Twenty four years ago today, we followed the news as shocking events unfolded in the US. I remember the shock as we first heard rumours of a plane hitting one of the World Trade Centre towers and imagined a small microlight only to watch as though in slow motion airliners crashing into the towers. It has become a cliche to observe that it felt like watching a film. The news was the cause of shock, an outpouring of grief mixed with fear and anger.
The response will be similar for many today with the news of Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Kirk’s appeal to a younger generation means that many of his supporters and opponents will be too young to remember 911. Many would not even have been born then.
This side of the Atlantic, Kirk’s name will be less well known. However, he was a rising star in US politics, an influential broadcaster and debater on the political right with strong connections to MAGA and to Christian Nationalism.
I am not going to get into the specific politics today. That’s not because we must always hold back from engaging the controversial stuff post tragedy. It is relevant to understanding and critiquing his legacy. Furthermore, there can be equal tendencies, some right now are demonising the man, seeming to revel in his death forgetting that he has left behind a young wife and family. Others, are quick to canonize him as a Saint and whitewash our the less tasteful aspects of his politics, agenda and words.
However, I want to pick up on a few things.
The first thing to say is that this is nothing new. As horrific and shocking as an assassination is, on its own this doesn’t itself tell us anything about change in America. There have been high profile assassinations and attempts in the past, not just JFK and Ronald Reagan. Other democracies including in the UK have seen politicians attacked and murdered. Nor is it simply a case of attacks on right wing politicians, Democrats have been subjected to violence and assassination attempts too in recent times.
However, what we have seen in the US has been an accompanying change in the tone and nature of the debate. Politicians have been portrayed as enemies, the language on all sides has become more aggressive and violent. The talk is revolutionary. It’s this added context that intensifies tension.
We need to be alert to this here in the UK. We are not so far away from the US politically and culturally. The language used about politicians, immigrants and protests has been just as toxic. There are those who glory in the idea of revolution on both the left and the right. Tragedies like this should warn us to step back from the brink.
This Sunday I will be preaching on Luke 13 and Jesus’ response to tragedy including one caused by politically motivated violence. Already I’m seeing social media commentary that whilst stopping short of excusing violence comes close to saying that the guy deserved it because of his provocative and offensive opinions.
Jesus is clear however in Luke 13 that there is no place for such thinking. We are not to see another’s tragedy, whether we think personally of Kirk and his family or more widely if the US and see them as more deserving. The warning is that we too must repent.
Today we mourn with America, rembering those horrific events of two decades ago as well as last night’s shocking news, pray for a grieving family and hear God’s megaphone challenging our own lives.
Faithroots 