OPINION

The assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on September 10, 2025, at Utah Valley University has exposed the dangerous consequences of inflammatory rhetoric from media figures like MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow. Kirk, the 31-year-old Turning Point USA co-founder and Trump ally, was shot dead by 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, whose bullet casings bore the inscription “Hey fascist! Catch!”—a chilling nod to anti-fascist slogans amplified by Maddow and others. As political violence surges, including attempts on President Trump’s life, Maddow’s relentless labeling of conservatives as “fascists” demands scrutiny for its role in radicalizing unstable minds like Robinson’s.

Maddow’s Reckless “Fascist” Crusade

Rachel Maddow has made the word “fascist” her weapon of choice, wielding it hundreds of times to vilify Donald Trump and his supporters. According to Grok, she has used the word “Fascist” likely 300-400 times since 2016. Her 2023 book Prequel: An American Fight Against Fascism equates MAGA with 1930s Nazi sympathizers, using the term dozens of times. Her podcast “Ultra” doubles down, tying Trumpism to historical fascism in episodes heard by millions. On The Rachel Maddow Show, she hammers the label in nearly every Trump-related segment, like a 2023 episode calling his rhetoric Hitler-esque (10-15 uses in one broadcast) or 2024 shows branding his deportation plans “fascist.” This isn’t scholarship, it’s dangerous rhetoric, instructions for mentally unstable minds to act. Maddow is painting half the country as monsters. Multiple Facebook, Instagram and X posts now accuse her of “having blood on her hands”.

The Kirk Assassination: A “Fascist Hunt”

Kirk’s killing was cold-blooded. At 12:20 p.m., a sniper shot from 142 yards struck him in the neck during a Q&A, sparking chaos. Robinson was arrested after being turned in by his own father. Despite a Republican family with ties to law enforcement, Robinson’s online radicalization into left-wing extremism. The cartridges he used bore anti-fascist and meme-like inscriptions that read: “Hey fascist! Catch!” (accompanied by arrow symbols referencing a video game bomb code), lyrics from “Bella Ciao” (an Italian anti-fascist anthem), “If you read this, you are gay lmao,” and furry/trans culture references like “Notices bulges. OwO What’s this?” His Discord messages reveal premeditation and a fixation on MAGA figures as “fascists” who needed silencing.

Maddow’s “fascist” fixation isn’t just hyperbole—it’s reckless. By framing conservatives as existential threats, she’s poured fuel on a fire now claiming lives. Kirk’s blood stains the hands of those who normalize demonization. Both sides must de-escalate, but Maddow, with her massive platform, bears outsized responsibility.

Rhetoric from influential people can significantly impact mentally unstable individuals. Inflammatory, polarizing, or fear-inducing language, especially when amplified by media or public figures, can exacerbate existing mental health issues, fuel paranoia, or incite extreme behavior in vulnerable people.

Kirk’s death is a stark reminder: words can kill. It’s time for media leaders like Maddow to weigh their influence more carefully, lest more lives are lost to the poison of polarization.