Thoughts on Assassination… Ben Meiselas and MeidasTouch Network Sep 11 By Ben Meiselas Regardless of my disagreements with Charlie Kirk in the strongest possible terms, I condemn the horrifying act of violence that took Kirk’s life in Orem, Utah. Our programming across the network made it clear that violence is never the answer. We sent our heartfelt condolences to Kirk’s wife and family. This doesn’t mean we should ignore the harmful nature of Kirk’s prior statements and positions or try to pretend that he was someone he’s not. But it does mean that violence is never the solution, and we must immediately call it out. We condemn in the strongest terms acts of violence. In fact, next week Meidas Host Adam Mockler was going to debate Charlie Kirk, and we were going to cover the debate on the MeidasTouch Network. We don’t have the facts of what took place as of this post other than that at 12:20 MST, while giving a speech at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, Kirk was shot by someone who was on the roof of a building about 200 yards away. Kirk was shot in the neck, but it’s possible the single bullet bounced off a bulletproof vest or his chest before striking his neck. If you watch the show in slow motion (which I don’t want you to do), it appears his chest was hit first by the same bullet. The FBI has mismanaged and botched this whole thing from the start. FBI Director Kash Patel posted that the suspect was in custody. It turns out, they racially profiled an Arab Charlie Kirk supporter who had nothing to do with the shooting. Earlier, the FBI claimed they found another suspect who happened to be a mentally ill man known for disrupting political events and gatherings in Utah. The FBI was then forced to issue a retraction, admitting it doesn’t have the suspect in custody as of this writing. The FBI has now created a tip line to ask the public for help since the shooter was able to escape. The head of the Utah FBI Field Office was a well-respected career agent named Mehtab Sayed, a Pakistani woman. She was fired a few weeks ago because she was Pakistani and a woman. This is in addition to all the firings of most senior FBI officials as Trump exacts revenge and retribution on the FBI. Also, Trump has placed a 22-year-old intern with zero experience, named Thomas Fugate III, to lead the domestic threat assessment division within the FBI. He’s not the person you want in that position. Despite not knowing the identity of the shooter or the motive, MAGA leaders and influencers have flooded social media blaming liberals and Democrats, saying the most heinous things about them, and making the most dangerous threats. Donald Trump gave a speech from the Oval Office where he blamed liberals and Democrats—who he called “terrorists”—and talked about “eradicating” them. Trump’s speech was deeply dangerous and inappropriate. I am also reminded how Trump refused to call Minnesota Governor Walz or make any statement showing compassion for the political assassination of Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, who was a Democrat. During Trump’s Oval Office speech he also accused Democrats of the assassination attempt against him in Butler, Pennsylvania last year, despite the fact that the shooter was a Republican and a Trump supporter. The rhetoric from Trump is obviously going to stoke political violence. He intended it to. Rather than urging healing and bringing the country together, he did the exact opposite. Then there’s the 800-pound gorilla in the room. It’s not a secret that I run the largest news platform across all political media right now. It’s not a secret that right-wing leaders and their followers have threatened me and my family frequently before. I’ve always understood it to be the case, but I especially recognize it now: I am a likely target in a world where political violence is spreading. If something happens to me, I don’t want you to retaliate with threats of violence against anyone. I ask that it be used to spread love and empathy only. I am not trying to be grim here, but I have come to terms with the threats that exist against me. Obviously, I will be taking additional steps to protect my family. I may also limit my own public speaking engagements or ensure they take place only in very controlled environments. I’ve told you before I understand the risks of being a leader in this space and leading a network like Meidas that calls out and fights fascism. I’ve received so many messages from you all telling me to be careful. There are too many to count, and I can’t acknowledge them all, so let me just say thank you to all of you—it means a lot. 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