Political violence is abhorrent. It undermines democracy and cannot be tolerated. But the rush to turn conservative activist Charlie Kirk into a martyr for the MAGA movement risks fueling the very division we should be working to contain.

As a Black man, I find this martyrdom for someone who has so blatantly pushed racist sentiments not only troubling but also infuriating. Kirk built his platform on provocation. One of his recurring arguments was that Black Americans get ahead because of their skin color, supposedly taking opportunities from more qualified white candidates. This is covert racism and dog whistling, dressed up as concern for “fairness.” By framing racial equity as a threat to white advancement, he stirred resentment while legitimizing bigotry.

The president and his adminis

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