Nearly two weeks after right-wing commentator and activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated in Orem, Utah, he has been widely misquoted and his views misrepresented on social media.
Some claims suggested that Kirk made offensive remarks about LGBTQ people and Black women; while others accused him of supporting violence.
Here's a closer look at his actual comments, which show that these interpretations are misleading.
Insulting Black women
Some people misquoted Charlie Kirk, claiming he said, "Black women do not have the brain processing power to be taken seriously." This made it seem like he was insulting all Black women.
Kirk, however, was not speaking about Black women in general. He was discussing four specific women, Michelle Obama, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, political commentator Joy Reid, and the late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, while talking about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs.
In his show dated July 14, 2023, he said, "If we had said [those women] were affirmative action picks, we would have been called racists. Now ... They're coming out and saying 'I'm only here because of affirmative action.' We know. You do not have the brain processing power to be taken really seriously."
Misinterpreted the 1964 Civil Rights Act with the Voting Rights Act of 1965
In another instance, Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticised Charlie Kirk, claiming he believed the Civil Rights Act, which granted Black Americans the right to vote, was a mistake. However, she confused the 1964 Civil Rights Act with the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Kirk did not oppose civil rights or voting rights. His remarks focused on how these laws have been interpreted and applied in modern times, particularly in discussions around policies like Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
During a Turning Point USA event in December 2023, Kirk said, "I have a very, very radical view on this, but I can defend it, and I've thought about it. We made a huge mistake when we passed the Civil Rights Act in the 1960s. The courts have been really weak on this."
Promoting violence against LGBTQ
Other misinterpretations and misrepresentations include claims that Charlie Kirk advocated "stoning gays." Author Stephen King shared this on social media to show Kirk was promoting violence against LGBTQ people. He later deleted the post and apologised, admitting he had misunderstood Kirk's comments.
In reality, Kirk was only responding to YouTuber Rachel's selective use of biblical passages to commemorate Pride Month by referencing the Bible.
"By the way, Ms Rachel, you might want to crack open that Bible of yours. In a lesser reference, part of the same part of scripture, in Leviticus 18, is that 'thou shalt lie with another man, and thou shalt be stoned to death.' Just saying," Kirk said.
Kirk spoke to a gay college student in Wisconsin and said, "I don't think you should introduce yourself just based on your sexuality because that's not who you are."
Doubted Black pilots' abilities
Kirk faced criticism over a remark where his statement was misinterpreted as if he doubted Black pilots' abilities. "If I see a Black pilot, I'm going to be like 'I hope he's qualified,'" he said.
Kirk made the comment during a discussion on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) hiring programmes for airline pilots. Some assumed that Kirk doesn't trust Black pilots or doubts their abilities, but instead, he was talking about DEI hiring programmes in airlines.
Women's rights
Some online posts falsely claimed that Kirk said women should not vote. What Kirk actually talked about was his belief that women should prioritise family and raise children, especially in their younger years, before focusing on a career.
His statement said, "Having children is more important than having a good career. And I would also tell young ladies, you can always go back to your career later, that there is a window where you should primarily pursue marriage and having children and that is a beautiful thing."
Promoting gun violence
Another misconception about Kirk was about violence and the Second Amendment. Kirk was speaking about gun violence when he was killed at Utah Valley University in Orem. After his death, former Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah called him "a white man that espoused violence."
Kirk never advocated violence. At a 2023 event, he said, "Driving comes with a price - 50,000 people die on the road every year. But we have decided that the benefit of driving - speed, accessibility, mobility, having products, services - is worth the cost of 50,000 people dying on the road."
Kirk, however, said that in a society where citizens are allowed to own guns, it is impossible to completely eliminate deaths caused by the,.
