The Hypocrisy of Violence: Unpacking the American Establishment's Response to Charlie Kirk's Assassination

In the immediate aftermath of Charlie Kirk's assassination at Utah Valley University, the American establishment sprang into action, condemning political violence with the rehearsed precision of a well-oiled machine. Emma Clement's scathing critique reveals the stark contrast between the establishment's swift response to Kirk's death and its complicity in the systematic violence perpetuated by the state and its policies. From the mines of Congo to the Gaza Strip, Clement highlights the urgent need to confront the roots of violence and its relationship to the economic system.

Key Takeaways:

• The American establishment's response to Charlie Kirk's assassination was swift and unanimous, despite its complicity in systemic violence.
• The World Food Programme reports 24.6 million people in Sudan facing acute hunger, yet there is no corresponding outrage or congressional response.
• The ruling class views violence as a tool for maintaining power, while condemning it when it turns back against them.
• The American Revolution, the abolition of slavery, the eight-hour workday, and civil rights movements all involved varying degrees of violence and social upheaval.
• The emphasis on nonviolence has led to a political culture that reacts to symptoms while remaining blind to causes of systemic violence.
• The ruling class understands the importance of examining the roots of violence without necessarily endorsing it, but instead chooses to remain blind to causes.

Statistics:

• 24.6 million people in Sudan are facing acute hunger (World Food Programme)
• More than 50,000 children have reportedly been killed or injured in Gaza since October 2023
• Palestinian children are being killed by U.S.-funded Israeli forces at a rate of more than one per hour
• The United States is a fundamentally violent country, with its economic system predicated on organized violence of deprivation

Sources:

• Clement, E.
• Birnbaum, M., & Harper, S. R. (1998). The U.S. Department of Agriculture's statistical yearbook.
• The World Food Programme.
• Malcolm X. (1965). The Autobiography of Malcolm X.
• Roberts, K. D. (2013). The Representational Theory of Social Action.