I really hate the use of the term 'assassination' in regards to the Kirk murder...

[Wounded Bear]

It is a politically charged term intended to inflame the emotions of the RW echo chamber. I've noticed some talking heads avoiding it. I wish there were more.

Meanwhile, the RW media is exploiting the use of it.

[SheltieLover]

1. I agree.

[bucolic_frolic]

2. It wasn't used much after the UHC murder.

[ShazzieB]

38. I think that's because the CEO of an insurance company isn't technically a political figure.

Granted the killing was politically motivated, but I think the word "assassinated" is usually reserved for government officials, political leaders, and such. Highly or wrongly, I think that's why people shied away from using it in that instance.

[bucolic_frolic]

40. Agreed.

But Charlie Kirk was not an elected official either.

[ShazzieB]

49. True -- but he was overtly political in a way that a business executive usually is not.

Last edited Fri Sep 12, 2025, 10:16 PM - Edit history (1)

To be clear, I think it would have been perfectly reasonable to describe the UHC CEO's killing as an assassination. I was just speculating about why it may not have occurred to some people to do so at the time..

[dgauss]

52. True, but I don't remember Republicans using that term

after Melissa Hortman was killed.

[ShazzieB]

57. Me, neither!

They definitely seem to shy away from that language when one of ours is targeted.

[marble falls]

3. Chaps my butt, too. Kennedy was assasinated, Ghandi was assasinated. Kirk was murdered.

[Silent Type]

4. Pretty much meets definition.

[Prairie Gates]

7. Agreed

This is pretty clearly an assassination. I'm not sure what the problem is.

[GreenWave]

31. assassinate:

assassinate /ə-săs′ə-nāt″/
transitive verb

To murder (a prominent person) by surprise attack, as for political reasons.

The dick head wasn't prominent.

[ShazzieB]

50. In what way was Kirk not prominent?

The word "prominent" can mean a variety of things, including well-known or famous. Kirk was certainly very well known to a sizeable segment of the population, including those who agreed with and admired him and those who strongly disagreed with his views and found them detestable.

I dont have a strong opinion either way as to whether it's appropriate to call his murder an assassination, but to claim he was not a prominent figure makes no sense to me.

[BannonsLiver]

5. Agree. It doesnt fit here.

[valleyrogue]

6. The word is misused a lot.

People have carelessly used it with John Lennon, who was not a political official of any sort, and the killing had nothing to do with politics.

"Assassination" has to do with the murder of a political official, not an operative like Kirk, and primarily for political reasons though not always.

Likewise, Charlie Kirk was not a political official of any kind, so he was not "assassinated."

"Murdered" is a perfectly suitable word for what happened to him.

[Melon]

11. Not political official.

Murder for a political reason.

[The Revolution]

30. So then MLK was not assassinated?

Interesting

[ShazzieB]

54. Apples and oranges.

Mark David Chapman's motivation for killing John Lennon was an outgrowth of his personal mental illness and had nothing to do with politics. Lennon was known for expressing some strong political views at times, but he did not lead an actual movement the way King did, and he was not killed for political reasons.

I say this as a person who was and is both a strong supporter of King and the civil rights movement and a longtime fan of Lennon as a Beatle and as a solo artist, and who has great respect for both men and what each of them stood for. King was assassinated. Lennon was murdered by a confused, mentally disturbed man.

[GreenWave]

32. How about "offed" to counterbalance the deification of this community college dropout?

[spooky3]

53. John Lennon was far more "prominent" than was Charlie Kirk, of

Whom probably 85% of the US population over age 18 had never heard, prior to this week.

[themaguffin]

8. The term applies and it sure seems like it was professionally done.

[Melon]

9. Definition

murder by sudden or secret attack often for political reasons.

Probably fits the definition.

[GreenWave]

33. You left out "a prominent person"

Why?
assassinate /ə-săs′ə-nāt″/
transitive verb

To murder (a prominent person) by surprise attack, as for political reasons.

[forthemiddle]

37. I would say he was a prominent person. And he was killed for political reasons.

Go back to when he was killed.
The headlines here, on DU, screamed Charlie Kirk shot!
Very few responses said “WHO?” Or claimed they had never heard of him.
Whether you believe it not, Charlie Kirk was their Greta, or their David Hogg. Would anyone have a problem calling them prominent people?

[Melon]

43. Obviously fits the definition if you include that.

[Scrivener7]

10. This was just a gun murder. Plain and simple.

The kind the right thinks is no big deal.

[Judi Lynn]

12. To consider using that term is downright odd, isn't it? As alarming as it was hearing Trump claiming he's a "star"

It simply puzzles a body!

I wish someone had the audacity when meeting Trump to refer to him as "your Majesty." Maybe the next person could shout "I am not worthy" and the next one prostrate himself!

The nation could entertain itself for the rest of Trump's term by finding new ways to overrate fascists.

Why on earth did J.D. Vance rush out to personally escort Kirk's body? Was Trump too busy?

[GreenWave]

34. I heard tell the couch is breaking up with him!

[Judi Lynn]

47. He may have to turn to a love seat!

[Greg_In_SF]

13. This case

is literally the definition of 'assassination'

[GreenWave]

35. Read 'em and weep 'em

assassinate /ə-săs′ə-nāt″/
transitive verb

To murder (a prominent person) by surprise attack, as for political reasons.

[EYESORE 9001]

14. From the OED (they did invent the language, after all)

1.1610–The murder of a person (esp. a prominent public figure) in a planned attack, typically with a political or ideological motive, sometimes carried out by a hired or professional killer; a murderous attack of this kind.

https://www.oed.com/dictionary/assassination_n?tl=true
Q.E.D.

[speak easy]

18. Assassination : 'The murder by sudden or secret attack of a prominent political leader'

Merriam Webster https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assassination

Firs perfectly. An 'assassination' if the English language means anything. Pretending otherwise is mendacious.

[EYESORE 9001]

19. Them's fightin' words

Mendacious? Moi? Mind your manners

[speak easy]

21. Mendacious? Not you, the OP.

I was agreeing with you - giving the American dictionary definition that concurs with the OED.

[EYESORE 9001]

23. Sorry. I'm a bit on edge today

I failed to read closely. My apologies. Reading comprehension strikes me occasionally, and I’m about due.

[speak easy]

24. We are all a bit on edge today/

[GreenWave]

36. Firs?

https://animalia-life.club/qa/pictures/fir-tree-characteristics

[Celerity]

15. Assassination is the willful killing, by a sudden or secret attack, of a person--especially if prominent or important.

It may be prompted by political, ideological, religious, financial, or military motives.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination

The Kirk killing fits the definition, IMHO.

[Sneederbunk]

16. Yes, John Lennon was assassinated.

[Celerity]

17. I would agree with that.

[ShazzieB]

56. I respectfully disagree.

Mark David Chapman was a mentally ill religious fanatic who was angry at Lennon for having once said the Beatles were more popular than Jesus (which at the time was arguably true, imo). He also disapproved of what he saw as Lennon's lavish lifestyle. I don't see that murder as politically motivated (which to me is what an assassination implies).

[Johonny]

20. It was a school shooting

And fits into the spectrum of school shootings we've been enjoying for years now. Bulwark has a good discussion on it. I agree with this take. In a sense, some school shootings are assassinations of one student by an individual.

The question is, will America finally do something?

[QueerDuck]

22. Your not alone. It elevates his ordinary murder to being more important than it really is.

Kirk was not important. He was a piece of dogshit that someone accidentally stepped in, and dragged into the house.

[RedWhiteBlueIsRacist]

25. Kirk was collateral damage on Trump's Fifth Avenue America.

[Aristus]

26. I'd call it "taking out the trash". But I know we're still in the performative outrage stage of the incident.

People are saying, with some justification it must be said, that this is not how we should be solving our problems. I'm still hung up on how Charlie Kirk thought gun deaths were the natural price we pay for freedom. Of course, he only said that because it was not he himself paying that price. The worm has turned for him.

[niyad]

45. My favourite line from "Grace Quigley", "But Ma, that would be murder!" "No, it is

pest control."

[dgauss]

55. The other deaths were the price of freedom.

This one was a tragedy that should never, ever happen.

[cbabe]

27. School shooting. Not assassination. Unless all murdered children are also.

[SSJVegeta]

28. I hate that it is accurate

It is important to recognize how much politcial influence people like him have.

[Ocelot II]

29. Technically it's accurate - an assassination usually refers to the targeted killing

of a high-profile person, not necessarily a politician or national leader.

[niyad]

44. But the word as used is emotionally, deliberately, loaded to produce

a specific emotional response.

[Ocelot II]

46. That is also true.

But a lot of murders of bad people, like gang bosses and other criminals, have also been characterized as assassinations. The only common characteristic is that they were all well-known or important in some circles. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_assassinations

[JHB]

39. Equally, the description of him as "conservative". I know the terms are thoroughly blurred, but...

...Kirk was unequivocally hard right.

[Wiz Imp]

41. The problem with using the word now is we still don't know what the motive was.

Any talk about the motive at this point is still pure speculation.

[niyad]

42. Absolutely agree!!!

[Crunchy Frog]

48. Too many people here on DU using it, and hence buying into the RW narrative.

This was just another disturbed kid, heavily influenced by RW hate culture, and with access to an arsenal. Just another day in America. And yesterday, top political figures including the "president" were blaming "the left" and calling for civil war/mass killings and repressions against liberals and Democrats (that's us here).

Our side needs to stop buying their side's narratives and using their language.

[Klarkashton]

51. When a public figure is shot from.a rooftop during

Some event it's a big deal. The technical definition might be fluid at this point.

[ret5hd]

58. i prefer the term "mercy killing".

it put him out of my misery.