Podcast titan Joe Rogan has voiced his concern over the growing acceptance of political violence in the United States, particularly in the wake of the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
Rogan's alarm was triggered by the disturbing trend of leftists celebrating Kirk's death, a development he believes is pushing the nation perilously closer to a civil war.
During a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, Rogan expressed his dismay to his guest, Brian Redban, over the public reaction to Kirk's assassination. According to Breitbart, Rogan said, Charlie Kirk gets shot and people are celebrating, like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. You want people to die that you disagree with?
He then questioned the current state of the nation, asking, Where are we right now on the scale of one to civil war? Are we at seven? Because I thought we were at five. I thought we were at, like, four. Four or five.
Rogan's concern escalated following the public response to Kirk's assassination, leading him to suggest that the nation might be closer to a civil war than he previously thought. He said, But after the Charlie Kirk thing, Im like, Oh, we might be like seven. This might be, like, step seven on the way to a bonafide civil war.
The podcast host further expressed his concern about the societal implications of "regular people" celebrating a public assassination. He warned that when ordinary citizens rejoice over someone being murdered in front of their family and the world, it indicates that society has entered "dark territory."
He reiterated, Youre in dark territory, and added, And if the worst thing you could say about that guy is that, He said some things I disagree with, and youre celebrating that he got shot in the neck in front of the world, whoa. And you work at an insurance company? This is nuts.
Rogan's concerns about the growing acceptance of political violence in the United States are not new. He was shocked by the number of people celebrating Kirk's assassination, saying that the incident had "opened up" his eyes.
Political violence has continued to escalate since Kirk's assassination. Two months after the incident, a riot broke out at a Turning Point USA event at UC Berkeley, resulting in several arrests. The violence on college campuses has not been limited to Berkeley. Multiple students across the country have been arrested for attacking Turning Point USA display tables at their schools.
In the aftermath of Kirk's murder, Turning Point USA activists have been subjected to harassment and threats. One individual at the University of Arizona even referred to the conservatives as Nazis and warned them to watch your neck, a chilling reference to the manner in which Kirk was killed.
Despite the violence and threats, Turning Point USA has seen a surge in interest since Kirk's assassination. The organization reports that more than 120,000 students have inquired about starting new high school and college chapters. A high school in Rhode Island recently launched a Turning Point USA chapter after their teacher, Benjamin Fillo, mocked Kirk's death in a video.
The growing acceptance of political violence, as evidenced by the reaction to Kirk's assassination and the subsequent attacks on Turning Point USA activists, is a worrying trend. It is a stark reminder of the need for a return to traditional values of respect for individual freedom and the rule of law. The celebration of violence against those with differing viewpoints is a dangerous path that threatens the very fabric of our society.
Login