Dancing on His Blood: How the U.S. Media Reacted to Charlie Kirk's Murder
In the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination, US media outlets are facing widespread accusations of "dancing on his blood" after several commentators appeared to justify the murder on air.
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The murder of political commentator Charlie Kirk has sent shockwaves through the American public, but the U.S. media's reaction has been nothing short of disgraceful, and some have accused it of "dancing on [his] blood." Critics claim that instead of handling the political assassination with sensitivity, major outlets used the moment to amplify divisions and attack the slain activist.
The murder of the political influencer and commentator Charlie Kirk is shaking the foundations of American society, and the U.S. media is only adding fuel to the fire. From commentators who justified the murder live on air just minutes after it occurred, to inciting headlines in articles summarizing Kirk's life.
MSNBC was one of the first to cover the event. During an immediate discussion after the initial news, network commentator Matthew Dowd began a speculative and inciting diatribe against Kirk. Moments after Kirk was shot with a single round from a long-range weapon, Dowd questioned whether the shooter might have been a "supporter of Kirk's who fired his weapon in enthusiasm and celebration."
A few minutes later, Dowd also justified Kirk's murder, even accusing him of being responsible for the shooting. "You can't say terrible, hateful things like he (Kirk) said all the time, and not expect such terrible things to happen," Dowd said.
Hours later on the same network, after Kirk's death was confirmed and an announcement was made by President Trump, anchor Kathy Turner raised the question: "How much should we fear that someone will continue Kirk's path and echo his messages after he is gone?" The comments from both anchors sparked a severe outcry on social media. In response, MSNBC announced the firing of Matthew Dowd and his immediate removal from all existing content.
The controversy surrounding the media’s reaction did not stop there. The New York Times published a lead article summarizing Charlie Kirk's life, with the headline describing him as a "force on the far-right." The article went on to call his work "controversial and hate-inciting."
The report on the media's inciting coverage of Kirk is significantly increasing the public discourse against the U.S. media. The hashtag "You don't hate the media enough" is gaining immense momentum on social media, and President Trump himself has accused the media of being responsible for the murder and violence.