I’m glad I didn’t post my opinion about Charlie Kirk
I wrote an essay a week ago when the news broke; here is the beginning of it.
When is it okay to celebrate someone’s death?
I can only remember one time in my life, almost 30 years living in the United States, when it was socially acceptable to mock someone's death: when Osama bin Laden was killed.
I was a young teen when the news broke in 2011. Sports stadiums started chanting "U! S! A!" in celebration. SNL had a sketch where The Little Mermaid was interrupted by his corpse being thrown into the ocean. I think the best joke was the song "Finest Girl" by The Lonely Island, which came out a few years later. It's ridiculous and definitely makes light of his death, but who cares? If there’s anybody whose death we can laugh at, shouldn't it be the terrorist who caused 9/11?
I asked this question when UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was assassinated, and I’m asking it again because I don't feel like I answered it. Is it ever okay to celebrate someone’s death? Shinzo Abe? Queen Elizabeth II? The Wicked Witch of the West? Osama bin Laden?
I feel like I'm going insane hearing liberals mourning Charlie Kirk. [REST REDACTED]
Why would I be glad I chose to censor myself?
First of all, my opinion shouldn’t be controversial. But also it should be obvious. I’m transgender. I’m part of a small community that continues to be targeted by the right. There are people calling for our genocide. People trying to blame the shooting on us, even though all evidence points to an even more right-wing extremist.
And people are losing their jobs for saying things that are much tamer than what I wanted to. Karen Attiah of the Washington Post was fired simply for quoting the hateful words Charlie Kirk said. Jimmy Kimmel’s show was suspended, and he expressed his condolences. My wife’s employer has fired people. It’s just one step further to punish someone for what their spouse said.
I don’t know what to do. Free speech is dead. Fascism is here.