Following Kirk’s assassination, lawmakers react to lethal political climate: 'Violent words precede violent actions'
Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle were in agreement that political discourse in the United States has reached a startling level following the assassination of Charlie Kirk and other latest acts of political violence Kirk's assassination is the latest in a string of political violence that has left several high-profile figures dead or injured since July when President Donald Trump was shot while campaigning for his second term in Butler Pennsylvania Trump was targeted again by a would-be assassin just months later In April Pennsylvania Gov Josh Shapiro was the victim of an arson attack And in June two Minnesota lawmakers and their families were attacked leaving two dead The political violence has had a chilling effect on the nation with particular lawmakers going so far as to cancel community appearances amid fears of physical violence We have a atmosphere right now where people who are frankly unhinged like the two guys who tried to shoot President Trump one who did shoot him the person whoever it is who killed Charlie the person who went after the Minnesota lawmakers these people are nuts Sen Josh Hawley R-Mo communicated Fox News Digital But they are egged on by a circumstances that says Hey you know it s okay basically to go out and shoot your opponents because they're really Hitler ' ANTI-TRUMP VOICES PRAISE CHARLIE KIRK'S LEGACY AFTER ASSASSINATION SAY HE WAS DOING POLITICS 'THE RIGHT WAY'The sentiment was echoed by Democratic lawmakers on the Hill as well It's really sad and just scary you know honestly just how dire things have gotten in this country in terms of our political discourse mentioned Sen Andy Kim D-N J I was truly just remarking the other day how in a survey over of Americans surveyed noted that they would call people in the other political party the enemy I just think that's terrifying that's so dangerous of a place for our country to be Democratic Sen Jeff Merkley of Oregon added that in order for this Republic to work people must be able to passionately share their viewpoints and do so knowing that we resolve our differences through advocacy and voting not through violence CHARLIE KIRK WARNED ASSASSINATION WAY OF LIFE IS SPREADING ON THE LEFT IN EERIE ONLINE POST MONTHS BEFORE MURDER I don't know what it says about political discourse but it certainly says something about violence and it has no business in political discourse You can have a robust disagreement with people but when it turns to violence something's gone badly wrong responded Sen Sheldon Whitehouse D-R I when appealed about what Kirk's death disclosed about the current state of political discourse Kirk was known for engaging passionately but also respectfully with students of all political stripes on college campuses as part of Turning Point USA the grassroots organization he co-founded in He would regularly visit college campuses all around the country and debate with students from different perspectives on various issues of the day Oftentimes Kirk would hold Prove Me Wrong events where he would give students a chance to do just that prove him wrong I mean that's the shame of this Charlie Kirk was polite he had a message and he spread that message and he engaged people to speak and debate and then he lost his life for that disclosed Rep Thomas Massie R-Ky That's the thing about this country we have freedom of speech Nobody should ever take out violence based on something somebody declared I would hope that all people would take a moment reflect and bring down this political rhetoric Rep Jonathan Jackson D-Ill narrated Fox News Digital These violent words precede violent actions Hawley meanwhile suggested a tactic to help solve the issue I'll just say again part of the way we stop it is we realize that there's stuff in life that's more major than politics he narrated reporters
