People who celebrate the killing of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk should be held accountable, US Vice-President JD Vance has said.
Call them out, and hell, call their employer, Vance said as he guest-hosted an episode of the Charlie Kirk Show. We don't believe in political violence, but we do believe in civility.
Pilots, medical professionals, teachers, and one Secret Service employee are among those who have been suspended or sacked for social media posts that were deemed inappropriate about Kirk's death.
Critics have argued the firings threaten free speech and employee protections, although US companies have wide latitude to terminate employees.
Vance's comments aired on Monday in an episode of the Charlie Kirk Show, a daily podcast that Kirk hosted before he was shot in the neck last Wednesday while hosting a debate at Utah Valley University.
In the episode, the vice-president said that left-wing Americans are much likelier to defend and celebrate political violence, adding that there is no civility in the celebration of political assassination.
A recent YouGov poll found liberal Americans were more likely than conservatives to defend feeling joy about the deaths of political opponents.
Vance's remarks come as other Republican US lawmakers echoed calls for those publicly celebrating Kirk's death to be punished. Congressman Randy Fine demanded their firing and license revocation, while Congresswoman Nancy Mace urged the Department of Education to cut off funding from any institution not taking action against employees who made insensitive remarks about Kirk.
Kirk, known for his controversial views on gender, race, and abortion, had received backlash from left-leaning individuals, particularly on college campuses. Following his death, several individuals who gloated about his demise on social media faced immediate consequences at their workplaces.
Americans employed by private companies have also come under scrutiny. Office Depot fired employees at a Michigan branch after a viral video showed them refusing to print posters for a Kirk vigil, stating their behavior was unacceptable and violated company policies.
Professors and journalists are facing similar repercussions, reigniting the debate over cancel culture. The American Association of University Professors stated that academic freedom should be protected and not curtailed under political pressures.
