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Trevor Cochrane's avatar

No offence but no one actually knows yet what happened to Kirk and there are plenty of reasons to disbelieve the official story. His wife's behaviour over the coffin was especially odd.

He went into politics to defend the super rich. TPUSA was literally founded the year after Occupy Wall Street. Its remit was to discuss any topic other than the wealth distribution in America.

And of course until very very recently he defended the racist supremacist state in the Middle East and all its wars. I find it hard to view a player in a very nasty political game as a hero.

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mark lazare's avatar

mr. desmet, you are evidently, verifiably, non-falsifiably, utterly and irrepairably insane, a dangerously warped copy of a rationally thinking entity, very much like impersonator-philosopher, mr. m. boudry. "perhaps my opinion is completely different from yours, perhaps not"? how old are you? two? five? eight? eleven? have you listened to a n y t h i n g mr. kirk has ever said? "i wrote a book about totalitarianism"? what is it? a coloring book? the concept of totalitarianism is wholly lost to a mind like yours, just as the concept of critical thinking is lost that of a two-year-old toddler who ate a fingertip of its own shit. and please, learn to write english.

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DM's avatar

Beautiful.

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Max Dauskardt's avatar

"si tacuisses, philosophus mansisses"

I am certain you would not write the same now, when the dust still has not fully settled.

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leelalo's avatar

Hi Mattias, could you apply your theories about totalitarianism on the broader reaction around Kirk's death? I feel like this substack missed that - I like to think essential - part of the story.

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Joris's avatar

Kirk's company, Turning Point USA, forged strong ties with Trump. He received tens of millions of dollars from super-wealthy donors and undisclosed financiers while spreading disinformation about Biden's victory, Covid-19 vaccines, and other conservative, extremist, and right-wing issues (pro-gun, anti-LBGTQ+, anti-abortion, anti-university, etc.).*

He maintained a database to dox professors who held views he couldn't stand, in order to silence them. Heather Cox Richardson*

Kirk mastered the art of debate, using sophistry and misleading techniques. He was a skilled fallacious speaker. He knew how to unsettle and overwhelm any conversation partner with half-truths and lies. With arrogance, he threw out one-liners and made his opponents believe his opinion was the truth. He was a hero of the conservative masses. It is right-wing conservative polarizing propaganda for an authoritarian regime.

Trump and his acolytes immediately called for a war against the Left. He exploited his death for his political agenda.

The murderer now appears to have been a radicalized Republican, influenced by the reactionary Neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes. A "Groyper"—white nationalist, homophobic, nativist, fascist, sexist, and anti-Semitic. He spoke at Trump's events. He became more critical of Trump. Not far-right enough. Kirk wasn't far-right enough for the killer.

Or… maybe Tylor was just publicity humiliated by Charlie, and we are just seeing deep human characteristics; anger,hate, ego, revenge…

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Jared's avatar

You "disinformation" sloth swamp dweller. To the river styx with you.

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VictorDianne Watson's avatar

Well said. He was a voice of reason. Thank you

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Joan Martin's avatar

Thank you for your insightful commentary. Thank you for your bravery.

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Sushrey Shrivastava's avatar

I hope my nation is treating you well. Despite living in India, I have only been to Himalayas once, in 2011, and I still remember how magnificent they are. Be careful and safe in your travel through the great nation of India.

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Lee ann's avatar

I loved your book and I love this letter. You are so right about it all.

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beth's avatar

Thank you for tuning in even from your great distance.

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Marilyn F's avatar

So so good. Thank YOU!!

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P.M. Szpunar's avatar

That was a beautiful piece, Mattias, thank you. I was eagerly awaiting for you to speak to land in my inbox in the last few days only to discover that you have once again, landed in spam.

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Marek Nowakowski's avatar

Poetical. Superb

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Ben Oyuke Blog's avatar

Charlie Kirk was a formidable force for good. His beliefs, what he stood for, and fought for with his words were rooted in Biblical Truth and principles.

We have lost a great voice in his generation. He really cared about the minds of the youth, the young people. But I remain hopeful because what the devil meant for harm, God Almighty will use it for good and His purpose. Jesus Christ is Lord and King over all. And one day, "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:10-11 NKJV

Let's pray for his young family for the strength to endure and get through this despicable loss, by God's grace, who is now without a husband, father and spiritual leader/headship 🙏🏾.

We're encouraged and comforted that Charlie Kirk is now with Jesus Christ hearing those words "well done, good and faithful servant"

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Joris's avatar

Kirk's company, Turning Point USA, forged strong ties with Trump. He received tens of millions of dollars from super-wealthy donors and undisclosed financiers while spreading disinformation about Biden's victory, Covid-19 vaccines, and other conservative, extremist, and right-wing issues (pro-gun, anti-LBGTQ+, anti-abortion, anti-university, etc.).*

He maintained a database to dox professors who held views he couldn't stand, in order to silence them. Heather Cox Richardson*

Kirk mastered the art of debate, using sophistry and misleading techniques. He was a skilled fallacious speaker. He knew how to unsettle and overwhelm any conversation partner with half-truths and lies. With arrogance, he threw out one-liners and made his opponents believe his opinion was the truth. He was a hero of the conservative masses. It is right-wing conservative polarizing propaganda for an authoritarian regime.

Trump and his acolytes immediately called for a war against the Left. He exploited his death for his political agenda.

The murderer now appears to have been a radicalized Republican, influenced by the reactionary Neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes. A "Groyper"—white nationalist, homophobic, nativist, fascist, sexist, and anti-Semitic. He spoke at Trump's events. He became more critical of Trump. Not far-right enough. Kirk wasn't far-right enough for the killer.

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Jared's avatar

Thank you for the tension of the opposite you emulate. Your vile will only increase the energy of transformation that will take hold as the roots of the acorn grow into a mighty oak. Feast fat on your miserable life and thank you for "transcendent function" in action!

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geurt cuppen's avatar

Well said Mattias.

Shooting people for their opinion means nothing more then the shooters own words aren't powerfull enough to mean anything

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