Reflections on the Death of Charlie Kirk

Empathy in a not so empathetic time is not a sign of weakness -- but of humanity

I’m hesitating to publish this because emotions are high and social media is volatile. But I’m doing so anyway because I believe erring on the side of empathy is only human. Hannah Arendt once wrote, “The death of human empathy is one of the earliest and most telling signs of a culture about to fall into barbarism.”

That quote has echoed in my mind as I reflect on the assassination of Charlie Kirk. We’ve seen a disturbing cruelty take hold in our politics. I want to be clear: I extend empathy to Kirk and I pray for his family, not because of who he is, but because of who I am. I do so not because I find a single redeeming quality in his personality or character. I honestly don’t. But instead, because I care about how we move forward as a country when violence has tragically and increasingly become the norm? This is not sustainable. Let’s Address This.

Why Have Empathy For Those Who Never Extended It?

I know this is hard. We saw the cruelty of the MAGA right when MN Democratic State Senator Melissa Hortman was assassinated in a targeted attack. To this day Donald Trump never bothered to condemn that political violence or extend his sympathies.

Why have empathy for those who show none?

It gets even more difficult to have empathy when you recall that Kirk once sneered, “I can’t stand the word empathy, actually. I think empathy is a made-up new age term, and it does a lot of damage.” Moreover he falsely claimed “guns save lives,” and even argued it was “worth it” for some people to die from gun violence every year just so the Second Amendment could exist. He dehumanized immigrants, Muslims, LGBTQ people, Black people, Palestinians, women, and more.

Why have empathy for those who show none?

And yet, even as he refused to take seriously the epidemic in gun violence in America—which has created the annual atrocity in which guns are the leading cause of preventable death for American children—we saw another school shooting today. Today, while Kirk was the victim of gun violence at a university in Utah, at least four students, including the shooter, were injured in a school shooting at Evergreen High School in Colorado. Our nation has already suffered more than 300 mass shootings in 2025, and it’s only September.

Why have empathy for those who show none?

And finally, Kirk particularly detested Muslims and the religion of Islam. He constantly demonized Muslims, referring to us as “Mohammadens” in an attempt to berate and deny us our identity. So why would I, an American Muslim who gets plenty of hate from Kirk supporters due to the disinformation he fed them on Islam and Muslims, bother to have empathy?

Faith and Empathy

Despite his hatred for me and my faith, I return to what my faith teaches me on how to treat those who mistreat me. I turn to a powerful verse of the Qur’an, which teaches:

O ye who believe! be steadfast in the cause of God, bearing witness in equity; and let not a people’s enmity incite you to act otherwise than with justice. Be always just, that is nearer to righteousness. And fear God. Surely, God is aware of what you do. — Chapter 5, Verse 9

Two things can be simultaneously true. I can detest what Kirk stood for and the hatred he spread and work ferociously to counter his hate. And, I can be sure to not allow Kirk’s injustices make me act like him. I will not allow his fear of the other infect my ability to see the humanity in every person.

My standard is justice, always, and that will never change.

And here’s the thing. You don’t need to agree with me. For those who feel no empathy for him, I get it. He inflicted harm on countless people, and none of us are light switches who can flip our feelings on and off at will. So if you have no empathy for Kirk, no judgement from me. None.

And if you are struggling, take the time to find your peace, your center. Pray. Meditate. Eat ice cream. Tickle a baby. Snuggle a puppy. Go for a run. Watch your favorite film. Remember what makes you human.

I can only express how I feel and how I am managing these moments in our nation’s history. Indeed, we are living through one of the most volatile times in our nation’s history. Yes, Kirk bore much responsibility for spreading disinformation and misinformation that fueled the division and violence we’re seeing right now. But his death cannot tempt us into abandoning the one thing that can save us—our empathy.

Because the current trajectory of increasing violence is simply not sustainable.

Empathy and Humanity

Therefore, for me, this is a moment to double down. To expand our spheres of compassion. To deepen our service to humanity. To increase our engagement with those willing to engage. To refuse to give up hope on this country and this world. And to continue our fight for justice for all people. Because at the end of the day, I have little doubt that those in power will try to use Kirk’s death as an attempt to further divide, create discord, and create distrust.

So why have empathy for those who show none?

Because empathy is our inoculation to that hatred and fear. It is not weakness. It is strength. It is not acceptance of violence and bigotry. It is rejection of cruelty and hate. We have empathy, not dependent upon whether others behave like decent human beings—but because we are decent humans being. That is how we build a future committed to justice, not violence. We have empathy, because it is what keeps us human.

And that is something we cannot afford to lose.