This is not a moment for dishonesty. Contrary to the hurried efforts of some Democratic leaders to eulogize Charlie Kirk, we don’t need to pretend the far-right activist engaged in earnest politics “across ideology, through spirited debate” as California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a post on X paying tribute to Kirk.

Kirk, the founder of the far-right movement Turning Points USA, was committed to organizing America’s white young men, from college campus to college campus and beyond, into a politics of revanchist, resentment-fueled, patriarchal white nationalism.

At the time of writing, the person responsible for shooting Kirk has not been apprehended or identified. That didn’t stop Trump from delivering an official address unequivocally blaming the “radical left” for Kirk’s death in the broadest terms possible.

The Trump administration is a weaponization machine; it will transform all manner of things into an ideological arsenal to use against its opposition. Anti-genocide activism is antisemitism; immigrant workers are “the worst” criminals; addressing white supremacy is discrimination; war crimes are peace — all of these fascistic transmutations have become grimly common in the last eight months.

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

    This is literally why I think it was a purposeful hit-job by wannabe Mafia Don-ald.

    The shot was too professional and clean for a random lone gunman shooter. A little higher and it would have gone right through the middle of his face.

    Further, they conveniently found a weapon which implicates antifi and pro-trans attitudes.

    This is a twofer for Trump. They get to put it on Democrats as being the violent ones, and they also get to quickly go down the already-planned road of force-removing guns from the trans community and labeling trans people as mentally ill.

    Classic abuse tactics and classic DARVO (Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender).

    Yes, absolutely yes, I think Trump is completely capable and willing to murder one of his own in cold blood to achieve his own personal goals.

    I also think the “ineptness” of the FBI is a ploy as well. For a government that is happy to extraordinary rendition it’s own citizens over weak suspicions of “not being a legal resident” it doesn’t stand to reason that they would just interview the initial suspect and then let him go immediately. They already don’t follow the law, why wouldn’t they keep the initial suspect locked up long enough to figure out whether their story actually checked out? The tweets that they had someone were to make it look like they’re actually trying to find the shooter when they already know the shooter is one of their own while they dream up a patsy to pin it all on.

    This act was purpose built to set off the simmering powder keg.

    • BassTurd@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      While I don’t discount this as a possibility, I think it’s more likely that someone was done with the rhetoric and took actions into their own hands. The alleged writing on the casings also has precedent (see United Health CEO).

      With the info released showing where they think the shot came from, that’s not a difficult shot to make. I’m not a gun guy, but my brother has a .30-06, same as reported for this, and I helped him dial in his scope at 200 yards. In 4 shots my grouping was within a couple inches, and that’s the first time I ever fired that rifle. If someone practiced, hitting a target that wasn’t moving from the assumed distance is completely viable.

      I’d love if this came out and proved to be a false flag operation, where the shooter is a conservative ordered to make the hit from this administration. I don’t think it will, but on top of an already winning situation, that would be the cherry on top.

    • TrickDacy@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      It’s always great to see people who actually believe shit I would only expect from a left wing qanon.

    • djsoren19@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      5 months ago

      The shot was too professional and clean for a random lone gunman shooter.

      The missed shot? The one where the gunman got lucky to still hit his target, because the wind could have just as easily blown the shot a little further to the right and missed entirely?

      Further, they conveniently found a weapon which implicates antifi and pro-trans attitudes.

      Look I get it was convenient, and I dunno why the gunman did it, but I really, really don’t want to live in a world where the FBI wrote “notices bulges OwO what’s this?” on a bullet in order to implicate leftists. I have to assume they are legitimate.

      There’s really nothing to indicate this wasn’t a legitimate left-wing lone wolf hunting enthusiast that decided they wanted one less breathing Nazi.

  • breezeblock@lemmy.ca
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    5 months ago

    100% this. This exactly how they operate and nothing will stop them. There is no moderation or honesty in anything they say or do.

  • Marshezezz@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    5 months ago

    Coinciding with the decision from the senate to block the Epstein files. He cares about tiny face about as much as we do, probably less

  • FenderStratocaster@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    Nothing Will Stop Trump From Weaponizing Charlie Kirk’s Killing to Attack the Left

    The author has never heard of congestive heart failure.

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    5 months ago

    I’m not sure how this differs from their standard strategy. Kirk will be just a scapegoat for their actions, but Trump was already deputizing the military and deporting citizens to parts unknown.

    • Sterile_Technique@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      The more he abuses his authority over the military, the more likely it is that one of them will act against illegal orders. They are under oath to “defend the constitution from all threats, foreign and domestic” - there isn’t a snip after that last but saying “unless the domestic threat is the POTUS”.

      The past year has shown us that our troops don’t actually take that oath very seriously, but they also aren’t just mindless stormtroopers. The military is a slice of the rest of society, to include political affiliation and loyalty to our nation. All we need is for a single one of them to recognize Trump as the domestic enemy to the US that he is.

      Will it happen? Probably not. It hasn’t yet. But the more pressure Trump puts on them to attack their own country, the more likely it is one of them will finally step up to take action.

      • someguy3@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        The more he abuses his authority over the military, the more likely it is that one of them will act against illegal orders.

        That’s what he wants, so that he can purge the dissenters before the real bad orders come out.

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    5 months ago

    Where is the left? I’m seeing two right winger parties talking tough while the working class is still being treated like a bunch of mushrooms.

  • TuffNutzes@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    It’s a pretty convenient situation to distract his rabid supporters from his pedophilia and history with Jeffrey Epstein.

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    5 months ago

    I think they might now that it’s known that the kid was a groyper.

    Still dangerous times. The next one will “act” like they’ve turned progressive before they start shooting propagandists.

  • MehBlah@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    It was his intention when he ordered it. What I want to know if when we will see the Epstein files.