We have seen protesters on the left around the country mocking the assassination of Charlie Kirk, even reenacting his murder. Hate traffickers like Jennifer Welch have even justified his assassination. It is all shocking and depressing, but none reached the level of Hasan Piker leading a huge crowd in mocking Kirk and his faith. Before he was murdered, Kirk debated Piker and called him a “socialist hypocrite.” What is shocking is not the utter depravity and cruelty of Piker, but the ecstasy of the crowd in relishing the death of someone with opposing views. It is part of the conditioning in what I have previously called an “age of rage.”
In the video, Piker leads the crowd in the meme song “We Are Charlie Kirk” at a stop of his “Fear& LIVE” tour, including such lines as “We are Charlie Kirk, we carry the flame. We’ll fight for the Gospel, we’ll honor his name.” His co-hosts and the crowd seem to be laughing with joy.
Joining him at this hatefest at the Golden Gate Theatre in San Francisco on August 21 were reportedly Will Neff, QTCinderella, and AustinShow.
Hasan is wearing his now-signature Mao jacket as the young crowd and his co-hosts laugh hysterically. It is the very essence of this movement to desensitize people, particularly young people, to violence and hate.
In Rage and the Republic, I wrote about this national ragefest. It allows people to hate completely and without thought to the humanity of those being hurt. What people will not admit is that they like it. Rage is addictive, and it is contagious. Just look at the crowd in San Francisco, and you will see the addictive quality of uncut, undiluted hate:
Piker, Will Neff, QTCinderella, AustinShow, and these fans have every right to spread hate. It is protected speech just as KKK and neo-Nazi groups are allowed to promulgate their own hateful values.
What is exasperating is how hatemongers on the left want to enjoy hate speech while accusing others of hate and intolerance. They do so by excusing their actions or views by demonizing those who disagree. Democratic leaders continue the false claim that democracy is dying in America and that this may be our last free election. While made over multiple elections, the claim of the imminent death of democracy (unless they are elected) does not appear to register with their supporters.
Recently the rhetoric has reached hysterical levels. Florida Democratic Senate candidate Angie Nixon has compared Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to “modern-day slave catchers” and the government is “literally trying to kill us.”
It is a narrative that allows you to speak like a Nazi while claiming to be fighting Nazis.
Piker thrilled the crowd by mocking a murdered man over his faith and his death. It is more than being simply classless. It is commodifying rage. Piker is reportedly raking in a fortune as are other hatemongers like Jennifer Welch. They traffic in rage to a nation of rage addicts.
It is a scene that only reaffirms the work of Kirk who sought to expose the hate and intolerance of the left, particularly on our campuses. Kirk infuriated many by challenging them to debate. There is no room for reason in an age of rage. Those who try to introduce opposing views on campuses are cancelled or attacked.
Recently, a group of pro-life teenagers were kicked out of the Wydaho Roasters coffee shop in Idaho by an owner who found their presence intolerable. At universities, faculty members have attacked displays and even students in righteous rage. One professor who pleaded guilty to assaulting pro-life students was not only attained on the faculty but even honored by another school.
Civility, and even humanity, become signs of weakness in these times. They gravitate to figures like Abdul El-Sayed who has campaigned with Piker and promises to “choke out” Republicans and refers to moderates like Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman (D) as ogres to have their heads cut off and put on pikes.
The American left has found their berserkers, the old Norse warriors who were known to fight in a virtual violent trance. The new berserkers offer the chance to hate completely and without remorse or reflection. Over time, supporters are conditioned to disregard even the murder of those with opposing views. As shown in San Francisco, assassination becomes nothing more than a sing-a-long in an age of rage.
Jonathan Turley is a law professor and the best-selling author of “Rage and the Republic: The Unfinished Story of the American Revolution.”
“What is shocking is not the utter depravity and cruelty of Piker, but the ecstasy of the crowd in relishing the death of someone with opposing views.” – This reminds me of my revulsion at the scenes in ‘The Joker (2019)’, where the crowd riots and cheers wildly for the psycho killer. To me it seemed to be normalizing support for political killings and supportive of anarchical actions. How could that film receive praise and awards? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accolades_received_by_Joker_(2019_film)
It also echos the support that Luigi Mangione has received for killing the UHC CEO Brian Thompson. Evidently revulsion at the killing of other human beings isn’t a natural instinct shared by all people. I suppose it must be taught, and on that score, our educational, religious, and other social systems are clearly failing.
Well Scumbag Lefties always justify their violence as ‘necessary and righteous’ because when their high school girlish feelings are hurt they want to strike as ‘mean girls’ and that emotional response fits the Rainbow Crowd perfectly – Half-wits with no impulse control. The best part is, the influencers that run in that circle know exactly how to turn on their emotional estrogen flows and need for vengeance. Piker is a perfect example of a Firestarter but remember even arsonists can get burned!
Enough!
Make America Sane Again!
The president must act decisively as Lincoln did to save not the Union but the United States.
Hasan Piker, members of the DSA et al. are not only disgusting in their free speech, they are engaged in subversion, insurrection, sedition, and treason.
They must be detained and deported for cause.
They are fortunate; only a century and a half previously, Great Britain abrogated drawing and quartering for treason such as that being conducted by these liberals and communists.
Constitutional Law
– Treason (Article III, Section 3): Prohibits levying war against the U.S.
– Disqualification (14th Amendment, Section 3): Bars insurrectionists from holding public office.
– Protection (Article IV, Section 4): Guarantees a republican government and protection from domestic violence.
Statutory Criminal Law (Title 18, U.S. Code)
– Seditious Conspiracy (§ 2384): Outlaws conspiring to overthrow the government by force.
– Advocating Overthrow (§ 2385): Criminalizes advocating the violent destruction of government.
– Rebellion or Insurrection (§ 2383): Punishes inciting or participating in an active rebellion.
This is WAR!
How much more do “nice” people who vote Democrat need to hear, before they believe their own ears?
Today’s political climate evokes the atmosphere surrounding the German American Bund’s massive 1939 rally at Madison Square Garden and the Ku Klux Klan’s march through Washington, D.C., in 1925. One can only hope that today’s anti-American sentiments will, in time, subside.
Right now I’m wondering why our nation didn’t destroy Islamists around the world after they attacked the US on 9/11/01!!! Have we become cowards?? Do we hate our own nation??? It’s sure looking like it to the rest of the world!! Do you want to be forced to “submit”?? Where is the plan to destroy the enemies that are actively destroying US????
You write: “What is shocking is not the utter depravity and cruelty of Kirk,” Mistyped?
Evidently, he changed it to “What is shocking is not the utter depravity and cruelty of Piker…”
What is your problem with Jonathan Turley’s statement? Nothing mispelled here, it is Piker who was depraved and cruel, not Kirk as you suggest. Unless you are rooting for the murderer of Kirk?