Victor Davis Hanson: ‘Anti-Fascist’ Violence Just Claimed Charlie Kirk. Where Does America Go From Here?

Sep 12, 2025

The podcast discusses the tragic death of influential conservative activist Charlie Kirk and the implications for political violence in America. It highlights how Kirk's efforts reshaped conservatism and engaged youth, making him a target for the Left. The host addresses the troubling normalization of violence against political figures and critiques the lack of condemnation for such acts. There's a focus on how relentless labeling of opponents as extremists fosters an environment where violence is seen as acceptable.

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ANECDOTE

Charlie Kirk's Rise And Reach

Victor Davis Hanson recounts Charlie Kirk's rise from a non-elite background to build Turning Point USA and influence young voters nationwide.
Hanson emphasizes Kirk's skills as a speaker, podcaster, writer, and voter organizer that made him irreplaceable.

INSIGHT

Killing Media Figures Signals New Danger

Hanson argues the killing of a media figure marks a new and dangerous development in U.S. politics historically uncommon here.
He links recent attacks and assassination attempts as evidence of an escalating pattern of politically motivated violence.

ANECDOTE

Past Political Attacks Cited

Hanson lists prior attacks including the Steve Scalise shooting and attempts on Donald Trump to show a pattern.
He cites polling that a significant minority of Democrats expressed wish that assassination attempts had succeeded.

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Charlie Kirk shaped modern conservatism and reached youth in ways no one else could—and that’s precisely what made him so dangerous to the Left.

The trailblazing 31-year-old activist and commentator who founded Turning Point USA was regularly smeared as a “fascist,” a “Nazi,” and a “threat to democracy” by the Left. It was only a matter of time until a crazed person put those words into action. On today’s episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words,” Hanson pays tribute to Kirk and explains how his death is more than just a personal loss; it signals a dangerous new era where political violence is becoming normalized.

“ He connected with people. He had a podcast. He was an extemporaneous speaker. He could ad lib. He wrote columns. He was fearless. He was—he registered voters. He might have been more responsible for winning key states than any other political activists in the 2024 election. I don't think anybody in our generation—I'm speaking my generation—could have done what he did.

“ We are legitimizing political violence. If you call someone day after day after day, "white, white, white, white"; "racist, racist, racist"; "fascist, fascist, fascist"; "Nazi, Nazi, Nazi"—we hear that from Joy Reid. We see it on "The View." We see it on MSNBC. Even just seconds after Charlie died, we had Matthew Dowd go on and basically said that he got what he deserved because he was an extremist, etc., and he and you "live by the sword, die by the sword" sort of argument he used.”

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(0:00) The Assassination of Charlie Kirk

(0:46) Remembering Charlie Kirk's Impact

(2:13) The Rise of Political Violence

(3:35) The Left's Reaction to Political Violence

(5:01) The Dangerous Normalization of Violence

(7:59) Final Thoughts

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