On Thursday, during a September 11th memorial service at the Pentagon, President Donald Trump announced that he would award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk.
Less than 24 hours later, Kirk was assassinated while speaking to a crowd on conservative issues at Utah Valley University.
The 31-year-old conservative commentator is best known for founding Turning Point USA, a nonprofit organization that aims to build a strong conservative youth movement. He became known for his unwavering loyalty to Trump, his defense of expansive Second Amendment rights, and his opposition to LGBTQ rights. Conservatives and far-right supporters quickly elevated Kirk to martyr status after his death.
“Before we begin, let me express the horror and sadness that many Americans feel over the heinous assassination of Charlie Kirk,” President Trump said. “Charlie was a giant of his generation, a champion of freedom, and an inspiration to millions.”
It is currently unclear when the ceremony will take place, but President Trump said, “One thing I can guarantee you is that it will be a huge crowd.”
Many credit Kirk with mobilizing young voters, especially young men, on behalf of the twice-impeached president and helping Trump return to the White House in 2024.
Kirk’s stance on LGBTQ rights has been a central part of his political brand.
A staunch opponent of Obergefell v. Hodges, the landmark Supreme Court decision that required states to recognize same-sex marriage, Kirk often used inflammatory rhetoric and at times called for an outright erosion of LGBTQ rights.
As host of Salem Radio Network’s “The Charlie Kirk Show,” he frequently criticized transgender participation in sports and called transgender people and their supporters “sick.” He also suggested that they should be “cared for the same way they were in the 1950s and 60s.” Many critics interpreted this reference to lobotomies, shock therapy, and forced laboratories.
Kirk often framed his views through the lens of “Christian values.”
He quotes Bible verses on his YouTube channel, at one point quoting Leviticus 20:13 to claim that the Bible’s call for stoning homosexuals reflects “the perfect law of God.”
The Washington Blade reached out to several LGBTQ advocacy groups for comment on President Trump’s decision to posthumously honor Kirk, who was widely criticized for his hostility toward the LGBTQ community. Many focused instead on condemning the violence that ended his life.
“Political violence is unacceptable and has no place in this country,” Human Rights Campaign Director Kelly Robinson said in an emailed statement. “We can never accept this epidemic of gun violence as normal. We cannot continue to live like this.”
Kristen Braude, president of the Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus, which has 21 chapters in the state and is one of the largest LGBTQ caucuses in the nation, echoed those sentiments, noting the impact of Kirk’s comments.
“Political violence is wrong for any reason. Gun violence is wrong for any reason. Spending your life, inciting violence, demonizing your political opponents, attacking people who are different from you are all wrong. And when such acts are followed by violence, we should not be shocked. All we can do is renew our resolve to fight violence.”
Kirk was shot and killed seconds after answering a question about the number of “transgender people” responsible for “mass shootings,” saying “too many,” according to the video and witnesses at Utah Valley University.
As of Thursday evening, Kirk’s killer remained at large. The FBI is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the identification and arrest of persons of interest in the investigation.
Source: Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay News – www.washingtonblade.com
