January 1, Media Outcry Grows as Critics Fired Over Kirk

Wyatt’s Take

• Conservatives push back against disrespect after Charlie Kirk’s death.
• Legacy media frames firings as new right-wing ‘cancel culture.’
• Debate deepens over consequences for hateful online behavior.

The death of Charlie Kirk has stirred strong reactions, with conservatives demanding accountability for those who celebrated or disrespected his assassination online. Several workers, including educators and business owners, have lost their jobs after posting insensitive comments about Kirk, drawing mixed responses nationwide.

Some in the media claim this is a right-wing ‘cancel culture’ campaign, arguing conservatives are using the same tactics they once criticized. As the Associated Press noted, “They’re going after companies, educators, news outlets, political rivals and others they judge as promoting hate speech.”

Reports detail how social media has been used to spotlight offenders and pressure employers. The Washington Post highlighted the speed, saying, “Within 24 hours of Charlie Kirk’s killing, an assistant dean at a Tennessee college, a communications staffer for an NFL team, a Next Door employee in Milwaukee, and the co-owner of a Cincinnati barbecue restaurant were fired after posting about it.”

NBC News pointed out similar consequences for teachers and professors. ABC News reported, “Employees of airlines, schools and hospitals have been fired or disciplined for their reactions on social media.” Secretary Pete Hegseth called on staff to identify and discipline service members who mocked Kirk’s death.

CNN’s Brian Stelter said, “There are hundreds of examples of people being fired from their jobs. Most of the people were not public figures; they were anonymous until a few days ago when this conservative campaign organized online targeting people that it says are attacking Kirk, bashing Kirk, blaming Kirk for his own death.” Stelter called it “a new form of cancel culture,” but acknowledged the posts themselves ranged from celebrating violence to showing a lack of sympathy.

Read more at Fox News

Wyatt Matters

What happens online still counts at the dinner table and on the job. When free speech crosses into cheering for violence, folks in the heartland believe there should be real consequences. Respect for life and honest debate remain at the core of American values.