Gun control activist and former Democratic National Committee vice chair David Hogg said in a social media thread Saturday that he wants his death politicized “before my blood runs cold,” contrasting with slain Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, who had told his wife he hoped to be remembered for his “courage and his faith.”
Hogg, who survived the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, wrote on X:
- “If I ever get killed by one of these right wingers politicize the fuck out of my death immediately (I’m talking before my blood runs cold) and use it to pass as many gun laws as possible and raise as much money as you can to primary Dems who refuse to support gun laws.”
- “I’m saying this because I know Fox News will say it’s wrong to politicize my death and it’s too soon. Fuck that. It’s too late.”
- “Also use that money to defeat republicans who don’t support stronger gun laws too obviously.”
- “I’m getting this out there just in case. We live in a crazy world. But I’ll be damned if they say I wouldn’t have wanted people to act immediately.”
The thread drew fresh attention to the role of online platforms in shaping reactions to political violence just one day after Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, confirming the arrest of Kirk’s alleged assassin, warned that “social media is a cancer on our society right now.” Cox cautioned violent imagery of Kirk’s assassination, which spread rapidly across X and other sites, risks fueling further division. “We are not wired as human beings — biologically, historically — to process those types of violent imagery,” Cox stated. He urged Americans to “log off, turn off, touch grass, hug a family member, go out and do good in your community.”
Kirk, 31, was fatally shot at Utah Valley University while answering questions during the first stop of his “American Comeback Tour.” The suspected gunman, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, was arrested Thursday evening after his family reportedly contacted law enforcement with information. Investigators recovered a bolt-action rifle wrapped in a towel along with bullet casings etched with phrases such as “Hey fascist! Catch!” and “O bella ciao,” references to anti-fascist slogans, memes, and song lyrics.
Kirk’s wife Erika delivered her first public remarks on Friday, speaking from the Phoenix studio where her husband recorded his radio show. “Two days ago, my husband, Charlie, went to see the face of his Savior and his God. Charlie always said that when he was gone, he wanted to be remembered for his courage and for his faith,” she remarked. Erika added that Kirk spent one of his final conversations “witnessing for his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” and encouraged supporters to join Bible-believing churches and continue his mission.
Kirk’s casket was flown back to Arizona on Air Force Two, escorted by Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance. President Donald Trump has announced Kirk will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously and pledged to attend his funeral.“Charlie was a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty and an inspiration to millions and millions of people,” Trump declared.
Hogg has also recently targeted Trump directly, labeling him a “damn coward” in an interview last month for not changing gun laws after mass shootings, despite what Hogg described as Trump’s ability to act. “Donald Trump has the power to do something about this,” Hogg continued, “you are the strongest president in modern American history… but you are not going to because you are a damn coward.”
Pastors and faith leaders close to Kirk also emphasized his legacy. Rob McCoy, co-chair of TPUSA Faith, noted Kirk’s belief in Christ allowed him to “face every threat with courage because he didn’t fear death.” Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills called Kirk an “American martyr” and noted that “nothing was more important to Charlie than knowing Jesus Christ.” Reverend Franklin Graham underscored Kirk “stood boldly for conservative values and defended free speech” but “most importantly, Charlie loved the Lord Jesus Christ.”
The assassination has sparked renewed debate over firearms. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) pressed for new gun restrictions, while Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-MD) argued Friday the “key” is keeping firearms out of the hands of individuals with mental health issues. Texas Democrat Isaiah Martin pledged to introduce the “Melissa Hortman/Charlie Kirk Gun Safety Act” mandating background checks and red flag laws, if he is elected to Congress.
Parkland father Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter Jaime was killed in the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, pointed to Utah’s campus carry law, while fellow Parkland parents Ryan Petty and Andrew Pollack, who also lost children in the attack, countered that such measures would not have stopped the rifle attack.
Media figures also weighed in. Mother Jones’ David Corn maintained that while “we cannot prevent every extremist or deranged person bent on killing from doing so,” he still advocated more restrictions. His acknowledgment came even as Kirk was killed with a bolt-action hunting rifle, a weapon largely unchanged for over a century.
Meanwhile, House Republicans led by Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) have called for a select committee to investigate “the money, influence, and power behind the radical left’s assault on America,” citing the assassination of Kirk as part of a broader pattern of violence. The lawmakers specifically highlighted the Southern Poverty Law Center’s designation of Kirk on its “Hate Map” earlier this year.
Kirk is survived by his wife Erika and their two young children. Erika told the nation Friday that “our battle is not simply a political one. Above all, it is spiritual.
Read the full article here