Folks -
threw her back out and we have to cancel Hot Takes Happy Hour. We wanted to discuss Charlie Kirk’s horrific assassination and the importance of the kind of civil discourse we know you all believe in. Unfortunately, we will have to wait until next week.
On one hand, I am comforted by the chorus of voices now condemning political violence. Yet I am troubled that these are the very same voices that have spent months, if not years, unleashing the most vicious rhetoric imaginable across social media platforms. What did we think would happen when our public discourse became dominated by dehumanizing language, when people openly fantasize about violence against their political opponents, when the most extreme and hateful commentary gets rewarded with likes and shares? We've witnessed this escalation repeatedly in recent months, and yet we act surprised when words turn to action.
In case you missed it, I am re-sending my message yesterday about Charlie.
I want to address yesterday’s senseless murder of Charlie Kirk. While I disagreed with his views on virtually everythink, I respected his commitment to engaging young people in political discourse—something I'm passionate about myself. His willingness to debate those with opposing views, exemplified by his "Prove Me Wrong" college tour, should be celebrated, not silenced through violence. He was a devoted husband and father whose family deserved to have him with them.
This alarming mainstreaming of political violence in America is rooted in an even more troubling phenomenon: the systematic dehumanization of those who think differently than we do. We've moved beyond simply challenging ideas we oppose to questioning the basic worth and dignity of those who hold them. The moment we start viewing political adversaries as mortal enemies rather than fellow Americans, when we characterize whole groups as dangerous threats to our way of life, when we treat people as collateral damage in our political battles, we create the conditions where violence seems not only justified but necessary.
Twenty-four years ago on September 11th, Americans made a solemn promise to stand united in the face of terror. In those dark days, we briefly rediscovered a fundamental truth: that whatever divides us politically pales in comparison to what we risk losing if we let violence and hatred destroy the democratic ideals and common bonds that make us one nation.
For me, this isn’t rhetoric. I try to live by this principle and keep my critiques to the policies themselves. This is precisely why my friendship with Danielle Pletkameans so much to me. Though we frequently disagree on policy issues, we share an unwavering commitment to debating our differences with the goal of mutual understanding while never losing sight of our shared humanity. This is the spirit behind our weekly Hot Takes Happy Hour—making sense of our complex world together through friendship, respect, and genuine dialogue.
Feel better Dany! We will see you next week. Same bat channel . Same old bats.
Elise, you’re fantastic! I saw you first on Jim Acosta Show, and I love your style, you navigate through difficult issues with ease and great sense of humour. Hope you’ll get back soon!
@Danielle, please get better!