Salt Lake DSA condemns the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Since DSA does not advocate political assassination, it was unsurprising to learn that Tyler Robinson is not associated with DSA.

We do not believe political assassinations bring us a single step closer to socialism. Instead, it creates a fearful, retributive, violent political climate which endangers workers and therefore lowers our ability to engage in activism. Charlie Kirk was a racist, sexist, white supremacist supporter of the capitalist class but workers are not convinced of socialism because of his murder.

The kind of transformative political change we need will come about when the vast majority of workers understand the nature of class society—currently dominated by capitalists and their allies in the two-party system—combined with the level of worker organization necessary to take political power from this ruling class. We do this by winning reforms which protect and advance our ability to organize: The right to live without the constant terroristic threat of deportation; to free speech without state persecution; to basic bodily autonomy and gender affirming care; to organize labor unions and bargain fairly; to affordable housing, childcare, healthcare, and education. In essence, reforms to protect workers from the systemic, daily violence of capitalism, the pursuit of profits over people’s well-being, and to show all workers the unjust nature of class society.

Trump extends his political violence on the working class in Utah and nationally with tens of billions of funding to turn ICE into an oppressive force to terrorize migrant communities and eradicate freedom of speech, while simultaneously shredding Medicaid, Medicare, and our remaining social services. Of course Trump wants to distract us from his snowballing Epstein political crisis.

Trump is using Kirk’s assassination as an excuse to crack down on our rights to organize for socialism. To be clear, the oppressors of the working class will use any excuse to do so. What matters is that Utah workers witnessing this crackdown know who their allies are in defending our Constitutional and democratic rights. That they learn, with certainty, that the capitalist class is their enemy, using the flimsiest excuses to try to crush those fighting for a better future.

We recognize that violence will continue in this society with no reasonable gun control and an unaffordable physical and mental healthcare system. Regardless, do not give in to the mindset that there are individual solutions to our social problems. Instead, grow your working class consciousness. You are not alone; together we are the working class that can create a humane, socialist society.

Our organizing will not stop. Socialism is necessary, but not guaranteed.

A better world is possible. Join Salt Lake DSA.