Excerpt from AlterNet’s John Stoehr: Murderously Gunned Down He Was But He Wasn’t Assassinated

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So Writes Stoehr: You don’t have to say nice things about Charlie Kirk just because he’s dead. You can condemn political violence in all its forms — and you should. You can wish his family well. You can express your sincere condolences to all families of all victims of all political violence.

You can even overlook, if you believe it’s worth it, the fact that he spent nearly all of his young adult life selling for profit the hatred of racial and sexual minorities, liberalism and the Democrats generally. You can choose to do these things in full confidence that you have lived up to your obligation as a decent human being.

But otherwise, you don’t have to say nice things in order to prove to someone — whoever that is — that you are not glad he’s dead. You don’t have to prove anything.

It would be appropriate to suggest that Kirk could be a victim of the kind of politics that he sold, just as it was appropriate to suggest that the Marlboro Men were victims of the kind of products that they sold. (All five men died of smoking-related diseases).