Is it actually an excessive amount of to ask {that a} murdered younger man be given the dignity of a correct burial earlier than bad-faith opportunists try to posthumously rewrite his legacy to raised serve their very own nefarious ends? Is it actually an excessive amount of to ask {that a} murdered younger man’s household and associates — to say nothing of the numerous people whose lives the younger man touched and impressed — be allowed to mourn in peace, with out having to fend off charlatans looking for to hijack his reminiscence to advance their pet crusades?
Apparently, the reply is: Sure, it’s.
The physique of my good friend Charlie Kirk, who was tragically assassinated final week throughout a campus occasion in Utah by an alleged leftist transgender-adjacent “furry” fetishist, had barely returned house to Arizona earlier than some grifters ostensibly on the correct began making an attempt to capitalize on his reminiscence. As a substitute of specializing in the metastasizing evil of a distinctly leftist political violence or the truth that transgenderism had but once more discovered itself implicated in a horrific taking pictures, as any sane conservative would have carried out, these brokers of chaos determined it could be most applicable to “simply ask questions” about — you guessed it — the Jews.
Disgraced podcaster Candace Owens, by no means one to overlook any alternative to slander Jewish folks, took valuable time away from her Brigitte Macron authorized protection to counsel that Jewish folks or the Jewish state of Israel had been by some means concerned in Kirk’s assassination. To listen to Owens inform it: Kirk, a lifelong vocal supporter of the Jewish folks and the Jewish state, was souring on Israel and was getting near publicly adopting a hostile stance. Oh, and what’s extra — per Owens, Invoice Ackman, the billionaire hedge funder and proud Zionist, staged an “intervention” with Kirk throughout a retreat final month within the Hamptons the place Ackman pressured Kirk to “get in line” on the Israel challenge. Notably, quite a few high-profile cable information has-beens have legitimized Owens’ outrageous laundering of a left-wing political assassination into an antisemitic caper.
The place to start?
I spoke with Charlie Kirk lower than 24 hours earlier than his premature loss of life. The evening earlier than, a right-wing rabbi good friend and I held a Zoom name with Kirk and some others. Throughout this name, Kirk, an unapologetic Christian Zionist who was vastly distressed by rising antisemitism in some pockets of the correct, requested us a sequence of Israel-related questions that he anticipated receiving on his upcoming campus tour. We answered these questions and supplied messaging recommendation for methods to greatest talk and win over college students. At one level, Kirk joked to me that he would merely direct college students towards my e book when Israel got here up on tour. It beggars perception that somebody on the verge of renouncing Israel would manage this name.
As for the Hamptons retreat final month: I used to be there. Kirk had personally texted me to ask me, and I had inscribed e book copies for 2 particular retreat attendees — Kirk and Ackman. Put merely, there was no “intervention” — not from Ackman, not from Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon, not from anybody else. The retreat featured quite a few open-ended conversations, normally moderated by Kirk, and solely considered one of which was really about Israel itself. The conversations had been spirited and strong, however hardly rancorous. Kirk was important of the means some pro-Israel advocates superior their arguments, however he was not important of the underlying substance. Quite the opposite, he solely doubled down on his opposition to Islam and instructed that Israel is a pure ally within the battle in opposition to jihadism. Ackman and Kirk interacted very amicably.
That is who Charlie Kirk was: He targeted on constructing bridges and sustaining big-tent coalitions throughout the broader proper, which he had no real interest in dividing or tearing down. And he had an extended monitor file of befriending Jews — like me — and defending the Jewish state of Israel. His Could letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the existence of which the premier confirmed on Fox Information final week and which I used to be given entry to earlier this 12 months, makes his affection very clear. Kirk’s personal pastor and religious mentor, Rob McCoy, has made it clear as nicely.
At a time when the main target must be on ending the probably existential risk of left-wing home political violence, Owens and different instigators have embarked upon the final word gaslighting campaign: Misinform our faces and faux that Kirk was one thing apart from the champion of Jewish-Christian relations that he demonstrably was, whereas concurrently insinuating “the Jews” might have had one thing to do along with his horrific assassination. All of this, furthermore, whereas so many people merely want to mourn and honor our fallen good friend.
From a private perspective, such habits is reprehensible. And from a political perspective, it’s outright evil.
Neither is such a buffoonish “simply asking questions” ruse evil merely due to the way it seeks to fracture the Jewish-Christian alliance that’s the solely hope of saving the West — one thing Kirk fought for on daily basis. It’s also evil as a result of such appalling idiocy and grotesque conspiracy-mongering threatens to repel the overwhelming majority of People who stay coherent and sane, and who might nicely conclude that they need nothing to do with a political motion that entertains such cranks. It’s not merely the Jewish-Christian alliance that these reprobates are threatening, then. They’re additionally threatening the integrity and viability of the MAGA coalition, which nobody did extra to carry collectively than Kirk.
Actually, may there be any larger desecration of Charlie Kirk’s reminiscence than that?
Josh Hammer’s newest e book is “Israel and Civilization: The Destiny of the Jewish Nation and the Future of the West.” This text was produced in collaboration with Creators Syndicate. @josh_hammer
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Concepts expressed within the piece
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The creator argues that Charlie Kirk must be allowed dignity in loss of life and his household must be permitted to mourn with out opportunists making an attempt to rewrite his legacy for political achieve. The main focus criticizes those that are utilizing Kirk’s assassination to advance antisemitic conspiracy theories somewhat than addressing what the creator sees as the true challenge of leftist political violence.
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Kirk maintained sturdy help for Israel and Jewish folks till his loss of life, as evidenced by a Zoom name the creator had with Kirk simply 24 hours earlier than the assassination the place Kirk sought recommendation on Israel-related questions for his campus tour. The creator contends that Kirk’s request for messaging steerage on Israel demonstrates his continued dedication to pro-Israel positions.
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Claims a few supposed “intervention” by Invoice Ackman at a Hamptons retreat are false, in keeping with the creator who was current on the occasion. The conversations had been described as spirited however amicable, with Kirk remaining important solely of how some pro-Israel advocates made their arguments, not the underlying help for Israel itself.
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The creator warns that conspiracy theories suggesting Jewish involvement in Kirk’s assassination threaten each the Jewish-Christian alliance and the broader MAGA coalition that Kirk labored to take care of. Such theories threat alienating mainstream People who may in any other case help conservative causes.
Completely different views on the subject
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Former President Barack Obama criticized the political exploitation of the tragedy, suggesting that some leaders are utilizing Kirk’s assassination to suppress important discussions important for democracy somewhat than permitting open debates concerning the concepts represented by victims of political violence[2]. Obama emphasised the significance of condemning violence whereas sustaining house for democratic discourse.
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The investigation revealed Kirk’s controversial political positions, together with his promotion of false claims about voter fraud after the 2020 election, skepticism concerning the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-trans rhetoric, and amplification of the “Nice Substitute” conspiracy principle[1]. These points of his file present context for understanding the political tensions surrounding his assassination.
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Democratic lawmakers criticized FBI Director Kash Patel’s dealing with of communications following the assassination, with Senator Dick Durbin noting that Patel prematurely claimed credit score for figuring out the murderer in a social media submit made the evening of Kirk’s loss of life[2]. Critics argued this violated basic legislation enforcement rules about remaining silent throughout important phases of investigations.
