To the Editor:

The assassination of Charlie Kirk is a disturbing event for most Americans, yet we see the horrific murder being celebrated by many online and right here at home. 

ORR students informed me this week that some peers were celebrating the murder by mocking its gore, praising the killing for political reasons and stating their hope the assassin would never be captured. 

Free speech and peaceful dialogue were directly attacked on Wednesday, Sept. 10. Those values are woven into our constitution and should be celebrated by all Americans. 

Those we disagree with should not be silenced, let alone murdered for their ideas. How have so many, including our youth, become so desensitized? Cheering for the death of those we disagree with has become far too prevalent. 

We’ve seen assassination attempts on our current President, members of Congress (such as Steve Scalise at the Congressional Game), as well as attacks on other politicians and businessmen like the United Healthcare CEO. The normalization of violence and its cheers are accelerating. 

Just as some folks celebrated the assassination of MLK in 1968, today we see people praising the death of another peace-focused martyr for the words he shared. While media rhetoric, mental health, social media toxicity and easy firearm access may all contribute to the problem; so, does our psyche. 

We need to have these important discussions at home; reminding our families the violence is never the answer – even if it is someone you passionately disagree with. We are better than this.

Sincerely, 

Jay Correia 

Marion