom was the suspect, in the hospital with gunshot wounds.
Gun violence knows no side. It has no political affiliation and takes no discrimination in its systematic annihilation of its victims' lives, living or dead.
End gun violence.
Nyla Gilbert is a junior studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note the opinions expressed in this letter do not represent those of The Post. Want to talk to Nyla about her letter? Email her at ng972522@ohio.edu.
