Stephen A. Smith Says Nothing Excuses Dismissing Charlie Kirk's Assassination, No Matter His Politics
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Stephen A. Smith Says Nothing Excuses Dismissing Charlie Kirk's Assassination, No Matter His Politics
Stephen A. Smith joins a television panel discussion to confront the reactions pouring in after Charlie Kirk's assassination, calling out lawmakers on Capitol Hill who erupted into shouting matches within hours of the shooting instead of showing unity. Smith describes the disturbing experience of watching Kirk collapse on camera in front of his own wife and children, and argues that no amount of disagreement with Kirk's political views justifies the dismissiveness some public figures have shown toward the killing. He also weighs in on why young people are drawn toward extremism and mental instability makes people more susceptible to violent suggestion, and floats getting young people talking directly to each other instead of watching debate-style takedowns, ahead of remarks from Erika Kirk.
After hearing from guests Jimmy Kelly and Dr. Chris Mahoney, Chris Cuomo shifts the panel toward a longer conversation with Stephen A. Smith, telling viewers they'll dig further into the moment once Erika Kirk speaks. Before handing things over, Cuomo lays out an idea he calls a possible solution to the tone of the national conversation: rather than more debate-style confrontations where one person takes on a crowd and tries to take them down, he argues what's needed now is young people and everyday citizens actually talking to each other, so they can recognize how much common ground they share.
Why Young People Are Drawn to Extremism
Stephen A. Smith says he doesn't believe today's youth are inherently to blame for the extremism showing up in the culture. Instead, he points to the environment shaping them and how susceptible some people, particularly those struggling with mental illness, are to suggestion and radical ideas. He agrees that getting young people talking to one another in good faith matters more right now than another round of public takedowns.
A Reflection of a Declining Society
Asked what it means that the reaction to Kirk's killing has, in his view, brought out the worst in the country rather than a collective resolve to do better, Smith says it reflects a degradation of society that has been building for a long time. He argues Americans have grown used to calling their country the greatest in the world without behaving as though that title still applies, pointing to a lack of respect from young people toward their elders and to elected officials who behave like belligerent children rather than leaders. Without anyone modeling a clear moral and ethical standard, Smith says, people default to venom and frustration, and mistake bringing someone else down to their own level of misery for a kind of solace, instead of trying to rise above it.
Capitol Hill's Response After the Assassination
Smith says the country has already seen a preview of what comes next, pointing to the hours immediately following Kirk's assassination, when lawmakers on Capitol Hill were caught yelling at one another, trading blame, and showing little willingness to work together. He argues that with cameras rolling and the public watching for some sign of stability, officials had a chance to project unity and decency and instead did the opposite. Because of that, Smith says he won't predict things will get worse, simply because he struggles to imagine it getting much worse than watching a killing broadcast and replayed across the internet.
Witnessing the Assassination Firsthand
Smith gets personal about why he reacted the way he did publicly. He says growing up in Hollis, Queens, he has seen plenty in his life, including people who have died. But he says he had never witnessed anything like watching a man speak to a crowd with his own wife and children nearby, then suddenly jolt and collapse as blood came from his neck. That image, he says, is one he doesn't expect to shake anytime soon.
No Excuse for Dismissiveness
Smith says it is inexcusable for anyone to respond to that moment with dismissiveness, or to try to explain it away by pointing to things Kirk had said that may have agitated someone else. He acknowledges that people in his industry would disagree with him, and says plainly he doesn't care what they think. Whatever someone's opinion of Kirk's political positions or ideology, Smith argues, that disagreement should be set aside long enough to simply acknowledge how horrifying the killing was.
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