Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke described the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk as a “watershed moment,” emphasizing the need for civil political discourse without violence.
Rep. Ryan Zinke, a Republican from Montana, characterized the recent assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk as a “watershed moment.” He underscored the importance of maintaining civil political discourse, asserting that Americans should be able to engage in political disagreements without resorting to violence.
Zinke made these remarks during an appearance on NewsNation’s program “The Hill” on Friday. He referenced earlier comments made by Utah Governor Spencer Cox, expressing disappointment that differing political viewpoints have led to violent confrontations.
“We should look and reflect,” Zinke stated. “As the governor pointed out, this is a watershed moment. So, the watershed moment depends on what this country does.” He posed a critical question: “Are we going to continue this? Are we going to continue to not be able to have dialogue and talk to your neighbor?”
Kirk, who was 31 years old and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot on the campus of Utah Valley University on Wednesday afternoon. He was transported to a hospital in critical condition but was later pronounced dead. The alleged shooter, identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, turned himself in after a multi-day manhunt, reportedly encouraged by his family.
During a news conference on Friday, Governor Cox called for civility and urged individuals on both sides of the political spectrum to de-escalate tensions and “choose a different path.” He stated, “This is our moment: Do we escalate, or do we find an off-ramp? It’s a choice.”
In an emotional reflection, Cox shared, “For the last 48 hours, I have been as angry as I have ever been, as sad as I have ever been … and as anger pushed me to the brink, it was actually Charlie’s words that pushed me back. Charlie said, ‘When people stop talking, that’s when you get violence.'” This sentiment resonated with Zinke, who similarly called for political dialogue devoid of violence.
Zinke expressed concern over disheartening statements he has observed on social media following recent incidents of political violence. He remarked, “You see, you know, an assassination attempt. You see a political assassination in Minnesota. You see one with Charlie Kirk. You know a father. You know a great patriot, a loving husband. You know, assassinated. And ironically, his assassination was over his message, which was, ‘Let’s have a dialogue. Let’s talk.'”
He further emphasized, “In our country, the strength is that we may agree or disagree, but disagreement should never result in violence.” Zinke also referenced a June incident in which Vance Boelter was charged with the murders of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman, her husband Mark, and their dog at their Minneapolis home. Boelter was also charged with shooting Minnesota state Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, and for attempting to shoot their daughter, Hope.
Other recent acts of political violence include assassination attempts against former President Donald Trump and the attack on Paul Pelosi, the husband of Rep. Nancy Pelosi, with a hammer in 2022.
Zinke’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding his statements.
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