JD Vance (AP image)
US Vice-president JD Vance on Wednesday delivered sharp criticism to those who have celebrated the killing of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, calling such behavior “disgusting” and unworthy of protection from First amendment provision.Speaking on Fox News’ Jesse Watters Primetime, Vance said, “The First Amendment protects a lot of very ugly speech. But if you celebrate Charlie Kirk’s death, you should not be protected from being fired for being a disgusting person.”He condemned both the alleged motive of Kirk’s accused killer, Tyler Robinson and the reaction of some individuals who praised the conservative activist’s death.“My friend is dead because of left-wing political radicalization,” Vance said, arguing that Robinson was influenced by “the social networks and ideas of the far left.” According to prosecutors, Robinson, 22, expressed in text messages that he had “enough of [Kirk’s] hatred” and described the killing as retaliation for Kirk’s opposition to LGBTQ+ rights. Court filings also noted Robinson’s mother said her son had “become more political” in recent years, leaning left and showing support for gay and transgender rights, according to Fox News. Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder and six other felonies by Utah prosecutors, who announced they will seek the death penalty.Vance rejected attempts to frame Kirk’s killing as part of a wider political divide. “This is not a ‘both sides’ problem,” he told Watters.“This is a person who grew up in a pretty normal family, actually had a pretty good home life, who was radicalized by the far left, by the social networks of the far left, by the ideas of the far left, and got so far down the path of radicalization that he killed my friend.”He went on to describe those publicly celebrating Kirk’s death as morally bankrupt. “If you feel joy at the death of a grieving mother’s son and grieving children’s father, what bad decisions have led you there?” Vance asked. “And why don’t you get back on the right path?”Vance, who said Kirk played a key role in his rise to political office, hosted an episode of The Charlie Kirk Show earlier this week in tribute to his late friend. He also served as a pallbearer, carrying Kirk’s casket onto Air Force Two for transport from Utah to Arizona.Turning Point USA announced it will hold a memorial service for Kirk on Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Arizona, home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals.The First Amendment of the US Constitution protects five fundamental freedoms: religion, speech, press, assembly and the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances. It prohibits Congress from establishing a religion or restricting its free exercise and from abridging freedom of speech, the press or the right of the people to peaceably assemble and petition the government.
