On the Assassination Of Charlie Kirk

Below is a pretty close transcript to what I say in this short video.

Hey there, it’s Jon Fleischman, publisher of SoDoesItMatter.com and FlashReport.org.

I’ve been a conservative activist for 35 years, and like so many of my friends, I’ve been completely decimated by the assassination yesterday of Charlie Kirk.

It’s absolutely horrible and tragic. Like so many people I’ve talked to, emailed with, or texted with, I’m left with feelings of dismay, depression, and anger. The way Charlie was gunned down—for doing what he did best, using his voice and persuasion to bring people to his cause—is just heartbreaking. Instead, he was met with a senseless death at the hands of someone who hated what he had to say.

I think it’s important, as we all grieve, to remember this: we don’t need to elevate our anger. We need to de-escalate during this time.

I’m reminded of the loss of my friend Andrew Breitbart. It’s been a while now, but Andrew was very close to me. While he wasn’t assassinated for his political speech, a hidden health issue took his life far too early. Like Charlie, he left behind a wife and young children. And like Charlie, he left a legacy—and a hole in the conservative movement.

But when Andrew passed, everybody rallied. Out of his loss came an even bigger movement in his name. He became a martyr of sorts. That movement wasn’t about violence. It was about speech, activism, winning, and, as Andrew would say, going to war with the left. Not a physical war, but a war of words, activism, and political battles.

As we process what happened yesterday, I encourage all of us to follow that model. I know it’s not easy. Someone just gunned down Charlie, and worse—he’s still out there. That makes me really angry, and I’m sure it makes you angry too. But I feel very comfortable saying Andrew, from up in heaven, and now Charlie, would both tell us: take a deep breath. Nobody wins when political speech is mixed with violence.

There has been violence against people on the right by the left, and violence against people on the left by the right. We need to step back and de-escalate. Honestly, I almost wish I could force everyone to take a two-week break from social media.

I’m praying for Charlie’s widow, his kids, and his extended family at TPUSA. Let’s catch this killer—and then let’s all honor Charlie by doing what he did: pushing our ideals, advancing the things we believe in, and doing it in a nonviolent way.

We owe that to each other, and we owe it to the United States of America—the greatest country on this planet—to not rip apart the fabric that holds us together.

Thanks for listening.