The world is “a better place” without Charlie Kirk, according to Virginia Imam Ismail Saleem, who accused the recently slain conservative activist of having died “disrespecting black people” and thus unworthy of sympathy, as he declared that the Turning Point USA founder is “getting what he deserves” and the grief of his supporters “makes me smile.”
In a Friday sermon in Norfolk, Virginia, Islamic preacher Ismail Saleem spoke to the congregation, slamming both Kirk and those expressing sympathy over his death, accusing mourners of misplaced morality.
“You see, the problem today is with empathy. And the problem that we see currently in these last couple of days is the empathy is for the family and friends of the racist person [Charlie Kirk],” he stated. “Does anybody hope that this man’s children grow up to be like him or continue his legacy and his work?”
“Some people empathize because they are not good people themselves,” he added.
In the clip, published by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), which specializes in monitoring sermons and media in Arabic and Islamic communities, Saleem’s comments escalate further.
“He died disrespecting black people, so I don’t care about him at all,” Saleem said. “The world is a better place without him.”
Saleem, who showed no remorse for his stance, doubled down on his reaction to Kirk’s death.
“He gets what he deserves — he’s getting what he deserves — right now,” he continued. “And it makes me smile. Their tears make me smile. Their anger makes me smile.”
The Norfolk mosque leader also attacked the notion of empathy toward Kirk’s family and friends, stating that many people are ignoring what he claims are far greater tragedies.
“They weren’t crying when they see Palestinian children dying every single day, when they lose their parents… so why would I cry? Let them see how we feel. See how it feels for people to not care about you at all,” he said.
“If they want to help — tell their friends and family to stop being racist, then we’ll stop being indifferent to whatever happens to them,” he concludes in the clip.
The sermon, which took place only two days after the fatal shooting of Kirk at Utah Valley University, comes amid a growing wave of hostility expressed openly toward conservative figures in the wake of his death.
On Sunday, Reverend Dr. Howard-John Wesley also rejected calls to honor Kirk as a hero, saying the Turning Point USA founder was an “unapologetic racist” and that his death does not erase his supposedly controversial legacy.
“You do not become a hero in death when you were a weapon of the enemy in your life,” Wesley stated in the now viral message.
Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jklein@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.
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