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Watching a man die
In the moments after Charlie Kirk was shot a video did the rounds on the internet. I clicked on it. In it a man who proclaimed I was less than the sum of him rephrased a question on gun violence as if to launch an attack on gangs and immigrants, and then his jugular exploded in a fountain of blood. No one survives this. He did not survive this. That video has since been taken down, so I am a keeper of a sight no one should ever wish on another human being. Charlie Kirk dies, and all I did was close my browser tab. All I ever do when I read of death, watch death, hear about death is close my browser tab and go about my day. Charlie Kirk was nothing special in that regard, yet he has become special because the world seemingly watched him die and chose to make his death the emblem of all that is wrong in society.
There is much to unpack about how we culturally unpack death, especially the death of those divisive amongst us. Osama Bin Laden’s words led to the death of thousands and his vision underpinned some of the worst atrocities of the 21st century. From Syria to the Hindu Kush Wahabis use his austere form of Islam to justify their homogenous anti-women power grabs, to kill and maim anyone who they believe is haram. Charlie Kirk and those like him seek to do the same from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Seal Team 6 killed Bin Laden and the world both rejoiced and let out a sigh of relief. Charlie Kirk is shot…
