Charlie Kirk confirmed dead.

    • 🌞🌞🌞@sopuli.xyz
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      2 months ago

      After the attempt on Trump, I thought these guys had force fields around them. One shot, 200 yards, and a great day.

      • Cosmoooooooo@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        Nope. You don’t get schadenfreude when you are defending yourself from someone determined to kill you, your family, and everyone who isn’t openly nazi.

        More “Whew, that nazi almost killed Indiana Jones before tripping and getting run over by a tank!” and Less “I’m glad you got hurt by the door you refuse to fix.”

        Calibrate your enthusiasm.

    • aski3252@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      How? Why? This could have incredibly dangerous consequences. Didn’t Trump send the national guard after a dodge employee was beaten up? Only time how he will exploit this situation for further gaining power.

      Seriously, I’m shocked how nonchalant people are reacting. Further escalation of political violence is extremely dangerous for the left at the moment and could be extremely lucrative for the Trump regime, which is constantly testing the water on how far they can go in terms of seizing power.

      Don’t forget, it was also an assassination that was the trigger for the Kristallnacht. You hopefully are not quite at that stage, but it is events like this that moves you closer…

      • SinAdjetivos@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        If it wasn’t this it was going to be something else. At least this definitely solved a problem permanently.

        A repeat of something like the doge employee assult could fix some issues, but probably only temporarily and would ultimately have the same end result.

        If there’s anything to learn from Kristallnacht is that there was never going to be enough capitulation and appeasement that would’ve prevented it and that appeasement ultimately works to multiply the harms done.

        • aski3252@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          If it wasn’t this it was going to be something else.

          Trump isn’t invincible. Stuff like the Epstein thing actually seemed to hurt him. This is a very convenient distraction.

          At least this definitely solved a problem permanently.

          What problem is solved? Kirk was a very effective propagator, especially with younger people, but he’s not irreplaceable. And his death is already being used as very effective propaganda.

          A repeat of something like the doge employee assult could fix some issues

          Again, what issue is solved? I don’t understand what you think this achieves. The main effect stuff like this has is giving the right effective propaganda material and escalating violence. And the left is not in a position where escalating violence benefits the US, quite the opposite.

          there was never going to be enough capitulation

          I do not suggest capitulation or appeasement… But in order to resist effectively, you need stronger organization. This makes organizing way more difficult.

          • SinAdjetivos@lemmy.world
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            2 months ago

            Stuff like the Epstein thing actually seemed to hurt him.

            The “Epstein thing” is never going to have reprecussions within Trump’s natural lifespan. Those “50yr birthday cards” that are getting showcased are over 24 years old at this point. Nearly twice the age of some of the alleged victims. Several of who have been saying, with signed testimonials and everything that Trump was there.

            What evidence exactly do you want that you think would have any effect? From my perspective even if there was an explicit video of him unambiguously raping a child his supporters would claim it was a “deep fake” and anyone who viewed, distributed, or acknowledged it’s existence it would be serving 20yrs to life for CP possession. It might be acknowledged as fact 50 years afterwards, but by that point it really doesn’t matter.

            he’s not irreplaceable

            Nobody is perfectly replaceable. But I understand what you’re saying and I unfortunately don’t think your wrong, but it will take a lot of time and significant financial investment for someone else to fill that role. It’s how the state has kept “leftist” orgs down in the US for at least 50+ years.

            There has never been another Fred Hampton, there will never be another Charlie Kirk.

            You need stronger organization. This makes organizing way more difficult.

            I agree fully on needing stronger organization, however the biggest issue I have found in most leftist organizing is there is little to no understanding or willingness for any form of self defense. I don’t see how this affects existing organizing methods, tactics, etc. Can you expand on what you’re seeing here?

            • aski3252@lemmy.world
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              2 months ago

              The “Epstein thing” is never going to have reprecussions

              It’s hard to tell, but it has disillusioned at least some of his supporters, showing that it is possible, at least for some people, to snap out of the cult. Obviously some will always support him, no matter what.

              it will take a lot of time and significant financial investment for someone else to fill that role.

              I don’t think it will hurt them in any significant way, maybe even the opposite. Kirk is still incredibly useful as a martyr figure and it’s not like he had much of an operational role. He was a propagandist and he will still be used to spread far right propaganda, even in his death.

              I understand that he was incredibly influencial, but that’s mostly because he was a pioneer of the modern right who made the right wing cool to a younger audience, but his methods have since been adapted by many other right wing propagandists.

              Or can you explain why you think his assasination will weaken or harm the right? Because I don’t see it.

              • SinAdjetivos@lemmy.world
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                2 months ago

                it has disillusioned at least some of his supporters

                Has it? You added a lot of weasel words to that claim there. If so what evidence specifically disillusioned them? Again from my perspective I hear a lot of “this will surely be the end of him” and then that predicted “end” never comes. My understanding is that disconnect comes from an inaccurate belief that there is equality under law, equality in reporting, etc.

                Kirk is still incredibly useful as a martyr figure

                Probably, but if martyr figures were that powerful then wouldn’t it be useful for ‘the left’ to also start martyring themselves? Martyrs can only ever do passive propoganda, Charlie was doing active propoganda and ultimately I don’t think Martyrs tend to be all that useful.

                why you think his assasination will weaken or harm the right

                • one less active propagandist
                • power vacuum and loss of leadership within turning point
                • chilling effect on this sort of rhetoric
                • impulsive and poorly planned ‘retaliations’ causing further damage
                • reminding those ‘in power’ of their mortality
                • aski3252@lemmy.world
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                  2 months ago

                  Has it?

                  Yep.

                  You added a lot of weasel words

                  The point is that Trumps image can change, even for his core supporters… I obviously have no clue exactly how many of his supporters were dissilusioned, which is why I will use “weasel words” (aka estimates and guesses)…

                  I hear a lot of “this will surely be the end of him”

                  I doubt that there will ever be the “one thing” where everyone suddenly realises they have been duked… Obviously that’s not how it works…

                  if martyr figures were that powerful

                  Ever heard of George Floyd? Trayvon Martin? Eric Garner? Those people weren’t even influencial to the left wing as a movement when they were alive (unlike Kirk), yet they still fueled one of the biggest movements in recent years.

                  start martyring themselves?

                  Some people do that, but in order to be powerful, they have to have been killed by the enemy you want to mobilize people against… Which is why the right will do whatever they can to blame this on “the radical left”, no matter what.

                  I don’t think Martyrs tend to be all that useful.

                  I think you are incredibly wrong on this point.

                  one less active propagandist

                  Pretty insignificant considering the countless other right wing propagandists out there who do pretty much the same thing. Also, events like this have a tendency to inspire more propagandists and radicalize people.

                  power vacuum and loss of leadership within turning point

                  Possible, but again, tp is not THAT important. They have turned a significant part of the youth and have a likeminded regime in power that continues to concolidate power. And they can an will use this event to consolidate more.

                  chilling effect on this sort of rhetoric

                  That’s not gonna happen…

                  impulsive and poorly planned ‘retaliations’ causing further damage

                  Damage to whom? You don’t know because the potential results are unpredictable.

                  reminding those ‘in power’ of their mortality

                  Like Trump’s failed assassinations?

  • Bone@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    These guys think they can talk all day about how they are going to make other’s lives worse, often those with lesser means, and they think they should enjoy safety themselves at all times. This while caring so little for others who are victims of gun violence, offering up weak thoughts and prayers and no action. Well, today he got to live the life he always wanted, he just wanted it for others.

    • Chaotic Entropy@feddit.uk
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      2 months ago

      He was literally in the middle of defending his stance on why trans people are bad, and dodging questions on gun violence, when this happened. Bizarre.

  • Snot Flickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    2 months ago

    Why the fuck is Donald Trump the one announcing his death?

    Does that stink of this being a false flag and Kirk was chosen as an expendable to anyone else??

    I am not at all convinced the shooter was a leftist or liberal.

    • theunknownmuncher@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      It was a truly wildly impressive shot. One single shot taken over 200 yards away through a very limited angle that made an instant-kill hit, and no suspect in custody? Hmm…

      It is extremely convenient that this happened immediately after the publication of the Epstein birthday book.

      • ℍ𝕂-𝟞𝟝@sopuli.xyz
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        2 months ago

        Yeah I’d say it was convenient if there wasn’t a major Trump scandal each week in the past ten years at least.

        • TheFogan@programming.dev
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          2 months ago

          Quite true… trumps already really good at distracting from his damning significant crimes with other crimes. I can’t think of a week in 2025 where there’s not something significant enough that they’d be looking for a distraction.

      • azertyfun@sh.itjust.works
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        2 months ago

        Like Trump needs distraction. He could breathe slightly funny or his hands could turn a different shade of purple and the news circus would move on from the birthday book tomorrow, which doesn’t even confirm anything we didn’t already know.

        Killer was well-prepared and a good shot, unlike the weirdo who tried to take out Trump. The only unusual thing is that people who have the mental acumen to actually pull something like this off and not get caught immediately tend to be mentally stable enough not to attempt something like that.

        But times are a-changing and political violence in the US is going to get a lot worse before it gets better. People forgot that the Rule of Law and Social Contract were meant not just as ways to prevent conservatives from implementing ethnic/religious fundamentalism, but also to prevent this exact kind of thing happening. Trump is at the helm of a government he seemingly distrusts, whose own rules he constantly breaks or ignores, whose institutions he actively sabotages, whose fundamental principles he spits on. As a consequence trust in all three branches of government is crumbling, which inevitably legitimizes political violence as a last resort vector of change.

        • Badabinski@kbin.earth
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          2 months ago

          I wouldn’t necessarily say that. I used to shoot competitively (service rifle across-the-course), and we’d shoot 200 yards off-hand. We don’t know if the shooter was prone, sitting/kneeling, or standing. If they were standing (because they wanted to beat a quick retreat) then it was a hell of a shot. Honestly, even if they were prone it’s not bad. Given the nature of the shooting, it appears that the shooter didn’t want collateral damage. There were a LOT of people there, and that pressure would make any shot harder.

          • ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de
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            2 months ago

            Standing offhand at 200 yards on a non moving target would be a pretty good shot, especially with no warm up and nerves, but I’m assuming the shooter was prone or resting the rifle on something.

            It’s just tons of people in here have been blasting that this is some sort of big distance for the shot, when it really isn’t. Most anyone could shoot accurately enough at that distance with a small bit of practice.

    • Pennomi@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      There’s no way they would shut down a propaganda powerhouse like that. It’s tempting to go down the conspiracy rabbit hole, but the vast majority of times it’s really the simple explanations that count.

      It honestly could be as simple as “a school shooting victim’s relative wants revenge against the speaker who ridiculed their tragedy.”

      • deadbeef79000@lemmy.nz
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        2 months ago

        Occam’s Razor.

        The USA probably has a million (literally) gun owners capable of making that shot.

        • Bustedknuckles@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          I don’t know, 3" (or so) grouping at 200 yards under those conditions is objectively hard. I don’t know anyone in my personal life that I think could make that shot

          • ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de
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            2 months ago

            First of all; 200 yards with a rifle is a stupid easy shot. Rifles are zeroed in around 200 yards. A 20x scope would make the target look just 10 yards away.

            Secondly; You ever hear of anyone shooting for the neck intentionally? No one would. The neck was an accident. They were aiming for the head or the chest and missed.

          • Kagu@lemmy.ml
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            2 months ago

            An ex army friend of mine said he’d be expected to make that shot with iron sights at 300m if he had an M4 after a year of training.

            Not to say every backyard marksman is army trained, but it doesn’t sound improbable.

          • meco03211@lemmy.world
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            2 months ago

            Doesn’t need to be a 3" grouping. Could have just gotten lucky. Could have been aiming center mass or for the head and wildly missed. But also he wasn’t moving and 200 yards with a properly sighted in scope isn’t too different from 100 yards and a properly sighted in scope.

            • mic_check_one_two@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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              2 months ago

              Yeah, my guess was actually that they were aiming for his head (easier to get a clear shot at through a crowd, because center mass would likely be obscured by other people around him) and missed.

    • Chaotic Entropy@feddit.uk
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      2 months ago

      I wouldn’t be surprised if it was someone just more right wing than him who took issue with “softer” stances, like not murdering trans people in the streets and only criminalising them.

    • unmagical@lemmy.ml
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      2 months ago

      Or the Whitehouse kept an open line with the hospital and Trump lacks the decency to let the family make the announcement on their own terms.

      • ShaggySnacks@lemmy.myserv.one
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        2 months ago

        Toilet Paper US tells Trumpie that Charlie Kirk is dead. Trumpie can’t resist telling everyone. Family finds out through a Truth Social post.

    • PM_ME_VINTAGE_30S [he/him]@lemmy.sdf.org
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      Does that stink of this being a false flag and Kirk was chosen as an expendable to anyone else??

      Absolutely zero chance it’s a false flag. Turning Point USA is a huge boon to the Trump admin.

      I am not at all convinced the shooter was a leftist or liberal.

      IMO we just need to wait and see. I see no evidence that the shooter was a leftist or liberal… because I’ve seen no evidence about the perp at all.

  • AlexLost@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    Bravo. Practice what you preach. It’s about time these people started putting money where their mouth is, eh.

    • LOGIC💣@lemmy.world
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      I am unironically concerned about the motives of his assassin. Every time we see something like this, I get this sinking feeling like we’ve just seen the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand.

      But then, we keep discovering that they’re right-wing nutjobs, and so the people who are praying for a civil war have to gnash their teeth and pretend like they’re not just looking for any reason to go on a killing spree.

      Nothing would please me more than if it was some personal reason, like a jilted gay lover.

      • bigfondue@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        They’ve already decided what they want to do. The military has invaded our nations capitol and our second largest city, Trump is threatening Chicago too, and we’re giving a quarter of a trillion dollars to ICE etc. They were already using that Ukrainian woman’s death to push their racist narrative. They will find something regardless. They will happily manufacture a controversy from anything. See Cracker Barrel.

    • mic_check_one_two@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      Supposedly it was an older white dude, and the alt-right has been rumbling about him (apparently he’s not conservative enough) for a while now. So I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that this is just another case of conservatives consuming each other.

    • CH3DD4R_G0B-L1N@sh.itjust.works
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      2 months ago

      These memes are the only legacy of his that I will miss. The magical feeling of not knowing if any given image has his face photoshopped or not has been a consistent joy for such a long time. All good things must come to an end.