Following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, students at Bloomington High School South shared their reactions. They were asked how they felt about Kirk’s assassination, as well as if they thought his assassination was a political issue or a greater issue than politics . 

Kirk was the founder of Turning Point U.S.A, an organization that advocates conservative politics at liberal-leaning universities.

People all around the United States are devastated by Kirk’s death even if they disagree with his beliefs. Many are concerned about violence in America, and the direction political violence is going.

Senior Nate Cockerill identifies as, “slightly democratic, but overall pretty centrist.” Cockerill said, “I don’t think anybody dying because of a shooting is good. I think what he was doing was a good thing: going and debating people at schools, giving them debate skills.” He thinks that debating “was just an overall improvement to the world, and it’s a terrible thing that he’s dead.”

Cockerill thinks Kirk’s assassination is going to become bigger than a political issue. He believes Kirk’s death will lead people to the “extremes” on differing political debates. Cockerill thinks people going to the extremes is “going to end in more fighting, more screaming at each other, and just less of a middle ground.” Cockerill said that the middle ground “has already been receding in previous years.”

Republican senior Eric G’sell wore his Make America Great Again hat to school the day after Kirk’s assassination to honor him. G’sell said, “he hit the college youth pretty well. He did nothing wrong besides exercise his First Amendment right.”

Kirk believed strongly in the First Amendment. He specifically advocated for freedom of speech, and was killed for using his constitutional right. 

President Trump spoke out after Kirk’s death. He said, “an assassin tried to silence him with a bullet, but he failed because together we will ensure that his voice, his message, and his legacy, will live on for countless generations to come.” 

Senior Stella Ham identifies with the Democratic party. She said, “I think any act of politically motivated violence is horrible. I’m very sorry for his family. I do disagree with a lot of his policies and stances, but I consider this a tragedy. I think it never should have happened.”

Ham thinks Kirk’s assassination is “definitely a political issue.” She said, “I think his shooting speaks…to the growing polarity within our politics, and how we need to come together as a nation rather than continue to be divided.”

Sophomore Graedan Robinson, a member of the Republican party, said, “I think it was very uncalled for. I feel like people should be able to express their feelings without getting harmed, especially when they’re not doing anything to other people.”

Robinson thinks the issue stems from politics, but “if politics weren’t involved then this wouldn’t have happened. They’re [the Democrats] just mad he’s saying things from a Republican point of view. The Democrats get mad, and want to harm him. They just don’t know how else to deal with it.”

An anonymous Republican senior said, “we need to have less violence in the country.” This source thinks Kirk’s assassination is a political issue but also bigger than politics. The source said, “with the Republicans and Democrats there’s a big fight between them right now. I think people just need to not be offended by other people’s beliefs.”