Just some thoughts

I posted this originally as a bulletin, but I decided to expand on it in a blog post, as I have a lot of things to say. 

The blogs posted on here have always been a little weird; mostly teenagers begging for relationships or requests for friendships that typically go unanswered. But most of the top blogs now have been about Charlie Kirk --- it makes sense, considering it's a current event, but there is a lot of division, blame, and blatant misinformation that is a little startling to read.

Obviously, I'm not celebrating his death because no matter what, gun violence is not something to rejoice over. But I am not going to pretend that I care. I saw the video and was pretty disgusted by it, but the extent of my sympathy ends with his children. Quite frankly, I don't believe he deserves the level of martyrdom some people have rewarded him. The beliefs he died for were white supremacy and zionism, and while no one deserves death for their political beliefs, he's been placed on a pedestal disproportionate to his influence as podcaster. He debated with college kids and spread some pretty hateful rhetoric. He is not someone that I agree with in any form, and if anything, I am apathetic about his death, the same way people are about the countless other deaths that have been accumulating by the thousands. I don't see blogs mourning or having discourse over the lives lost in Gaza, the ethnic cleansing in Sudan, the persecution of Muslims in Myanmar, school shooting victims in the United States, etc... It's just strange that this level of publicity is given to a man who wouldn't have done the same for anyone else.

There has been a lot of misinformation spreading around this site, and I wanted to touch on some of the ones I've seen --- what ultimately inspired me to post this. The biggest lie that is tugging on people's heartstrings is the rumor that his wife and children were present at the crime scene. This is untrue, and was circulated around just so people who disagreed with Charlie would have something to feel remorseful about. The truth is that they were not in Utah, they were not in the front row, and his daughter did not run to him. 

Another strange one I saw was the claim that Fascism was left-wing... no. I do understand why some people think this, but it's a claim easily discredited by a Google search. There is no universal standard in regards to the political spectrum, but even then, the United States' view on politics is totally different than how most others see it, in the way that liberals are seen as left-wing when they are just more left than conservatives, but are still marginally right-wing. Here is my very short and simplified history lesson on Fascism...

Fascism is a right-wing ideology because its inherent support of a hierarchy and uses nationalism and tradition to structure its core values. Historical Fascist societies appealed to conservative values --- Mussolini, Hitler, Franco all glorified a certain race or nation and enforced strict social hierarchies, aligning with conservative and religious institutions. In fact, Fascism rejected the core values of the left: egalitarianism (equality), socialism, and communism. It is not a big government in the left-leaning sense; it is right-wing authoritarianism.

Please stop spreading misinformation, and please stop blaming liberals. I do not care what your political beliefs are and whether you're mourning Kirk's death or not. But while discussing politics, please try to stay truthful. Cheers!