Looks like there was a good guy with a gun after all

[BoSoxGal]

C’mon BB, you don’t think I check my work?

[Scooter]

[BoSoxGal]

Comment I just saw on Facebook in response to the Oklahoma proposed legislation:

Next, we will be required to start saying “Merry Kirkmas.”

[BoSoxGal]

Charlie Kirk Divided My Generation. His Death Is Making It Worse

[MajGenl.Meade]

Subscription only

[BoSoxGal]

Weird, I was able to read it for free on my laptop - but my phone had a paywall blocker. Anyway, here it is:

Charlie Kirk Divided My Generation. His Death Is Making It Worse
The conservative activist has shaped political opinions within Gen Z. I fear his assassination may push us past the brink

By Eli Thompson

September 20, 2025

“Charlie Kirk was the one who stood up for us, and that’s why these radical leftists had to take him out,” remarked one of my fellow football players at my staunchly conservative college. He wasn’t the only one. Many teammates were rightfully mad. But instead of directing their anger toward only the killer, they blamed everyone on the left for the actions of one fringe individual. This instinct to condemn the whole other side for the actions of one crazy person isn’t new; and it sows seeds of hatred that only deepen our divides.

Growing up in the early 2020s, Charlie Kirk’s face was everywhere, and that shaped how my generation saw politics and the world. He wasn’t just influential for my right-leaning friends; Kirk changed how many young liberals saw the GOP and how they defined themselves against the party. But for many of my conservative friends, Kirk wasn’t just another figure in the movement — he was an icon who redefined it. He made confrontation, cultural rebellion, and “owning the libs” central to what being a young Republican meant. Yet, that same influence turned hostility between opposing camps into the norm, with threats and violence increasingly more common than reasoned, peaceful discussion.

I’m in a unique spot to see this picture. I recently graduated from a conservative all-boys high school in Chicago, and now I attend a right-leaning Southern college, playing football at both. In these places, I’ve learned to keep my liberal politics hidden. I first heard of Kirk when I was in middle school, but his name blew up by the time I reached high school, starting with my freshman year, when a friend showed me a viral clip of him debating a “woke” college student on abortion rights and completely dismantling her argument. From that moment, it felt like everyone I knew had seen him.

Living in conservative spaces has showed me something worrisome about how my generation treats disagreement. It’s not just that I’m outnumbered, it’s that I’ve heard teammates and friends say they’ve never had a Democrat friend before because “those Democrats hate our country” and you “can’t befriend evil.” Those comments are more than political disagreements; they’re seeds of hatred that grow into distrust and dehumanization. When you see someone as hating your country, you stop seeing them as a person who can be reasoned with, and mistakenly begin thinking that violence is the only way.

But Kirk was a rock star at my school. Many kids are die-hard MAGA supporters, and they embraced him as well. His Turning Point USA rallies and passionate conservative rhetoric inspired countless young men who saw him as a hero and a defender of their values. Friends constantly passed around videos of him embarrassing “woke liberals” on topics ranging from culture and education to crime and abortion. They loved him because they thought he could out-debate anyone.

Other young conservative voices existed, of course, but they were different. Though figures like Ben Shapiro and Candace Owens have Gen Z supporters, Kirk generated a whole new type of excitement. His followers didn’t just sit back and watch; they joined in and brought the energy seen at his events to their school hallways and group chats, where politics was a participatory social experience instead of an intellectual debate. He made them feel they were a part of something bigger than themselves, and that gave them license to be loud.

Being the only liberal many of my friends knew, I kept quiet, nodding along. And when Kirk was killed, I grew anxious. The tension and hostility toward the left on my campus has been palpable. Even though Kirk engaged with people on the other side, many young people didn’t catch onto that part of his politics. They would still rather badmouth the other side than have a respectful debate.

As a football player, I know the power of a team coming together. I’ve learned that you must channel energy into something bigger than yourself. But right now, my generation is two teams fighting against each other and not coming together to better our country. The anger I see isn’t just political; it’s personal. People argue today not to understand the other side but to “win” and make their opponent look bad, leaving no room for empathy.

The weight of Kirk’s death was heavy at practice last week. My friends are sad and upset, mourning a man they saw as an idol and their future. They replayed clips of him speaking, cheering for how he “won” against liberal college kids, as if his rebellious spirit still rallied them. And while I mourn his senseless death, I’m also grieving a chance for unity that seems to be slipping away. Gen Z can rewrite this story, but we need to learn to disagree through peaceful debate, without hate. If we don’t, I fear tragedies like these will just become the norm.

Watching my teammates mourn, I worry about what’s next. Many young conservatives see Kirk’s death as a rallying cry, fueled by the same “anti-woke” fire he sparked in those viral videos. Instead of prompting dialogue, I fear his death will just make all the problems worse. It will cause people to point fingers and make threats, leading to more division.

For me, political division is something I’ve seen up close. Political arguments at my high school often ended with personal attacks. This has only accelerated in college, because when you combine passion with the belief that those who disagree don’t care about our country, even small arguments breed resentment. If we don’t separate our beliefs from the people we are, the gulf between us will only grow wider.

But I still hold onto hope. From football, I’ve learned that people can band together and focus collective energy toward something bigger and better than themselves. I’ve seen teamwork overcome personal clashes and rivalries. If my generation can approach this tragedy with perspective, it could be a turning point for us. We could show that we can come together and resolve our differences peacefully, rather than hating each other. But that means engaging in actual dialogue — and seeking real understanding.

Eli Thompson is a freshman in college. His writing has been featured in The Wall Street Journal and USA Today, and he has appeared on NBC Chicago, WGN, and SiriusXM Patriot.

[MajGenl.Meade]

Thanks. Interesting that he doesn't address the content of Kirk's message. But it's spot-on about the divisive nature of debate as it is now practiced.

[Joe Guy]

Please forgive me for this.... (copied from Facebook)

[BoSoxGal]

I don’t know who this guy is, but his analysis is spot on.

[Big RR]

In the article, I was intrigued by "viral clip of him debating a “woke” college student on abortion rights and completely dismantling her argument"; I would love to see that. From what I have seen of him, he was like Rush Limbaugh, not capable of creating a cogent stream of thought, only attacking by yelling and (at times) humor. Is that really what the next generation(s) see as discussion and debate?

There used to be conservative standard bearers who could represent their positions well (I hated Bill Buckley, but have to admit he was one), but they have given way to the talk radio soundbites. When you see someone like Curtis Sliwa running for the mayor of NYC, you can see how the right has done exactly that

[BoSoxGal]

Interestingly, watching William Buckley on Firing Line as a kid was a big factor in making me want to go to college and be an intellectual - he was so well spoken and reasoned, as were his guests. Those were the days . . .

[Big RR]

Firing Line was fun to watch, even if he pissed me off sometimes.

[Sue U]

I don’t know who this guy is, but his analysis is spot on.

I don't really disagree with his observations, but I could find literally no objective independent source of information about Shahid Bolsen (nee Shannon Morris), his education/experience or his financial backing. It seems he was involved in the chloroform death of a German businessman 20 years ago in UAE and has been accused of inciting political violence in Egypt in the aftermath of the Arab Spring turmoil in the early 2010s. The lack of any real information about him makes me rather wary. Here's a Google AI-generated summary from its scrape of the interwebs:

There is no public information identifying the specific source of Shahid Bolsen's funding. However, some sources offer clues about his income and speculate on other financial backing:

• He earns a living giving private English lessons.

• Some online speculation suggests he may have financial backing from an Arab state, possibly the UAE, following a prison term there. This theory connects a shift in his public stance to a potential deal for his release and subsequent financial support.

• Media reports in 2015 described his activities and influence as coming entirely through Islamist websites, satellite TV networks, and social media. His online presence was significant at the time, particularly on Facebook.

Background on Shahid Bolsen

• Original Name: Bolsen was born Shannon Morris in Boulder, Colorado, before converting to Islam in his early 20s.

• Career: He gained prominence as a political commentator and activist, known for his writings and public speaking on social justice issues in the Middle East.

• Controversy: Bolsen is a highly controversial figure with a history of online activism that has attracted scrutiny from counter-extremism organizations and media.

• Imprisonment: In 2012, he was detained in the UAE after being involved in a murder and later assisted by the organization Detained in Dubai.

• Shift in Stance: There appears to be a significant change in his public commentary after his release from prison, which has fueled speculation about his allegiances and potential funding.

[BoSoxGal]

Yeah I've been doing some background research and he's definitely questionable - but then, I feel the same way about Charlie Kirk.

I guess this falls into the category of even a broken clock is right twice a day; the short video I posted reminded me a great deal of Gore Vidal's arguments in Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace.

[liberty]

I believe a war is coming. It won’t be tomorrow, and I think it will most likely happen after I’m gone. But unlike many people here, I care about what happens after I’m gone, because I’m leaving behind people I love. Some of my kids are liberal, some are conservative. I don’t want them killing each other.

If there is a war, I hope it would be more of an insurgency, one that targets intellectuals, elites, political leaders, lawyers, judges, prosecutors, and maybe even celebrities like Jimmy Kimmel. That, in my opinion, would be the best possible outcome, or at least the best for my children, my babies.

Of course, it’s not totally unavoidable. It doesn’t have to happen. But I think it most likely will. If you study wars and conflicts, you’ll see that it usually takes about a generation for tensions to build. And once they start, they almost always happen.

The only thing I truly hope is that it doesn’t affect the ones I love.

Some posters here, especially SH, seem to be pushing the agenda. Maybe they think there’s something to be gained from it. I don’t. I think there’s nothing to be gained, only things to be lost. Maybe even our country.

But like I’ve said before, Americans tend to be reactive, not proactive. So, they won’t avoid the situation. They’ll just keep pushing forward.

[Big RR]

I hope it would be more of an insurgency, one that targets intellectuals, elites, political leaders, lawyers, judges, prosecutors, and maybe even celebrities like Jimmy Kimmel

You really want that? Celebrities aside, intellectuals, elites (I guess it depends how you define them), political leaders, lawyers, judges are our only defense against the totalitarian fascists (and including Kimmel speaks volumes about which side of the political spectrum you would like to be targeted). I see the hell you want to leave behind for those you purport to love.

[liberty]

I hope it would be more of an insurgency, one that targets intellectuals, elites, political leaders, lawyers, judges, prosecutors, and maybe even celebrities like Jimmy Kimmel

You really want that? Celebrities aside, intellectuals, elites (I guess it depends how you define them), political leaders, lawyers, judges are our only defense against the totalitarian fascists (and including Kimmel speaks volumes about which side of the political spectrum you would like to be targeted). I see the hell you want to leave behind for those you purport to love.

No, that's not what I want; that's what I see. I try to be objective instead of subjective. And plenty of moderates and conservatives will be killed as well. The side that decides to kill the most leaders from the other side may win, but in the end, the country loses a lot. By killing the elite, you kill a lot of productivity. Just because someone is a leftist doesn't mean he's not a very productive person. So, if these people are dead, the country will lose a lot of ability. That will only make us weaker.

I'm not saying no ordinary people will be killed; but it would mostly be those with loudmouths, those who lack the ability to keep their opinions to themselves. I think others are relatively safe, and that's what I'd advise my children to do, whether they're conservative or liberal. Two are liberal, and two are conservative; I want them all to be OK. I don't know about you, but I do love my children. And that's the best alternative I can see from my position; hell, it's better than an all-out civil war for millions is killed.

[Big RR]

You did express your hope: " I hope it would be more of an insurgency...". And now you say what you hope for is not what you want?

[Big RR]

If there is an "insurgency" and the same idiots (or their next generation) ar still in place, I hope that some of the fat generals and admirals discharged by Hegseth, the guys who know how to run a major armed force and battles, join the side of freedom and defeat those lunkheads who are put in their place; you know, guys who spend more time in the gym than in learning their jobs--like Hand and Frans in the old SNL skit. Sure, there is a place for a demand of a modicum of fitness for junior officers (and even some junior field grade officers), but even if the older guys are fat, most of them got there because they knew their jobs well--coordinating and leading from the rear while the junior officers are in the front carrying out the battle plans. But Hegseth will put in their places steroid taking lunkheads who look fit, and are pretty much as smart as he is and clueless as to how to run a brigade, division, or army (or the naval and air force equivalents); people who value defined rules of engagement.