Thank you for this. In so many ways I’ve never been less interested in politics. Build community with your neighbors over arts or sports or baking or cars or whatever! Nothing is worth hating your neighbor for their opinions that do not impact your life - when the many things we have in common can be such a greater source of fulfillment
It was really crazy to see in my group chats initial, universal revulsion at the murder. And then people started sharing twitter links and the shared humanity receded and the tribalism came forward.
I’m deeply worried that Trump and the broader right will use this as an excuse to persecute their political opponents. Shouldn’t we be talking about that?
Obviously jokes and memes are counterproductive, but sincere worry seems important to vocalize in this moment.
What actually do you hope to achieve by vocalizing that sincere worry? It’s a natural human instinct that when you have a strong emotion, you want to express it to someone. But it’s useful to remember that posting about that emotion on social media does a lot more than just expressing it.
Talking about your emotion, in real life, with people you love, can be cathartic. But posting about it on social media turns it into one more bargaining chip someone else can use in their weird viral game.
If you think there is a specific and concrete call for political action that can be helped, maybe it’s worth it.
But in the past few decades we’ve made the mistake of using the internet for expressive purposes in ways that then spiral out into all sorts of unrelated chaos.
Thank you for this, Jerusalem. No one, no matter what their political affiliation is, should be slain in such a violent attack for expressing their right to free speech.
I'm extremely worried that the truly American problem of political violence is only going to get worse, which is going to create further division.
It seems like whichever side of the political divide is the victim of violence, the same grief and blame routine kicks off anew. Nothing is ever done to actually address a solution to a truly American problem.
Thank you. I'll admit I was a little on the fence paying for yet another substack subscription, even though I always enjoyed your previous work and was impressed with the roster here. But this was such a concise, clear-headed piece of writing that now I feel a little silly having those doubts. You will be an essential voice in these times.
There's a non-zero possibility that Kirk's assassin was a foreign operative, perhaps an FSB operative, whose task it was to accelerate American political dissension…
This possibility would fit the way Kirk's assassin was profiled by authorities yesterday, as a person who knew what they were doing, and who was "not an amateur". It would also fit with the strategic goals of our foreign adversaries (Russia, Iran, China, et al.), who've been undermining our cultural unity with propaganda and divisive publicity occasions for the past ten years (at least), already…
In any case, I foremost want to emphasize that Kirk's assassin did much to accelerate American factionalism — that is, did the work of our foreign adversaries — whoever his or her identity is proven to be…
As far as gun control with over 400 million weapons out the re for any immediate impact bullets must be serialized and strictly controlled. But the dirty secret is many Democrats in the Congress are not for these measures.
I see what you’re going for here but isn’t this just a version of “don’t politicize tragedy?” Which, when it comes to gun violence, for example, quite literally means never; as there is a mass shooting event, on average, every day?
Thank you for this. In so many ways I’ve never been less interested in politics. Build community with your neighbors over arts or sports or baking or cars or whatever! Nothing is worth hating your neighbor for their opinions that do not impact your life - when the many things we have in common can be such a greater source of fulfillment
It was really crazy to see in my group chats initial, universal revulsion at the murder. And then people started sharing twitter links and the shared humanity receded and the tribalism came forward.
I’m deeply worried that Trump and the broader right will use this as an excuse to persecute their political opponents. Shouldn’t we be talking about that?
Obviously jokes and memes are counterproductive, but sincere worry seems important to vocalize in this moment.
What actually do you hope to achieve by vocalizing that sincere worry? It’s a natural human instinct that when you have a strong emotion, you want to express it to someone. But it’s useful to remember that posting about that emotion on social media does a lot more than just expressing it.
Talking about your emotion, in real life, with people you love, can be cathartic. But posting about it on social media turns it into one more bargaining chip someone else can use in their weird viral game.
If you think there is a specific and concrete call for political action that can be helped, maybe it’s worth it.
But in the past few decades we’ve made the mistake of using the internet for expressive purposes in ways that then spiral out into all sorts of unrelated chaos.
Thank you
Thank you for this, Jerusalem. No one, no matter what their political affiliation is, should be slain in such a violent attack for expressing their right to free speech.
I'm extremely worried that the truly American problem of political violence is only going to get worse, which is going to create further division.
It seems like whichever side of the political divide is the victim of violence, the same grief and blame routine kicks off anew. Nothing is ever done to actually address a solution to a truly American problem.
This! So beautifully expressed, and exactly what's missing from rational dialogue.
Thank you. I'll admit I was a little on the fence paying for yet another substack subscription, even though I always enjoyed your previous work and was impressed with the roster here. But this was such a concise, clear-headed piece of writing that now I feel a little silly having those doubts. You will be an essential voice in these times.
Thank you for this ❤️
Thank you.
There's a non-zero possibility that Kirk's assassin was a foreign operative, perhaps an FSB operative, whose task it was to accelerate American political dissension…
This possibility would fit the way Kirk's assassin was profiled by authorities yesterday, as a person who knew what they were doing, and who was "not an amateur". It would also fit with the strategic goals of our foreign adversaries (Russia, Iran, China, et al.), who've been undermining our cultural unity with propaganda and divisive publicity occasions for the past ten years (at least), already…
In any case, I foremost want to emphasize that Kirk's assassin did much to accelerate American factionalism — that is, did the work of our foreign adversaries — whoever his or her identity is proven to be…
As far as gun control with over 400 million weapons out the re for any immediate impact bullets must be serialized and strictly controlled. But the dirty secret is many Democrats in the Congress are not for these measures.
I see what you’re going for here but isn’t this just a version of “don’t politicize tragedy?” Which, when it comes to gun violence, for example, quite literally means never; as there is a mass shooting event, on average, every day?