Many Americans lost their jobs for commenting on the assassination of Charlie Kirk

Following the assassination of far-right activist Charlie Kirk, many employees in different fields in the US were suspended or fired due to comments and online posts related to his death.

Police check the courtyard of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah on September 11 – Photo: AFP

According to USA Today on September 13, many Americans – including public figures, academics and even business managers – have lost their jobs or been fired because of posts and comments on social media related to the death of far-right activist Charlie Kirk, which were either celebratory or sarcastic.

A series of firings due to “sensitive” statements

In just a few days, a Secret Service agent, an Office Depot worker, a new employee at Nasdaq and a US Marine were suspended or fired for statements deemed sensitive, according to US media.

In addition, a series of public figures, scholars and business owners also got into trouble for sharing or commenting in a way that celebrated or mocked Kirk’s death.

Notably, MSNBC fired analyst Matthew Dowd after he called Kirk a “divisive figure” and said he used “hate speech” aimed at certain groups.

The live television statement immediately after the assassination forced MSNBC to apologize to viewers.

Mr Dowd later posted an apology on social media X, saying he was “praying for the Kirk family” and admitting his words were inappropriate.

In Tennessee, the assistant dean of students at Middle Tennessee State University was also fired after Senator Marsha Blackburn publicly criticized her comments on social media about the assassination. The school’s leadership asserted that the statements were “inconsistent with our values” and damaged the school’s reputation.

Similarly, the University of Mississippi said on September 11 that it had terminated an employee for “insensitive” comments about Kirk’s death. The Clarion-Ledger reported that the employee had posted a post calling Kirk a “white supremacist” and a “reincarnated Klan member.”

Not only in the academic environment, the Carolina Panthers football club also fired its communications coordinator over Instagram posts related to the assassination. The team affirmed: “We do not tolerate violence in any form.”

A popular Cincinnati, Ohio, grill restaurant, Lucius Q, also terminated its partnership with Aaron Sharpe, the manager, after he responded to a post praying for Kirk with the phrase “Good riddance” and profanity. The restaurant announced that Sharpe was “no longer involved in the business” because of his offensive comments.

Experts warn

Observers say the phenomenon of “losing jobs because of speaking out” reflects a social environment that is increasingly sensitive to political issues, especially in the context of increasing political violence.

“In today’s society, no matter how private your life is, there is always an audience watching. And there is always an audience watching wrongdoing,” said Karen North, a professor of digital media at the University of Southern California.

Leaders from many factions also unanimously condemned the assassination and called for restraint in political violence.

“We have lost a leader, a mentor and a friend,” said Turning Point USA, the organization Kirk founded. “We ask for everyone’s prayers for the Kirk family as they mourn their irreparable loss.”

On the other hand, many people believe that firing and condemning such comments is against freedom of speech. The reason given for the comments is that Charlie Kirk has made many personal statements that lack scientific basis and are far-right.