Kirk’s assassination .. digital war and prosecution of every critical voice

In recent days, the United States of America has witnessed an unprecedented political and social storm after the assassination of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, one of the most prominent allies of former President Donald Trump, who in the eyes of his supporters turned into “Shahd” and a symbol that requires his defense even after his departure. This charged atmosphere was reflected on hundreds of Americans who found themselves expelled from their work or pursued due to publications on social media that criticized Kerk or mocked his death.
The case emerged with Laura Sush-Lightsi, an employee at a public university in Tennessee, who wrote on Facebook hours after the assassination incident: “Hate generates hatred. No sympathy at all.” A few words were enough to ignite widespread controversy, especially after the Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn rushed to denounce her publicly, considering that “this woman must be ashamed … and she must be dismissed from her position.” Indeed, it was not hours until the university announced its dismissal. This example was not alone. In a country that lives a sharp political division often associated with violence, Kirk’s supporters are close to any opposition or satirical comment from his death. His controversial stances on arms issues, abortion and immigration played a role in giving him a sympathetic mass base, but at the same time created a front of critics who did not hide their satisfaction for his assassination. Although the assassination of Kirk had wide condemnation from various political spectra, former President Donald Trump chose to direct the fingers directly to the “radical left”, before declaring The authorities arrested the suspect Tyler Robinson in Utah. Investigations revealed that Robinson engraved anti -fascist expressions on its ammunition, which prompted the right camp to consider it a “left -wing extremist” killer. Social media platforms in turn turned into a chase arena, where activists and right -wing activists took over the task of tracking accounts of those who expressed gloating at Kirk’s death. One of these, conservative influencer Joy Manarino, explained: “If their image is on their personal file, even without a name, the image and the reverse search for its owner are downloaded.” These practices led to the disclosure of the identities of teachers, firefighters, military and others who quickly found themselves without jobs. A short comment was sufficient to launch an official investigation by the state education department, which described what he said as “disgusting.” The tense climate was also reflected in state institutions. Trump issued orders to tighten the flags in honor of his ally, describing him as a “giant of his generation”, while his coffin was transferred to his hometown in Phoenix on the official plane of Vice President Jay de Verse. In parallel, Defense Minister Beit Higseth asked the Pentagon to investigate any military that celebrated his death, while Deputy Foreign Minister Christopher Landau called for action against foreigners who expressed similar positions on the media, stressing that “whoever glorifies violence and hatred is not welcome in our country.” In this context, the right -wing activist Laura Loumer, known for her close relations with her. Trump, with its strict positions, leads a fierce campaign against Kirk critics. She published the identity of an employee at the Federal Emergency Management Agency after she expressed her dissatisfaction with the decision to deny the flags in honor of “my racism and hate for women”, according to her description. Immediately, the employee found herself into a massive attack, before the agency announced that it was placed under the forced leave due to statements that it considered “disgusting and unfair”. Thus, Kerk’s assassination is no longer just a criminal crime subject to investigation, but rather turned into a political and cultural battle that reflects the size of the American division. At a time when his supporters are seen as a “Shahda” of freedom and conservative values, his opponents see that revenge practices are truly criticized by those who criticize him threatening the most basic principles of freedom of expression, and open the door to a new wave of polarization that strikes American society at the core.