1w ago

'People are scared to death': Members of Congress fear for their safety after Charlie Kirk assassination

www.nbcnews.com

Republicans and Democrats, including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Nancy Mace, are canceling events and taking other security precautions.

The assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk is sending shock waves through Capitol Hill, with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle expressing fears for their own safety and taking greater security precautions following a summer of political violence.

Members are beefing up their security, moving public events indoors or canceling them altogether. One is even vowing to carry firearms.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., the progressive star who has faced numerous death threats over the years, said Thursday she had postponed two public events planned for this weekend in North Carolina, including a rally in Raleigh set for Sunday.

72 comments

If AOC is cancelling events it's because of fear of retaliatory action on the right, but NBC won't title it in such an honest way.
Also, "one is even vowing to carry firearms" lmao. I'm all for people's right to bear arms, but it doesn't protect you individually from an assassin. What, if only Kirk had a pistol on him, he could have whipped it out and shot the other bullet in half before it hit him, like the fucking Matrix?
- Had someone tell me they had a problem cuz he wasn’t even able to defend himself. The gymnastics to not blame gun violence when he was literally shot while talking about shootings.
  
  It's always depressing yet eye-opening to hear the opinions of people at the grassroots. The average citizen of America truly is so unfathomably dumb. Even the lower class of the 1700s probably had better critical thinking skills. We might even be setting all time records here.
  
  Shot immediately after finishing a sentence in which he spouted racist dog whistle bullshit about the predominant demographics of mass shooters, as he was sitting under an easy-up emblazoned with PROVE ME WRONG.
  The marksman:
  okay, well, since you asked so nicely…
  Genuinely, the comedic timing was jaw-droppingly impeccable.
- Not just for assassins. Carrying a gun is negative for your physical safety in general.
  
  I believe you, but can we see the stats behind that statement?
- Just tell chuck schumer to take over for all her events.
  
  I see what you did there 🤣
  
  We don't need that many letters 🤣
- AOC has had a target on her for years.
- And to take up the gun-nuts usual spiel: this time, the people had the good guy with the gun to defend them against Kirk.
Members of Congress fear for their safety after Charlie Kirk assassination
Good.
The people shouldn't be afraid of their government.
The government should be afraid of the people.
- They should be afraid of the people, but not of individuals with guns or money to hire contract killers.
  Kirk's death was a public assassination. There are many easier for ways someone can kill an unsuspecting target. The way the killer escaped makes it likely they where professional or otherwise trained, not just crazy. The killer choose a difficult and public way to kill him, meaning it is more then just about killing Krik. It is clearly a message, question is what message and to whom.
  
  They should be afraid of the people, but not of individuals with guns or money to hire contract killers.
  No, they should be afraid of that too, just like every other citizen in this country.
  
  "fuck this guy in particular" - to everyone
They shouldn't be allowed to feel safe going to work until kids feel safe going to school.
- I'd argue they shouldn't feel safe until they start to defend the constitution
- That's a good line.
- Amen!
They still won't get what it's like for LGBT+ people under their terrorist reigime.
- Yeah i don't just fear for myself and my family, I fear for my people. That friends I haven't seen in years will be struck down and I won't know until day of remembrance
- Duh, empathy isnt real.
We must spy on everyone at all times, but we know the answers to nothing.
- Palantir
- *They arent giving away the answers for nothing.
People shouldn't be afraid of their governments governments should be afraid of their people - V For Vendetta
- They are afraid. That's why all the nonsense, and calling out the National Guard and whatnot.
Nothing will meaningfully improve until the rich fear for their lives.
Both sides
- Both sides
  So sad you have to say that because most people are so dumb they think billionaires are plebs like us picking sides instead of playing both.
Lol a rally in Raleigh
- a ralleigh!
I am not going to shed a single tear for American politicians being scared for their lives.
- Exactly, they haven't worked for "the people" for decades now.
AOC is fearing retaliation, justifiably so given her colleagues. Just about anyone else? good. honestly a bit of fear of the masses might do good
- Only in America do they consider shooting their elected representatives before electing different ones /s
  
  America is a weird dichotomy, where congressional approval ratings as a whole are in the toilet… But approval ratings among individual representatives with their constituents is fairly high. Generally speaking, people like their own representatives, even though they dislike congress as a whole. Basically, every single person is going “it’s all the other voters’ fault that congress is so broken.”
  If AOC was getting a death threat, it statistically wasn’t from someone in her own district, because her constituents like her.
- It's just strange to me that the basis of all of it is that Kirk didn't believe people should be treated equally, nor have equal rights, and that people should be persecuted for being different.
  And A LOT of people think that him going on school campuses and trying to convince as many young people as he could of that was proper.
Should be more concerned with trump throwing dems in a gulag than getting shot.
- Trump will use the gun violence to justify such gulag. Democrats are enduring abuse and they are helpless. Something's gotta crack
They could stop being monsters right now. They could make different choices.
We'll know more after the midterms.
Meh 🤷‍♂️ sucks to feel fear, doesn’t it?
I wonder how much of this is people just being freaked out, how much of it is based on intelligence not available to the public, and how much of it is cynical theater.
- No matter which way you lean, you will probably be thinking about protecting your neck.
  
  I dunno, not being Charlie Kirk seems to have protected everyone else so far. Maybe they have evidence the shooter is after politicians too, maybe they don’t; not a chance the public knows everything they know. My guess (emphasis on guess) is anyone who wanted to go after a politician would start with that, not some conservative grifter.
  Maybe this comment will look stupid AF in a week, who knows.
Ah, suddenly 2A looses it's appeal?
Oh did a bunch of "gods among men" get reminded they're just voted in mortals? How tragic.
Good.
They should
... if there would have been a policy where elected officials would get regularly executed by an established design (eg if a referendum would show that, or like an impeachment mechanic, or end of term public review of their work, etc) I bet policies would have been run/voted on/executed differently.
Such executions would be low stake for the country, but direct accountability for elected public servants.
(I'm not advocating for such a system, just a random discussion ide,a or a writing prompt.)
" I don't understand these lefties..if there is no bread, just eat cake!"
Your comment isn't wrong, but maybe not being Charlie Kirk is exactly what will be dangerous for some politicians.
Guys guys I thought this was Gods ? No? Not when it's one of them? Got it.
Fuck You god and your will, I guess.

72 comments

Good.