In a recent episode of her far-left podcast, Jennifer Welch, a host with a penchant for controversy, made a startling claim about the late Charlie Kirk.
She suggested that Kirk had, in essence, "justified" his own demise. This came in response to a clip of Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, who had expressed her dismay at those who seemed to be making light of or rationalizing her husband's tragic end.
"The individual who seemed to validate his own death was none other than Charlie himself," Welch stated. "He was the one who declared that if the price of preserving the Second Amendment was the loss of school children's lives, then so be it. He was the one who gave it legitimacy."
Welch went on to express her astonishment that at the time of his death, Kirk had been discussing gun violence. She then turned to her guest, former CNN host Don Lemon, seeking his perspective as a Black man on Erika Kirk's assertion that people were dehumanizing her late husband. This conversation took place on Welch's podcast, "I've Had It."
During a town hall aired on CBS, Bari Weiss asked Erika Kirk about those who were seemingly mocking and celebrating her husband's assassination. Erika Kirk described such individuals as "sick" and lamented the dehumanizing effect of the internet.
While Lemon concurred that the internet could indeed be a harsh place, he disputed the premise of Weiss' question to Kirk. As reported by Fox News, he told Welch, "I am not aware of anyone who justified his death."
"Everyone I know echoes your sentiment he should still be alive. His death was unnecessary. However, it is undeniable that he was a proponent of guns, he opposed sensible gun legislation, and he stated that a certain level of casualties was a necessary evil for the preservation of the Second Amendment. He did say that. And his death occurred in that very manner. That's a fact," Lemon added.
Lemon also commented on Erika Kirk's grieving process, describing it as "theatrical." He empathized with those from the LGBTQ+ community and people of color who harbored negative feelings towards Charlie Kirk, citing his unkind behavior towards these groups.
"I'm not celebrating his death in any way. But I also did not agree with what he represented while he was alive. And I believe it's acceptable to express that," he continued.
The assassination of Charlie Kirk has been met with a disturbing level of public mockery and celebration across the nation. A student from Clemson University was caught on video ridiculing the commentator less than a week after his death on September 10. A Texas Tech student, aged 18, was expelled and arrested after making unsettling comments at a campus vigil.
Welch also took aim at Erika Kirk following her appearance at The New York Times' DealBook Summit in Manhattan last week, labeling the widow a "grifter." She expressed her indignation at Kirk's appearance, accusing her of hypocrisy presenting one image to MAGA supporters and another to New Yorkers, all while promoting conservatism and benefiting from the rights earned by suffragettes.
Welch insinuated that Kirk had altered her attire for the Times interview in a bid to be "taken seriously." The podcast host, known for her criticism of White people and Christians, argued that Erika Kirk was a disgrace to her own cause.
"You are an opportunistic grifter who exploits your gender to belittle women, and you are a living, breathing example of why no one wants to be a Christian or a female hypocrite like you," Welch declared.
"Your rhetoric, your organization makes women less safe, across the board. Your late husband was an unrepentant racist and a homophobe, and women are far more empathetic than you are, Erika," she added.
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